Empowered for Mission | Acts 1:4-2:13

 INTRODUCTION

Jesus commissioned his disciples to go to the world and make disciples of all nations. The church has been given a mandate to take the gospel to our neighborhood and the utmost parts of the world.

Why does the church often feel powerless to witness today?

Why do so many believers feel unequipped for God’s mission?

The universal church has so many believers, yet most of them are very detached from the Mission of God.

Let’s open our Bibles to Act 1 & 2. The book of Acts is the second volume of a unified 2-part work that we call Luke-Acts. This was written by Luke, who was a travelling co-worker with Paul. Luke is about what Jesus began to do and teach by the power of the Holy Spirit. Acts is about what Jesus continued to do and teach through his disciples with the empowerment of the Holy Spirit. Luke starts and ends in Jerusalem. In Luke, Jesus is moving from Galilee to Jerusalem full of Spirit to die for his people. In Acts the people are God are filled with the Holy Spirit move from Jerusalem to the ends of the world.

Before Jesus sent the Church into the world, He sent the Spirit to the Church.

John the Baptist predicted baptism with the Holy Spirt and fire in all 4 gospels.

Luke 3:16

John answered them all, “I baptize you with water. But one who is more powerful than I will come, the straps of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.

Jesus instructed about the Holy Spirit:

Luke 24:49 I am going to send you what my Father has promised; but stay in the city until you have been clothed with power on high. Acts 1:8

Jesus Repeats John’s prophesy in Acts 1 and in Acts 2 Jesus fulfills the prediction by pouring out the Holy Spirit on the Church.

Acts 1:5

For John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.

PROMISE OF PENTECOST

Jesus promised it in Luke 11

Luke 11:11-13

¹¹“Which of you fathers, if your son asks for[ a fish, will give him a snake instead? ¹²Or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? ¹³If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!”

Luke 24:49 I am going to send you what my Father has promised; but stay in the city until you have been clothed with power on high. Acts 1:8

Acts 1:4-8

⁴On one occasion, while he was eating with them, he gave them this command: “Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about.

⁸But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”

Jesus tells the disciples not to leave Jerusalem until they have received power from high.

• Wait in Jerusalem until you have the power.
• God’s work is too big for us to do in our own power.
• Go never calls us to do anything we can do in our own power.

Application: Before we can carry out our mission, we need the power to do it.

• The consummation of the kingdom will come (Acts 1:7)
• But the Spirit is given now to prepare the world beforehand. earth.
• The Spirit is a foretaste of the age to come.
• It is the same Spirit that was with the Prophets.
• The Spirit gives us Power to speak for Jesus.

PREPARATION FOR PENTECOST

• Unity & Prayer; 1:14
• Restore Leadership Structure; 1:18-26

PROOFS OF PENTECOST

Many pilgrims gathered at the temple for the day of Pentecost. Jewish pilgrims would come from all across Israel and outside for the Passover and stay for 50 days for the Feats of the Pentecost also called as the Feast of Weeks or the day of the first fruits, especially the wheat harvest which was presented to God. It was also roughly the day the Israelites received the law in the wilderness in Exodus 19:1, about 40 days after the first Passover in Egypt.

Jews from across the world would come for Passover and stay until the Pentecost. So Pentecost in Acts 2 was a strategic time when many people would be gathered there.

The disciples, about 120 (1:15) of them are praying for the promised Holy Spirit. They were gathered in a house, 2:2. In Acts 2:2-4, we get the evidences of the Pentecost.

Acts 2:1-4 ¹When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. ²Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. ³They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. ⁴All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them.

The Proof/Evidence of Pentecost.

Wind. Acts 2:2

• Evokes Theophany/Manifestation of God to human beings in the OT.
• Ezekiel 37, end-time resurrection life. God sends his Spirit to revive the dry bones of his people and bring about the restoration of his people.

Ezekiel 37:9-10

⁹Then he said to me, “Prophesy to the breath; prophesy, son of man, and say to it, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: Come, breath, from the four winds and breathe into these slain, that they may live.’” ¹⁰So I prophesied as he commanded me, and breath entered them; they came to life and stood up on their feet—a vast army.

Fire. Acts 2:3

• Evokes theophany often with God revealing his glory in the OT. Burning bush.
• Also associated with end-time judgement. Is. 66:15-16

Isaiah 66:15-16

¹⁵See, the Lord is coming with fire, and his chariots are like a whirlwind; he will bring down his anger with fury, and his rebuke with flames of fire. ¹⁶For with fire and with his sword the Lord will execute judgment on all people, and many will be those slain by the Lord.

Luke 3:16-17

John answered them all, “I baptize you with water. But one who is more powerful than I will come, the straps of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit (Greek meaning breath) and fire.

Wind and fire are not repeated in the later outpouring of the Spirit in the book of Acts; however, we cannot say that they can never be repeated. They are important here because they show that God is showing up, they also like a foretaste of the future.

The wind and fire have been repeated in some outpouring of the Holy Spirit in history. At the beginning of the West Timor Revival in Indonesia in 1965 to 1970, there was Holy Spirit manifestation in fire. You had fire in the outpouring of the Holy Spirit revival in Pandita Ramabai’s orphanage in June 30, 1905 at the Mukti Mission in Maharashtra, India.

Third sign: Tongues; Acts 2:4

They begin speaking in tongues. They start to speak in other languages.

Acts 2:4

All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them.

Tongues is the most significant of the three signs for Luke

Tongues is repeated in Acts again and again:

Acts 10:46

For they heard them speaking in tongues and praising God.

Acts 19:6

When Paul placed his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came on them, and they spoke in tongues and prophesied.

a. Tongues provides the catalyst/agent here for multicultural audience. Acts 2:5-13

There were Jewish people from around the world there. They could hear them speak in their own language.

• Tongues is speech inspired by the Holy Spirit
• Tongues is prophetic speech. Acts 2:17-18
• It is also cross-cultural speech.
• Tongues in Acts 2 were missional and prophetic.
• Tongues relate to Acts theme in Acts 1:8
• Acts 1:8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.

What greater sign could God give the church that He was empowering them for cross-cultural witness by the Holy Spirit that on the day of Pentecost they started worshiping God in other people’s languages. God empowers us with the Spirit of prophesy or mission to send us to the ends of the earth. That is the purpose of the outpouring of the Holy Spirit.

b. Tongues provides the catalyst for Peter’s message.

When the tongues were heard, People said, “What does this mean?” Peter says this is what Joel meant when he said:

Acts 2:16-17

¹⁶No, this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel: ¹⁷“‘In the last days, God says, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your young men will see visions, your old men will dream dreams.

According to Luke we need the Holy Spirit for:

Power of Witness.

Prophetic empowerment. (Peter interprets it in his inaugural sermon in Acts.)

We need the Holy Spirit for Empowerment of Missions. (Jesus’s inaugural sermon in Luke, it has to do with empowerment for mission.)

We need the Holy Spirit for sharing the Gospel.

We need the Holy Spirit for Missions.

They were empowered by the Holy Spirit again and again in Acts. We need this continuous empowerment in our lives today.

Different passages in the NT focuses on different aspects of the Sprit. So we have different churches focusing on different passages that focus on different aspects of the Spirit. I do not see this as right and that as wrong. I see that we need the Spirit for Salvation. We need the Spirit for empowerment, Spirit for Missions and the Spirit for Spiritual Gifts.

We receive the access to the Spirit at the Salvation. Subsequent to salvation we can have experiences with the Holy Spirit with subsequent Empowerment. When we come to Christ, when are born again, the Holy Spirit indwells us. But we are called to be filled again and again for power to witness (Acts 2:4; 4:31) In the book of Acts, we see people having multiple experiences with the Spirit. The same Spirit that saves us sends us.

Peter is filled with the spirit: Acts 2:4; 4:8; 4:31 (part of the group that is filled with the Spirit). That is three times already.

Paul 9:17 (Prayer by Ananias); 13:9.

Tongues on the day of Pentecost was a prophetic speech where people heard the Gospel in their native languages. We do not see that mentioned again in Acts but it does not mean that it cannot happen. There are records of people speaking in tongues and others listening in their own languages.

The Scripture also mentions tongues for personal edification.

Acts 10:44–46 – Cornelius’ Household

While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit came on all who heard the message. The circumcised believers who had come with Peter were astonished that the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out even on Gentiles. For they heard them speaking in tongues and praising God.

Here, there’s no mention of known languages being understood by others, unlike Acts 2. It suggests glossolalia (heavenly or Spirit-given language), not xenolalia (known earthly languages).

Acts 19:6 Disciples at Ephesus

When Paul placed his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came on them, and they spoke in tongues and prophesied.”

1 Corinthians 14:18

I thank God that I speak in tongues more than all of you.

Apostle Paul affirms that he personally speaks in tongues and values the gift.

1 Corinthians 14:5

I would like every one of you to speak in tongues, but I would rather have you prophesy.”

Instead of confusing ourselves over speaking in tongues or do we need to speak in tounges, all of us would do better if we ask God more for the work of the Spirit in our lives.

Luke 11:13

If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!”

God will hear us if we cry out to the Spirit, if we recognize our thirst for God, if we recognize that we cannot fulfil all this mission on our own. But the power of the Spirit is available to us. The Pentecostal movement began when people began praying for the outpouring of the Spirit, praying for missionary tongues, praying for empowerment for mission by the Spirit. The Missionary tongues did not happen expect for a few exceptions. But they also understood that they need the power of the Spirit to speak for God across cultural barriers.

Tongues is evidence of this empowerment. This empowers us for missions and ministry. But whether we pray in tongues or not, if we don’t care about reaching other people, if we cannot be reconciled across ethnic or racial lines we fail to become the Missional and eschatological people of God.

The early Pentecostals kept tongues for prayer; 1 Cor. 14

People of Pentecost – Acts 2:5-13

And then he goes on from the proofs of Pentecost to the peoples of Pentecost, carrying on with the same point that was illustrated by the speaking in tongues. We see Jewish people (diaspora Jews) from every nation under heaven, foreshadows 1:8. Now, they were Jewish, but this was the closest way that God could foreshadow on the day of Pentecost what the power of the Spirit was for. Already on the day of Pentecost, God was bringing together representatives from all peoples with the good news of the gospel.

Reversal of Babylon

And many scholars see this as a reversal of Babel. This is one of many allusions. But here also, a reversal of Babel so that the good news goes out to all the nations; here in a preliminary way, but ultimately continuing in our own day, this mission to all the nations. The original apostles were the first witnesses, and we continue to carry on this mission.

Prophetic Empowerment

We see back in chapter 1, with the promise of Pentecost, when Jesus is ascending to the Father, He gives them the promise of the Spirit. This is just like when Elijah was ascending, he promised Elisha a double portion of his spirit, the prophetic empowerment.

Diaspora Jews “from every nation under heaven.”

Foreshadows mission to nations, 1:8

Just like African “ends of the earth.” Acts 8:26-40

Rome. Acts 28:16-31

• Allusion to Babel
• List of nations. Acts 2:9-11
• Evokes Bible’s first list of nations. Genesis 10.
• In the chapter that follows Genesis 10, 11 where God came down, scattered the languages.
• Here God’s Spirit comes down and scatters the languages to bring new cross-cultural unity in the Spirit. The Spirit comes down not to divide the people, the Spirit comes down and scatters the languages to bring new cross-cultural unity to the body of Christ.

Early Pentecostalism and the outpouring of the Holy Spirit

Welsh Revival.

• Location, Wales, UK
• 1904-1905
• Led by Evan Roberts
• 10 Lakhs people received Jesus.

Pandita Ramabai’s Orphanage

• June 30, 1905
• Mukti Mission in Maharashtra, India.

Korean Revival

• Revival in Pyongyang (Now North Korea)
• 1907

The Catholic Church too prayed for an outpouring of the Holy Spirit in the 19^th Century.

Azusa Street

• Headed by William Seymour (African-American)

Seymour got this understanding about tongues from Charles Parham. He was a white mentor of Seymour. Seymour came from the background who expression to God in very loud ways. Parham came from the church background where they were very quiet. When the Spirit came on you, you were very quiet. God can work in both ways. But both Charles and Seymour were in disagreement as to how the Spirit worked and. Seymour said that Spirit will lead to ethnic reconciliation. You cannot have the Spirit and not love your brother and sister across racial lines.

When we really submit to the Holy Spirit, the Spirit will take us beyond racial prejudice, beyond ethnic prejudice, beyond class prejudice, beyond cast prejudice. The Spirit will unite us so that we can speak for God and work for God together and partner in missions in the world to reach the world for Christ.

• This Pentecostal revival went international
• Began April 9, 1906
• Los Angeles, California

Each revival began with people hungry for more, more of God’s power to transform us.

Are you hungry for the same Spirit today?

“Pentecost is not just a past event to remember; it’s a present reality to live: empowered by the Spirit, sent with the gospel, for all peoples of the earth.”

CONCLUSION

Dear church, Pentecost was not just a moment, it was a movement. It was not a monument to the past, but a model for the present. Before Jesus sent the Church into the world, He sent the Spirit to the Church. The same Spirit who empowered the early church is available to us today.

We are not called to fulfil the mission of God in our own wisdom or strength. We are called to wait, to be filled, and then to go empowered by the Holy Spirit. The Spirit’s fire purifies us, His wind revives us, and His voice sends us across all cultures and boundaries.

Will you pray today, “Lord, fill me again”?

Will you surrender your voice, your gifts, your home, your workplace, and your relationships to the Spirit’s mission?

The Spirit is not given for personal pride, but for public witness. Let us hunger again for His presence and power, not for an experience alone, but to be His people in a broken and divided world. The same Spirit that saves you, sends you. The same Spirit who filled them, fills us. So let us be a Spirit-empowered people on a Spirit-led mission.

LIFE APPLICATION POINTS

Pray Together for the Move of God.

Personal prayer is vital, but Pentecost were together in prayer. Am I making space to hear from God before I step into His mission? Commit to joining a prayer group, care cell group, have family prayer.

Seek to Be Continually Filled with the Spirit

When was the last time I asked God to fill me afresh with His Spirit?

Embrace the Spirit’s Power for Cross-Cultural Mission

Am I open to loving and serving people different from me?

Join God’s Mission as a Prophetic Witness in the World

“Your sons and daughters will prophesy…” (Acts 2:17)

Where is God calling me to speak, serve, or stand as His witness?

Let Revival Start with You.

The Spirit is a foretaste of the age to come. This is the time to be passionate for mission. What I am doing today that matters for eternity?

“Pentecost is not just a past event to remember; it’s a present reality to live: empowered by the Spirit, sent with the gospel, for all peoples of the earth.”