February 15, 2026

Acts 2:1-13

The Holy Spirit: God With Us, In Us, and Through Us

Sunday Sermons

Acts 2 is noisy, visual, disruptive, astonishing and historically pivotal. What does the Bible mean by phrases like: the outpouring of the Spirit, the baptism of the Spirit, being filled with the Spirit, the gifts of the Spirit, and the fruit of the Spirit? And why was the coming of the Spirit so decisive in the rapid, unstoppable spread of the gospel in the first century?

In Acts 2:1–13 we are taken to the Day of Pentecost—when the risen and exalted Lord Jesus poured out the promised Holy Spirit on His people. This was not just a religious pep rally; it was the fulfillment of God’s ancient promises and the moment when the church was empowered for its global mission.

Join Pastor Jim as he walks us through this amazing passage to see how the Holy Spirit is God with us, God within us, and God working through us to make Christ known to the nations.

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Speaker

Jim Thomas

Series

Acts of the Apostles (2026)

Go to Series

Scripture

Acts 2:1-13

Topics
Doubt Growth & Discipleship Worldview & Culture

Sermon Notes

Acts 2:1-13

The Holy Spirit: God With Us, God Within Us, and God at Work Through Us

Pastor Jim Thomas
Who is the Holy Spirit?
What is the role of the Holy Spirit?
What is the fruit of the Holy Spirit?
What are the gifts of the Holy Spirit?

The Holy Spirit is the third Person of the Trinity—fully God, co-equal and co-eternal with the Father and the Son—involved in Creation, applies redemption, indwells believers, sanctifies the church, and advances Christ’s kingdom in the world.

A Trinitarian View of Redemption

  • God the Father planned redemption.
  • God the Son accomplished redemption.
  • God the Spirit applies redemption.

Primary Biblical terms for “Spirit”

Hebrew: ruach
Greek: pnuema
Both ancient words are rich in meaning and can also be translated “wind” or “breath”.

How often does the Bible refer to the Holy Spirit?

  • “Holy Spirit” 93 times
  • “Spirit of the Lord” 28 times
  • “Spirit of God” 24 times
  • “My Spirit” 18 times
  • “the Spirit” 245 times

The Holy Spirit

  • Was present at the Creation event (Genesis 1:2)
  • Is omnipresent (Psalm 139:7-10)
  • Filled Bezalel with skill to craft the tabernacle and its sacred objects. (Exodus 31:1–5)
  • Rested upon the seventy elders of Israel, giving them prophetic gifts to help Moses govern. (Numbers 11:25–26)

“Moreover, I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; and I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will be careful to observe My ordinances.”
Ezekiel 36:26-27

  • Inspired the writers of the scriptures (2 Peter 1:20-21)
  • Is coequal with Father/Son in water baptism (Matthew 28:19)
  • Is involved in regeneration of Christians (John 3:8, Titus 3:5)
  • Baptizes every believer into body of Christ (1 Corinthians 12:13)
  • Resides within every believer (1 Corinthians 3:16 & 6:19)
  • Leads believers in their walk (Romans 8:14)
  • Empowers believers for spiritual witness (Acts 1:8)
  • Is involved in our sanctification (1 Peter 1:2)
  • Transforms us so that we bear spiritual fruit (Galatians 5:22-24)
  • Fills us with the love of God (Romans 5:5)
  • Distributes spiritual gifts to believers (1 Corinthians 12:11)
  • Seals us in Christ (Ephesians 1:13 & 4:30)
  • Will be involved in resurrection of our mortal bodies (Romans 8:11)

The Gifts of the Holy Spirit

  • Prophecy, service, teaching, exhortation, giving, leadership, acts of mercy. (Romans 12:6-8)
  • Wisdom, knowledge, faith, healing, working of miracles, prophecy, discernment, tongues, interpretation of tongues. (1 Corinthians 12:4-11)

The Fruit of the Holy Spirit at work in our lives

  • Ever increasing amounts of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. (Galatians 5:22-23)

Summary of the Holy Spirit’s role in our lives

  • Convinces us of the truth
  • Convicts us of our sin
  • Converts us into new creatures in Christ
  • Connects us to the body of Christ
  • Comforts us in our trials
  • Conforms us into the image of Christ

“Through the Holy Spirit we are restored to paradise, we ascend into the kingdom of heaven, we return to adoption as sons, we are given confidence to call God ‘Father,’ we become partakers of the grace of Christ, we are called children of light, we share in eternal glory.”
Basil of Caesarea, On the Holy Spirit

“God is both the goal of our journey and the means by which we find him. We come to the Father through the Son in the power of the Holy Spirit.”
Alister McGrath

“If the Holy Spirit had been withdrawn from the New Testament church, 95 percent of what they did would have stopped, and everybody would have known the difference. If the Holy Spirit were withdrawn from the church today, 95 percent of what we do would go on, and no one would know the difference.”
A. W. Tozer

“True spirituality is not a superhuman religiosity; it is simply true humanity released from bondage to sin and renewed by the Holy Spirit. This is given to us as we grasp by faith the full content of Christ’s redemptive work: freedom from the guilt and power of sin and newness of life through the indwelling and outpouring of his Spirit.”
Richard Lovelace, Dynamics of Spiritual Life

The term “Spirit filled” is not a title; it’s a condition.

It’s not really about how much of the Holy Spirit you have.
It’s more about how much of you the Holy Spirit has.

There are two ways people tend to respond to a move of the Holy Spirit

  1. Curiosity (v. 12)
  2. Cynicism (v. 13)

Personal Reflection

What has happened or is happening in my heart, mind, soul and life that can only be explained by the presence and power of the Holy Spirit at work in my life?

Discussion Questions

  • As Acts is a historical narrative and therefore descriptive more than prescriptive, what parts of Acts 2 feel unique to that moment, and what parts should characterize the church today?
  • When you hear reports of Spirit’s work, especially in situations you can’t explain, do you default to curiosity or cynicism?
  • Of the summary of how the Spirit impacts our lives (convinces, convicts, converts, connects, comforts & conforms), which one have you recently experienced most clearly, and which one do you most need right now?
  • Recognizing that we need to “be being filled, because we leak”, what are your more predictable “leak points” (stress, conflict, fatigue, temptation, busyness)? What is a practical step you can take to build a refill rhythm into your week?

Songs, Readings & Prayer

Songs:

“Come Thou Almighty King“ by Felice de Giardini, Tommy Bailey, Sarah Gehri, Nathan Mickle & Tom Yarbrough
“May The Peoples Praise You“ by David Zimmer, Ed Cash, Keith Getty, Kristyn Getty, and Stuart Townend
“Yet Not I But Through Christ In Me“ by Jonny Robinson, Michael Farren, and Rich Thompson
“Revive Us Again“ by John Jenkins Husband and William Paton MacKay
“Doxology” by Thomas Ken and Louis Bourgeois
All songs are used with permission. CCLI License no. 2003690

Looking for our Hymns of the Week or resources to worship anytime? We’ve curated a playlist of hymns TVC Worship has led over the years on our YouTube Channel!

Call To Worship: Eternal God

ALL: Eternal God, You set Jesus Christ to rule over all things and made us servants in Your kingdom. By Your Spirit, empower us to love the unloved and to minister to all in need. Then at the last bring us into Your eternal Kingdom, where we may worship and adore You and be welcomed into Your everlasting joy. We offer this prayer through Jesus Christ, our Lord, Who lives and reigns with You in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, forever and ever. Amen.

Classic Prayer: Cornelius Plantinga

O God, Your people give You hearty thanks for Your matchless grace… Rescuer of the shamed, You reach into human pits to lift the fallen. We sink into addiction, and You come to heal. We sink into folly, and You come to correct. We sink into corruption, and You come to sanctify. Refuge of all who suffer, we look for shelter in the shadow of Your wings. Rain and hail and wind beat on Your wings, but they do not fold. They are spread like Jesus’s arms on the cross, spread out to protect all who seek shelter beneath them. O God, wondrous in love for sinners, we give You thanks for Your saving grace. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

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