Below is a summary of the week and some questions to ask in your Tribe. Feel free to use any of the resources at the bottom too! The idea is that we are growing in our connection with God.
Hello, it's great to see you!
This week we continued in our series called Octoberfest where we are studying the Feasts of the Bible. This week we dove into the Festival of Pentecost, which celebrates the completion of the grain harvest and the giving of the Torah at Mount Sinai. The Festival of Pentecost is a metaphor that teaches us to celebrate the power given by the friend of our souls, the Holy Spirit.
Pentecost has its roots in the Hebrew Bible, where it is known as Shavuot, or "weeks," meaning that it is celebrated weeks after passover (7 weeks after to be exact). Pentecost got its name from the Greek where it means "fifty" or fifty days after Passover. Pentecost celebrates in Exodus when God gives the instruction of the Torah to Moses and the Israelites. It is also a celebration in thanks to God for His provision over the harvest. This festival produces the explosive power of God in the life of believers. This explosive power is both life-changing and life-defining.
KEY SCRIPTURE
KEY POINTS
God's Explosive Power:
1. The Explosive Power of Rest (Acts 2:3)
A lot of people think the power of the Holy Spirit comes for you to do something. However, as we can see in this verse, the first act of the Holy Spirit was to not do something, but to be someone different. We are to rest in God's peace knowing He will work our circumstances out while bringing us comfort.
2. The Explosive Power of Unity (Acts 2:5-6 and Ephesians 4:3)
Ephesians talks about the unity of the Holy Spirit through the bond of peace. This tells us that one of the “evidences of the work of the Holy Spirit” is pursuit of unity. When someone says the Spirit is calling to strife and division then we know the spirit they are talking about is NOT the Holy Spirit.
3. The Explosive Power to Pursue and Actual Understanding of Scripture (Acts 2:37 and John 16:13)
One of the ways we can tell if a person is walking the true power of the Holy Spirit is by their pursuit of an accurate understanding of scripture. The people in these verses had the scriptures for centuries! They were in town for a religious festival when they encounter God and now are led to a better and fully understanding of scripture.
4. The Explosive Power to Resist Sin (Acts 2:42 and Colossians 3:2-5)
Once the Holy Spirit shows up powerfully in these people’s lives they develop a new devotion. Before the Spirit’s power came into our lives we were devoted to success, lust, status etc. However, he gives us the power to live out a new better devotion.
5. The Explosive Power of Spiritual Gifts (Acts 2:43 and 1 Corinthians 12:4,7)
The Holy Spirit’s power brings spiritual gifts to each of us individually, but the gifts were meant to work corporately. Which is why if we are going to experience the fullness of the explosive power of God we are going to need each other.
6. The Explosive Power of True Happiness and Favor (Acts 2:43 and 1 Corinthians 12:4,7)
When we are walking in the fullness of the power of the Holy Spirit he gives us the power of true happiness and favor because we are doing the thing we were designed to do.
To walk in the explosive power of Pentecost, we must: wait for what God has promised us, praying and asking God for that power, believing and repenting to the Lord, and being open to receive what God has in store for us. If we are free from the power below, then it is time to start walking in the power from above.
If you haven't yet watched the sermon from this past weekend, we encourage you to check it out. The current sermon video will be available this Tuesday. Click on the link below to view:
Recent TVC Sermon Video
1. Have you ever celebrated Pentecost?
2. Have you taken the Spiritual Gifts Test before? What were/are your results?
3. How can your Tribe support you this week?