Sunday Morning’s message: May 19th 2024
Pentecost Sunday
Pastor David Jones
Objective:
Encourage everyone to hunger for a deeper relationship with the Holy Spirit. To lean into walking with, being filled up and remaining filled with the Holy Spirit.
Leaders Note:
Take time to help people understand that the Holy Spirit (The third person of the God head) lives inside every believer. We can have as much of the Holy Spirit as we want or ask for. Take time to invite and give space for the Holy Spirit in each life.
Please choose and discuss what best suits your group. Have fun Jesus People!
Discussion:
Pentecost is known as the birth of the Church. On this day the Holy Spirit was poured out upon the apostles and then spread across the known world. A church, a people, you and I are filled with relationship and the power of the Holy Spirit. Peter preached Christ crucified and resurrected and three thousand people repented and turned to Jesus the same day.
Quick background:
Hebrew Word for Pentecost is Shavuot, also known as “Feast of the Weeks.”
English word “Pentecost” is a transliteration of the Greek word pentekostos, which means “fifty.” It comes from the ancient Christian expression pentekoste hemera, which means “fiftieth day.” Fifty days after the Passover
Passover (“Pesach” in Hebrew “Pay-saak”) ---- to Shavuot “Sha-vu-ot” / Pentecost. In this period of fifty days JESUS was - Crucifixion, Resurrected, and Ascended to heaven.
Shavuot “Sha-vu-ot” is the celebration of the giving of the Law, on Mt Siani (Three thousand died from rebellion to God)
Pentecost is when the Holy Spirit was poured out upon the Apostles…. Upon all believers The birth of the church (Three thousand received Jesus)
Read and discussions Acts 1:4-8
On one occasion, while he was eating with them, he gave them this command: “Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about. 5 For John baptized with[a] water, but in a few days you will be baptized with[b] the Holy Spirit.”
6 Then they gathered around him and asked him, “Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?”
7 He said to them: “It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority. 8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”
Question:
What were the disciples commanded to wait for?
Answer:
The Holy Spirit
Question:
What was the promise that Jesus spoke about?
Answer:
The Gift of the Holy Spirit and receiving power. (Leader: Take time to remind people, the Holy Spirit is a gift)
Application for you and me:
Question:
How can we wait for more of the Holy Spirit and what does this look like?
Answer:
The Holy Spirit is more than just a feel-good experience. He is so much more than that. We can be filled again and again with the fresh breath of the Holy Spirit. I fear we may have reduced the Holy Spirit to just a feel-good experience and forgotten the real power that lives within us.
Read John 20:22
“And with that he breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit”
The disciples were filled with the breath of the Holy Spirit, but not for the last time. As we look through scripture, we see that people were filled with a greater measure, again and again.
Hebrew word “Rauch” – Meaning Breath, Wind and Spirit (are all the same word)
In the beginning the Father breathed life into Adam and Eve. Then Jesus breathed on his disciples filling them with the Holy Spirit. On the day of Pentecost (Shavuot) the wind of the Holy Spirit blew into the upper room filling everyone with power to proclaim the good news of Christ.
Discussion:
God children can be filled multiple times. (Leader: Fresh breath of the Holy Spirit. Life, hope, help, peace, enablement, and the fruit of the Spirit Gal 5:22)
- You will have as much of God as you want
- You will have as much of God as you ask for or allow
This is normal Christianity.
Conclusion:
A key to receiving and being filled with the Holy Spirit - Ask, Seek, knock!
The disciples asked. “Lord, teach us how to pray”
Read and discuss Luke 11: 9-13
"So I say to you: Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.
“Which of you fathers, if your son asks for[a] a fish, will give him a snake instead? Or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!”
Ask for a filling of the Holy Spirit. It is very clear in this text to ask Him for the Holy Spirit. We do not have, because we do not ask.
The reason we may have a lack in our life could be because of the lack of the Holy Spirit. Or we need more of the Holy Spirit. Be encouraged, no matter what’s going on the Holy Spirit longs to release his fruit into our life, release’s purpose and power. As we ask for more of the Holy Spirit, it takes us from a self-filled life to a Spirit filled life. Paul commands us to be filled and you may ask why? We are commanded because we may see being filled with the Spirit as optional only.
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