The Gospel is Given (Acts 2:1-21)
In Virginia, Tammy, the boys, and I often ate at Cracker Barrel before Bible study on Wednesday evening. One evening, our family was eating, and a woman with a profound accent waited on us. Tammy looked at her and said, “You have a strong accent. Where are you from?”
The woman was from Denmark, but I wanted to crawl under the table. I looked at Tammy and said, “Honey, you are one to talk about someone else’s accent. Have you ever heard yourself talk?”
How many of you have heard someone talk and thought, “What an accent?” Maybe someone from a different part of the South talks much differently than you do. Or, if you hear someone from New York, you know immediately that he’s not from around here. Over 145 different languages are spoken in Harris County; so you’ve surely encountered many people with whom you just could not communicate.
The Apostles had no trouble communicating at Pentecost, for “God gave the gospel into human hands.”
Scripture (Acts 2:1-21)
How did God give the gospel into human hands?
One: Compliance
God could give the gospel into human hands because of the Compliance of the Apostles. Jesus told the Apostles to remain in Jerusalem until they had received the Holy Spirit (Acts 1:4-5), and the Apostles returned to Jerusalem after Jesus ascended (Lk 24:52). At Pentecost, the Apostles were all together in one place in Jerusalem. Because of the Apostles’ Compliance, God could give his gospel.
Two: Containment
The Apostles became vessels for the gospel’s Containment. Jesus promised the Apostles that they would be baptized in the Holy Spirit (Acts 1:4-5), and the Holy Spirit filled the Apostles at Pentecost (Acts 2:4). Jesus had promised that when the Holy Spirit came, he would guide the Apostles into all truth (Jn 16:13-14); at Pentecost, the Apostles contained the Holy Spirit and could be guided into all truth.
Three: Conveyance
The Apostles conveyed God’s word as they spoke in other tongues. “They were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance” (Acts 2:4). The Apostles spoke in languages they never studied as they conveyed God’s word.
Four: Comprehensive Conveyance
The Apostles conveyed God’s truth comprehensively—they conveyed God’s truth to people from every nation and every language who had assembled at Pentecost (Acts 2:5-13). That crowd, while composed of Jews and proselytes, came from every culture and country.
Five: Clarification
Peter clarified that the Apostles weren’t drunk, but that the Holy Spirit had fallen upon them (Acts 2:15-20).
Six: Certification
Peter, standing with the other Apostles, certified the Christ by teaching that Jesus Christ is Lord (Acts 2:22-36).
Luke’s account of Pentecost demonstrates that God desires to communicate with man. In fact, Acts 2 shows that “God gave the gospel into human hands.”
Application
Because “God gave the gospel into human hands,” you have work to do.
You must communicate the Creator. How, you ask? In the same way the apostles did.
One: Compliance
As you comply—live in obedience—you powerfully communicate the Creator. God called you to be salt and light (Matt 5:13-16). Notice 1 Peter 3:1-2. Lives change when people see what God is doing in your life.
Does your life communicate the Creator through Compliance?
Two: Containment
The Apostles communicated God’s truth because the Holy Spirit dwelt in them. You won’t be baptized with the Holy Spirit as were the Apostles. However, you have that that truth contained in Scripture. Therefore, “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly” (Col 3:16). Stay in the word. Study the word. Let the word dwell in you.
Three: Conveyance
“I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified” (1 Cor 2:2). What you convey is Jesus the Christ. You don’t have to have all the answers—you need to share Jesus!
Four: Comprehensive Conveyance
Share the cross with whomever you can—regardless of race or gender or sexual orientation or material possession or sin that person has committed. The gospel is for every single soul under heaven. “Make disciples of all nations” (Matt 28:19). Jesus said “that repentance and forgiveness of sins should be proclaimed in his name to all nations” (Lk 24:47).
Five: Clarification
Instead of ridiculing or ignoring people who misunderstand Scripture, you clarify. As Ezra read the Law, several men “read from the book, from the Law of God, clearly, and they gave the sense, so that the people understood the reading” (Neh 8:8). Clarify the Creator.
Six: Certification
Never forget that you proclaim Jesus and him crucified. “When [the Samaritans] believed Philip as he preached good news about the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women” (Acts 8:12). Then, God put Philip and the Ethiopian eunuch together. The eunuch was reading from Isaiah, but he did not understand the text; “Philip opened his mouth, and beginning with this Scripture [Isaiah 53] he told him the good news about Jesus” (Acts 8:35).
I fear that for far too long, we’ve preached doctrine without preaching Jesus. Why should we worship a certain way? Because Jesus is Lord and he deserves proper worship. Why is baptism so essential? Because you meet Jesus’ blood there. Why is the church unique? Because Jesus shed his blood for her and built her. Why does proper doctrine matter? Because Jesus is Lord!
Is Jesus the Lord of your life?
This sermon was originally preached by Dr. Justin Imel, Sr., at Church of Christ Deer Park in Deer Park, Texas.