A Supernatural Shift
I want to look at the Arrival of the Holy Spirit & the supernatural seismic shift that accompanied his arrival. Acts 2:1-4, When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. All off them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them.”
“If you were God, how would you introduce the 3rd Person of the Trinity (Holy Spirit) to the people on Planet Earth?” 33yrs earlier, the 2nd Person of the Trinity shows up as a baby in a barn without a lot of fanfare, & now the 3rd Person of the Trinity is coming to planet earth & he arrives in a 2nd floor conference room with 120 people in attendance! (Not what you call a grand entrance)
Regardless how small the gathering was or how unimpressive the room, 3 outrageous things occurred simultaneously when the HS arrived/earth, 1st – Sound of Violent Wind 2nd – Fireball Appears & Separates, Hovers over people’s heads 3rd – People Started to Speak Fluently in Languages they had never studied before!
Imagine if all 3 of those things happened in this auditorium right now, imagine a Deaf-ening Sound of Wind roaring thru here shaking this auditorium. Then a Huge Fireball enters this room & it splits into little 4-5 inch flames that scatter around & hover over every person’s head, “You’ve got fire over your head.” Then Words start coming out of your mouth, but there not in English, you’re speaking a foreign language that you’ve never studied before & the person who’s talking back to you is speaking in a language they never studied before, & you realize everyone in the room is talking in a foreign language…, “I’m sure glad I didn’t skip church today.”
Less you think that there is No Method to all this Madness, on the Day of Pentecost, God sent these 3 Symbols to help the people in that upper room understand how the arrival of the Holy Spirit would impact their lives & future.
“What is the Meaning of the Sound of the VIOLENT WIND?”
This was to let every Christ follower know that a New Divine Power was going to sweep over their lives in a way that they had never experienced before.
During Jesus’s 3yr-ministry, supernatural power was vested only in Jesus, Jesus was the one who Did the Healings, Fed Multitudes & Raised/Dead & if you happened to be a block away when Jesus did the miracle you missed the whole thing! Supernatural power was vested only in Jesus, & everyone else just had to watch as Jesus wielded his power.
But on the day of Pentecost, a supernatural shift happens, God sends the sound of a deaf-ening wind & “Everyone” in the room hears it, indicating that Supernatural Power Is Now Available To All Followers Of Jesus Christ.
This was a New Thing, it had never happened before in human history, & it blew the minds of the people as this power became available & operative in their lives.
BTW, it’s still a stretch for the average Christian to believe that the power of the Holy Spirit is available to YOU! YOU, the person sitting in your chair right now!
Friend…, “I was at work & I had this major presentation to make & I felt so alone,” & I…, “The HS was there w/you,” he…, “Ya but I was at work & is God really interested & would he really offer his power?” yes, on the Day of Pentecost, God made his power available to all of us through the ministry of the Holy Spirit!
Maybe you’re a Parent trying to raise a 15yr-old in this crazy culture, & you’re in the middle of one of those parenting episodes where he/she is rebelling & you’re out of energy/ideas & you…, “I’ve got nothing left!” If you would pause &…, “Wait a minute, I’m not alone right now, I can ask the Holy Spirit to give me Wisdom/Guidance…New Idea or Insight or Scripture to help me direct this young lady!”
The Holy Spirit really is available to you, that deafening sound of a violent wind was a signal to everyone in the room that day, & this day, that wherever you are…, you have access to the Power/Wisdom/Guidanceof the Holy Spirit!
“What is the Meaning of the Little FLAMES OF FIRE?”
Text says a fireball entered the room & then it splits into these 4-5inch flames that hover-ed over “Everyone’s” head, every Man/Womans head (Wasn’t gender biased) Wealthy/Poor Old/Young & this symbol of flames hovering over everyone’s head is packed full of supernatural significance, so I want you to really dial in because this was a mind blower back then, & it still a mind blower today.
For thousands of years there was a Sharp Distinction Drawn between Normal People of Faith & Clergy. (Priests or Pastors) Priests were the ones who had the hotlines to God, they had the special stuff that qualified them to Say Public Prayers, Preach Sermons, Listen to Confessions & absolve people from their sins, Counsel the Confused, Marry & Bury people, & that super, holy stuff could never be done by NON-PRIEST/PASTOR, sever consequences would occur if someone tried. (It’s the way the system worked)
Until the arrival of the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost, when “Every Person” in the room Heard the Deafening Wind, symbolizing that supernatural power is now available to every follower of Christ, & “Every Person” had a Flame of Fire Hovering Over their Head, not just over the heads of the 3 rock star followers of Jesus, Peter/James/John, they all had a little flame over their head, & this was symbolizing that Every Christ Follower Is Now Becoming A Priest/Minister!
On the Day of Pentecost, the distinction between Clergy & Laity got demolished!
So much so, that shortly after all this happened, Peter goes out into the streets & a huge crowd gathers because they’ve all heard rumors about the Risen Christ/Upper-room, & Peter realizes that there is no legitimate clergy around, so he stands up in front of a huge crowd & he begins to preach. Peter has never preached before, he’s a commercial fisher-man, & I’m sure he…, “What am I doing? This is what a priest would do! I’m not a priest, I didn’t study for this but now I’m doing it,” & under the power of the Holy Spirit, 3000 people heard the message & they were cut to the core & they crossed the line of faith, because of a message given by non-priest/pastor type!
This is a supernatural shift that Turned Kingdom History on its Ear, God took the Box of what a Minister Looked Like & He Smashed it, & I don’t think the church has come to full grips, even today, with the significance of this Supernatural Shift & how God intended for ministry to be done by his followers.
As I was reading Acts 2 this past week, I got emotional, because it was out of this Super-natural Shift in the upper room that the miracle of the church was born, (Progression) Acts 2:42-47, They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. Everyone was filled with awe at the many wonders and signs performed by the apostles. All the believers were together and had everything in common. They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need. Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved. Imagine w/me, there was once a community of people who wholly devoted their lives to God!
Everyone in that new little community was Fully Devoted to Word of God, they feasted on it, they read the word privately & they were devoted to the apostles teaching & their thoughts, words & deeds were ordered around the Word of God.
There was once a community where People Prayed Bold Prayers, & signs, wonders were occurring in this new little community.
There was once a community where People Loved Each Other so deeply that they call-ed each other Brother/Sister, Socio-economic walls came down, Gender walls…, racial walls…, because there was this deep sense of brotherhood/sisterhood! It…, They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, which means they took their masks off & got real with one another & they were so joyful!
There was such love & concern that They Started Giving their Stuff to Each Other as they saw need…, “I don’t have to have this” & they would sell some of their possessions so that no one in this new community would live with ongoing need.
The Worship that flowed was so rich/real that people in the neighborhood around them started…, “Look what’s happening at that church” & people were coming to faith daily!
As I read that account of the first church in Acts 2 I almost had a heart attack…, “Why can’t there be such a community in our day/city? Why can’t there be people who Really Love God’s Word & devote themselves to it…Pray Bold Prayers followed by signs & wonders…Love God with all their hearts/souls/minds/strength & love each other with radical love? Why can’t a church like that be built today? Has the Holy Spirit lost his punch? Has the gospel lost its power to transform human lives?”
I preached this message at DCC…, “Yes, there ought to be a community like this today & some pastor type ought to step up to the challenge & build one,” & people were looking around wondering, “What Pastor or DC College Kid is going to step up & build one of these things because if it’s going to happen it’s probably going to happen through a PASTOR-TYPE.”
History: (Image) DCC is 102yrs-old (Native American Pastor) For the first 60yrs, our church ran between 40-200 in attendance. Here’s how the system worked, the church members paid the pastors salary & he was required to do all the ministry stuff, so the pastor did all the Teaching/Preaching/Counseling/Marrying/Burying & once a year the congrega-tion would meet for a business meeting, & if they felt like the pastor did a good job, they’d give him the thumbs up & extend his contract for another year, & if not, they’d fire him & find a minister who would do all these pastoral duties! Notice, the people of the church were the ones who were Ministered to…Recipients of Ministry & the pastor was the minister. This is still the mindset in 95% of churches in our world today, & it has been problematic in the church for hundreds of years.
In the 1970’s, DC had a difficult run, (5 pastors in 10yrs) but in 1979 a man named (Image) Tommy Barnett was hired to be the pastor, & he stood boldly before a crowd of 200 people & shared a vision for a new kind of church.., “There was once a supernatural community that came out of nowhere & it changed the world, & there ought to be a Supernatural Community like that in PHX, one that comes out of nowhere & shakes this city!”
That small congregation got fired up, “Amen! That’s why we hired you. We want you to assemble a dream team to build that kind of church.” Then he dropped the bomb, “Acts 2 Supernatural Churches are not build by Pastor Types, they’re built by Ordinary People like you, who love God & have the heart to do it.”
Then he explained to them what happened on the Day of Pentecost, “There was a sound of a deafening wind that was heard by everyone in the room representing…, & then little flames dispersed over everyone’s head representing God desire to do great works thru anyone with a willing heart. You don’t need Seminary Training…Pastoral Certificate, those are not the things that make you eligible to do something great for God.”
99% of the people sitting in that auditorium were Marketplace People, they had no inter-est in pastor stuff, but when dad began to cast a vision of the Beauty/Potential of one of these Supernatural Communities, & when he taught them that on the Day of Pentecost the Holy Spirit empowered & called each of them to the work of the ministry & that he would use any rank & file follower of Christ if they had a willing heart & in fact, God no longer sees any distinction between Clergy & Non-Clergy, people began…, “Wait a minute, I thought I was OFF THE HOOK, but maybe I’m ON THE HOOK.”
There are so many important things that need to be done in this world in the name of Christ, there is so much ministry that needs to happen in your workplaces or neighbor-hoods…, & many of us see the need but we take ourselves off the hook because we’re not Pastors…, “Let the pastors do it! It’s not my responsibility. I come to church & give my tithe/offerings so that we can hire the staff to do ministry! I’m off the hook because I don’t FEEL LIKE CLERGY.”
I’ve never Felt like a Pastor. When I go to pastor events, “Who are these weird people?” Sometimes at pastor events…, “Luke would you stand up & say something,” I’m like, “I’ve got nothing!” I’ve felt awkward for 30yrs as a pastor, like I w/the wrong guy~job.
Point: 99% of the Christ followers have taken themselves off the hook because they don’t FEEL LIKE MINISTERS, & the Holy Spirit came on the day of Pentecost to say to each of us who claim to follow Jesus, “My power is available to you & I have called you to be my Minister, in fact, there is no distinction between Clergy & Non Clergy, you just have to be a fired up follower of Christ who steps out in faith & does what the Spirit says to do in the Marketplace…Neighborhood…School, wherever!”
I’m saying, we are all On the Hook…Empowered & Called By God to do the work of the ministry, this is the “Priesthood” of all believers that came into being on Pentecost!
Cool: Not only has God put all of us on the hook, he has equipped each of us w/Special Stuff we need to do what he calls us to do, Romans 12:6-8. We have different gifts, according to the grace given us. If a man’s gift is prophesying, let him use it in proportion to his faith. If it is serving, let him serve; if it is teaching, let him teach; if it is encouraging, let him encourage; if it is contributing to the needs of others, let him give generously; if it is leadership, let him govern diligently; if it is showing mercy, let him do it cheerfully.
What a cool verse, God not only has Called Us to be Ministers but he has Entrusted us with the Spiritual Gifts that we need to carry out what he calls us to do.
Spiritual Gifts Are Special God Empowered Abilities that God Entrusts to Every Christian to Enable Them to Fulfill their Calling as Ministers.
My spiritual gifts are Leadership, Teaching, Discernment, these are gifts that God poured into my life, I didn’t ask for them, I don’t deserve them, but I am required to steward them. So, if I’ve been given the Gift of Leadership, it is so I will step up & take responsibility to lead some part of God’s purposes in the Church/World.
My early 20’s…, (Dad) “There are a 100 people could do the vocation you’re thinking about doing, but you are a born leader, & there are not many people with the gift of leadership the way you have it & who sees the potential of the church the way you see it & who could move the church forward, & I think you would be selling out to a lesser dream if you don’t step up & try to move the church forward somehow. Son, I think you will be miserable/unsatisfied in life, & you’ll probably die prematurely & then stand before God give an account for what you did with the leadership gift that he gave you.” (I was like, “Why don’t you tell me how you really feel”)
I challenged the Leaders at DC…, “Some of you use 99% of your leadership gift that was entrusted to you by God to move a business enterprise forward & the kingdom of God just gets the leftovers. You don’t lead People/Ministries, you don’t step up & take responsibility to make the most important work on planet earth function optimally, you basically…, ‘I’m off the hook! I’m not a pastor! I lead in the marketplace,’ & I’m not saying you shouldn’t lead in the marketplace…, but you should also use a certain amount of your leadership horsepower to propel the kingdom of God forward in some tangible/measurable way! God has given you a leadership gift & you if you will step up & take responsibility for leading a Kingdom Cause, you will feel the thrill of God’s power operating in you as you use the leadership gift that he gave you…!”
You’ve all been given gifts, some have the gift of Teaching, Administration, Hospitality Giving, Mercy, “Whose responsibility is it to identify your gift?” You need to read about spiritual gifts, search Scripture, talk to your friends, because you’re going to stand before God someday & he’s going to ask, “What did you do with the gift I gave you,” & he’s going to expect a response.
Just so you know, God doesn’t care a hill of beans about Theological Training, Diplomas or Titles, because on the Day of Pentecost a supernatural shift happened & every rank-&-file Christian became a minister with spiritual gifts & was expected to minister, all you need is a willing heart & God…, “You’ll do just fine!”
What would happen if all of us who call _________ their spiritual family opened our chest cavities &…, “God I’m not a Priest/Pastor, but I’m willing to be used .”
What would happen today if all of Understood that on the Day of Pentecost…, Discovered our Spiritual Gifts & deployed the so that Christ’s Church could move forward & God would be glorified…Fell in love w/God’s Word & Prayed Bold Prayers & Loved Radically & Gave Generously so the poor could be served…Went into our Places of Employment every day & we saw ourselves as MINISTERS.
Starbucks…, felt arms reach around me, “I attend DC & I’ve been wanting to that for several weeks because your messages have been ministering to me. I’m in real trouble physically…!” (Then I wanted to hug her) Right there, in our neighborhood Starbucks I prayer for her…! I thought about that, because she lives in my neighborhood, she had her pastor available to her in her neighborhood Starbucks, & then I thought, “What about the 10’s of thousands of people that are known by members of our Dream City Family, who get bad news every day & they don’t have access to a pastor who lives down the street?”
“Do you see yourself as that pastor? Would you step into that situation &…, ‘Let me embrace you & pray for you at Starbucks…Office…Driveway-Home, because God made me a minister on the Day of Pentecost. I don’t have seminary training…, but I have the Holy Spirit inside of me & I am equipped with a spiritual gift & I can step up & pray & encourage & minister to you, BECAUSE I AM A MINISTER!”
That’s what you are! You might not currently be behaving that way, but that’s what God made you on the Day of Pentecost, when he blew up the box of who the ministers are & who they aren’t & he…, “YOU ARE ONE OF THEM.”
Dream Together, “What would be like in the next 10yrs if all of us would start acting like the ministers that Jesus sees us to be?” You’re gonna Rock Your City for the glory of God, & you’re gonna Rock This State – Rock This Whole World.
Speaking of rocking this world, some of you are wondering,
“What is the Significance of Speaking in Foreign Languages?”
This is not speaking in tongues in a person prayer language, which is powerful part of our Christian experience, what this Acts 2 passage is talking about is the miracle that allowed people from different parts of the world, that were doing business in Jerusalem, to hear the message about Jesus in their own language, they…, Acts 2:1l “We hear them declaring the wonders of God in our own tongues.”
“What was that all this about?” The Holy Spirit was saying to that little downtown church, “The message of Christ is not just for your little neighborhood, you’re going global.”
John 3:16, “For God so loved the world,” Matthew 28:19, “Go into all the world and make disciples,” God loves the world, Jesus died for the world & the church must take the message of Christ to the whole world…..!
Stand: I mean this in all sincerity, You Are A Minister, that’s how God sees you.
Many of you look at me as A Minister, but I’m just a normal guy who was planning to be in the business world & God pulled me out to do an assignment, but I’m no differ-ent than anyone else in this room. Some of you think because I stand on this stage with a Bible in my hand that I have a special inside track to God & I am different than you or more special than you, but I’m not, I’m just like you!
I’m not off the hook & neither are you, you are as accountable for your ministry before God as I am accountable for my ministry before God & you all have the Power of the HS Available/You…Called by God…Equipped w/Spiritual Gifts…God Cheering You On as you minister in his name to make a difference in this world, but you have to SEE yourself as a minister, & you have to be SEIZED by the fact that you have been made adequate to minister in the marketplace or your neighborhood or school, wherever!
End this message by Commissioning you as Ministers, imagine that this is your very 1st day of being a pastor, & from this day forward I want you to think of yourself as a minister in every environment that you go into this next week. You’re no longer going to…, “Oh I wish a minister was here right now…,” you’re going to…, “I am the Minister God has raised up for this moment, & I’m going to step out in faith & do what a minister would do right now, BECAUSE THAT IS WHO I AM!”
Here we go, “I now commission you as ministers of the gospel of Jesus Christ, knowing that you have Full Access to the power of the Holy Spirit…God has called you & entrust-ed you with with spiritual gifts, I declare you to be adequately equipped to fulfill the call-ing of God on your life as you move through this world.
I Commission You to speak the words of God & to be the hands & feet of Jesus to this generation…Exhort You to live in a manner that glorifies Christ & to love in a manner that draws people to him…Exhort You to overcome temptation, to endure hardship & above all else, to keep the faith. And in so doing, you will lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven & experience life to the full in this life. And as you do this, you will sense the smile of heaven in this life & someday you will hear the words, ‘Well done, good & faithful minister.”
So now God, I release these ministers to the world that you’ve called them to! Use them for your glory…!” And all those who agree say AMEN!