The Church as Pentecostal Community - PowerPoint Presentation

Slide1

The Church as Pentecostal Community

Acts 1-2

Session 3Slide2

This session

Pentecost as

kingdom event

: inaugurated eschatology

Pentecost as

succession narrative

: Elijah-Elisha

Pentecost as

birth narrative

: parallel to Luke 1-2

Pentecost as

prophetic anointing

: prophetic community

Pentecost as the

New Temple

: a theophany

Pentecost as

new covenant community

formation

Pentecost as

missional paradigm

eventSlide3

1. Pentecost as kingdom eventSlide4

What is Pentecost?

A “last days” event happening now: the

decisive

beginning of the new era of the Spirit.

The communication of the ‘already’ reign of the ascended Christ. The power to execute his rule. More than forgiveness and new life.

Exalted to the right hand of God

, he has received from the Father the promised Holy Spirit and

has poured out what you now see and hear

(2:33-36).Slide5

2.

Pentecost as succession narrativeSlide6

The Elijah-Elisha narrative

is the closest parallel to the ministry of Jesus:

Multiplication of food/oil.

Healing of leprosy.

Raising to life of a dead child.

Exercise of prophetic gifts of knowledge.

Power flowing out involuntarily.

Being transported by the Spirit.

The taking up to heaven as the moment of succession and anointing of the Spirit.Slide7

Pentecost as succession narrative

The “double-portion” of the Spirit on Jesus is poured out on his disciples, because they “see” him ascend!Slide8

3. Pentecost as birth narrativeSlide9

Luke & Acts in Parallel

Item

Luke

Acts

Beginning

Birth, Anointing of Jesus

Baptism, filling of disciples

Inaugural message

Jesus’ Nazareth sermon

Peter’ Pentecostal sermon

Confirmatory signs

Casting out demons and healing sick in Capernaum

Healing lame man at beautiful gate

Success

Widespread popular acclaim

Widespread popular acclaim

Opposition

Pharisees, leaders of the Jews

Sanhedrin, Jews of the dispersion

Travel/spread

Itinerant ministry in Galilee and Judea

Missionary journeys of Peter and Paul

Arrest and trial

Threefold trial: Sanhedrin, Pilate and Herod

Threefold trial: Felix, Festus and Agrippa

Consummation

The Cross

Rome …?Slide10

Phenomena of the

Spirit in

Jesus’ birth narrative

:

Angelic revelation to Zechariah, John’s father

Angelic revelation to Mary, Jesus’ mother

Jesus conceived by the Holy Spirit

Elizabeth, John’s mother, filled with the Spirit

Zechariah prophesies, filled with the Spirit

Simeon prophesies about Jesus’ future

Anna prophesies about Jesus’ future

Climax: The power of the Holy Spirit comes on Jesus at his baptismSlide11

Phenomena of the Spirit prepare the disciples for Pentecost

:

Jesus gives them power and authority to heal the sick and drive out demons.

The risen Jesus breathes the Holy Spirit into them.

Climax: The Holy Spirit comes on them at Pentecost, in parallel to Jesus’ baptism:

The era of the Spirit begins, decisively for them.

They are now successors of the anointing that was on him.Slide12

4.

Pentecost as prophetic anointingSlide13

Old Testament phenomena of the power of the Spirit

:

Bands of prophets who come under the power of the Spirit through worship.

Prophesying (as inspired utterance) under the power of the Spirit.

Being overcome by the Spirit.

Being empowered by the Spirit for battle = ministry.

With Elijah/Elisha: healing, multiplication of food, gifts of knowledge, raising the dead, bodily transportation.Slide14

Early church prophetic phenomena

:

Clothed with power from on high, the Spirit “coming on” the disciples = Old Testament prophetic language.

They utter inspired praise to God, like the Old Testament sons of the prophets.

They appear to be drunk = overcome, like the sons of the prophets.

They experience ecstatic utterance (= prophecy).

From then on they heal the sick, exorcise demons, have gifts of knowledge, raise the dead―just like Jesus/Elijah/Elisha.Slide15

5.

Pentecost as the New TempleSlide16

Old Testament phenomena: Theophany

Mount Sinai: Fire, loud sound, quaking, glory of God on the mountain.

When Solomon’s temple inaugurated, cloud filled the temple, priests collapsed (1 Kings 8:11).

Isaiah 6, the vision of the temple, “filled with smoke/cloud”.

After Solomon’s temple was destroyed, the glory of God never filled the post-exilic temple.

Old Testament prophets and inter-

testamental

writings hoped for a New, eschatological temple.Slide17

The New Temple

:

Jesus is the New Temple, which “

tabernacled

” with us (John 1:15).

He said he would build a New Temple - “his body.”

The phenomena at Pentecost indicate that a New Temple has come down. Just as the priest could not stand, so the disciples appear to be overcome.

Paul theologizes this in Ephesians 2:19-22, explaining that the church is the New Temple.

The Pentecostal Temple is the inauguration in advance of the final Temple/City/Bride in Revelation 21:1-22:5.Slide18

6.

Pentecost as the New Covenant community formationSlide19

New Covenant Community Formation

The selection of Matthias, the 12

th

apostle. The 12 apostles are the representatives of the New Israel.

This New Israel incorporates the entire diaspora, but more, “every nation under heaven” signifies the reversal of Babel (2:5-11).

It is multicultural (international): includes “sons and daughters” (2:17; 1:12-14), “young and old” (2:17), masters and servants (1:18).

Paul: it includes Jews and Gentiles, males and females, slaves and free, more or less civilized.

The eschatological community is a priesthood of every tribe, tongue, people and nation (Revelation 5:9; 7:9).Slide20

7.

Pentecost as the missional paradigm eventSlide21

Is Pentecost once-off, or repeated

?

In one sense, it is unrepeatable. The new era of the Spirit can only start, decisively, once.

But, as new people groups are reached with the gospel, new Pentecost’s come:

The Jews (2).

The Samaritans (8:15-18)

The Gentiles (10:44-48)

The Ephesians (19:1-7)

Also, the disciples are filled again and again (Acts 2; 4:31; 13:52).

Individuals, like Paul, have their own Pentecost (9:17).