Big Idea:
The pouring out of the Spirit on the Church of Jesus Christ, of which you are a member if you have become a Christ-follower, removes our excuses for being involved in the work of God’s Kingdom. This passage reveals three specific excuses and shows how the Spirit’s power can conquer them as enemies of Kingdom advancement.
- Timidity (v. 28)
Timidity comes from an attitude that says, “I can’t do what you’ve called me to do. There is too much opposition. It is too difficult.” Our fears can shut us down and sideline us from following the call God has given us. Pentecost marked the beginning of what the Scriptures call the Last Days. And the Last Days are primarily characterized by the Spirit’s manifest work. The Old Testament prophets said that this age will be distinguished from previous ones by a more obvious obedience from the heart out of love for the Lord as opposed to an outwardly imposed obedience to the written law (Ezek 36:26–27). It will be distinguished by a new community which will come together voluntarily and from various walks of life as opposed to strict guidelines imposed by government and bloodlines (Is. 32:14–18; 44:3–5). And it will be marked by the ability by a broad array of ages and social standings to understand and apply the word of God in everyday life (Joel 2:28-32 in contrast 1 Sa. 3:1; cm. Num 11:24–30). The Spirit was always the one who regenerated children and slaves and women and the poor and gentiles. But religious and cultural structures obscured and hindered that work. God obliterates those hindrances by “pouring out” his Spirit voluminously on his Church.
- Unworthiness (vv. 28-29)
The second excuse for not rising to the Lord’s call to extend his rule in and through your life is the feeling of unworthiness. It is to believe that labels or prejudices are meaningful as opposed to living in your new identity as a child of God. The only one who has permission to tell you that you are unworthy is God. But if you are a believer in Christ, he calls you his beloved child with whom he is well pleased and whom he has given the honor of being his ambassador.
- Procrastination (vv. 30-32)
The final word of this text is to non-followers of Jesus Christ. After hearing what you have, there is no excuse for refusing to commit your life to him, receiving the gift of the Holy Spirit who removes fear and unworthiness, and failing to experience eternal life. While we have encountered this violent language about the “Day of the Lord” before, our text now links it with salvation and the gifts of the Spirit. The fire and columns of smoke are traditional images of theophany (as in the pillars of cloud and fire in the exodus; Exod 13:21–22; 14:19–24; cf. also 19:16, 18; 20:18; 2 Cor 2:16). The Day of the Lord was God’s showing up to deal with those created in his image. Those who are his rejoice when he does; those who are not are terrified. If non-followers respond to the threats of judgment with belief and repentance, they will live. It is that simple. They will be spared judgment as were the Israelites who were spared by blood rather than punished by the shedding of it (Ezek 32:6–8; Rev 8:7; Exod 7:14–24).
Discussion Questions:
- Are there any ways in which timidity hinders you from working for the advancement of God’s Kingdom? Perhaps one way to know is to ask yourself, if I had no fear, what would I attempt for God’s glory?
- Can you think of any way(s) in which feelings of unworthiness have kept or might keep you from involving yourself in God’s work? What words or experiences from the past might contribute to this, and how does your identity in Christ show those to be a lie? It can be hard to answer those questions for ourselves sometimes. Ask a trusted friend to help you discern and dispel those lies. Ask them to speak the truth to you.
- How would you communicate to an unbeliever the benefits of having the Spirit? How would you apply those benefits to struggles, desires, or needs some of your unbelieving friends have?