Application
Guide: “Pentecost Sunday” (Acts 2)
May 8th,
2005: Pastor Kimber Kauffman, Senior Pastor
of College Park Church, took a week off from his study on Matthew to celebrate the coming of the Holy Spirit on Pentecost
Sunday. He gave an overview of the coming of the Holy Spirit in Acts 2, showed
parallels to the Old Testament, and provided several application points for us
to consider.
- Why do we make such a big deal about the coming of
Jesus but largely ignore the coming of the Holy Spirit?
- What place should we make for the Spirit in our
Christian life? Conversation? Celebrations? Praying and singing to God?
(cf. Jn. 14:26; 16:13-14; Rom. 8:26-27; Eph. 1:17: 3:16)
- What is the role of the Holy Spirit? How is his
role distinct from the Father and the Son? (cf. Jn. 16:7-11; Rom. 8:5-11,
15-16; 2 Cor 5:5; Eph. 1:13-14)
- The work of the Spirit is the first sign of the
Lord’s presence in our lives and our church.
- How can we tell the difference between the work of
the Spirit and sheer emotionalism, charismatic preaching, or eye-opening
entertainment (or even the work of the devil)? How can we “test the
spirits” (1 Jn 4:1-3)?
- What things in your life and in the church body
get in the way of seeing the Spirit work in our midst (cf. Eph 4:29-31)?
Do we even make time in our lives to see the Spirit at work?
- Pastor Kauffman used a metaphor from Charles
Spurgeon that encouraged us to view ourselves as swords whose power
derives itself from the direction or wielding of the Spirit. In other
words – the power behind what we do ought to be the work of the Spirit.
- How can we tell we are being led or directed by
the Spirit? How do we know we are relying on the power of the Spirit
rather than on our own strength?
- What does it mean to live by or walk with the
Spirit? What does it mean to be filled with the Spirit (cf. Ac. 4:8;
13:9; Gal. 5:16ff; Eph. 5:18-20)?
- Kimber noted several evidences or ways we can know
the Spirit is among us:
- The Fruit of the Spirit (Gal 5:19-26) – Why is it
“fruit” and not “fruits”? How does the life led by the Spirit contrast
the life led by the flesh? How do we crucify the sinful nature (v. 24) so
that we can live in the Spirit?
- Unity in the body of Christ (Eph. 4:1-4) – What
does unity look like? What character qualities does the Spirit produce
that promotes an attitude of unity among the body of Christ? Should we
expect the Spirit to give us unity with all believers? If you are harboring bitterness or holding a
grudge towards another person is it possible for you to walk with the
Spirit?
- Freedom (2 Cor 3:6-18) – Based on the context, what kind of “freedom” does Paul say
the Spirit brings? How does the Spirit bring confidence (or freedom) as
we minister for God, stand before Him, and try to obey Him?
- Peace (Jn. 14:26-27; Rom 8:6; Rom 15:13) – What
kind of peace does the Spirit bring? With whom do will we have peace if
we are walking in the Spirit?