Acts 2:1-13
[0:00] Amen. Open your Bibles, if you would please, to Acts chapter 2.! Acts chapter 2.
[0:10] 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.
[0:36] 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.
[0:51] 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?
[1:05] 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.
[1:17] 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.
[1:33] 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?
[1:47] 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?
[2:13] 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.
[2:26] 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?
[2:36] 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.
[3:09] 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.
[3:21] 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.
[3:37] 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.
[3:55] 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, 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.
[4:20] 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.
[4:33] 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.
[4:43] 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.
[5:05] 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.
[5:17] 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.
[5:42] They have to know the gospel. And so, there in Acts 1, verse 3, we see that what Jesus did, notice, He presented Himself alive to them after His suffering by many proofs.
[5:59] 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.
[6:10] 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.
[6:27] 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.
[6:40] 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.
[6:57] 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.
[7:07] 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.
[7:24] Do you believe in a resurrected Savior? Does your life demonstrate a commitment to that truth?
[7:35] Are you bearing that out? Is it evidencing itself in a life that is lived in response to a resurrected Lord?
[7:46] 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.
[8:01] 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.
[8:21] 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.
[8:33] 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.
[8:47] 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.
[9:01] 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.
[9:15] 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.
[9:38] 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.
[10:03] 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.
[10:14] 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.
[10:39] 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.
[10:53] 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.
[11:15] 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.
[11:31] 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.
[11:48] 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.
[12:02] 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.
[12:14] 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?
[12:26] 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.
[12:38] 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.
[12:54] 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.
[13:08] 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.
[13:20] 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.
[13:31] 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.
[13:47] 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.
[14:04] 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.
[14:24] 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.
[14:36] 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.
[14:55] 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.
[15:06] 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.
[15:25] 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.
[15:56] 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.
[16:22] 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?
[16:34] 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?
[16:46] 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?
[17:00] 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?
[17:17] 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.
[17:31] 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.
[17:43] 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.
[18:01] 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?
[18:13] 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.
[18:25] 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.
[18:37] 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.
[18:54] 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.
[19:06] 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.
[19:20] 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.
[19:36] 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.
[19:48] 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?
[20:03] 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?
[20:17] 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.
[20:29] 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.
[20:41] We do our own thing instead of waiting for God to do His thing. I wonder if much of our problem begins there.
[20:52] The importance of waiting, the importance of resting, the importance of depending. Instead of waiting for God, we often work around Him.
[21:02] At least we think we are. And so this body of believers is experiencing now the benefits of the waiting, depending process.
[21:14] 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 chapter 1.
[21:30] 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.
[21:42] 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.
[21:53] 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.
[22:08] 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.
[22:24] 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.
[22:38] You see, the Spirit doesn't always follow our own prescribed plans. As Jesus will say of the Holy Spirit in John chapter 3, He blows wherever He wishes.
[22:52] 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.
[23:10] And here in Acts chapter 2, this whole new movement that's taking place where He comes suddenly. He comes unexpectedly, but He comes very obviously.
[23:24] 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.
[23:40] 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.
[23:54] 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.
[24:08] 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.
[24:20] 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.
[24:33] 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.
[24:43] 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.
[24:54] We see his coming in power in Acts chapter 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.
[25:07] He will come in power again in Acts chapter 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.
[25:20] The prison is shaken. The shackles are released and the prison doors open. The power of God is discernible there as well.
[25:30] 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.
[25:45] 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.
[25:57] 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.
[26:08] And I believe that this is not what they necessarily expected. I think this shattered their categories. This shattered their expectations.
[26:20] 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.
[26:33] Spoken to thee, the twelve. And then in Acts 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.
[26:48] 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.
[27:05] 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, I will give my Holy Spirit, put my Holy Spirit upon you.
[27:21] But in the Old Testament, the Spirit came in a way that was utterly different than what we see here in Acts chapter 2. In at least three ways. First, in the Old Testament, the Old Covenant, the Spirit's coming was temporary, not permanent.
[27:38] 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.
[27:50] 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.
[28:02] 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.
[28:18] 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.
[28:39] Repeatedly we find throughout the Old Testament. The judges, for example, who the Spirit would come on. Otniel in Judges chapter 3 verse 10. The Spirit of the Lord was upon him.
[28:51] Then Gideon, Judges chapter 6 verse 34. The Spirit of the Lord clothed Gideon. And then some of the kings. Azariah in 2 Chronicles chapter 15 verse 1.
[29:02] 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.
[29:24] But now, this unique work of the Spirit would mark every true believer. It would mark them as a new covenant person.
[29:34] 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.
[29:48] 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 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.
[30:09] 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.
[30:20] 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.
[30:49] What a tremendous, what a tremendous advantage and privilege we have as God's people that distinguishes us from Old Testament saints.
[31:01] 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.
[31:12] He prays for the church on at least two different occasions. In Colossians chapter 1, 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.
[31:39] This is the reality for every believer who has placed their faith in Jesus Christ. You enjoy the benefits of the indwelling Holy Spirit.
[31:50] 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.
[32:09] 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.
[32:23] 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.
[32:36] 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.
[33:00] In Ephesians chapter 1, verses 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.
[33:37] 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.
[33:52] 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.
[34:08] 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.
[34:30] 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.
[34:42] 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.
[34:55] 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.
[35:06] 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.
[35:20] Finally, the Lord prepares his people. The Spirit empowers his people. And finally, the gospel marks God's people.
[35:31] 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.
[35:53] 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?
[36:05] 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.
[36:28] 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?
[36:39] And how does it play out? Well, here we find in chapter 2, verse 1, some very clear definitions of what this gift accomplishes.
[36:50] 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?
[37:05] 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.
[37:32] 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.
[37:46] 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.
[38:12] 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.
[38:24] 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.
[38:44] 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.
[39:07] 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?
[39:23] 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?
[39:42] 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, verses 9 and 10.
[39:55] 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.
[40:11] 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.
[40:39] 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.
[40:53] 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.
[41:05] 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.
[41:16] 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.
[41:32] 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.
[41:45] 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.
[42:06] 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.
[42:36] 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.