Join us this Pentecost Sunday as we explore “The Power and Presence of the Holy Spirit” from Acts 2:1-21. We’ll dive into the miraculous events of the first Pentecost, where the Holy Spirit filled the disciples, enabling them to speak in various tongues. Discover the diverse reactions of the people and Peter’s bold sermon explaining the fulfillment of prophecy. This service will encourage you to seek a fresh filling of the Holy Spirit, embrace the urgency of the Gospel message, and live as bold witnesses for Christ. Come and experience the transformative power of the Holy Spirit in your life!
Kingdom Way Church – https://KingdomWay.ca is our church in Edmonton, Alberta. Watch us live at https://KWay.live Sundays at 10:00 AM Mountain time. Watch Video on Demand at https://Kway.tv Connect and learn more at https://MyKWC.ca
Notes from Pentecost Sunday 2024: “The Power and Presence of the Holy Spirit”
The festival of Pentecost, also known as Shavuot, holds significant historical, religious, and cultural importance for the ancient Hebrews. Here are the key aspects:
Historical Significance
- Agricultural Celebration: Shavuot originally marked the end of the grain harvest, particularly the wheat harvest in Israel. It is one of the three pilgrimage festivals where ancient Israelites would bring offerings to the Temple in Jerusalem (Exodus 34:22).
- First Fruits Offering: The festival includes the ritual of offering the first fruits (Bikkurim) of the harvest to God, symbolizing gratitude and recognition of God’s provision (Leviticus 23:15-21).
Religious Significance
- Giving of the Torah: Shavuot is traditionally associated with the giving of the Torah at Mount Sinai. This event is considered a pivotal moment in Jewish history, when God gave the Ten Commandments to Moses and established the covenant with Israel (Exodus 19-20).
- Covenant Renewal: The festival serves as a time to renew and reaffirm the covenant relationship between God and the Israelites, emphasizing adherence to God’s laws and commandments.
- Spiritual Reflection: It is a time for studying and reflecting on the Torah, with many Jewish communities engaging in all-night study sessions known as Tikkun Leil Shavuot.
Social and Cultural Impact
- Community Gathering: As a pilgrimage festival, Shavuot brought people together in Jerusalem, reinforcing social bonds and communal identity.
- Educational Practices: The emphasis on Torah study during Shavuot highlights the importance of education and lifelong learning within Jewish culture.
Liturgical Aspects
- Special Prayers and Readings: The Book of Ruth is traditionally read during Shavuot, reflecting themes of loyalty, conversion, and harvest.
- Festive Meals: Dairy foods are commonly eaten during Shavuot, though customs can vary. This practice is linked to various symbolic interpretations related to the Torah.
Shavuot thus serves multiple roles for the ancient Hebrews: it is a celebration of agricultural bounty, a commemoration of divine revelation, and a reaffirmation of their covenantal relationship with God.
Scripture: Acts 2:1–21 NASB95 1 When the day of Pentecost had come, they were all together in one place.
2 And suddenly there came from heaven a noise like a violent rushing wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting.
3 And there appeared to them tongues as of fire distributing themselves, and they rested on each one of them.
4 And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit was giving them utterance.
5 Now there were Jews living in Jerusalem, devout men from every nation under heaven.
6 And when this sound occurred, the crowd came together, and were bewildered because each one of them was hearing them speak in his own language.
7 They were amazed and astonished, saying, “Why, are not all these who are speaking Galileans?
8 “And how is it that we each hear them in our own language to which we were born?
9 “Parthians and Medes and Elamites, and residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia,
10 Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the districts of Libya around Cyrene, and visitors from Rome, both Jews and proselytes,
11 Cretans and Arabs—we hear them in our own tongues speaking of the mighty deeds of God.”
12 And they all continued in amazement and great perplexity, saying to one another, “What does this mean?”
13 But others were mocking and saying, “They are full of sweet wine.”
14 But Peter, taking his stand with the eleven, raised his voice and declared to them: “Men of Judea and all you who live in Jerusalem, let this be known to you and give heed to my words.
15 “For these men are not drunk, as you suppose, for it is only the third hour of the day;
16 but this is what was spoken of through the prophet Joel:
17 ‘And it shall be in the last days,’ God says,
‘That I will pour forth of My Spirit on all mankind;
And your sons and your daughters shall prophesy,
And your young men shall see visions,
And your old men shall dream dreams;
18 Even on My bondslaves, both men and women,
I will in those days pour forth of My Spirit
And they shall prophesy.
19 ‘And I will grant wonders in the sky above
And signs on the earth below,
Blood, and fire, and vapor of smoke.
20 ‘The sun will be turned into darkness
And the moon into blood,
Before the great and glorious day of the Lord shall come.
21 ‘And it shall be that everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.’
Briefly explain Pentecost: The birth of the Church, 50 days after Easter.
Importance: Fulfillment of Jesus’ promise of the Holy Spirit
John 14:16–17 NASB95 16 “I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may be with you forever;
17 that is the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive because it does not see Him or know Him, but you know Him because He abides with you and will be in you.
I. The Coming of the Holy Spirit
Acts 2:14 NASB95 14 But Peter, taking his stand with the eleven, raised his voice and declared to them: “Men of Judea and all you who live in Jerusalem, let this be known to you and give heed to my words.
Setting: The disciples together in one place, waiting as instructed.
Event: The sound of a mighty wind, tongues of fire.
Result: All were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in different tongues.
Expectation: God’s promises are fulfilled in His timing.
Experience: The Holy Spirit brings a tangible change in our lives.
II. The Reaction of the People
Acts 2:5–13 NASB95 5 Now there were Jews living in Jerusalem, devout men from every nation under heaven.
6 And when this sound occurred, the crowd came together and were bewildered because each one of them was hearing them speak in his own language.
7 They were amazed and astonished, saying, “Why, are not all these who are speaking Galileans?
8 “And how is it that we each hear them in our own language to which we were born?
9 “Parthians and Medes and Elamites, and residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia,
10 Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the districts of Libya around Cyrene, and visitors from Rome, both Jews and proselytes,
11 Cretans and Arabs—we hear them in our own tongues speaking of the mighty deeds of God.”
12 And they all continued in amazement and great perplexity, saying to one another, “What does this mean?”
13 But others were mocking and saying, “They are full of sweet wine.”
Amazement: People from various nations hear their own languages.
Perplexity: Some are curious and seek understanding; others mock.
Diversity: The Gospel is for all people, transcending language and culture.
Witness: Our lives filled with the Holy Spirit should cause others to take notice.
III. Peter’s Sermon
Acts 2:14–21 NASB95 14 But Peter, taking his stand with the eleven, raised his voice and declared to them: “Men of Judea and all you who live in Jerusalem, let this be known to you and give heed to my words.
15 “For these men are not drunk, as you suppose, for it is only the third hour of the day;
16 but this is what was spoken of through the prophet Joel:
17 ‘And it shall be in the last days,’ God says,
‘That I will pour forth of My Spirit on all mankind;
And your sons and your daughters shall prophesy,
And your young men shall see visions,
And your old men shall dream dreams;
18 Even on My bondslaves, both men and women,
I will in those days pour forth of My Spirit
And they shall prophesy.
19 ‘And I will grant wonders in the sky above
And signs on the earth below,
Blood, and fire, and vapor of smoke.
20 ‘The sun will be turned into darkness
And the moon into blood,
Before the great and glorious day of the Lord shall come.
21 ‘And it shall be that everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.’
Explanation: Peter addresses the crowd, explaining the fulfillment of Joel’s prophecy.
Message: The last days, the outpouring of the Spirit on all people.
Call: Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.
Boldness: The Holy Spirit empowers us to speak truth boldly.
Urgency: The message of salvation is urgent and for everyone.
To the Church in Laodicea
Revelation 3:14–18 NASB95 14 “To the angel of the church in Laodicea write:
The Amen, the faithful and true Witness, the Beginning of the creation of God, says this:
15 ‘I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot; I wish that you were cold or hot.
16 ‘So because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of My mouth.
17 ‘Because you say, “I am rich, and have become wealthy, and have need of nothing,” and you do not know that you are wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked,
18 I advise you to buy from Me gold refined by fire so that you may become rich, and white garments so that you may clothe yourself, and that the shame of your nakedness will not be revealed; and eye salve to anoint your eyes so that you may see.
Invitation: Encourage the congregation to seek a fresh filling of the Holy Spirit.
Prayer: For openness to the Holy Spirit’s work in our lives, unity in the Church, and boldness in witness.
Song: A song celebrating the Holy Spirit.
Blessing: A prayer of blessing, asking for the Holy Spirit to guide and empower in the week ahead.
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