Sermon Cloud

The Promise of the New Covenant Gifts of the SpiritJoel 2:28–32
Introduction
ILL. People used carrier pigeons and riders on horseback to carry messages (1800s). Then there was the invention of the telegraph system. Messages could be sent over 100's of miles in just a few seconds. The new form of communication was much grander and more consistent than the old way of communicating across the miles. Our text today show us this same type of expansion and improvement of spiritual gifts under the New Covenant
T.I. Joel promises the future widespread distribution of spiritual gifts among the Jewish people in connection with supernatural days of the LORD
In the New Covenant there will be no gender, class, or occupation restrictions keeping every believer from having at least one spiritual gift. This new age will be greater than Joel’s day, when the Spiritual gifts were limited to the prophets, priests, and kings. And so it was and still continues to be.                                             (Read text)
S.I. Spiritual gifts are promised to each genuine believer regardless of gender, class, or occupation, and these gifts will begin and end with supernatural days of the LORD
This does not mean that gifts are arbitrarily granted by the Holy Spirit. They are not. He gives them based on the needs in the local assembly of which He directs them to become a part. What is needed to properly edify a local body plays a major role in spiritual gift distribution.           INT. What are the extraordinary elements connected with the outpouring of the Holy Spirit?
In this text we will see three extraordinary elements connected with the beginning and ending of the current time period or our age in redemptive history.  
I. The extraordinary act of the outpouring of the Holy Spirit vs. 28–29
    A. “After this,” the restoration of Jerusalem and the coming of the Teacher of Righteousness
    B. The Bible record Moses prayer that this type of event would happen                               Moses said to him [Joshua], "Are you jealous for me? I wish that all the LORD's people were prophets, that the LORD would put his Spirit on them!" (Num 11:29 NET)
    C. The figure of speech of water is often used in connection with the Holy Spirit, especially in the gospel of John (esp. chapter 3 and 7)
    D. The meaning of the figure: the giving of spiritual gifts
         1. Gifts given to “all flesh”
         2. This does not mean animals (that breath and have bodies)
         3. It does not mean to the Gentile nations
         4. It is limited by “your sons and daughter” descendants, Jews in Jerusalem Pentecost first happened for the Jews, then the Samaritans, then the Gentiles. The promises of verses 28–29 are limited to Jews. Us Gentiles do not show up until vs. 32.
    E. ILL. Acts 2:1–33
    F. Sons and daughters first fulfillment began with 11 of the sons, the Apostles. Every male of female Jew after that event who were saved, 3K at Peter’s preaching, were filled and gifted by the Holy Spirit at their conversion. Then the door was open to the Samaritans, Acts 8, and the Gentiles, Acts 10. From these events forward every Samaritan or Gentile received thier spiritual gift at conversion regardless of office, gender, age, or social status.
    G. Types of gifts listed here are all sign gifts: prophecy (direct revelation from God in the language of the people), revelatory dreams at night (Joseph story, Daniel), visions are revelatory images given by God while awake (Ezekiel, Daniel, Peter, Paul). See Heb 1:1–3
    H. APPL. Every real believer has a spiritual gift from God. After the beginning events to each people group, these come without fanfare immediately after conversion. You discover your gifts by elimination and desire.
II. The extraordinary signs indicating the outpouring of the Holy Spirit. vs. 30–31
    A. These signs are special types used to indicate national or worldwide calamities. The flood and Sodom and Gomorrah’s destruction are often inferred as well as the 10 plagues and destruction of the Egyptian army (Isa 13:10, 34:4; Ezek 32:7, 34:12; Matt 24:29; Rev 6:12).
    B. Prophecies about the Day of the LORD are “typical prophecies.” They deal with a “type,” which is a model event that stands and is similar to other events that follow it. Walter Kaiser notes that with this kind of prophecy the author refers to events in his own day (Locust plaque, Northern Army invasion) that are different from the future event in time and in other ways, yet the two events are connected by at least one common thing that is the heart of the prediction (e.g. The Day of the LORD, a period of time where God intervene in history to bless or judge, or both). The first event was designed to be “models, previews, or pictures of something that was to come in the days of the Messiah.” (Kaiser, The Messiah in the Old Testament, 24–34).
    C. The model signs and wonders, the flames above the 11 Apostles heads, the foreign languages, the earthquakes, the darkness during the crucifixion, etc. blood, fire, smoke. The destruction of the temple by the Romans in 70 AD had literal blood, fire, and smoke. Josephus also records signs in the heavens seen by the Jewish leaders who Jesus pierced by the Romans.
    D. The “sun and moon” are used for Israel (Gen 37:9) in the first model event, the day of Pentecost. The outward shell of the nation, ethnic Israel began a dark time 25–33 AD. Note the Days of Yahweh (LORD) chart. The final fulfillment will include literal blood, fire, smoke in judgment. And the moon and sun are changed with the final rebellion when the earth is burned with fire, and there will be a new heaven (atmosphere, sun, moon)  and new earth before the Great white throne judgment.
    E. ILL. Rom 11:8–15, 25–32
    F. APPL. If the first signs happened and they did, you can be sure the second signs they were a preview of will happen. If there are previews of a movie to get you to pay and go see it, there is a disk with the whole movie on it somewhere.
III. The extraordinary deliverance evidenced by the outpouring of the Holy Spirit vs. 32
    A. It will come about is simultaneous with Pentecost, not after
    B. Call on Jesus the Messiah as Lord for Salvation from Pentecost forward results in deliverance from the penalty, power, and control of sin. What is the main word we use for deliverance today in English? Salvation. Prior to the cross and Pentecost a person had to look to the unnamed Messiah of prophecy to be delivered from sin.
    C. Call on Jesus the Messiah as Lord for deliverance during the time the Romans surround the city for destruction of Jerusalem in 70 A.D. and you will be delivered.   D.  Call on Jesus the Messiah as Lord before the final battle in Israel and you will be rescued
   E. Man’s responsibility and God’s sovereignty in the same verse together. Who are the ones who call on the name of Yahweh? The ones He has already called to salvation. God is sovereign, we are responsible to repent an believe. Both are true at the same time.
    F. ILL. The Roman emperor died in 67AD. Titus returned to Rome. Christian’s fled to Pella. They were all spared. Only unbelieving Jews were in the city when then Romans came back. Any of those that got saved would have been captured and made slaves rather than killed.
    G. APPL. Surrendering to the Lordship of Christ is not optional. Waiting until the birds are devouring your flesh is too late. Now is the time of salvation, today.

Conclusion
1. The extraordinary act of the outpouring of the Holy Spirit.
2. The extraordinary signs indicating the outpouring of the Holy Spirit.
3. The extraordinary deliverance evidenced by the outpouring of the Holy Spirit.    

ILL. Revelation 16