POWER FOR MINISTRY
Acts 2:1-13
INTRODUCTION:
A. It was good to see our space shuttle crew get back safely, was it not! But I want you to think about this
1. Two years plus had gone by since the last space shuttle mission
2. Billions of dollars of equipment, safety improvements, crew training and preparation went into getting the shuttle back on the launching pad
3. What if everything was ready, if everything was in place but there was no fuel
4. The energy needed to get the mission up and bring it back a success was not there
5. In effect all would be a total waste.
6. Without the fuel, that which provides the energy to project the shuttle up into orbit, there is no way it could accomplish its mission
B. As we look at the book of Acts this morning we know that Jesus has been crucified, buried, raised from the dead and ascended back to His Father
1. The disciples have been given the command to make disciples, baptize them and teach them the words of our Lord
2. They are presently sitting around in a small room waiting – they have everything they need to do the mission except one critical element – the power to perform
3. All is wasted if the means to provide the energy and power is not present
4. They are waiting on the promise – the giving of the Comforter – the Holy Spirit
C. In Acts chapter 2 we read of an incident that is known as Pentecost
1. Ten days after Christ’s ascension back into heaven, 50 days after His resurrection.
2. On this day the church of the living God was empowered to do the task that was set before her by the Lord.
3. The Spirit is the Power for Ministry!
D. As we look at our passage I want to note 3 aspects of this Power for Ministry
1. The Source of the Power
2. The Manifestations of the Power
3. The Productivity of the Power
4. Today we need Power for Ministry and it is still available – the Holy Spirit is still the Power for Ministry!
PRAY
As we read these following words I want you to think about our church and about your own lives. How are we ever going to do the Lord’s will? What is
I. THE SOURCE OF THE POWER, Acts 2:1-4 And when the day of Pentecost was 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 all the house where they were sitting. [3] And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them. [4] And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost,…
A. The Day of Pentecost
1. Often the focus of this day is on the prophetic or miraculous
2. There is no doubt that it was prophesied
a. It was pictured in Leviticus 23
1) Leviticus 23:16 Even unto the morrow after the seventh sabbath shall ye number fifty days; and ye shall offer a new meat offering unto the Lord.
2) This offering known as Pentecost was to be 50 days after the feast of first fruits
a) Of which Christ is spoken of in 1 Cor. 15:23 But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ’s at his coming.
b) At the feast of first fruits a sheaf was to be waved, symbolic of Christ
3) At Pentecost the wave offering was to be two loaves – a union of Christ and those who would follow – it was a celebration of the harvest
b. It was pronounced by Jesus
1) John 15:26-27 But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me: [27] And ye also shall bear witness, because ye have been with me from the beginning.
2) Acts 1:8 But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.
3. And it was Miraculous
a. Sound of mighty rushing wind
b. Appearance of cloven tongues of fire
c. Man what an experience!
4. But something is often over looked in all of this
B. The Source of the Power – …there came…from heaven…and all were filled with the Holy Ghost
1. This is the only place the power can come from!
2. For the church today it is not so important to look at the prophetic or miraculous, but rather the source!
3. When the power descends from HEAVEN it will only be in accordance with God’s word and it might be accompanied with miraculous things occurring but it must come from heaven
4. Man cannot produce the power that it takes to change lives, churches can not manufacture it with programs, and religion cannot foster it with creeds
5. If it does not come from the Father above we are doomed to live powerless in mediocrity
6. But praise God we don’t have too – the Holy spirit has been given
7. When you accept Christ as your Savior, He, the Holy Spirit, comes to reside in you for ever – you are sealed unto the day of redemption!
C. So why does the church seem so powerless these days?
1. Because we are to full of self!
2. To receive the Spirit and to be Filled with the Spirit are two different things
3. This is why Paul wrote in Eph. 5:18 And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit;
4. To be filled with the Spirit we must be emptied of Self and completely controlled by the Holy Sprit
5. The power is still available from heaven today – the question is: “Are we going to be energized by Him, be led by Him, and be filled with Him?
6. The power for ministry can only come from heaven!
Secondly notice
II. THE MANIFESTAIONS OF THE POWER, Acts 2:4-7 And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance. [5] And there were dwelling at Jerusalem Jews, devout men, out of every nation under heaven. [6] Now when this was noised abroad, the multitude came together, and were confounded, because that every man heard them speak in his own language. [7] And they were all amazed and marvelled, saying one to another, Behold, are not all these which speak Galilaeans?
A. Its Amazing to me
1. People want to take this passage and say that if you are filled with the Holy Spirit you are going to speak in tongues.
a. Usually they mean “unknown” tongues spoken about in 1 Cor
b. Paul said I would rather speak of few words in understanding than so many in an unknown speech
c. You know why they speak in “unknown” tongues – because it is easy to fake!
d. The tongues spoken here were other languages, people heard the gospel in their language
e. The last thing the church needs today is another unknown tongue, many are preaching in a tongue unknown to God already!
2. The amazing part of this Pentecostal experience is that people heard the gospel in their language!
B. The Manifestation Today
1. Folks I put this to you this morning, the greatest manifestation of God’s power is seen in one person telling another person the gospel and seeing God save that person. (Give Gospel)
2. The Holy Spirit of God can use the Word of God to convict of sin, righteous and judgment, thereby bring a person to except Jesus Christ as their Savior!
3. The power is not ours and the manifestations are not ours – they are Gods!
4. Why should God give us other languages today when we can’t talk to our neighbors in the one we have?
5. I am not belittling what God did on that day, but that is history!
6. We need the manifestation of God’s power today: but we do not need foreign tongues – we need native tongues to get out there and speak the gospel of Jesus Christ to every living creature on our street, block and neighborhood!
7. That in itself would be a miraculous manifestation!
And when we do we will see
III. THE PRODUCTIVITY OF POWER, Acts 2:8, 11-12, 37-38, 41 And how hear we every man in our own tongue, wherein we were born?... we do hear them speak in our tongues the wonderful works of God. [12] And they were all amazed,…Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do? [38] Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost…Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls.
A. I Hate To Say It
1. Large Constitutions do not show productivity
2. Programs do not show productivity
3. Large buildings and large bank accounts are not proofs of productivity
4. The question that needs to be asked is: “Is the church fulfilling the Great Commission?”
a. Is it proclaiming the gospel: publicly and personally?
b. Is it baptizing new converts?
c. Is it discipling those who have accepted Christ?
B. When God’s power is reveal from heaven God’s people will see a manifestation of it in the lives of those coming to know Christ!
1. In Matthew 28:18 we read, And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.
- When you connect that with the great commission that follows the inference is that the power that is Jesus’ is ours!
2. If you then read Acts 1:8 I believe we no longer have to infer anything - But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.
3. Folks, God wants to manifest His power right here because He wants people to be saved, baptized and discipled!
CONCLUSION:
A. The power to do ministry comes from heaven: why don’t we get down on our knees and pray: confessing our sin, laying our inabilities at His throne, letting lose of self and asking for His power to do ministry?
B. I believe if we will give ourselves totally to God He will manifest His power in us to be a soul winning, body baptizing, and Christian discipling miracle in Mascoutah, Illinois!
C. Praise God – He is the Power for Ministry!
