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Easter Unveiled (pt 5) | “The Promised Spirit”
Text: Acts 2:1-12
Focus: How the Spirit tells the story of the resurrection through us.
Introduction
Sometimes the world can seem unreachable.
Because Jesus lives, no one is too far gone. God has the power to reach them. And He’s called and equipped us to go fishing – Matthew 4:19.
Jesus promised that His death and resurrection would have an effect. So far in this series, we’ve seen the resurrection effect in us:
- Jesus fulfilled (completed) what the Law, prophets, and writings demanded
- We have a seat at God’s table
- The veil in the Temple was torn, granting full access to God to all
- Jesus reclaimed our identity from sin and death
How does all this work in us today? Where do we get the power to walk in our new identity? And how does this power help us to reach a world that seems unreachable?
Well, Jesus knew it would be impossible – for us. That’s why He commanded the disciples to wait for the promise of the Father, the sending of the Holy Spirit – Luke 24:49.
In the text: this is the day of Pentecost, one of the three Jewish harvest festivals that required a trip to Jerusalem. It takes place seven weeks after Passover. At Passover, the grain harvest begins (Firstfruits). At Pentecost, the first barley loaves are offered as a thanksgiving harvest.
It’s here that the promised Holy Spirit fills the disciples.
The coming of the Spirit shows that something has changed in the relationship between God and man. Pentecost is the official inauguration of the new covenant. It’s when God again breathed into us. The church’s mission launched alongside it.
How the Holy Spirit Works to Reveal the Power of the Resurrection
This text is about how the church is empowered, what it is empowered to do, and how to keep the power going.
1| The Spirit Advances God’s Story – v 1
“When we talk about the Spirit, we are talking about something that is not immediately perceptible to our five senses but is more real than anything else because it’s the thing that brough reality into being.” Tim Mackey.
The Spirit Advances the Story by:
- Implementing God’s purpose – to finish creation’s purpose
- Bringing order to chaos
- Inaugurating the new covenant
The Spirit puts the finished work of Christ into effect in us, from us.
2| The Spirit Connects Us to the Story – 2-4
In Old Testament times the Holy Spirit was given to only a very few people. Judges, kings and prophets were inspired for special tasks.
The effect of the resurrection is that the Spirit seals us.
The Spirit Connects Us:
- To God
- To Each Other
With His filling, we are the new Temple of God.
The connection is to extend beyond us to the people around us. This is where they see that the finished work of Christ invites them in as well.
3| The Spirit Empowers Us to Spread the Story – v 4-12
The church was born through the resurrection and launched into world evangelism – from day one.
Pentecost is where Jesus begins to re-inherit the nations.
The gifts:
- Are supernaturally given by the will of the Spirit – 1 Cor. 12:11
- Point others to Jesus – the Spirit’s primary role.
- Operate to edify the church
- Reach the lost – the Spirit still hovers over dark places.
See v 17-21. The Spirit in us, as He furthers God’s story, will bring to completion what He began at creation.
We are given gifts of the Spirit and are the temple of the Spirt b/c it’s the Spirit that magnifies Jesus. He does that through us. The Spirit always and only magnifies, highlights, and exalts Jesus. He is still unveiling the resurrection.
Conclusion – v 42
How do We Stay Plugged In to the Spirit’s Power?
It’s abiding in:
- The Teaching
- Prayer
- Communion
- Fellowship
In other words, abide in Christ. When we walk away from Christ’s mission, we grieve and hinder the Spirit’s work in our lives