Sermon Notes:
Pentecost - Equipped to lead
- Called and equipped to Love, Serve, and Make Disciples -

Pentecost is the day when believers were called and equipped by being filled with the Holy Spirit. This event empowered the church for ministry, enabling them to preach the gospel and add souls to the kingdom.

I. Equipping Believers to Love, Serve, and Make Disciples
Acts‬ ‭2‬:‭1‬, ‭4‬ ‭NET‬‬
“Now when the day of Pentecost had come, they were all together in one place. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit, and they began to speak in other languages as the Spirit enabled them.”

‭‭Acts‬ ‭2‬:‭38‬, ‭41‬ ‭NET‬‬
“Peter said to them, “Repent, and each one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. So those who accepted his message were baptized, and that day about three thousand people were added.”

The Holy Spirit empowers the church for mission, preaching, and disciple-making. Every Christian is called to leadership in watches over one another, stirred to love and noble activities. Five-fold ministry leaders exist to equip the whole church for the work of ministry.

II. Every Christian is a leader

Hebrews‬ ‭10‬:‭24‬ ‭AMPC‬‬
“And let us consider and give attentive, continuous care to watching over one another, studying how we may stir up (stimulate and incite) to love and helpful deeds and noble activities,”

‭‭Ephesians‬ ‭4‬:‭11‬-‭12‬ ‭NET‬‬
“It was he who gave some as apostles, some as prophets, some as evangelists, and some as pastors and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, that is, to build up the body of Christ,”

Empowering the Whole Church for Mission
Pentecost empowered all believers, not just specific leaders. Every person has received a gift of the Spirit given for the benefit of all, intended to be used in service and in stewardship of God’s varied grace. Believers are called to go into the world, preach the gospel, and walk in supernatural signs accompanying their faith. While not everyone holds the office of the five-fold ministry, all are called to represent Christ, prophesy, share the Gospel, and shepherd others.

III. Pentecost Empowered the Whole Church

‭‭1 Corinthians‬ ‭12‬:‭4‬-‭5‬, ‭7‬ ‭NET‬‬
“Now there are different gifts, but the same Spirit. And there are different ministries, but the same Lord. To each person the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the benefit of all.”

‭‭1 Peter‬ ‭4‬:‭10‬ ‭NET‬‬
“Just as each one has received a gift, use it to serve one another as good stewards of the varied grace of God.”

‭‭Mark‬ ‭16‬:‭15‬, ‭17‬-‭18‬ ‭NET‬‬
“He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. These signs will accompany those who believe: In my name they will drive out demons; they will speak in new languages; they will pick up snakes with their hands, and whatever poison they drink will not harm them; they will place their hands on the sick and they will be well.””

IV. The Power of the Holy Spirit vs Human Performance

Without the Holy Spirit, the church is void of power and life. The Spirit is the essential, key ingredient (dunamis power) for the born-again experience, witness, and demonstration of the Good News. Relying on the Holy Spirit shifts trust from human wisdom to God’s power.

1Corinthians 2:4-5 NLT
And my message and my preaching were very plain. Rather than using clever and persuasive speeches, I relied only on the power of the Holy Spirit. I did this so you would trust not in human wisdom but in the power of God.

The Holy Spirit submitting to the Father's will cannot be understood or controlled by human motives. Pentecost produces fruit both in character and in power.

V. Fruit of Pentecost ‭‭
In us :
Galatians‬ ‭5‬:‭22‬-‭23‬, ‭25‬ ‭NET‬‬
“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Against such things there is no law. If we live by the Spirit, let us also behave in accordance with the Spirit.”

On us :
Acts 1:8 NLT
But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you. And you will be my witnesses, telling people about me everywhere—in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”

Fruit, Love, and Transformed People
Spiritual gifts without love are empty, and the Spirit empowers believers to love like Jesus. The goal of Pentecost is not spiritual performance, but transformed people. The church grows when every believer functions in their gifting and serves others in love.

Reflection and Call to Action
The church must reflect on whether it will return to performance and works or continue in the Spirit by faith.

Galatians 3:1-5 ESV
O foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you? It was before your eyes that Jesus Christ was publicly portrayed as crucified. Let me ask you only this: Did you receive the Spirit by works of the law or by hearing with faith? Are you so foolish? Having begun by the Spirit, are you now being perfected by the flesh? Did you suffer so many things in vain—if indeed it was in vain? Does he who supplies the Spirit to you and works miracles among you do so by works of the law, or by hearing with faith—

The call to action is to:

1) Repent of control and works.
2) Declare your need for the Holy Spirit.
3) Be continually filled with the Holy Spirit and Fire.