A Spirit-Filled Church

Amen.

Open your Bibles, if you would please, to Acts chapter 2.

Acts 2 · chapter mention

! Acts chapter 2.

Acts 2 · chapter mention

If you're using the Pew Bibles, it's on page 909.

We're making our way through the book of Acts,

and we have spent at least the first chapter seeing

that God is working through a group of individuals,

a small group of individuals, 120,

preparing them for this great work

that we're going to begin to see start here in Acts chapter 2.

Acts 2 · chapter mention

But what does it take to prepare a people for this work?

Well, first thing it takes is patience.

God is patiently preparing a people for himself.

Now, I don't know if you can take a personal self-examination,

a personal evaluation of your own heart.

Are you, would you call yourself a patient person?

Well, I know the immediate answer for myself is absolutely not.

I am not a patient person.

And by God's grace, he's been trying to develop this in me,

and it's taken a lot of time.

I'm sure that there's a lot of time to go in developing patience.

But just thinking about the importance or the significance of waiting and growing in patience,

I'm reminded of today.

It's 27 years ago and five months that our first child was born.

And when we first heard that we were pregnant,

my first response was,

What?

How can that be possible?

And I realized that God allows nine months and allows 40 weeks

because there's some learning to do,

there's some preparation that needs to happen in our heart,

that God has graciously allowed there to be time in waiting

to help create a sense of expectation

so that we go from,

How can we be having a baby?

To,

Hey,

we're having a baby.

And sometimes that happens well within that nine-month period of time.

Sometimes it takes repeated opportunities to begin to learn that.

And then as your children grow up,

you're learning patience through that process as well.

You're seeing yourself kind of reflected in the way that they respond.

Hey,

where did you get that?

Oh,

right,

you got that from me,

of course.

But seeing how their life develops

and seeing how God is fashioning them

and seeing how God is instrumentally molding them

and getting to see that have a front row seat

to the work of God in their life

that happens as God is helping us to grow in patience

and preparing us for that work,

not only in our children's life,

but that work that's happening in our own life

through that process.

We realize that patience is God's gift.

Instrumentally,

it's a God's gift to us

that God's delays are not God's rejection.

God's delays aren't God's no.

God's delays aren't God saying,

I don't care.

But it's God's way,

His appointed means of preparing us,

helping to grow us,

helping us to refine us.

This preparation process for the work that He wants to do,

He accomplishes through,

so often,

the waiting room.

This morning,

as we look at the book of Acts again,

I want to just remind ourselves

of how the Lord prepares His people.

You see,

the Lord prepares His people

through the waiting room.

And what's going to break out in Jerusalem,

beginning here in Acts chapter 2,

Acts 2 · chapter mention

is this mighty work of God,

this unstoppable movement,

this church that begins to spring to life,

and the work of God,

working through His people instrumentally

to build His church.

We saw that,

that God will build His church.

The gates of hell will not prevail against it.

But how does He accomplish that?

Well, He accomplishes that through

a waiting people.

You see,

if there's ever going to be

a church that's birthed,

it needs to begin

with a person

who understands

what church means.

What it means to be a church.

What it means to anchor your heart,

your faith,

your confidence

in who God is,

and to learn instrumentally

through that process of waiting

that dependence,

dependence on Him

is the only way

that He accomplishes

His objectives.

So, the Lord will prepare His church.

And there are six ways.

The Lord prepared His church,

and we saw,

we got to see that

through the first chapter

of Acts 1.

We saw that the Lord

confirms His message.

That's His first way

of preparing the church.

You see,

if He's going to make

a people to Himself,

they have to be a people

that understand the gospel,

that understand His message,

that are anchored

and confident

in who Jesus is,

and are able

to share that message

with others.

They have to know

the gospel.

And so,

there in Acts 1, verse 3,

Acts 1:3

we see that what Jesus did,

notice,

He presented Himself

alive to them

after His suffering

by many proofs.

Jesus showed up.

After His death,

there was a resurrection.

resurrection.

There cannot be a gospel

without the resurrection.

That's what Paul says

in Romans 10, verse 9.

Romans 10:9

He says,

If you confess with your mouth

that Jesus is Lord,

and you believe in your heart

that God raised Jesus

from the dead,

you'll be saved.

Without this evidence,

in the work of Christ,

or the work of God

in raising Christ

from the dead,

there will be no gospel.

And so,

what does the Lord do?

He helps to confirm

the testimony

of the gospel

by allowing the disciples

to be able to see

the evidence

of a resurrected Savior.

What an incredible gift to us.

So,

the Savior shows up

to the 12th

on the night

of the resurrection.

And the Savior shows up

to the disciples

throughout this 40 days,

this 40-day window

between the Passover

and His ascension.

He meets them

at least on two

different occasions.

One on the mountainside

and one at the Sea of Galilee.

He shows up to them again

here in Jerusalem.

He's meeting with them

here in Jerusalem.

He's confirming this message.

The gospel is real.

The evidence

that God has given to us

about the trustworthiness

of the gospel

is what we need

to understand

and recognize for ourselves.

Do you believe

in a resurrected Savior?

Does your life

demonstrate

a commitment

to that truth?

Are you bearing that out?

Is it evidencing itself

in a life

that is lived

in response

to a resurrected Lord?

Not just believe it intellectually,

but it's fundamentally

changed who you are.

You believe

in a resurrected Lord

and it's changed

your life.

Second,

the Lord prepares

His church

by repeating

His purpose.

He wants the church

to understand

why

they exist,

why they belong,

what is their mission,

what is their purpose.

And so,

in verse 3,

the second part,

it says,

He appeared to them

during 40 days

and speaking

about the kingdom

of God.

That was their purpose.

The purpose has been the same

from the very beginning.

Remember,

during Jesus' ministry,

what does He do?

His ministry was characterized

as proclaiming

the kingdom of God.

That He was

the Son of David.

He was the fulfillment

of that promise.

That He had come

to be King

and Lord

over His people.

Jesus' promises

hadn't failed.

And here,

the death of Christ

and now the resurrection

of Christ

and this confirmed

message of Christ

spoken to His disciples,

confirmed

that His promises

had not failed.

His purposes

had not failed.

That God was still

going to bring

a kingdom.

He was still going

to usher in a kingdom.

But Jesus was still

going to reign

over His people.

Third,

God gives His commands.

He gives His commands.

We saw those.

We've seen them

for the last several weeks

in verses 4 and 5

of chapter 1

where Jesus tells them

while He was staying

with them,

He ordered them

not to depart

from Jerusalem

but to wait

for the promise

of the Father.

God has graciously

given us instructions.

God has graciously

given us a word

so that we can

just follow

what He's told us

to do.

You see,

most of the time

while those instructions

that God has given

to us are clear,

while those instructions

are often simple,

most of the time

the instructions

that God gives to us

are incremental.

We get them

one step at a time.

Just like the psalmist

says,

Thy word is a lamp

unto my feet

and a light

unto my path.

We don't always

know the master plan.

We might know

what the goal is.

We might know

how it starts.

But incrementally,

little by little,

we have these

incremental steps,

these instructions

that God gives to us

so that we can know

little by little,

one step at a time,

put one step

in front of the other

and we follow

the instructions

that God gives to us

and He's given to us

His gracious commands

to follow.

Fourth,

He guides their obedience.

He guides their obedience.

We see that in verses

12 and 13

of chapter 1.

Notice,

they returned

to Jerusalem

and when they had entered

they went up

to the upper room.

They followed

the instructions

that they were given

and God is graciously

guiding them

in their obedience

and helping them

understand

that simple obedience

to the commands

of God

yields the results,

the product,

the life

and the fruit

that God would

seek to give to us.

Go to Jerusalem.

Wait for power.

Simple instructions

carried out

in obedience.

And the result

of that is

what is going

to happen

in Jerusalem

does not depend

upon what you bring

to the table.

It doesn't depend

on your ingenuity.

It doesn't rest

on the numbers

as it were.

It doesn't rest

on your unique giftedness

or your knowledge,

your vision

or the strategy

that you bring

to the table

but simply

on your obedience

and that's what they do.

They return

to Jerusalem.

They go

to the upper room.

They wait

for the promise

of the Spirit.

God is guiding

their obedience

and helping them

to understand

and obedient people

are the people

that God will use.

I'm reminded

of what John says

in 1 John 2.

He says,

this is how

that you know

that you know me

if you keep

my commandments.

Are we

those who know

the commands

of God?

Are we those

who settle

our hearts

in faithful,

deliberate

obedience

step by step

that's often

incremental?

We don't have

to know

what the future

holds necessarily.

We just have

to know

what the next

step is

and to commit

ourselves

in obedience

to what he said.

God delights

in using

those kinds

of people.

Fifth,

he strengthens

their dependence.

He strengthens

their dependence.

Notice verse 14.

All these

with one accord

were devoting

themselves

to prayer

together

with the women

and Mary

the mother

of Jesus

and his brothers.

Yes,

they go back

to Jerusalem

and what do

they do

once they get there?

Well,

they unite.

They're united.

They're one accord.

They're together

and they pray.

They pray

for God's

help.

They pray

for God

to bring

his power.

They pray

for God

to direct

their hearts.

They pray

for God

to glorify

himself.

They pray

for God

to accomplish

his purposes,

his mission.

The mission,

your kingdom

come,

your will be

done on earth

as it is in heaven.

God,

we pray

that your

purposes

will stand

and we

are depending

upon you

to do your

work.

We bring

nothing to the table.

We understand

that it's going

to happen

through your power.

We depend

on you.

We are a

praying

dependent

people.

In sixth,

God's preparing

them by helping

to establish

their leaders.

Helping to

establish

their leaders.

We see that

in verses,

in verse 15.

It says,

In those days,

Peter stood up

among the brothers.

Then verse 16,

Brothers,

the scripture

must be fulfilled

which the Holy

Spirit spoke

beforehand by the

mouth of David

concerning Judas.

Peter takes

the lead.

He doesn't just

assume this role.

He doesn't just

place himself

in this spot

of leadership

haphazardly.

He has been

commissioned

by the Lord

himself

to step

into this role

and to fulfill

the role

of leadership

among this

group.

They recognize

that Judas

has kind of

been escorted

out.

He's been

dismissed,

as it were.

His betrayal

has disqualified

him from leadership

and now they

need a full

team.

So Peter

encourages

the believers

who are there

to choose

among themselves

two men.

Joseph,

Matthias,

they're going

to put those

men before

the congregation

and before

these believers

and they're

going to allow

God to affirm

and confirm

this team.

You find that

in verse 26,

they cast lots.

The lot fell

on Matthias

and he was

numbered with

the eleven

apostles.

God is

reestablishing

his leadership.

God is using

qualified leaders

to accomplish

his purposes

and that's how

God does it.

We find from

Ephesians chapter

two,

verse 20,

is that the

church is built

on the foundation

of the apostles

and prophets,

Jesus Christ

himself being

the chief

cornerstone.

This is God's

strategy.

He uses

spiritual leaders

to accomplish

his priorities.

These qualified

leaders will show

they have this

preserving faith,

this persevering

faith,

this staying

power,

this dependence

on God,

this commitment

to follow truth

and so they're

in the perfect

place to be

used by God

then to begin

this incredible,

amazing mission,

this church

building mission.

And with all

of that in place,

they were finally

ready to carry out

that mission that

God had set

before them.

They're convinced

of the gospel,

its message,

they're convinced

of God's purpose,

they're informed

of his commands,

they are demonstrating

obedience to his

instructions,

they're dependent

on the Lord

to work,

and they understand

his design

for leadership.

Do we want God

to use us

instrumentally?

Do we want to be

found faithful?

Do we want

to enjoy the same

benefits of what

the early church

experienced?

Do we want God

to accomplish

his purposes

through us?

The same strategy,

the same preparation,

the same work

needs to happen

in every single

heart?

Do we know

the gospel?

Do we embrace

Jesus Christ?

Do we know

his instructions?

Are we carrying

them out

from day to day?

Are we dependent

on the Lord

to do this work?

Are we deferring

to the leaders

that God has set

over us

and seeking

to draw them

into the process

of growing

and instruction

and learning

and following

the strategies

that God

has entrusted

to them?

You see,

the Lord

delights

in preparing

his people.

He often does

that through

the waiting room.

He often does

that through

this process

of patience

because he wants

to create

a people

for himself.

Next,

we see

in chapter 2,

verses 1 and 4,

not only does

the Lord

prepare his people,

but the Spirit

empowers

his people.

Notice this

with me.

When the day

of Pentecost

arrived,

they were all

together in one

place,

and suddenly

there came

from heaven

a sound

like a mighty

rushing wind.

It filled

the entire house

where they were

sitting,

and divided

tongues

as of fire

appeared to them

and rested

on each

one of them.

And they were

all filled

with the Holy

Spirit,

and began

to speak

in other tongues

as the Spirit

gave them

utterance.

What dominated

the last 10 days?

The days

between Jesus'

ascension

and the day

of this

Pentecost,

this day

of the indwelling?

How would you

have characterized

these individuals?

Well,

they were

a waiting people.

They were

a praying people.

They were

a unified people.

They were

a people

who were

devoting

themselves

to the

Scripture,

and so

when the

Spirit comes,

we see

the benefits

of their

togetherness.

We see

the benefits

of their

faith in

the Lord

Jesus.

Here in

chapter 2,

verse 1,

we see

for the

fourth time

now,

the disciples

who are

intentionally

gathering

together

to see

what God

will do.

We saw

that in

chapter 1,

verse 6.

Speaking of

the disciples,

they had

come

together.

In chapter 1,

verse 14,

they were

all together

in one accord.

In chapter 1,

verse 15,

Peter stands

among the

brothers who

are together.

And now,

again,

for a fourth

time,

chapter 2,

verse 1,

they are all

together

in one place.

In all of this,

they set an

example for the

church today.

the importance

of togetherness,

the importance

of unity,

the importance

of a united,

consolidated

purpose,

following after

the Lord.

If we're ever

going to enjoy

and experience

the power

of God,

we need to be a

people who are

together and a

people who are

characterized

by waiting.

They were waiting.

Waiting for the

power of God

to show up.

I wonder,

when was the

last time

that you ever

waited for God

instead of

worked around

God?

When was the

last time that

actually your

first reflex

was to pray

and not to

press forward?

Now,

I'm speaking to

you,

I'm speaking to

myself as much

as I'm speaking

to you because

that is our

reflex, right?

Our reflex is

not to wait.

It's not to

pray.

It's not to

depend.

Our reflex is

to get things

done, to make

things happen.

Our reflex is

to move forward.

When we feel

like God is

silent, when we

feel we haven't

heard from

Him, we want

to make sure

that we carry

out His work

and so we get

ahead of God

instead of

wait for God.

We do our

own thing

instead of

waiting for God

to do His

thing.

I wonder

if much of

our problem

begins there.

The importance

of waiting,

the importance

of resting,

the importance

of depending.

Instead of

waiting for God,

we often work

around Him.

At least we

think we are.

And so this

body of

believers is

experiencing now

the benefits of

the waiting,

depending process.

process.

And so we

find the grace

of God that

now comes on

them here in

chapter 2,

verse 1.

You see,

Jesus had come

boldly and He

had come bodily

to them, to the

disciples in Acts

Acts 1 · chapter mention

chapter 1.

What a grace it

was for Jesus to

show up in a

very physical,

very visible way

over 40 days.

And here the

Spirit, Spirit

is invisible.

He is Spirit.

We can't see

Him.

But even in

this, the grace

of God in

bringing His

Spirit in a way

that was

recognizable, that

was perceptible.

Notice the

sounds.

Notice the

sight, the

gracious gift of

God in giving

to Himself in

this way.

Verse 2.

Suddenly, there

came from heaven

a sound like a

mighty rushing

wind.

It filled the

entire house

where they were

sitting.

In divided tongues

as a fire

appeared to them

and rested on

each one of

them.

This word

suddenly happened

in a way that

they weren't

expecting.

They had

anticipated His

coming, but they

didn't know the

moment.

It came on them

suddenly.

And I love how

John Piper puts

this.

He says,

speaking of the

Spirit, He keeps

His own hours.

You see, the

Spirit doesn't

always follow our

own prescribed

plans.

As Jesus will

say of the

Holy Spirit in

John chapter 3,

John 3 · chapter mention

He blows

wherever He

wishes.

And while we

have access to

His power, and

those of us who

live in this age

are indwelt by

the Spirit, He

doesn't come and

go like He did

in the Old

Testament.

We have the

Holy Spirit, but

He doesn't often

operate or work in

the way that we

desire, we

expect.

And here in

Acts chapter 2,

Acts 2 · chapter mention

this whole new

movement that's

taking place where

He comes

suddenly.

He comes

unexpectedly, but

He comes very

obviously.

Notice this

sound.

The sound.

It was like a

mighty rushing

wind.

It was audible.

They could hear

it.

It was discernible.

In the Greek, this

word for pneuma is

the word for wind

or breath.

It's also the word

for spirit.

It carries this

double meaning.

So the mighty

rushing wind and

then the presence of

the Holy Spirit that

was available.

There's also this

double meaning of

this sight.

What they saw.

They saw divided

tongues as of

fire.

It appeared to

them and rested on

each one of them.

Again, kind of this

double meaning where

tongues can either

mean the physical

organ of the tongue.

It can also mean

languages.

It can mean what's

spoken.

This double meaning

helping the people

who were there to

understand what this

gift was about to

accomplish.

This flaming tongue

that rested on each

one was going to be a

representation of this

Holy Spirit empowering

that was going to help

them speak in

multiple tongues,

in multiple languages.

This will be the only

time we find through

all of the scriptures

where the Spirit comes

this way.

Comes in a flaming

tongue of fire.

It was unique.

It was special.

It was set apart.

Why?

Because God wants to

help his people

understand that

something new is

happening.

Yes, the Spirit will

come in power.

We see his coming in

power in Acts chapter

Acts 4:31

4 verse 31.

And when they had

prayed, the place

which they were

gathered together was

shaken and they were

filled with the Spirit

and continued to speak

the word of God with

boldness.

He will come in power

again in Acts chapter

Acts 16 · chapter mention

16 where you know

Paul and Silas are there

and they're singing.

They've been imprisoned

and they're singing.

And the Spirit comes.

The prison is shaken.

The shackles are released

and the prison doors

open.

The power of God is

discernible there as

well.

But he won't come in

this way, described in

coming this way, ever

again.

We won't see tongues of

fire in this unique sense.

But this gift, notice,

this gift comes on

everyone.

Verse 3.

Divided tongues of fire

appeared to them and

rested on each one of

them.

And it says they were

all filled with the

Spirit.

Not just the leaders

but the entire

congregation enjoys the

benefit.

All the believers who

were gathered enjoy the

benefits of the

indwelling Holy Spirit.

And I believe that

this is not what they

necessarily expected.

I think this shattered

their categories.

This shattered their

expectations.

Because remember what

God had promised the

disciples, the apostles,

in the upper room.

Luke 24, 39.

I am sending the

promise of my Father

upon you.

But stay in Jerusalem

until you are clothed

with power from on

high.

Spoken to thee, the

twelve.

And then in Acts

Acts 1:4

chapter 1, verse 4 and

5.

Wait for the promise of

the Father.

You will be baptized with

the Holy Spirit.

The original expectation

is that the Spirit would

come on the apostles.

They knew that God was

going to build his

church.

They knew that the

mission was going to

result in the ends of

the world, understanding

and hearing the gospel.

But I think that when

the Spirit comes on each

one of them, it shattered

every expectation.

God's grace poured out.

Now, of course, of course

there was this Old

Testament expectation of

what the new covenant

would look like.

From Ezekiel chapter 36,

Ezekiel 36 · chapter mention

I will give my Holy Spirit,

put my Holy Spirit upon

you.

But in the Old Testament,

the Spirit came in a way

that was utterly different

than what we see here in

Acts chapter 2.

Acts 2 · chapter mention

In at least three ways.

First, in the Old Testament,

the Old Covenant, the

Spirit's coming was

temporary, not permanent.

That's why David would say,

take not your Holy Spirit

from me.

Right?

And that's why the Holy

Spirit would come on King

Saul and would allow him

to prophesy.

But towards the end of

his life, there's no

Spirit on his life in

ministry anymore.

His reign.

Second, the Spirit's coming

in the Old Testament was

selective.

Spirit would come on

certain individuals to

equip them for certain

tasks.

Like Bezalel, remember?

He is the one who was

tasked by Moses to build

the tabernacle and to

build the furniture that

was in the tabernacle.

And that special gifting

of the Holy Spirit was

placed on him so that he

could carry out that work.

He could do the task.

Third, it was a ministry

of the Spirit that came

on a person and not

something that indwelt a

person as we find here in

Acts chapter 2 verse 1.

Acts 2:1

Repeatedly we find

throughout the Old

Testament.

The judges, for example,

who the Spirit would come

on.

Otniel in Judges chapter

Judges 3:10

3 verse 10.

The Spirit of the Lord was

upon him.

Then Gideon, Judges

Judges 6:34

chapter 6 verse 34.

The Spirit of the Lord

clothed Gideon.

And then some of the

kings.

Azariah in 2 Chronicles

2 Chronicles 15:1

chapter 15 verse 1.

The Spirit of God came

upon Azariah.

And then Zechariah, 2

Chronicles 24 20.

The Spirit of God clothed

Zechariah.

It was a unique, special

kind of work that the

Spirit did for certain

individuals for a

specific amount of time

and for a specific

purpose.

But now, this unique

work of the Spirit would

mark every true believer.

It would mark them as a

new covenant person.

A new covenant believer.

Remember, as we find in

Ezekiel 36, I will put my

Spirit within you and

cause you to walk in my

statutes and to carefully

obey my rules.

Now, this ministry would be

a permanent mark of God's

people.

He would indwell them for

the ministry that he had

called them to carry out.

As we find in Ephesians

Ephesians 1:13

chapter 1 verses 13 and 14,

it says this,

In Him, you also trusted

when you heard the word of

truth, the gospel of your

salvation, and you

believed in Him.

You were sealed with the

promised Holy Spirit who is

the guarantee of our

inheritance until we acquire

possession of it to the

praise of His glory.

If you are a child of God,

if you are a person who has

placed your faith in Jesus

Christ, if you have

acknowledged that He is the

only way of salvation, if

you are now looking forward

to being with Him one day

and you have bowed your

life to His Lordship, you

are one then who enjoys and

experiences this indwelling

presence of the Spirit and

you will have it eternally.

What a tremendous, what a

tremendous advantage and

privilege we have as God's

people that distinguishes

us from Old Testament

saints.

But the Apostle Paul sees

this as something that is a

deficiency in the church.

Something that they have, but

not something that they enjoy.

He prays for the church on

at least two different

occasions.

In Colossians chapter 1,

Colossians 1:9

verse 9, he says this,

And so, from the day we

heard, we have not ceased to

pray for you, asking that you

may be filled with the

knowledge of His will in all

spiritual wisdom and

understanding, being

strengthened with all power

according to His glorious

might, for all endurance and

patience with joy.

This is the reality for every

believer who has placed their

faith in Jesus Christ.

You enjoy the benefits of the

indwelling Holy Spirit.

But the Apostle Paul, in

seeing the church of

Colossae, and seeing the

church throughout this known

world, recognizes the power

that is there, but is praying

that the church will come to

terms with this power and put

it to work.

How many times have we said,

I just can't do that.

I'm just not qualified.

I'm just not capable.

I don't have the power to

obey God's rules.

I feel so stunted.

I feel so inadequate.

I feel so ineffective.

I cannot do what God is

calling me to do.

And that's what the Apostle

Paul is praying about here.

Oh Lord, please help this

church who has all of the

power of your Spirit

resident in their life,

help them to understand that

while they may be insufficient,

inadequate, and ineffective

on their own, they can carry

out the purpose that you have

called them to, and they can

do it because of your power,

not because of theirs.

In Ephesians chapter 1, verses

Ephesians 1:15

15 and 16, the Apostle Paul

prays for the church there.

He says,

If you're a follower of Jesus,

if you have placed your faith

in Jesus Christ, you have

this kind of power.

My guess is that no one in

this room would ever say,

Jesus Christ just can't pull

that off.

And yet, everyone in this

room, if you've been indwelt

by the Spirit, have the power

of Jesus in your life.

How dare we ever say,

the Spirit cannot pull this off.

I wonder if it's because we

treat the Holy Spirit like a

backup generator instead of

treating the Lord Jesus like

the power source.

The source of power, the source

of help, the source of support,

the one who wants to draw glory

and praise to himself and not

to you.

And so, when we come face to face

with our inadequacy, we say,

Jesus is able, God is able

through his Spirit to pull

this off, to show his power.

I'm trusting him.

That's why I love the statement

that Phillips Brooks says.

He says,

Pray not for an easy life.

Pray to be stronger men.

Pray not for tasks equal to

your power.

Pray for power equal to the task.

And every single one of us have

the power of the Holy Spirit

working through.

And all things are possible

with God.

He can equip you for the work

that he's called you to do.

Okay?

And maybe that's the guiding

statement here.

Is that we need to understand

that the purposes that God

has called us to are very clear

in his word.

And as we are faithful

to carry out those instructions,

we can trust that God will work

out those purposes.

Finally, the Lord prepares his people.

The Spirit empowers his people.

And finally, the gospel marks

God's people.

The gospel marks God's people.

Notice in verse 5, it says,

Now, they were dwelling in Jerusalem,

excuse me,

they were dwelling in Jerusalem,

Jews, devout men from every nation

under heaven,

and at the sound of the multitude

came together,

and they were bewildered

because each one was hearing

them speak in his own language.

And they were amazed

and astonished, saying,

Are not all these

who are speaking Galileans?

How is it that we hear each one,

each of us,

in his own native language?

Parthians and Medes,

Elamites and residents

of Mesopotamia,

Judea and Cappadocia,

Pontus and Asia,

Phrygia and Pamphylia,

Egypt and parts of Libya,

belonging to Cyrene,

and visitors from Rome,

both Jews and proselytes,

Cretans and Arabians,

we hear them telling

in our own tongues

the mighty works of God.

There's a lot of confusion today

as to what is the gift of tongues?

What is this gift?

Who has this gift?

What does it look like?

And how does it play out?

Well, here we find

in chapter 2, verse 1,

some very clear definitions

of what this gift accomplishes.

Not ecstatic languages

that can't be understood,

but specific, precise languages.

Now, while the word tongue

can be understood generally,

and it's somewhat ambiguous,

what does a tongue mean?

What does a tongue do?

The word language or dialect

that we find here

is very specific.

It's very precise.

And here we find

there are at least 16 different groups

and probably as many as 18

different specific languages

that are identified

and are used

and are finding their way

in this city of Jerusalem.

And what is the goal?

What is the final purpose?

We find it here in verse 11.

We hear them telling

in our own tongues

the mighty works of God.

That's what God has called us to.

Speaking and proclaiming

the mighty works of God.

Sometimes the gospel

is just that easy.

And notice again

this wind that caused

these people to gather

and the grace of God

in allowing them

who weren't yet believers

to experience

and to see

the same kinds of things

that the believers

in the upper room

were experiencing.

This wind,

this rush of wind.

And because of it,

they were amazed.

They were astonished.

Luke heaps up words

to describe

the crowd's perplexity.

They were blown away.

They didn't know

what in the world

was happening

because each one

was hearing them speak

in his own language

and this gift of tongues

that is this spoken,

distinct languages

with the intention

of proclaiming

the mighty works of God.

When the Spirit comes in power,

He fills you up

with the greatness of God

and a desire to speak

those great words

about Him.

Those who are filled

with the Spirit

will speak about

the wonderful works of God

because they will be

speaking the words

of the Spirit

who came to make

Jesus known.

If someone listened

to your speech this week,

how would they categorize

your speech?

Would they place it

in the category of

this is a person

who speaks about God

in a way that makes

Him look glorious?

Or would they say,

well this is a person

who is marked out

as being an absolute

complainer,

an absolute bellyache,

critical about everyone

around them,

always anxious,

always fearful,

always wondering

who is going to,

when that next shoe

is going to drop?

Or are we people

who are faithfully

proclaiming those

mighty works of God

wherever we go?

I love how the Apostle

Peter puts it

in 1 Peter 2,

1 Peter 2:9

verses 9 and 10.

He says,

you are a chosen generation.

You are a royal priesthood.

You are a holy nation.

You are God's own

special people.

Why?

So that you would

proclaim the praises

of Him

who called you

out of darkness

into His marvelous light.

what kind of

wonderful works of God

has He been doing

in your life?

How do we focus

on God's grace

in our life,

God's forgiveness

in our life,

God's power

in our life,

God's provision

in our life,

God's help

in sustaining us

in this life,

all the mighty works

of God

that He does

time and time

and time again.

I'm reminded of

Psalm 103

and I'm just beginning

to memorize this

so bear with me.

It begins this way.

It says,

oh bless the Lord

oh my soul

and all that is within me

bless His holy name.

Bless the Lord

oh my soul

and all that is within me

and forget not

all His benefits.

Who redeems your life

from the pit.

Who forgives

all your iniquities.

who crowns you

with love

and kindness.

Who satisfies you

with good things

that your youth

is renewed

like the eagles.

All the benefits,

all the joys

that those who know

the Lord

get to experience.

Is that

the confession

of our life?

Bless the Lord

oh my soul

in all that is within me

bless

His holy name.

May we be

those kinds of people

and may

that confession

of the mighty works

of God

have the same kind

of result

that we're going to see

as we continue

to work our way

through Acts chapter 2.

Acts 2 · chapter mention

The work of God

working in hearts

because of the confession

of faithful

believers in Jesus.

Let's pray.

Lord thank you

for your gift

of grace

in calling us

to yourself

in making

a people

that are prepared

for you.

Help us

to be those

who are

not just

indwelt

by the Spirit

but those

who are living

each day

with spiritual

power

carrying out

the work

that you've

called us to

in the little

things

in the big

things

and ultimately

Lord

that we would

give confession

to our glorious

God

that we would

proclaim

the praises

of him

who called

us out of

darkness

into his

marvelous light.

May you be

glorified.

May you be

pleased

with our

conversations

this week

in Jesus name.

Amen.

God bless you.

Have a great week.

God bless you.