Empowered For Mission

Acts 2:14-41: Then Peter stood up with the Eleven, raised his voice and addressed the crowd… When the people heard this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and the other apostles, ‘Brothers, what shall we do?’ Peter replied, ‘Repent and be baptised, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit…’ About three thousand were added to their number that day.

When the disciples received the Spirit and spoke in tongues, they attracted a lot of attention. People were unsure what was happening and even questioned whether they were drunk. Peter, who weeks ago had backed down three-times when asked whether he even knew Jesus, now stands and preaches one of the most impactful sermons in history. He unpacked scriptures from the Old Testament in light of the resurrection of Jesus and the outpouring of the Spirit, and he saw thousands of people respond to his preaching and put their faith in Christ.

The Spirit and mission: When Jesus promised his disciples that he would send the Spirit, it was in the context of commissioning them to be witnesses. The Spirit was given to provide power for mission. The Pentecost story provides a dramatic example of this being worked out. Having been filled with the Spirit, Peter stood before a large crowd and proclaimed the gospel to them. Peter’s message was bold and direct. He shared truth that was not always comfortable for the crowd. He engaged thoughtfully and directly with their questions. The result was that three-thousand people were cut to the heart and saved on that day. As the story of Acts goes on, Peter and the other disciples continued boldly proclaiming the gospel message, even in the face of fierce opposition.  

The Gift of faith: Throughout Acts, the pouring out of the Spirit is tied to mission. It is as the gospel crosses new boundaries and reaches new people groups that we are given descriptions of dramatic outpourings of the Spirit. Being a Spirit-filled church means turning outwards to the lost and being bold evangelistically. The gift of faith is linked to this, as it refers to not just saving faith, but Spirit-strengthened faith for God to move as he empowers us to reach the lost through our unashamed proclamation and through signs and wonders. As we look to the example of Peter, we should be praying for God to embolden us with fresh faith to see salvation in our day and for God to move powerfully like he did on that first Pentecost day.

People responding to the gospel: The result of Peter’s Spirit-empowered proclamation is that those who hear him are cut to the heart. Peter explained clearly and directly what they need to do in order to be saved, and he saw three thousand people added to the number that day. As we look at the Spirit empowering Peter in this sermon, do not miss the opportunity to do what Peter did and share the good news of Jesus, inviting those you are addressing to respond with repentance and faith. This same message still has power today, and the same Spirit is still at work drawing people to Jesus to find salvation in him.

Response: Invite people to respond to the gospel and put their trust in Jesus for the first time.