Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting.

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Pentecost Sunday: Come, Holy Spirit (Isa 11:1-3; Acts 2:1-13)

Welcome to Pentecost Sunday. Thursday, May 28th 2020 is Pentecost on the Hebrew calendar. Sunday, May 31st is Pentecost Sunday in the Church calendar. In this study we'll look at the extraordinary events described in Acts 2, as promised by Jesus in Acts 1:8 immediately prior to His ascension. Peter, the fisherman, preaches a power-packed sermon to the assembled crowd, quoting from the Psalms and the Old Testament prophet, Joel. Meditate deeply on the truths that Peter declares. The finished work of Christ on the Cross, His glorious resurrection and ascension 'opened the door' for the Spirit to be sent in power. We live in the 'Last Days,' the Age of the Spirit.

All the way through Scripture there is an emphasis on character. And so, when rightly focussing on the power of the Spirit being unleashed (manifested) through the believer and the Church, it is essential to give great attention to the seven-fold character of the Holy Spirit revealed in Isaiah 11:2-3. The Spirit of God not only brings power. He brings character to bear the power.

Come, Holy Spirit.

Questions
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1. Have you ever travelled where you did not speak the language? What happened?

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2. Read Acts 2:1-13. Why did God wait until Pentecost, a Jewish harvest festival (Deut 16:9-10) to give the Holy Spirit?
3. How far have these pilgrims come (vv9-11)? What attracts them to the disciples? How does being filled with the Spirit relate to bearing witness to Jesus?
4. Read Acts 2:14-41. Summarise the key points of Peter's Pentecost address. In vv17-19 Peter is quoting from Joel 2:28-32. The "last days" were inaugurated with the ascension of Jesus and the coming of the Spirit. What is still to be fulfilled in Joel's prophecy?
5. How does the resurrection prove that Jesus is the Messiah? Remembering where these 3,000 came from (vv8-11), in what way is Acts 1:8 partially fulfilled here? What news will the people bring home with them?
6. Read Isaiah 11:1-3. What does it mean that "the Spirit of the Lord will rest on him" (vv2-3; see 2 Kings 2:15)? What supernatural knowledge, ability or motivation do you see here?

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7. If you were part of that crowd in Acts 2, would you respond more like those in v12 or those in v13? Why?
8. Have you ever seen the gift of tongues (or heard testimonies) used this way? Another way?
9. When have you experienced an empowering from God to witness about Christ?
10. The Holy Spirit who indwells every believer desires to manifest His power through each follower of Jesus and the Church, for the working out of the plans and purposes of God. Why then is it so essential for the full mantle of the Spirit (Isa 11:2-3) to rest on us? Ask the Lord to reveal to you which of the seven traits of the Holy Spirit you lack the most. Ask God to flood your life with the seven-fold character of His Spirit.

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11. Peter declared that Jesus is the King. What difference does it make that Jesus truly is the reigning King over all? How does that truth affect your daily life?

^{Listen to the sermon}

Isa 11:1-3; Acts 2:1-13

Isa 11:1 A shoot will come up from the stump of Jesse; from his roots a Branch will bear fruit.
2 The Spirit of the Lord will rest on him—the Spirit of wisdom and of understanding, the Spirit of counsel and of might, the Spirit of the knowledge and fear of the Lord—3 and he will delight in the fear of the Lord. He will not judge by what he sees with his eyes, or decide by what he hears with his ears

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

5 Now there were staying in Jerusalem God-fearing Jews from every nation under heaven. 6 When they heard this sound, a crowd came together in bewilderment, because each one heard their own language being spoken. 7 Utterly amazed, they asked: “Aren’t all these who are speaking Galileans? 8 Then how is it that each of us hears them in our native language? 9 Parthians, Medes and Elamites; residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, 10 Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya near Cyrene; visitors from Rome 11 (both Jews and converts to Judaism); Cretans and Arabs—we hear them declaring the wonders of God in our own tongues!” 12 Amazed and perplexed, they asked one another, “What does this mean?”

13 Some, however, made fun of them and said, “They have had too much wine.”

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