What does it look like when awe comes upon every soul? In this message from Acts 2, discover that awe is a holy fear and deep reverence for the glory of God, and that the same God whose holiness makes us tremble invites us to draw near. You’ll see how the God who forgives, grieves, makes Himself known, and sanctifies awakens that awe in us, and why the church must never mistake His grace for permission to disregard His holiness.
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Acts 2:42–47
And they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers. And awe came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were being done through the apostles. And all who believed were together and had all things in common. And they were selling their possessions and belongings and distributing the proceeds to all, as any had need. And day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they received their food with glad and generous hearts, praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved.
Acts 2:43
Awe came upon every soul.
Awe Came Upon Every Soul
What Awe Is
The God Who Awakens Awe
The Treasure We Want To Treasure
1. What Awe Is
Awe: phobos = fear
Awe is a holy fear, a deep reverence, a profound recognition of the glory of God!
Reverential respect mixed with fear and wonder.
The fear of the Lord has to do with how we live in light of who He is.
Hebrews 12:28–29
Therefore let us be grateful for receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, and thus let us offer to God acceptable worship, with reverence and awe, for our God is a consuming fire.
God’s presence did not produce a “nonchalant-ness.” It produced reverence.
“’Course he isn’t safe. But he’s good. He’s the King, I tell you.” - Mr. Beaver, The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe
The same God whose holiness causes us to tremble is the God whose goodness invites us to draw near.
2. The God Who Awakens Awe
The God Who Forgives
Psalm 130:4
But with you there is forgiveness, that you may be feared.
Forgiveness doesn’t lull our fear of God to sleep. It awakens a deeper kind of awe.
The God Who Grieves
Ephesians 4:30
And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.
The God Who Makes Himself Known
Jeremiah 29:12–13
Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will hear you. You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart.
The early church wasn’t chasing amazing experiences. They were faithfully seeking God day by day, and finding Him because they were seeking Him with all their hearts!
The God Who Sanctifies
2 Corinthians 3:18
And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.
3. The Treasure We Want to Treasure
Isaiah 33:6
And he will be the stability of your times, abundance of salvation, wisdom, and knowledge; the fear of the LORD is Zion’s treasure.
What happens when the church stops treasuring the fear of the LORD?
Acts 5:3
Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and to keep back for yourself part of the proceeds of the land?
Contempt for God: Treating God as though He doesn’t matter or deserve our reverence.
Sacrilegious defrauding: Dishonestly withholding what they had presented as devoted to God.
Perverse vanity and ambition: Wanting to be important, admired, or praised instead of wanting to honor God.
Lack of faith: Failing to trust God.
Corrupting a good and holy order: Taking something beautiful that God was doing in His church and using it for selfish gain.
Hypocrisy: Pretending to be more devoted to God than they actually were.
Acts 5:11
And great fear came upon the whole church and upon all who heard of these things.
The church must never mistake God’s grace for permission to disregard His holiness.
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