Empowered | This is How We Do It Week 2
June 5, 2022 / Koinonia ChurchEmpowered by God’s Presence
Pastor Jeff Acton
Acts 2:1-13 (NLT)
On the day of Pentecost all the believers were meeting together in one place. 2 Suddenly, there was a sound from heaven like the roaring of a mighty windstorm, and it filled the house where they were sitting. 3 Then, what looked like flames or tongues of fire appeared and settled on each of them. 4 And everyone present was filled with the Holy Spirit and began speaking in other languages, as the Holy Spirit gave them this ability.
5 At that time there were devout Jews from every nation living in Jerusalem. 6 When they heard the loud noise, everyone came running, and they were bewildered to hear their own languages being spoken by the believers.
7 They were completely amazed. “How can this be?” they exclaimed. “These people are all from Galilee, 8 and yet we hear them speaking in our own native languages! 9 Here we are—Parthians, Medes, Elamites, people from Mesopotamia, Judea, Cappadocia, Pontus, the province of Asia, 10 Phrygia, Pamphylia, Egypt, and the areas of Libya around Cyrene, visitors from Rome 11 (both Jews and converts to Judaism), Cretans, and Arabs. And we all hear these people speaking in our own languages about the wonderful things God has done!” 12 They stood there amazed and perplexed. “What can this mean?” they asked each other.
13 But others in the crowd ridiculed them, saying, “They’re just drunk, that’s all!”
God’s Advancing Presence with His People
- In the Old Testament, God’s presence culminated in the .
• Exodus 25:8 – “Then have them make a sanctuary for me, and I will dwell among them.”
• Exodus 40:34 – “a cloud covered the tent of meeting, and the glory of the LORD filled
the tabernacle.” - In the Gospels, God’s presence is found in the person of Jesus.
• Hebrews 1:1-3: “Long ago God spoke many times and in many ways to our ancestors through the prophets. And now in these final days, he has spoken to us through his Son. God promised everything to the Son as an inheritance, and through the Son he created the universe. The Son radiates God’s own glory and expresses the very character of God, and he sustains everything by the mighty power of his command.”
• John 16:5-7: “But now I am going away to the one who sent me, and not one of you is asking where I am going. Instead, you grieve because of what I’ve told you. But in fact, it is best for you that I go away, because if I don’t, the Advocate won’t come. If I do go away, then I will send him to you.”
- In the Church age, God inhabits his people through the empowering presence of the Holy Spirt.
• John 14:15-18: “If you love me, obey my commandments. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate (Comforter, Encourager, Counselor) who will never leave you. He is the Holy Spirit, who leads into all truth. The world cannot receive him, because it isn’t looking for him and doesn’t recognize him. But you know him, because he lives with you now and later will be in you.
Who is the Holy Spirit?
The Holy Spirit:
- is a person and possesses a divine personality.
- is personal and active in the lives of believers.
- makes Jesus a living reality.
- is co-equal with God the Father and Jesus the Son in the Trinity.
- is God’s Empowering Presence.
Empowered for what?
- To accept Christ’s salvation
- To experience personal transformation
- To point others to Christ
- To thrive in Community