What Would Revival Look Like at Watermark?

Summary

Acts 2 records the moment the Holy Spirit comes and the church is born. While Pentecost is a unique, unrepeatable event, its effects have been rippling out for two thousand years. While we can’t repeat Pentecost, we can ask what it would look like for Watermark to be struck by a wave of its ripple.

Acts 2 provides a picture of a church alive by the Spirit—characterized by a shared enjoyment of God’s presence, an urgency for mission, and amazement at what God is doing.

Key Takeaways

• A Churchwide Pleasure in God’s Presence (Acts 2:1–4; Acts 2:11) When the Spirit comes, God’s presence is unmistakable—heard like a mighty rushing wind, seen like fire, and experienced as the people declare the mighty works of God. Revival looks like God’s people gathered together, seeing God, hearing from God, and enjoying God in ways that overflow into worship.
• A Churchwide Urgency for Mission (Acts 2:5–11; Acts 1:8) The moment the Spirit comes, the apostles begin witnessing. The point is not tongues—the point is mission. Acts 2 fulfills Acts 1:8 as the Spirit empowers God’s people to testify to the mighty works of God, from those closest to them to the ends of the earth.
• *A Churchwide Amazement *(Acts 2:12–13) The dominant response is awe. People are amazed, perplexed, and asking, “What does this mean?” There is a sense of wonder that makes people linger. Yet even here, some mock, reminding us that the work of the Spirit always invites either openness or resistance.

Quotes

• “In the midst of the Awakening, I watched countless souls swept into new life, not by human eloquence, but by the Holy Spirit working conviction and illumination in hearts that had long been dull. God’s power was felt as a distinct movement in our gatherings, leading men and women from cold formality into deep, living communion with Christ.” – Sarah Osborn
• “Immediately the power of God came mightily upon us, insomuch that many cried out for exceeding joy, and many fell to the ground.” – John Wesley
• “Men, women, and even children would come to prayer meetings with deep expectation—and the atmosphere seemed weighted with God’s presence. People would break into sobs, confess sins quietly, and nearly fall under conviction as though touched by the Spirit Himself… You did not come for entertainment or preaching alone… you felt something happening within you each night you gathered.” – Duncan Campbell

Discussing and Applying the Sermon

• Where do you see evidence of a churchwide pleasure in God’s presence in your own life—or where do you want to grow?
• What might urgency for mission look like in your current season?
• Where do you sense amazement at what God is doing—and where might resistance be creeping in?