Pentecost 2024: The Spirit’s Ordinary and Extraordinary Gifts

Introduction

Acts 2 is like the Atlanta airport, it connects you to a bunch of far-off places. Pentecost was the Old Covenant celebration at the end of grain harvest (Deut 16:9). Fifty days after the wave offering at Passover, they celebrated Pentecost (Lev 23:15). Since Christ was crucified during Passover, Christians celebrate Pentecost seven weeks after Easter. We celebrate the harvest of the church among the Gentiles.

The Passage

37Now 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. 39“For 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. 42They were continually devoting themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. 43Everyone kept feeling a sense of awe; and many wonders and signs were taking place through the apostles. 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. 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, 47praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord was adding to their number day by day those who were being saved. Acts 2:37–47

Explain the Passage

When Moses first built the Tabernacle, God’s glory cloud rested inside the tabernacle (Ex 40:34). And after Solomon built the first temple, fire came down from heaven and filled the temple (2 Chron 7:1). Now in Acts 2, when the church was praying, the Holy Spirit fills a new temple—the church (Acts 2:2-4). Jesus ascended into heaven so that the Holy Spirit could fill the temple—the church. What the Spirit gives to the church is what the church is to minister with.

Simply Good News for a Simply Bad Generation (vv. 37-40)

One reason the early church was selling everything in Jerusalem (v. 45) was because the remembered Jesus teaching about destroying the temple (Matt 24:2). If you owned land and assets in Jerusalem, you knew one day it wouldn’t be worth anything. Notice, Peter’s message isn’t “be saved from hell” but “be saved from this perverse generation (v. 40).” Jesus promised to destroy this perverse generation (Matt 24:34). Now His disciples are saying, “don’t be destroyed with this perverse generation.” Forty years later, that generation was destroyed while the church was saved.

Jesus saves sinners from hell by saving them from their sinful generations. Our evil generation is like a train on its way to a downed bridge over a huge ravine. The church has put up billboards along the way telling passengers to jump, but the passengers find their train seat comfortable. Right now, there’s likely some of you who are trying to play it both ways. You said the sinner’s prayer. You say you have Jesus in your heart. But you’re still on the train of this generation. It really doesn’t matter what you say. You are either with this perverse generation or you’re with God’s people. Notice verses 37 and 38. What should you do to be saved? Repent. The solution to sitting on a train going to oblivion is to no longer be on that train. Trust Jesus. But notice, jumping off the train of sin means jumping into baptism for the forgiveness of sins.

This is the language of scripture, which means we need to be okay with it. Even though the text says be baptized for the forgiveness of your sins, God is not limited by baptism. The thief on the cross was saved from his sins even though he was never baptized ( ). Since none of us are thieves on a cross, we should be okay with what the rest of scripture assures us of—that repentance of sins, salvation from sins, the gift of the Holy Spirit, and baptism are a package deal. You repent of your sins because of the message of the church. You are baptized by the church. You are told your sins are forgiven by a minister of the church. And you are filled with the Holy Spirit who is making His temple out of the church.

Word and Water, Bread and Wine, Prayer and Mashed Potatoes (vv. 41-46)

We shouldn’t create a church-growth strategy straight from the book of Acts. One reason for this is that Acts is more descriptive than prescriptive. Since we no longer have any apostles, we can’t depend on the acts of the apostles like the early church did. That caveat aside, we are still the same church we were 2,000 years ago. Just like a man has the same DNA in his body as a seventy-year-old as he did when he was seven-days old, the church is still the church.

When the church is distracted from her mission, she neglects the importance of word, water, bread, and wine. The preached word on Sunday is a no longer a priority. Families no longer study God’s word. Then eventually, even Christian individuals begin substituting God’s word out for devotions or pop-music. Then we underestimate the purpose of the waters of baptism. We treat baptism like many Christians treat the vows of marriage. It’s more about you expressing what you want, than God making something new. Then the fellowship around the supper is

Notice how simple this is. There was no church office or website. There was no church logo or bank account. It was just God’s people enjoying the gifts of God. But we want programs, events, blogs, videos, podcasts, and books. The solution is not to go back to the way the church looked 2,000 years ago. The solution is not to prioritize disposable church buildings over ancient chapels. The solution is not house churches or communism. The solution is to prioritize what God has given His church—word, prayer, fellowship, and the table. These simple things build our faith and mature us. 

Every soul that was saved (3,000) was also filled with fear (v. 43). If we saw people hate their sin and love their neighbor, it would freak us out. If we saw a church really love the hard truths of scripture, it would make us uncomfortable.

All the hearts that were pierced with the message of Peter’s sermon (v. 37) found their hearts gladdened and humbled with the unity and fellowship of the church. One reason I’m skeptical of modern therapy is that a good number of therapists seem interested in taking Christians away from the church. But the church is where gladness and humility should be found. How is it found? By sharing meals together (v. 46). You can’t share meals with your church until you share meals as a family first. I encourage all of us who normally eat at home to start inviting people over for lunch or supper. Hospitality is hard; if it were easy, everyone would do it.

When the church shares meals together we are feasting in the midst of our enemies, which is How God promised to bless His people in Psalm 23:5.

The church could do this because they were together (v. 44) and of one mind (v. 46). Churches can find unity on a whole number of things, some of which are better than others. So, what were they united around? Theology? Favorite football team? I think they were united around being God’s people. They were united around being God’s. They were united around being a people.

Conclusion

Notice two things about verse 47. First, God adds to the church. Second, the church remains the church. We are not a political action committee, we are not an event coordinating business, we are not a restaurant, a child’s day care, or a minute clinic for your spiritual ailments. We are the church. While politicians add numbers to campaigns and influencers add numbers to TikTok views, God adds numbers to His church. Just be the church!