Pentecost Acts 2; 1 to 21

Pentecost Acts 2; 1 to 21

Today we’re starting our series of talks on the book of Acts. Hopefully many of you will have read Campbell’s excellent Introduction to Acts which he printed out for us to read last week. This will give you a good background to this second book written by Saint Luke as a follow on from his gospel.

This morning as we start to look at the book of Acts we’re looking at the coming of the Holy Spirit in power upon the first disciples as tongues of fire on the day of Pentecost. These disciples then start speaking in foreign languages to the amazement of those who are passing by.

There are different views amongst Christians as to what is occurring here but this morning I will try and explain what I think is happening and what relevance it has for our lives.

I think we can find the answer to what is happening here in the previous chapter of Acts, where Luke tells us that before ascending up to heaven Jesus says to the disciples; “Do not leave Jerusalem but wait for the gift my Father promised which you have heard me speak about.

“For John baptised with water - but in a few days you will be baptised with the Holy Spirit…and you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you and you will be my witnesses.”

This is a direct reference to what John the Baptist had said about Jesus whom he described as the one who would baptise people with the Holy Spirit and with fire.

So, what we see in this passage is the first disciples being baptised with the Holy Spirit by Jesus on the day of Pentecost; and the purpose of this is to empower them to be witnesses of the Christian faith.

The point for us to grasp I believe though, is that Baptism with the Holy Spirit or empowerment by the Holy Spirit – whatever we want to call it - is not something that just happened 2000 years ago to the first disciples to kick start the early church. It’s something that is still available to and desirable for all Christians to empower us also to serve God.

In verses 17 and 18 of today’s reading from Acts, Peter emphasises this point. He explains to the crowd, some of whom think the disciples must be drunk, that they aren’t drunk but that God has poured out his spirit on them.

He quotes the prophet Joel and says; “In the last days it will be, God declares, that I will pour out my Spirit upon all flesh, and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams. Even upon my slaves, both men and women, in those days I will pour out my Spirit;”

So Peter clearly doesn’t see what the first disciples have just experienced as something exclusively for them, but for all people who are servants of God, both men and women and both young and old.

The first time the Holy Spirit was poured out in this way was at Pentecost but God has been pouring out his Spirit on Christians ever since in order to empower them for his service.

But what does it mean - to be baptised with the Holy Spirit?

Well firstly it’s different from being converted or being born again. And also it has nothing to do with water baptism. The word baptism is only used to convey the idea of being immersed in the Holy Spirit.

A person receives the Holy Spirit when they become a Christian. The bible makes it clear that at the point of conversion the Holy Spirit comes to live within a believer forever.

So we see with the early disciples that they had already received the Holy Spirit from Jesus before Pentecost. Thus we read in John Chapter 20 of the disciples hiding together with the doors locked for fear of the Jews. Jesus appears to them and shows them his hands and his side and they are overjoyed.

John then tells us that Jesus breathes on his disciples and says; “Receive the Holy Spirit.” So the Spirit of Jesus was already living in the disciples before the day of Pentecost.

Baptism with the Holy Spirit is therefore different to being converted or born again. It is a separate act of God in a believer’s life - that is specifically for empowerment for Christian service. Also it can take place at any time in a believer’s life from immediately after conversion to many years later.

To be baptised with the Holy Spirit is to be filled with and immersed in the Holy Spirit by Jesus - and this action releases power and new spiritual gifts into a believer’s life.

So how can we be empowered by the Holy Spirit today?

Normally this is through another Christian laying hands on us and simply asking Jesus to fill us with his Holy Spirit and to empower us.

This is very much the pattern we see in later chapters in the book of Acts where The Holy Spirit comes upon people and empowers them as the Apostles lay hands on them and pray for them.

It’s very similar to the laying on of hands for healing where we are asking God to touch people with his healing power.

It doesn’t always occur like this. Sometimes the Holy Spirit will descend upon a group of assembled Christians and empower them but generally the gift is imparted through prayer and the laying on of hands.

What does a person experience when this happens?

Different people experience different things. Some people may experience some sense of God touching or filling them. Some people may experience nothing at all and doubt that the prayer has worked - but then over the coming weeks and months notice a new power and confidence in their Christian lives and find that new spiritual gifts have become available to them.

The variety of people’s experience is as varied as with conversion. Every person is different and God knows what is appropriate for each person.

My own experience when I was prayed for, was to sense something of the holiness of God and I became conscious of my own unholiness. And over the coming weeks and months I became aware of a new power and vitality in my Christian life.

We see in today’s reading that the result of the Holy Spirit being poured out in this way is that believers receive spiritual gifts. Peter mentions prophecy, seeing visions, and having spiritual dreams.

So what type of spiritual gifts can we expect to receive?

Paul talks about gifts of the Holy Spirit in 1 Corinthians chapter 12 where he lists a range of gifts that a person may receive from the Holy Spirit.

Paul lists them as; the message of wisdom – the message of knowledge – Faith - Gifts of healing – Miraculous powers – Prophecy –– the ability to discern when evil spirits may be at work - Speaking in different kinds of tongues - and finally the ability to interpret a message given in tongues.

This isn’t necessarily an exhaustive list but it seems to encompass the most common gifts which are imparted, and these gifts can complement and enhance a Christians existing gifts and talents.

For instance after I’d been empowered by the Holy Spirit I found that God started to communicate with me sometimes – through little pictures in my mind’s eye.

They weren’t amazing technicolour pictures but just little pictures that came into my mind perhaps if I was praying with someone or trying to understand something.

Perhaps the most common gift that people experience upon being empowered by the Holy Spirit is the ability to speak in tongues which is what we see the disciples doing in today’s reading.

This is the God-given ability to speak in an unlearned human or angelic language. Tongues is entirely under the control of the person who has the gift and it can be used whenever a person feels it is appropriate.

It’s a little bit like being able to speak a foreign language. You can choose when to speak in that language or not. It’s entirely up to you.

Tongues can be used in a person’s personal prayer time or occasionally when meeting with other Christians particularly perhaps when praying for someone.

When used personally Paul tells us in his first letter to the Corinthians that tongues can edify or build up a believer. Tongues is also helpful when you aren’t quite sure what to pray for a particular person or situation. It seems to help you find the right words to pray.

Some people are nervous of the gift of tongues. A lady I knew wanted to be empowered by God but she was afraid of speaking in tongues so she held back.

God knows each person and I believe he will not manifest gifts they are uncomfortable with. I think fear generally can be a big blockage to Christians seeking to experience being empowered by the Holy Spirit. But sometimes in order to move forward with God we need to confront and step through fear – which is a trick of the enemy.

Paul tells us in his first letter to the Corinthians that “to each one the manifestation of the spirit is given for the common good.”

In other words the spiritual gifts and empowerment we receive are primarily for serving God and the good of others.

If we want to experience being empowered by God our motivation should be so that we can be more effective disciples; so that we can reach out to those around us more effectively with God’s power and love.

God is good and kind and loving and he longs to give good gifts to his children, gifts that will be a blessing to others and to our own walk with God.

So as I draw to a close, the question I want to ask you this morning is have you experienced being empowered by Jesus and has he released spiritual gifts in your life?

If you haven’t I’d encourage you to come to Jesus this morning and to allow him to pour His Spirit into your life to enable you to serve Him and to reach out to those around you more effectively.

Alternately perhaps you’ve been filled with the Holy Spirit in the past but you feel a bit spiritually flat and you’d just like to be refreshed and revived.

Whatever your situation, don’t be afraid and don’t be embarrassed. Jesus loves you and will only give you what is good.

As he says in Matthew’s gospel; “Which of you, if your son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him.”

When I prepare my sermons I ask God to put on my heart anything He particularly wants me to say.

When I was preparing this sermon I felt that God was saying to me that He wanted me to emphasise the importance of being filled with His spirit.

And also to point out that we can do nothing apart from Him, and so the more we are filled with His Spirit the more we will be filled with His love and power – and the more we will accomplish. The more fruit we will bear.

I felt God was saying to me - tell the people at Brenchley to come to me to be filled and empowered. Tell them that I love them and that I long to pour out my blessings and gifts upon them. Tell them I invite them.

Myself and Di and Robin Brooks will be pleased to pray for anyone who wants Jesus to fill them and empower them with his Holy Spirit after the service - or indeed at any time. All you have to do is ask.

I’ve also prepared a short bible study on today’s passage which you’ll find copies of at the back of the church. In the name of the living God. Amen.