Be the Revival: A Pentecost Word for the Church of Today
Be the Revival: A Pentecost Word for the Church of Today
The Pentecost + Baccalaureate Sunday | Acts 2:1–21 (NLT) | Guest Preacher, Jackie Cox
Quick Glance: For Your Heart Today
This year, Pentecost and Baccalaureate Sunday landed on the same day—and with that convergence came a powerful, Spirit-led message from guest preacher Jackie Cox. She reminds us that the same Holy Spirit who filled the disciples at Pentecost still fills us today—young and old, near and far. Whether you’re graduating, seeking direction, or standing in need of hope, this message will encourage you to stop asking “Are we there yet?” and instead step boldly into the power that’s already been given.
3 Takeaways
If You Only Have a Moment
Even if you can’t read the full message today, pause here and pray:
“Holy Spirit, fill me again. Help me not to wait for the perfect moment but to move forward with the power You’ve already given me. Amen.”
Breath Prayer
Inhale: “Holy Spirit, fill me now.”
Exhale: “Send me out in Your power.”
Estimated Reading Time: 15–17 minutes
Quick Glance: For Your Heart Today
This year, Pentecost and Baccalaureate Sunday landed on the same day—and with that convergence came a powerful, Spirit-led message from guest preacher Jackie Cox. She reminds us that the same Holy Spirit who filled the disciples at Pentecost still fills us today—young and old, near and far. Whether you’re graduating, seeking direction, or standing in need of hope, this message will encourage you to stop asking “Are we there yet?” and instead step boldly into the power that’s already been given.
3 Takeaways
- The Holy Spirit empowers all people—across languages, cultures, ages, and roles—to carry the gospel.
- The Kingdom of God isn’t a destination; it’s the reign of God through the Spirit’s presence now and not yet.
- You don’t need to be a “minister” to do ministry—you just need to be willing by the Spirit’s power.
If You Only Have a Moment
Even if you can’t read the full message today, pause here and pray:
“Holy Spirit, fill me again. Help me not to wait for the perfect moment but to move forward with the power You’ve already given me. Amen.”
Breath Prayer
Inhale: “Holy Spirit, fill me now.”
Exhale: “Send me out in Your power.”
Estimated Reading Time: 15–17 minutes
Full Message: “Be the Revival” by Jackie Cox
Are We There Yet?
Good morning family! Today is a day that the Lord has made. Today is particularly special because our baccalaureate ceremony (congratulations graduates!) and Pentecost Sunday falls on the same day. As we are celebrating with our graduates, Pastor Tammy and I believed that Pentecost has something to give our graduates and the rest of the congregation of today.
I want to start off with an imagination activity. I also know this analogy isn’t perfect so please give me grace. Picture this: Your family is on a road trip. It’s already been a couple of hours. You are the child in the back of the car growing more and more impatient as the time goes on for you to arrive at the destination. It feels like it’s been an eternity. Then one of your parents looks at you through the rearview mirror and asks you to make sure your shoes are on and that they are tied. Because of this you assume that you will be at this destination any minute now and ask “are we there yet?”
In Acts 1, the disciples ask Jesus a very similar question. The Book of Acts is a historiography about the early church. Before Jesus’ ascension, he promises that his followers will be baptized in the Holy Spirit. The Israelite prophets of the Hebrew Bible would often link the restoration of Israel with the outpouring of the Holy Spirit (Isaiah 42:1; 44:3; 59:21, Ezekiel 36:24–28; 37:14; 39:29; Joel 2:28–3:1). Knowing this connection between the outpouring of the Spirit that Jesus is talking about and the restoration of the kingdom, the disciples ask Jesus, “Lord, has the time come for you to free Israel and restore our kingdom?” In other words, “Are we there yet?”
To the disciples' question on when the restoration of the kingdom will come, Jesus responds:
“The Father alone has the authority to set those dates and times, and they are not for you to know. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you. And you will be my witnesses, telling people about me everywhere—in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth” (Acts 1:8, NLT).
Jesus will bring about his justice to the fullest and establish the Kingdom of God on earth as it is in heaven to the fullest in his second coming. God’s Kingdom won’t be like the earthly empires or kingdoms of the past because the ruler God is loving, merciful, graceful, faithful, wise, and just, and His Kingdom will never come to an end.
Jesus doesn’t want them to focus on the when but turns their focus to the filling of the Holy Spirit that would come soon.
Part of what the promise entails is that the Kingdom of God is a heavenly kingdom and will transcend across all earthly kingdoms and cultures to the ends of the earth. The Kingdom of God was within Jesus and now the Spirit of Jesus would fill his people so the Kingdom of God would be within each and every one of them and manifest itself in the actions of believers during this interim period—“the Kingdom of God is here but not totally yet.”
After the Lord answers their questions, he ascends into heaven and Jesus’ followers gather together in the upper room united in prayer for a few days, likely praying for the coming of the Holy Spirit. They are now in a transitional period between the 3 or so years of learning from the greatest rabbi to ever live, Jesus, and living out their calling to be witnesses to the life of Jesus and sharing the Gospel (Good News) as the Church. I can imagine they feel excited and uncertain about the future at the same time, which is a feeling I think the graduates and some of the rest of us in the congregation can relate.
I want to start off with an imagination activity. I also know this analogy isn’t perfect so please give me grace. Picture this: Your family is on a road trip. It’s already been a couple of hours. You are the child in the back of the car growing more and more impatient as the time goes on for you to arrive at the destination. It feels like it’s been an eternity. Then one of your parents looks at you through the rearview mirror and asks you to make sure your shoes are on and that they are tied. Because of this you assume that you will be at this destination any minute now and ask “are we there yet?”
In Acts 1, the disciples ask Jesus a very similar question. The Book of Acts is a historiography about the early church. Before Jesus’ ascension, he promises that his followers will be baptized in the Holy Spirit. The Israelite prophets of the Hebrew Bible would often link the restoration of Israel with the outpouring of the Holy Spirit (Isaiah 42:1; 44:3; 59:21, Ezekiel 36:24–28; 37:14; 39:29; Joel 2:28–3:1). Knowing this connection between the outpouring of the Spirit that Jesus is talking about and the restoration of the kingdom, the disciples ask Jesus, “Lord, has the time come for you to free Israel and restore our kingdom?” In other words, “Are we there yet?”
To the disciples' question on when the restoration of the kingdom will come, Jesus responds:
“The Father alone has the authority to set those dates and times, and they are not for you to know. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you. And you will be my witnesses, telling people about me everywhere—in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth” (Acts 1:8, NLT).
Jesus will bring about his justice to the fullest and establish the Kingdom of God on earth as it is in heaven to the fullest in his second coming. God’s Kingdom won’t be like the earthly empires or kingdoms of the past because the ruler God is loving, merciful, graceful, faithful, wise, and just, and His Kingdom will never come to an end.
Jesus doesn’t want them to focus on the when but turns their focus to the filling of the Holy Spirit that would come soon.
Part of what the promise entails is that the Kingdom of God is a heavenly kingdom and will transcend across all earthly kingdoms and cultures to the ends of the earth. The Kingdom of God was within Jesus and now the Spirit of Jesus would fill his people so the Kingdom of God would be within each and every one of them and manifest itself in the actions of believers during this interim period—“the Kingdom of God is here but not totally yet.”
After the Lord answers their questions, he ascends into heaven and Jesus’ followers gather together in the upper room united in prayer for a few days, likely praying for the coming of the Holy Spirit. They are now in a transitional period between the 3 or so years of learning from the greatest rabbi to ever live, Jesus, and living out their calling to be witnesses to the life of Jesus and sharing the Gospel (Good News) as the Church. I can imagine they feel excited and uncertain about the future at the same time, which is a feeling I think the graduates and some of the rest of us in the congregation can relate.
The Spirit Comes—and So Does the Mission
Fast forward a few days and we arrive at Pentecost—also known as the Feast of Weeks or the Feast of Harvest—which takes place 50 days after Passover. People travel from far and wide to Jerusalem to sacrifice the first fruits of harvest to God. And so we come to our main passage for today when Jesus’ followers are filled with the Spirit:
Acts 2:1–11 (NLT)
On the day of Pentecost all the believers were meeting together in one place. 2 Suddenly, there was a sound from heaven like the roaring of a mighty windstorm, and it filled the house where they were sitting. 3 Then, what looked like flames or tongues of fire appeared and settled on each of them.
4 And everyone present was filled with the Holy Spirit and began speaking in other languages, as the Holy Spirit gave them this ability.
5 At that time there were devout Jews from every nation living in Jerusalem. 6 When they heard the loud noise, everyone came running, and they were bewildered to hear their own languages being spoken by the believers.
7 They were completely amazed. “How can this be?” they exclaimed. “These people are all from Galilee, 8 and yet we hear them speaking in our own native languages! 9 Here we are—Parthians, Medes, Elamites, people from Mesopotamia, Judea, Cappadocia, Pontus, the province of Asia, 10 Phrygia, Pamphylia, Egypt, and the areas of Libya around Cyrene, visitors from Rome 11 (both Jews and converts to Judaism), Cretans, and Arabs. And we all hear these people speaking in our own languages about the wonderful things God has done!”
Throughout the Hebrew Bible, when the Holy Spirit would fill someone, it would be for a specific purpose. Whether that be sacred craftsmanship for the tabernacle in Exodus, for leadership (Deut 34:9), or prophecy. The Apostle Paul also gives a list of examples of the gifts of the Holy Spirit including wisdom, knowledge, faith, healing, working of powerful deeds, prophecy, discernment of spirits, tongues, and interpretation of tongues (1 Cor 12:4–11). The Spirit of God can choose to activate any of these gifts and I’m sure even more that are not even listed.
Here, God chooses to have the people in the upper room speak in languages that they don’t know how to speak. At the birth of the Church, why does God choose to give these Galileans the gift to speak other languages that they didn’t know how to speak before (aka the gift of tongues) as the first sign of the Church?
Acts 2:1–11 (NLT)
On the day of Pentecost all the believers were meeting together in one place. 2 Suddenly, there was a sound from heaven like the roaring of a mighty windstorm, and it filled the house where they were sitting. 3 Then, what looked like flames or tongues of fire appeared and settled on each of them.
4 And everyone present was filled with the Holy Spirit and began speaking in other languages, as the Holy Spirit gave them this ability.
5 At that time there were devout Jews from every nation living in Jerusalem. 6 When they heard the loud noise, everyone came running, and they were bewildered to hear their own languages being spoken by the believers.
7 They were completely amazed. “How can this be?” they exclaimed. “These people are all from Galilee, 8 and yet we hear them speaking in our own native languages! 9 Here we are—Parthians, Medes, Elamites, people from Mesopotamia, Judea, Cappadocia, Pontus, the province of Asia, 10 Phrygia, Pamphylia, Egypt, and the areas of Libya around Cyrene, visitors from Rome 11 (both Jews and converts to Judaism), Cretans, and Arabs. And we all hear these people speaking in our own languages about the wonderful things God has done!”
Throughout the Hebrew Bible, when the Holy Spirit would fill someone, it would be for a specific purpose. Whether that be sacred craftsmanship for the tabernacle in Exodus, for leadership (Deut 34:9), or prophecy. The Apostle Paul also gives a list of examples of the gifts of the Holy Spirit including wisdom, knowledge, faith, healing, working of powerful deeds, prophecy, discernment of spirits, tongues, and interpretation of tongues (1 Cor 12:4–11). The Spirit of God can choose to activate any of these gifts and I’m sure even more that are not even listed.
Here, God chooses to have the people in the upper room speak in languages that they don’t know how to speak. At the birth of the Church, why does God choose to give these Galileans the gift to speak other languages that they didn’t know how to speak before (aka the gift of tongues) as the first sign of the Church?
You Belong in the Kingdom of God
I believe God intentionally chose this gift to put emphasis on His call to the disciples to be His witnesses in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth. This is a Jewish festival where people from all over have traveled to Jerusalem. So, while the disciples are still in Jerusalem, they are witnessing to people from these regions, they are witnessing to people from different cultures and languages who have come to worship God.
God wants them to know that His Kingdom is to bring restoration to the whole world, not just Israel. It is not monoculture or monolingual; it is rich in diversity with representation from all parts of the earth.
God gives the ability for these lowly Galileans who are seen as the least likely to be able to speak languages other than Aramaic, Hebrew, and/or Greek. When the people from the crowd hear their native tongues in a land that considers it foreign, their ears perk up and they are amazed. I believe in this moment they feel seen and feel a sense of home.
You don’t have to abandon the beauty of your culture or language—you can feel seen and feel at home in the Kingdom of God. Though we are different, the Holy Spirit is what unifies us. As the disciples were sent, we are also sent to testify to the good news of Christ to everyone around us for the Church as the Kingdom of God to be a blessing to the nations.
Let’s continue with our text.
Acts 2:12–21 (NLT)
12 They stood there amazed and perplexed. “What can this mean?” they asked each other.
13 But others in the crowd ridiculed them, saying, “They’re just drunk, that’s all!”
14 Then Peter stepped forward with the eleven other apostles and shouted to the crowd, “Listen carefully, all of you, fellow Jews and residents of Jerusalem! Make no mistake about this. 15 These people are not drunk, as some of you are assuming. Nine o’clock in the morning is much too early for that. 16 No, what you see was predicted long ago by the prophet Joel:
17 ‘In the last days,’ God says,
‘I will pour out my Spirit upon all people.
Your sons and daughters will prophesy.
Your young men will see visions,
and your old men will dream dreams.
18 In those days I will pour out my Spirit
even on my servants—men and women alike—
and they will prophesy.
19 And I will cause wonders in the heavens above
and signs on the earth below—
blood and fire and clouds of smoke.
20 The sun will become dark,
and the moon will turn blood red
before that great and glorious day of the Lord arrives.
21 But everyone who calls on the name of the Lord
will be saved.
God wants them to know that His Kingdom is to bring restoration to the whole world, not just Israel. It is not monoculture or monolingual; it is rich in diversity with representation from all parts of the earth.
God gives the ability for these lowly Galileans who are seen as the least likely to be able to speak languages other than Aramaic, Hebrew, and/or Greek. When the people from the crowd hear their native tongues in a land that considers it foreign, their ears perk up and they are amazed. I believe in this moment they feel seen and feel a sense of home.
You don’t have to abandon the beauty of your culture or language—you can feel seen and feel at home in the Kingdom of God. Though we are different, the Holy Spirit is what unifies us. As the disciples were sent, we are also sent to testify to the good news of Christ to everyone around us for the Church as the Kingdom of God to be a blessing to the nations.
Let’s continue with our text.
Acts 2:12–21 (NLT)
12 They stood there amazed and perplexed. “What can this mean?” they asked each other.
13 But others in the crowd ridiculed them, saying, “They’re just drunk, that’s all!”
14 Then Peter stepped forward with the eleven other apostles and shouted to the crowd, “Listen carefully, all of you, fellow Jews and residents of Jerusalem! Make no mistake about this. 15 These people are not drunk, as some of you are assuming. Nine o’clock in the morning is much too early for that. 16 No, what you see was predicted long ago by the prophet Joel:
17 ‘In the last days,’ God says,
‘I will pour out my Spirit upon all people.
Your sons and daughters will prophesy.
Your young men will see visions,
and your old men will dream dreams.
18 In those days I will pour out my Spirit
even on my servants—men and women alike—
and they will prophesy.
19 And I will cause wonders in the heavens above
and signs on the earth below—
blood and fire and clouds of smoke.
20 The sun will become dark,
and the moon will turn blood red
before that great and glorious day of the Lord arrives.
21 But everyone who calls on the name of the Lord
will be saved.
The Crowd Responds—and So Does Peter
We notice the two different responses coming from the crowd of people. One portion of the crowd is curious and asks, “What does this mean?” while the other portion makes snarky comments and accuses them of being drunk. Both witness the same thing with different responses.
Peter stands up to speak to give an explanatory commentary about what the crowd is witnessing. Peter—the one who denied Jesus three times—is now about to boldly proclaim the workings of the Holy Spirit and the Gospel of Christ and live into the name that the Lord called him to be: “The Rock.” He calls for their attention, “Listen carefully,” clears up the false accusation of drunkenness, and quotes from the prophet Joel who we mentioned earlier for tying the coming of the Kingdom of God with the outpouring of the Holy Spirit.
The passage that Peter is quoting from Joel is also expansive to the influence of God. Not only is the Gospel going to spread to all people, but the Holy Spirit would fill all people. Sons and daughters will prophesy, young men will see visions and old men will dream dreams, God will pour out His Spirit even on His servants—men and women alike—and they shall prophesy.
Peter stands up to speak to give an explanatory commentary about what the crowd is witnessing. Peter—the one who denied Jesus three times—is now about to boldly proclaim the workings of the Holy Spirit and the Gospel of Christ and live into the name that the Lord called him to be: “The Rock.” He calls for their attention, “Listen carefully,” clears up the false accusation of drunkenness, and quotes from the prophet Joel who we mentioned earlier for tying the coming of the Kingdom of God with the outpouring of the Holy Spirit.
The passage that Peter is quoting from Joel is also expansive to the influence of God. Not only is the Gospel going to spread to all people, but the Holy Spirit would fill all people. Sons and daughters will prophesy, young men will see visions and old men will dream dreams, God will pour out His Spirit even on His servants—men and women alike—and they shall prophesy.
This World Needs a Revival—Be the Revival
We see this multigenerational and multigendered theme throughout each and every declaration. All young people out there, you are not the church of tomorrow—you are the church of today. The Holy Spirit can fill anyone who has faith in their heart that Jesus is their Lord and Savior. The Kingdom of God, through the Holy Spirit is within each of you.
The book of Acts recounts this moment that sets off a revival, which is “a season of breakthroughs in word, deed, and power that ushers in a new normal of kingdom experience and fruitfulness,” as defined by James Choung and Ryan Pfeiffer, two previous InterVarsity leaders, which is the campus ministry I’m a part of at San Francisco State.
You are filled with the Holy Spirit and are called to be a part of the healing, redemption, and restoration of this world. Whether you are going into your vocation or more school, let your life be a ministry that glorifies your Father in Heaven.
You don't have to be a “minister” to do ministry and advance the putting right of the world around us. You can be a college student, a doctor, musician, artist, educator, engineer—anything that the Lord has ignited a passion or gift in you—and be a minister of God's presence.
This world needs a revival. Be the revival. Church of today, you have been called.
The book of Acts recounts this moment that sets off a revival, which is “a season of breakthroughs in word, deed, and power that ushers in a new normal of kingdom experience and fruitfulness,” as defined by James Choung and Ryan Pfeiffer, two previous InterVarsity leaders, which is the campus ministry I’m a part of at San Francisco State.
You are filled with the Holy Spirit and are called to be a part of the healing, redemption, and restoration of this world. Whether you are going into your vocation or more school, let your life be a ministry that glorifies your Father in Heaven.
You don't have to be a “minister” to do ministry and advance the putting right of the world around us. You can be a college student, a doctor, musician, artist, educator, engineer—anything that the Lord has ignited a passion or gift in you—and be a minister of God's presence.
This world needs a revival. Be the revival. Church of today, you have been called.
Posted in Stand Alone Sermon
Posted in Pentecost, Holy Spirit, revival, Acts 2, Kingdom of God, Baccalaureate, Baccalaureate, spiritual empowerment, multigenerational church, Church of today, prophetic calling, diversity in ministry, gifts of the Spirit, Jackie Cox, Spirit-led living, graduate encouragement
Posted in Pentecost, Holy Spirit, revival, Acts 2, Kingdom of God, Baccalaureate, Baccalaureate, spiritual empowerment, multigenerational church, Church of today, prophetic calling, diversity in ministry, gifts of the Spirit, Jackie Cox, Spirit-led living, graduate encouragement
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