Main Scripture: Acts 2:14-21
Article from John Piper
“In the Old Testament the Spirit of God is the presence of God in the world to reveal himself by some action or word. Therefore when Joel says that God will pour out his Spirit on all flesh, he means that God will draw near to men and women and make himself known and felt in a powerful way. There is a great difference between perceiving a lake at a distance and being immersed in the lake. So there is a great difference between experiencing God as a distant object of knowledge and being immersed in his presence. The picture of a worldwide pouring compels us to think of being soaked and saturated and swept along by the Spirit of God. Joel wanted his readers to anticipate an unmistakable flood-tide of God’s presence.
When God draws near to a person by his Spirit, he does so to reveal himself. He aims to be known as God, not as a psychic phenomenon or some indescribable fantasy. Therefore when he pours himself on us by his Spirit, he stirs up in us true images and conceptions of his beauty and power and mercy and truth and holiness and greatness, and he quickens our affections to respond properly to all that we see. It is unthinkable that a person could be, as it were, soaked by the presence of the infinite and holy God and not be moved deeply.
Joel goes on to say that when God makes himself known and felt in people’s lives, this can manifest itself in three ways: they may dream dreams, see visions, and prophesy (Joel 2:28). What a person dreams about is a sign of what his mind is saturated with. What looms up in his mind’s eye while strolling alone signals whether he is soaked in God. And you can usually tell whether a person has been drenched with the Spirit by whether his mouth is given to declaring the excellencies of God. When God almighty pours himself into an individual, the inner life is changed; it is filled with God. And since the mouth is simply the pressure valve of the inner life, when the inner life is full of God, the mouth prophesies.”
(MULTILINE REVEAL BIG)
On this day in history, life as a believer changed forever. This empowerment from the Father was the beginning of a world wide missions movement. This fire from heaven set men and women ablaze with a passion to share the good news even to the point of losing their own lives. It was an untamable, unquenchable, whirl wind that that set the world on fire!
An Outpouring has a Acts 2:1-2
An Outpouring has
(MULTILINE REVEAL BIG)
10 Results of an Outpouring from Heaven
Acts 2:1-47
The first result was people being (Supernatural ability)
4And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit was giving them utterance.
The second result in verse 14 is an explanation of (to those who were confused and those who mocked)
14But 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. 15For these men are not drunk, as you suppose, for it is only the third hour of the day; 16but this is what was spoken of through the prophet Joel:
The third result in verse 22 is the
22“Men of Israel, listen to these words: Jesus the Nazarene, a man attested to you by God with miracles and wonders and signs which God performed through Him in your midst, just as you yourselves know— 23this Man, delivered over by the predetermined plan and foreknowledge of God, you nailed to a cross by the hands of godless men and put Him to death. 24But God raised Him up again, putting an end to the agony of death, since it was impossible for Him to be held in its power.
The fourth result in verse 37 was a
37 Now when they heard this, they were pierced to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “Brethren, what shall we do?” 38Peter said to them, “Repent, and each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. 39For the promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off, as many as the Lord our God will call to Himself.” 40And with many other words he solemnly testified and kept on exhorting them, saying, “Be saved from this perverse generation!” 41So then, those who had received his word were baptized; and that day there were added about three thousand souls.
The fifth result in verse 42 was (uncovering more about what they experienced)
42 They were continually devoting themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.
The sixth result in verse 43 was (signs and wonders)
43Everyone kept feeling a sense of awe; and many wonders and signs were taking place through the apostles.
The seventh result verses 44-45 was Radical
44And all those who had believed were together and had all things in common; 45and they began selling their property and possessions and were sharing them with all, as anyone might have need.
The eighth result in verse 46 was People Committed to (Spiritual Family)
46Day by day continuing with one mind in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they were taking their meals together with gladness and sincerity of heart,
The ninth result in verse 47 was with all people
47 praising God and having favor with all the people.
The tenth result in verse 47 was
And the Lord was adding to their number day by day those who were being saved.