Sunday Chews - sermon post Acts 2:1-13

 



Another sermon from the great book in the Bible we call The Acts of the Apostles.  We read of the birth of the church, the baptism of the Holy Spirit and the filling of the Holy Spirit.  Each topic is so important for us to understand at this point in the book and each topic is so important for us to allow them to expand as they unfold throughout the book of Acts.  Our appreciation for them should lead to action.

The baptism of the Holy Spirit occurs when a sinner receives salvation from Christ and is baptized by the Holy Spirit into the family of God.  The sound from heaven filled the house and all had the cloven tongues upon their heads, no exceptions.  The obedient of Christ who were witnesses of the risen Lord received this baptism.  All who are obedient to Christ signified by responding to His sacrifice with repentance of sins, confession that Jesus is Lord, and belief that He rose from the dead are like those in the room and baptized by the Holy Spirit into the family of God.  Ephesians 1:13-14; 1 Corinthians 12:13

The filling of the Holy Spirit occurs upon one who is saved and empowers them to do something for the glory of God.  Many times this includes a speaking on God's behalf.  Those in the room were used mightily by God to spread the great acts of God to devout (reverent to God) Jews from every nation assembled in Jerusalem on the Day of Pentecost.  Christians today are still being filled with the Holy Spirit by God to spread the gospel message to the ends of the earth.  Acts 7:55

Who does God use?  He uses those who are filling themselves with the Holy Spirit by participating in godly disciplines that help them to grow more and more into Christ-likeness.  These godly disciplines, given to us by God, we saturate ourselves in so that psalms (the very words of God), hymns (words of our God), and spiritual songs (our love for God) come pouring out of us.  We are those who are giving thanks and also in submission to God and one another.  These are those who God at times fills with the Holy Spirit and empowers them for a specific task like those in the upper room on the Day of Pentecost.  Ephesians 5:15-21

The distinction of these 3 scenarios pertaining to the Holy Spirit have helped me to understand other passages where either (1) the baptism of the Holy Spirit or (2) those who are filled with the Holy Spirit by God or referred to as being full of the Spirit or (3) those filling themselves with the Spirit by means given to us by God are referred to.  Words and terms are important when reading God's Word. (1) and (2) are brought upon us by God and (3) is us responding to God.

This is a tremendously big event in light of all history.  We seem to do well celebrating and bringing attention to Christmas and Easter but what about Pentecost?  What about the birth of the church that would replace the temple that Jesus said would be destroyed in the near future?  He was transferring the leadership of the people of God from the 12 tribes to the 12 apostles.  He was transferring the worship of God from the temple and its Holy of Holies to the people of God who became a living temple and Him residing within them.  He was transferring a mostly regional message to a global message.  All this gave birth on the Day of Pentecost and we so many times blow by it on the church calendar without even a mention.  Something to chew on.

Adam




A simple man serving a great God and the local pastor of Stillwater Community Chapel (stillwater-chapel.org). We are in our 38th year of full time ministry. God directed us to this local body of believers on the Western Range of the Rockies to grow with them in mission and mindedness of Christ.

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