A Pentecostal Assessment of This Thing Called “Church”

Acts 2.29-47

Main Idea: ACT Like the Early Christians

  • Get the Symbolism of Pentecost
    • Pentecost was originally celebrated as a wheat harvest festival, fifty days after Passover. (Lev. 23.15-21, Num. 28.26-31, Deut. 16.9-12)
    • It was a pilgrim festival and a holiday. Jerusalem was very crowded at this time.
    • The outpouring of the Holy Spirit is the beginning of a better harvest!
  • Grasp the Significance of What Happened
    • In Genesis 1-11, God deals universally with all humanity.
    • In Genesis 11, God divides humanity into different tribes or ethnic groups by creating different languages.  This was done to prevent a universal, evil, one world government.
    • In Genesis 12, God chooses and selects the Hebrew people by calling Abraham.
    • In Acts 2, God is showing that he is moving beyond Israel, and Israel’s unbelief, by overcoming the curse of Babel through the Pentecost gift of languages and the indwelling Holy Spirit.  Tongues then is a sign of judgment for unbelief AND a sign that God is moving beyond the Old Covenant. (1 Cor. 14.20-22)
  • Gain Spiritual Spontaneity’s Power (Acts 2.42-47)
    • [What the early church “just did.”]
    • Apostles’ teaching
    • Fellowship
    • Lord’s Supper (or Church Pot Lucks)
    • Prayer
    • Awe
    • Miracles by the Apostles 
    • Held all things in common
    • Attending gatherings at the temple
    • Meeting in homes & eating
    • Praising God
    • Good community reputation.
    • God added to their number.
ActsBen Caudill