Welcome to Redemption Church in Plano Tx! My name is Chris Fluitt.
Pentecost Sunday
Pentecost is a historical day in the history of the Church. You may have heard of it before…
But do we know what Pentecost is?
What is Pentecost?
The word Pentecost means 50.
50 days after the Passover in Egypt God’s Law came down to the people.
50 days after the Crucifixion of Jesus (Passover) God’s Spirit came down to the people.
Pentecost is not a denomination, but an experience. The experience of God’s Spirit.
Pentecost is not just for a group of people who form a denomination and call themselves Pentecostal… No God’s Spirit is not bound by denominational barriers…
Let’s talk about that experience today
- Jesus went to the cross
- Jesus rose again
- Jesus tells them to wait in Jerusalem
- In Acts 2 the Spirit fills the Church
Acts 2:1-4 (NIV) When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them.
The people on the streets heard the sound of these believers experiencing God’s Spirit… They didn’t understand it… and some thought they were drunk.
Acts 2:12-13 (NIV) Amazed and perplexed, they asked one another, “What does this mean?” Some, however, made fun of them and said, “They have had too much wine.”
Peter stands up and speaks. Pay attention! This is the first message ever preached in the Church of Jesus.
Acts 2:14 (NIV) Then Peter stood up with the Eleven, raised his voice and addressed the crowd: “Fellow Jews and all of you who live in Jerusalem, let me explain this to you; listen carefully to what I say.
Acts 2:15-17 (NIV) These people are not drunk, as you suppose. It’s only nine in the morning! No, this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel: “‘In the last days, God says, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your young men will see visions, your old men will dream dreams.
Peter preaches the Word of God to the people. He delivers to them the word of Prophecy for Joel. Peter also preaches Jesus!
Acts 2:22 (NIV) “Fellow Israelites, listen to this: Jesus of Nazareth was a man accredited by God to you by miracles, wonders and signs, which God did among you through him, as you yourselves know.
Acts 2:23-24 (NIV) This man was handed over to you by God’s deliberate plan and foreknowledge; and you, with the help of wicked men, put him to death by nailing him to the cross. But God raised him from the dead, freeing him from the agony of death, because it was impossible for death to keep its hold on him.
Acts 2:36 (NIV) “Therefore let all Israel be assured of this: God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Messiah.”
Peter preaches Jesus.
- Jesus crucified.
- Jesus raised from the dead.
- Jesus is Lord & Messiah.
That was the first message ever preached in the Church. This should still be the message of the Church!
Church how can you move beyond Jesus? How can you graduate past Jesus?
He is first & last! Alpha & Omega! He is the beginning and the End! We should always be looking unto Jesus, the author & finisher of our faith!
The people heard the message of Jesus and they asked an essential question. This question is as essential as the message of Jesus.
Acts 2:37 (NIV) When the people heard this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and the other apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?”
Our response to the Gospel must be “What shall we do?”
What shall we do?
It is not enough to just hear the gospel…
It is not enough to attend a service…
It is not enough to amen a sermon…
It is not enough to say you belong to a church…
We need to do something!
Holy Spirit cut us to the heart today so that we will ask the question… “what shall we do?”
Church do we know the answer to the question “what shall we do?”
The answer is NEVER… “you don’t need to do anything.”
Here is THE answer to the question…
Acts 2:38 (NIV) Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.
“What shall we do?”
Repent! Confess your sin and turn from your sin.
Have you repented? If your answer is no… then it is what you should do next.
Be baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus for the remission of your sins.
Have you been baptized in the wonderful name of Jesus? If your answer is no… then it is what you should do next.
Receive the free gift of the Holy Spirit!
Have you received he gift of the Spirit? If your answer is not… then it is what you should do next.
What shall we do?
The answer is repent, be baptized, and receive the Spirit.
Peter’s message concluded with the understanding that we need to receive.
Receive
Acts 2:38 is not the only place in your Bible that tells you that you about receiving the Spirit of God.
John 7:38-39 (NIV) Whoever believes in me, as Scripture has said, rivers of living water will flow from within them.” By this he meant the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were later to receive. Up to that time the Spirit had not been given, since Jesus had not yet been glorified.
John 20:22 (NIV) Jesus breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit.
Luke 24:49 (NIV) I am going to send you what my Father has promised; but stay in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high.”
The Promise of the Father, the Holy Spirit is sent… you must RECEIVE.
Acts 1:4-5 (NIV) On one occasion, while he was eating with them, he gave them this command: “Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about. For John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.”
Acts 1:8 (NIV) But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”
In Acts 8 a man named Phillip preaches Christ to the city of Samaria… it is an amazing chapter in your Bible.
-Jesus is preached in Samaria
-Demons are cast out and people are healed
-There is great joy in the city
-People turned from their sins and where baptized in the name of the Lord
What more could the people receive? Had they received enough or was their something else God had for them to receive?
Acts 8:14-15 (NIV) When the apostles in Jerusalem heard that Samaria had accepted the word of God, they sent Peter and John to Samaria. When they arrived, they prayed for the new believers there that they might receive the Holy Spirit,
Acts 8:16-17 (NIV) because the Holy Spirit had not yet come on any of them; they had simply been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. Then Peter and John placed their hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit.
You can receive the gospel… receive repentance… receive water baptism… receive miracles deliverance and joy… and have still not received the Spirit.
The Church of Acts believed it was so important that Samaria receive the Holy Spirit that they sent down Peter & John from Jerusalem. Do we believe it is important that our city receive?
In Acts 10 the gentiles, none Jews, hear the gospel message of Jesus. While Peter is preaching look what happens…
Acts 10:44-45 (NIV) While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit came on all who heard the message. The circumcised believers who had come with Peter were astonished that the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out even on Gentiles.
Acts 10:46-47 (NIV) For they heard them speaking in tongues and praising God. Then Peter said, “Surely no one can stand in the way of their being baptized with water. They have received the Holy Spirit just as we have.”
In Acts 11 Peter is back in Jerusalem telling the Jewish believers had received the Spirit just like they had in the beginning.
Acts 11:15-16 (NIV) “As I began to speak, the Holy Spirit came on them as he had come on us at the beginning. Then I remembered what the Lord had said: ‘John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.’
Acts 19:1-2 (NIV) While Apollos was at Corinth, Paul took the road through the interior and arrived at Ephesus. There he found some disciples and asked them, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?” They answered, “No, we have not even heard that there is a Holy Spirit.”
Acts 19:3-5 (NIV) So Paul asked, “Then what baptism did you receive?” “John’s baptism,” they replied. Paul said, “John’s baptism was a baptism of repentance. He told the people to believe in the one coming after him, that is, in Jesus.” On hearing this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.
Acts 19:6 (NIV) When Paul placed his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came on them, and they spoke in tongues and prophesied.
In Acts 2 the people asked “what shall we do?”
What shall we do?
In Acts 2 the people asked “what shall we do?”
And Peter told them to receive the Holy Spirit.
Receive
There are some people who will say that God no longer gives the gift of the Spirit like He did in Acts 2… But Peter did not feel this way.
Acts 2:38 (NIV) Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.
Acts 2:39 (NIV) The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off—for all whom the Lord our God will call.”
This promise is for you to receive.. for your children to receive… for all far off,,, all who the Lord our God calls…
What shall we do today?
Have you believed the message of Jesus?
Repent?
Baptism?
Receive!