SPIRIT COMES, CHURCH GOES
Acts 2:1-6, John 14:16-17, Matthew 14:22-33
After Resurrection Sunday, the next major event in the Christian calendar is Pentecost (Acts 2:1–6). God poured out His power on the first believers, preparing them to share Christ with the world. At the same time, He brought a crowd into the streets, preparing them to receive the gospel. By the same Spirit, the church was prepared to speak, while the crowd outside was prepared to listen.
It’s the same today. Whenever we gather to worship Christ, He is preparing us to go out into the world and share Jesus. Even now, for someone in your world, the Spirit of God is already at work in their heart—preparing them to receive what you have been prepared to share. The Spirit still moves powerfully today, giving people dreams and even sending divine encounters that lead them to God’s people, who then lead them to Christ. Many Muslims, for example, have come to know Jesus even in Sweden—one of the most secularized countries in the world. This shows how deeply God loves every person, bringing them within hearing range of the gospel message.
Sooner or later, the spiritually prepared church must meet the spiritually prepared world. But how do we make that happen? How do we ensure that the anointing of the Spirit flows through the church into the world, so the gospel reaches the hearts that need it most? There are two ways we can all take part in making that connection:
Dare to believe that the Holy Spirit is with you
Jesus first introduced the Holy Spirit to His disciples during the Last Supper (John 14:16–17). The first thing He wanted them to know was that the Spirit would be with them forever. He is with you every single day of your life.
There will be days when you feel and sense His presence. But there will also be days when you feel nothing at all—yet He is still there. Why? Because this truth is not based on feelings, but on the promise of Jesus that the Spirit will always be with believers.
On those days, will you dare to believe He is with you even when you don’t feel it? Will you ask for His help, or live as if He weren’t there? When we dare to believe, the power of the Spirit becomes real in our lives. Remember, Jesus still has power over the storms we face—He even has authority over physical storms. Will you boldly declare who Jesus is to others, even when they seem unlikely to believe? Dare to believe that the promised Holy Spirit is with you forever.
Step out of the boat
Like the apostle Peter, Jesus calls us to step out of the boat and into the stormy waters where He walks (Matthew 14:22–33). We often criticize Peter for doubting and sinking, but at least he had the courage to step out.
Wouldn’t you rather be like Peter—someone who steps out in faith, does something great for God, sometimes stumbles, but is restored and continues walking with Jesus? Compare that to the eleven others who stayed in the boat.
Peter grew up as a fisherman. He knew that boats were necessary to cross the Sea of Galilee. Yet suddenly, Jesus came walking on the water and called him out of his place of security.
The boat represents the areas of life we can control. For Peter, it was literal; for us, it may be our comfort zone—our routines, skills, and limitations. There’s nothing wrong with education, training, or experience. But there will be moments when Jesus calls you beyond them. He will ask you to do something you’ve never done before, so you can see what you’ve never seen before. He will lead you to say something you’ve never said before, so you can experience what you’ve never experienced before.
Maybe you’re naturally shy and have never shared Jesus with others. Perhaps today, Jesus is saying to you, “Come—step out of your boat.”
We must take that first step out of our safety zone. When we open our mouths and share Jesus, we often discover that people are more ready to receive Him than we expected. That is when the power of God for salvation is released around us.
The Holy Spirit has come. The church has been prepared to share Christ with a world that the Spirit is already preparing to receive the Savior. It is time for us to go.
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
On the Day of Pentecost, the Holy Spirit prepared the believers to share, and the world around them to receive. Which ones of my friends, relatives, colleagues and neighbors might be prepared to receive God’s love right now?
Daring to trust the Holy Spirit is with you, means believing He is there even though you might not feel His presence. In what areas of my life do I need to dare to trust in His presence the most?
What could ‘stepping out of your boat’ mean for me personally, today?
PRAY CARE SHARE IN ACTION
Pray that the world around you, that God’s Spirit will move in powerful ways to prepare them to receive the love of Jesus.
Step out of your boat this week and share the gospel to someone in your world that God has placed in your heart to reach out to.