Acts 2_1-13

Acts 2_1-13
7/13/08
“A promise kept”

Acts_2_1-13
I. As we resume our study we want to be reminded that:
A. The success of the early church was the power of the Holy Spirit at work through them and their total dependence upon God.
B. The ministry of the Holy Spirit in the life of a believer is to glorify Christ in the life of the believer.
John 16:14 (NKJV)
14 He will glorify Me, for He will take of what is Mine and declare it to you.
II. With this in mind we resume our study of Acts in chapter-2:1
Acts 2:1-13 (NKJV)
1 When the Day of Pentecost had fully come, they were all with one accord in one place.
2 And suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting.
3 Then there appeared to them divided tongues, as of fire, and one sat upon each of them.
4 And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.
5 And there were dwelling in Jerusalem Jews, devout men, from every nation under heaven.
6 And when this sound occurred, the multitude came together, and were confused, because everyone heard them speak in his own language.
7 Then they were all amazed and marveled, saying to one another, “Look, are not all these who speak Galileans?
8 And how is it that we hear, each in our own language in which we were born?
9 Parthians and Medes and Elamites, those dwelling in Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia,
10 Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya adjoining Cyrene, visitors from Rome, both Jews and proselytes,
11 Cretans and Arabs—we hear them speaking in our own tongues the wonderful works of God.”
12 So they were all amazed and perplexed, saying to one another, “Whatever could this mean?”
13 Others mocking said, “They are full of new wine.”
A. We see the church waiting for the Spirit, as Jesus instructed.
1. They were in one accord and in one place
a. They shared the same heart and love for God, the same trust in His promise, and they were gathered together geographically.
Hebrews 10:24-25 (NKJV)
24 And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works,
25 not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching.
2. And on the day of Pentecost this wonderful event occurs where the Spirit of God came upon them.

a. Pentecost means "fiftieth" because this feast was held fifty days after the feast of Firstfruits.
(1) Weirsbe points out the calendar of Jewish feasts in Leviticus 23 is an outline of the work of Jesus Christ.
(a) Passover pictures His death.
(b) Firstfruits pictures His resurrection.
(c) Pentecost pictures the birth of the church.
i) At Pentecost the Jews celebrate the giving of the Law.
ii) But Christians celebrate the giving of the Holy Spirit.
B. Three special signs marked this special time.
1. A sound from heaven; the sound of a mighty rushing wind, and divided tongues of fire sat "upon" each one of them.
a. The association of the pouring out of the Holy Spirit and the sound of a rushing mighty wind probably connects in some way with the fact that the word used for Spirit is the same word that means breath or wind and this is true in both Hebrew and Greek.
b. And the significance of cloven or divided tongues of fire probably ties to prophecy of John the Baptist in Matthew 3:11
Matthew 3:11 (NKJV)
11 I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance, but He who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.
(1) The underlying picture of fire is often purification, such as the refiners fire which burns out impurities.
(a) Fire burns away what is temporary and leaves what is permanent.
(b) The Holy Spirit fills us not merely for abstract power, but to bring purity.
(2) The tongues of fire we are told sat on each one of them (each believer there).
2. (vv4) “And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.”
a. In response to being filled with the Holy Spirit we read that those who were present (the 120 not only the twelve Apostles) began to speak in other tongues, that is in languages they had never learned, but they spoke them as the "Spirit" gave them utterance.
3. We are told that there were dwelling in Jerusalem at that time (Pentecost) Jews who were devout men from many other nations and when they heard the sound (probably the sound of rushing wind) that a multitude came together (to check it out) and they heard each one of them the Christians speaking their own native languages.
a. And what they heard the Christians speaking in these foreign languages was "the wonderful works of God verse-11" and all that heard were amazed or astonished and perplexed.
(1) Listed for us are nations and languages represented among the multitude who heard the wonderful works of God declared in their native tongues.
9 Parthians and Medes and Elamites, those dwelling in Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia,
10 Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya adjoining Cyrene, visitors from Rome, both Jews and proselytes,
11 Cretans and Arabs—we hear them speaking in our own tongues the wonderful works of God.”
(2) This astonishment perplexity was compounded because a big portion of those speaking in these other tongues were Galileans who were known as uncultured and poor speakers.
4. This became an occasion of honest inquiry for some- verse-12
12 So they were all amazed and perplexed, saying to one another, “Whatever could this mean?”
a. But other excused away this wonderful work of God- vers-13
13 Others mocking said, “They are full of new wine.”
b. The same is true today, God still does marvelous things, supernatural things, some see and inquire further, others just want to dismiss God and what He does.
III. The gift of Tongues. (I am indebted to David Guzik for his commentary as a source for much of what I share concerning the gift of tongues...)
A. This gift has been the focal point of much controversy in the church
1. Most would agree that this was a gift God gave to the church at least at what time, but a lot of the controversy centers on what God's purpose for tongues.
a. Some believe the gift of tongues was given primarily as a sign to unbelievers
1 Corinthians 14:21-22 (NKJV)
21 In the law it is written: “With men of other tongues and other lips I will speak to this people; And yet, for all that, they will not hear Me,” says the Lord.
22 Therefore tongues are for a sign, not to those who believe but to unbelievers; but prophesying is not for unbelievers but for those who believe.
(1) And that it was a miraculous means to communicate the gospel in different and varies languages.
(a) They believe that this sign is no longer needed and is therefore no longer present in the church.
b. Others argue the point, that while the gift of tongues was a sign for unbelievers according to 1 Corinthians 14:21-22, the primary purpose of this gift is as a gift of communication between the believer and God.
1 Corinthians 14:2 (NKJV)
2 For he who speaks in a tongue does not speak to men but to God, for no one understands him; however, in the spirit he speaks mysteries.

1 Corinthians 14:13-15 (NKJV)
13 Therefore let him who speaks in a tongue pray that he may interpret.
14 For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays, but my understanding is unfruitful.
15 What is the conclusion then? I will pray with the spirit, and I will also pray with the understanding. I will sing with the spirit, and I will also sing with the understanding.
(1) And therefore is still a gift given by God today.
2. Many make the mistake in interpreting Acts-2 assuming that the disciples used tongues to preach to the crowd that had gathered, but this is incorrect.
a. We are plainly told that what they heard was the believers declaring the wonderful works of God.
(1) They simply overheard the believers that were gathered that day declaring praise and thanksgiving to God exuberantly, not preaching.
(2) A sermon was preached that day as we shall see later in this chapter, it was preached by Peter and in the common language of the day which was Greek.
3. The gift of tongues is primarily a personal language of prayer where the believer communicates with God beyond the limits of knowledge and understanding.
1 Corinthians 14:14-15 (NKJV)
14 For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays, but my understanding is unfruitful.
15 What is the conclusion then? I will pray with the spirit, and I will also pray with the understanding. I will sing with the spirit, and I will also sing with the understanding.
a. Apparently the gift of tongues plays an important part in the life of the individual believer, but has a small role in the corporate life of the church.
1 Corinthians 14:18-19 (NKJV)
18 I thank my God I speak with tongues more than you all;
19 yet in the church I would rather speak five words with my understanding, that I may teach others also, than ten thousand words in a tongue.
(1) Especially in public meetings
1 Corinthians 14:23 (NKJV)
23 Therefore if the whole church comes together in one place, and all speak with tongues, and there come in those who are uninformed or unbelievers, will they not say that you are out of your mind?
(2) When tongues are practiced in the corporate life of the church they are to be carefully controlled and never without an interpretation given by the Holy Spirit.
1 Corinthians 14:27-28 (NKJV)
27 If anyone speaks in a tongue, let there be two or at the most three, each in turn, and let one interpret.
28 But if there is no interpreter, let him keep silent in church, and let him speak to himself and to God.

(3) The gift of tongues is not a gift given to every believer
1 Corinthians 12:30 (NKJV)
30 Do all have gifts of healings? Do all speak with tongues? Do all interpret?
(a) The Greek expects a negative answer.
(b) The gift of tongues is not the evidence of the filling of the Holy Spirit and this emphasis and the pressure it produces leads many to counterfeit it in an attempt to prove to themselves and others that they are Spirit filled.
i) It often becomes a means for men to attract attention to themselves, where the real exercise of this gift draws attention to Jesus.
4. The question comes up are there two separate gifts, that of speaking in other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance which we read about in Acts-2, and that which we read about in 1 Corinthians 12 and 14 or are they the same gift.
a. My thought on this is that the differences have more to do with circumstances in which the gifts are exercised rather the gifts themselves but I will let you do the homework for yourself and come to your own conclusion.
(1) When the gift of tongues is genuinely and properly exercised the address is to God and not to men, so when you here a gift of tongues and an interpretation that address man "thus says the Lord..." something is amiss.
b. I will say that I think it silly to divide over this, I want all the gifts God has for me, but I believe that the gifts He gives are to be exercised decently and in order, they serve to Glorify and draw attention to God and not to men.
(1) And they don't make you go crazy and out of control (Remember the fruits of the Spirit work in conjunction with he gifts of the Spirit of which self-control is involved)
1 Corinthians 14:32-33 (NKJV)
32 And the spirits of the prophets are subject to the prophets.
33 For God is not the author of confusion but of peace, as in all the churches of the saints.

1 Corinthians 14:39-40 (NKJV)
39 Therefore, brethren, desire earnestly to prophesy, and do not forbid to speak with tongues.
40 Let all things be done decently and in order.
IV. Now as Chapter-2 continues Peter preaches a sermon the outline of that sermon is as follows.
A. First in verses 14-21 Peter explains what has just happened and he supports what happened from scripture.
1. This is a very important lesson for us.
B. Then he explains how it happened in verses 22-35
C. And then he explains why it happened in verses 36-41.
D. Finally as the chapter closes we see the church walking in the Spirit, our vision for the church here at CCSJ comes from Acts 2:42 coupled with the great commission.
E. Let me challenge you to read ahead and do some study on your own this week with this outline in mind.
F. Closing remarks
1. We are told if we walk in the Spirit we won't fulfill the lust of the flesh
2. If we are walking in the Spirit we will be fulfilling the will of God and His purposes for us (individually and corporately)
3. The success of the early church was the power of the Holy Spirit at work through them and their total dependence upon God.
4. The ministry of the Holy Spirit in the life of a believer is to glorify Christ in the life of the believer.
a. God may your Spirit be the wind the drives us and moves us forward to do your will
b. May your Spirit be the fire that purifies us so that we are single minded with an eternal perspective
c. May your Spirit give voice to us and move our speech for you exaltation and your glory.

And remember God keeps His promises and He has promised us His Spirit, His power to help us!