The Day the Holy Spirit Shook the World

The Day the Holy Spirit Shook the World

Years ago a group of pastor’s were discussing who to ask to come and preach a revival in their city. When one pastor suggested they ask the famed evangelist Dwight L. Moody, another pastor asked, “Why does everyone ask him? Does he have a monopoly on the Holy Spirit?” The pastor who recommended him said, “No, but the Holy Spirit has a monopoly on him.”

Acts 2:1-39:

• Pentecost is a Hebrew Holy Day sometimes called, “Shavout” or “the feast of weeks.” There are three great festivals, Unleavened Bread, Passover, Pentecost.
• Christ spent 10 days in heaven before pouring out his spirit.
• At Pentecost, the Hebrews would bring in Harvest. It was the end of barley harvest, the beginning of the wheat harvest. It’s exciting that this is a harvest festival, because God is about to bring in a great spiritual harvest. Salvation is coming to the world stage.
• Acts 2:4, tongues are languages. The word “glosa” is what is in your mouth; a tongue! Same in Revelation, “every tribe, and tongue…” every language.
• Acts 2:5, the gathering is not all nations, but Jews who live in many different nations. Usually go to and everyone expected to hear Hebrew, Greek, Aramaic. Suddenly they are startled to hear languages spoken back home.

I. The Coming of the Spirit: His Grand Entrance.

• The son came quietly. Humbly. Manger. Spirit… comes like an atomic bomb.
• Noisy. “A Mighty Rushing Wind”
• Visible. (Fire! v.3) Fire denotes divine presence. (Theophany) John the Baptist: Jesus would baptize “in the Holy Spirit and in fire.” (Matt. 3:11)
• Miraculous. “And they began to speak in other tongues”
• Personal. (On each) All 120. He FILLS them. Also say he “Baptized” them.

Wind: Acts 2:2: The Spirit is often pictured as wind.

Interesting: So often the Spirit comes like wind. Represents the life in your lungs.

• At Creation, the Spirit stirred over waters preparing to bring life to the planet.
• God breathed into Adam, from his Spirit into the deadness of bones and flesh, Adam became a living being.
• Wind that drove back the water of the flood.
• At Red Sea, wind came down parted the sea. Gave Israel Salvation. Redemption.
• Ezekiel, Valley Dry Bones. The bones came to life when the wind or spirit of God came over them. “I will put my Spirit in you and you will live.” (Ezek. 37:1-14)
• Jesus compares the spirit to the wind: (John 3:8)

II. Six ways the Holy Spirit Shakes Us: (from Acts 2)

1. He of our true condition. (Acts 2:37)

• Acts 2:37, cut to the heart, Greek, kat-an-oos’-so “to pierce thoroughly,” “sting to the quick”
• The Spirit will make you deeply aware of sin. How you hurt others. Rebelled.

2. He

• Work Spirit is to Make Jesus known. The Holy Spirit does not glorify himself.
• Every day the Holy Spirit is working show you Jesus more clearly.
• The Spirit carries the reality of Jesus to us. Makes Jesus real to us.

3. He

• Peter quotes: Joel 2, Ps. 16, Ps.110. Where do you think all that Bible knowledge came from? Peter’s incredible mind? No. The Holy Spirit was at work bringing to life the Word of God.
• We can hear the word so much we become immune to what it says. Pray, “God, continue to wound me.”
• Illustration, Sharon’s doll Blondie. Said the Lords prayer. Heard it so much it just became bla bla bla.

4. He

• Acts 2:2, the wind came “from heaven,” which is where the Holy Spirit was. In Acts 2:4, he “filled” believers. His new home is the body of believers.
• Illustration: Adrian Rogers tells of a time when he came back into this country and he was going thru security. There was a man in front of Adrian Rogers who had some gourmet cheese. The inspector said, “I’m sorry sir, you cannot bring this cheese into this country.” The man and the inspector argued for a few minutes, until finally the man said, ‘oh yes, I am going to bring it into this country you just watch.” Walked to the back of the line and ate the cheese then walked right on through. / No one can take the Spirit from you, because he’s in you. Everywhere you go, carry the Spirit.
• Good doctrine the Holy Spirit takes up residence in your very body. Before you were saved, only your spirit lived in your body. When you got saved, the Holy Spirit moved into your body.

5. He

• The Holy Spirit is not just for show, like nice bathroom towels, but he is to be used.
• Acts 2:4, they spoke in tongues.
• Church’s do spiritual gifts inventory. Actually, God often givens the gifts after we say yes to the assignment. If you serve God, he will empower you. But I don’t know that he often empowers before we agree to serve. Don’t look for the gifting, look for the calling.

6. He gives

• Pentecost is the reverse of Babel. At Babel God separated men by language, at Pentecost he brings people together for community.
• Acts 2:41-47 is a picture of church life under the Holy Spirit.