Title: Flames of Heaven/Acts 2:1-4
content sky flame
Word: Acts 2:1-4
1. Flames from heaven: Verses 1 3.
The Olympic flame has its origins in the traditions of Athens. In ancient Athens, there was once a year a day when citizens put out all fires in their houses. Then he went to the temple, and the priest received all the fire from the mountain, and he rekindled the fire in the house, and he used the fire to ignite and lived for a year. This was the origin of the Olympic flame.
As we can see in the rituals of ancient Athens, deep in our human hearts, there was a longing for holy flames coming down from heaven. When you go to the temple, there are candles burning. Not only temples, but altars of many religions are on fire. This is because deep in the human heart there is a desire for fire that comes down from heaven. We have a longing to keep in our hearts and homes the divine sparks that come down from heaven. According to Acts 2:1, people who longed for Jesus were gathering in Mark's upper room to pray. They had faith in Jesus and gathered together and prayed earnestly. But they experienced something they had never experienced before. The fiery Holy Spirit came upon us from heaven. The Holy Spirit, like a holy and intense fire, sent by God finally came upon their hearts.
The church is a community that receives holy fire from heaven. The church is where God kindles the fire that comes down from heaven. In the souls of the saints, the fire of the Holy Spirit shines and burns. And those who carry this fire and set it on fire for others. So some theologians said that we Christians are arsoners who set fires from heaven on fires in homes, towns, and cities in the world. That's right. We are arsoners who spread the fire of heaven.
Second, the Bible records “when we were gathered together”. The circumstances in which the fire of the Holy Spirit arose from heaven were not alone. When those who longed for God gathered together and earnestly longed for heavenly things in the name of Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit came upon them like fire. They had their own circumstances and it was difficult to get together, but nevertheless, when they gathered in one place and longed for God's things, a holy flame from heaven came down in their hearts. Longing for God's holy things, we gather in one place. We gather near the church, from the outskirts of Daejeon, and come from another city to worship God together. When we gather together in the name of God, the fire of the Holy Spirit is kindled in our hearts.
2. The work of the Holy Spirit: verse 4
First, the Holy Spirit like a flame is a spirit that incinerates. Garbage is a natural occurrence in life. As we go through life, various kinds of garbage are created in the room of our soul. Garbage of all kinds of dirty and obscene sins, garbage of greed, garbage of fear and defeat are piled up. However, the fire of the Holy Spirit burns and incinerates all kinds of garbage in our hearts.
Holy Spirit, come and incinerate the garbage that is piled up in the chamber of the soul!
Second, the fire of the Holy Spirit ignites a fire of interest and love for God in our hearts. When the Holy Spirit comes to us, passion for God and God arises. An earnest desire to know God more, to meet God more deeply, and to be used by God more deeply arises.
Come, Holy Spirit, and grant our hearts the fire of passion for God!
Third, the Holy Spirit causes us to speak in tongues, the language of heaven (v. 4). We used a language that only humans and humans can communicate with, but when the Holy Spirit fills us, we use the heavenly language through which we can communicate with God. A person who used to sing the songs of the world uses the language of praise to God. To a person who used to be full of the language of complaints and dissatisfaction, the words of thanksgiving to God flow out. The language of heaven has been opened. Those who have the heavenly language open call God Father and express everything to Heavenly Father in tongues like a child.
Come, Holy Spirit, and fill our mouths with the language of heaven!
Fourth, the holy fire fills us with the power of God. Where there is fire, energy is released. The Holy Spirit, who is like a fire, fills us with the power and power of heaven so that we can live with the strength and power that God gives us. It is a life that overcomes obstacles in front of you and triumphs with the energy that the Holy Spirit gives you.
Come, Holy Spirit, fill us with your power!
Conclusion:
With the spark of the Holy Spirit with us, you can have an influence with the spark of the Holy Spirit. We must remember that life is like a bonfire. In the old days, every house had a bonfire. Because there was a bonfire, this house has a fire. The light seems to be out, but the embers remain in the brazier. God has established each of us as a bonfire in our homes. You have made us a bonfire at work.