Pentecost and the birth of the church
Pentecost and the birth of the church
Home group notes for w/c 5th June 2022, prepared by Philip Maycock
(Group questions in italics, Leader’s notes in standard font, additional notes/study in brackets)
Introduction:
Have you ever been in a work situation where your boss turns around one day and says, “I’m leaving in a few weeks’ time”, or a close friend who you’ve relied on moves away? What are your thoughts and feelings? What are the questions you might ask them? How do you feel once they’ve gone?
In our series on ‘Resurrection living’ we’ve come to that point just over a week ago where the risen Jesus ascends into heaven and leaves his disciples. Try and put yourselves in the disciples' shoes a few days after Jesus' ascension. What were the expectations and questions that might have been in their minds? Where do we go from here? Is this the end of the story? What did Jesus say would happen? What did he tell us to do? What happens next?
Expectations:
With most partings or big changes there is usually some preparation and it's helpful to look back at how Jesus prepared his disciples. Read John 14.15-27:
Who is going to ‘replace’ or ‘complement’ Jesus and what is he like? vs15,16,25,26 [While the doctrine of the trinity was ‘nailed down’ much later in the history of the church in order to refute various heresies, the description Jesus gives here of the oneness yet interaction between Father, Son and Holy Spirit is comprehensive].
What are the names or descriptions that Jesus uses to describe the Holy Spirit?
Advocate - a term we often use in a legal sense. In other translations Counsellor, Helper or Comforter are used to try and reflect the Greek word, which has the sense of ‘someone who comes alongside to help’.
‘Spirit of truth’ v26 Giving understanding, ‘ he will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you’ [See also Matt 10 v19-20]
How is the Holy Spirit different to the risen Jesus? A spiritual reality within Jesus’ followers, not bounded by one physical location.
What will the Holy Spirit do? v14 The role of the Holy Spirit is 'to glorify Jesus' What does that mean? v17, 21, Make Jesus real - not just an intellectual belief. [John 16 v7-8: ‘Convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgement’]
Read Acts 1 v4-8. These are Jesus’ last words immediately before he ascended. Try and put yourselves in the shoes of those disciples. Did the disciples have a ‘launch plan’?
Might it have felt like your old boss has given you an impossible project before he leaves - and then told you to wait for the new boss to sort it out!?
What did Jesus say about their task and how the Holy Spirit would make a difference? v8 You will receive power to be my witnesses
Pentecost is sometimes described as the ‘birth of the church’ - the Holy Spirit was the midwife / enabler. ‘The church is God’s idea, initiated by God, not man’s invention.’
Events: Read Acts 2 v1-13:
v1-4: What was the disciples' experience? - however literally or experientially we take the wind and fire it was a tangible experience of God’s presence.
What do the images of wind and fire bring to mind? Fire: Moses and the burning bush, Elijah and the prophets of Baal. Wind: The Greek word for spirit is 'pneuma' or wind and Jesus speaking to Nicodemus said 'You must be born of water and of the spirit. The wind is invisible, and it's seen by its effects and that is so helpful in thinking about the Holy Spirit.
What followed on from the' wind and fire' experience? v11 ‘we hear them declaring the wonders of God in our own tongues, or languages’
What do you think is meant by 'wonders of God'? - worship, sharing what God meant to them, or preaching - not gibberish or in a trance, but speaking clearly and intelligibly, yet supernaturally in different languages recognised by others - about what God had done, most likely about Jesus. [This experience of the Holy Spirit might be considered different to (or a special case of) the 'gift of tongues' referred to in 1 Cor 14 where the languages are unknown].
Pentecost was a major Jewish feast celebrating the giving of the Torah and the summer wheat harvest. It was celebrated by pilgrims coming to Jerusalem from all over the known world. It may well have been that the engagement with the crowd occurred within the outer temple courtyard. The common languages of those present were Aramaic and Greek, so what do you think was the significance is of such supernatural, personalised communication? It highlighted that the message about Jesus was for everyone - in this context, Jews. [In Acts 11 v15-17 a similar event occurs, highlighting the inclusion of non-Jews]
What were the different responses of the crowd? v12,13: Amazed, perplexed, cynical.
Read ch 2 v 14-24, v36-41 Is this the same Peter that denied Jesus? What’s changed? [See also Acts 4 v13, 31]
What is Peter’s explanation?
What had been promised by the prophet Joel? v17,18. The Holy Spirit would be poured out on all people, male, female, young and old.
How different was this to the experience of God’s Spirit in the Old Testament and the ministry of Jesus? In the OT the Holy Spirit had only been given to specific people - Moses, Samuel, David, the prophets. Jesus’ life and ministry - God with us, but limited by his physical presence, now God's presence with and within us as an unconstrained reality.
The context of the verses from Joel are that God's people had turned away from God and his ways and had experienced God's judgement - through an occupying army and being taken into exile. Yet, in Joel ch2 there was a message of hope that if they 'returned to the Lord with all their heart' v12, He would be 'gracious and compassionate' and 'restore their land', but in a new way - 'I will pour out my Spirit on all', v28-29, and 'everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved' v32.
How does Jesus fit into this narrative and God's plan? What are the key aspects that Peter refers to in Acts 2 v22-24, 32-36? Jesus' unique life, their rejection of him, his victory over death in his resurrection. Jesus' ascension and the giving of the Holy Spirit. Jesus as Lord and Messiah (or Saviour).
What was the response of the crowd? Conviction of how they had rejected God, and a desire to change.
How would you summarise Peter’s response? v38, 39 [which is repeated throughout the NT, by Stephen, Philip, Paul and John]
Repent, turn around
Be baptised for the forgiveness of sins - What did this mean for those first believers? Recognising Jesus as Lord and Messiah, being washed clean and knowing God's forgiveness for their sin and their past waywardness and indifference. [Paul uses the picture of ‘dying to self’ and ‘rising to new life in Christ’ Rom 6 v3-10]
Receive the Holy Spirit - a personal experience of God's presence with each believer - and so much more, but that's another story!
Reflection:
Encourage the group to share openly with each other, or in a time of quiet personal reflection, how you have come to know the living God, the forgiveness of your sins through Jesus’ death and resurrection, and His presence within you by his Holy Spirit.
Respond in worship and praise - 'Praise my soul the King of Heaven … Ransomed, healed, restored, forgiven - who like me his praise should sing'.
Give thanks that the Holy Spirit is given to each believer and ask the Holy Spirit to continue to make Jesus real to us, to help each of us to live in the power of the Spirit, and to be witnesses to the living Christ.
Worship song: ‘Shine Jesus shine’, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wAFcwns4uHc