Most Christians could not imagine having a year go by without celebrating the holidays of Christmas and Easter. There is a third Christian holiday, a third observance, a third sacred event that is just as central to our understanding of what it means to be a Christian and what it means to belong to the church. Most Christians do not celebrate this event, and many have never heard of it or know little or nothing about it. That third event is called Pentecost Sunday. This third great day in the Christian calendar is rooted in the story in Acts 2. Pentecost celebrates the day when the Holy Spirit descended on the apostles who were gathered in a room in Jerusalem.
Peter did not simply change his mind; Peter was completely changed. Something happened to Peter and to the others in that room, as well, to set them on fire for Jesus Christ to such a degree that it was soon said about them, “These men who have caused trouble all over the world have now come here,
This was said about Paul and Silas who, were later baptized and filled by that same Holy Spirit that filled that room on Pentecost Sunday.
Acts 17:1, 5-7 NIV When Paul and his companions had passed through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where there was a Jewish synagogue. But other Jews were jealous; so they rounded up some bad characters from the marketplace, formed a mob and started a riot in the city. They rushed to Jason’s house in search of Paul and Silas in order to bring them out to the crowd. But when they did not find them, they dragged Jason and some other believers before the city officials, shouting: “These men who have caused trouble all over the world have now come here, and Jason has welcomed them into his house. They are all defying Caesar’s decrees, saying that there is another king, one called Jesus.”
What happened to Peter, and those in that room and what needs to happen to everyone who calls him or herself a disciple of Jesus Christ is what Pentecost is all about.
Pentecost marks the outpouring of the Holy Spirit by which human beings are equipped to do the work of God. We are not by our own natural resources going to save the world, establish God’s kingdom or usher in what Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. often referred to as “the beloved community.”
If any of these things happen, it will be because we have acknowledged, embraced and moved under the power and conviction of Pentecost and the work of the Holy Spirit.
Consider these three events, Christmas, Easter, and Pentecost this way: If Christmas marks the birth of Jesus, Pentecost marks the birth of the church; if Easter marks the day when Jesus was raised from the dead, Pentecost marks the day when that message about Jesus began to make its way to people and places all over the world.
Of course, the church and the world do not treat Pentecost as they do Christmas and Easter. For instance, there are no Pentecost sales, no Pentecost tree, no Pentecost pageant; and I have never heard of the Pentecost Bunny.
The fact that we have failed to understand or observe this day on the calendar does not change the basic truth this day holds for every believer.
Unless you understand what happened at Pentecost you will never completely understand what it means to be and live as a Christian.
Before He assessed to heaven Jesus tells the apostles to remain in the city of Jerusalem until the power of the Holy Spirit came upon them.
Acts 1:6-8 NIV Then they gathered around him and asked him, “Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?” He said to them: “It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”
He was not sending them out to evangelize on the basis of their life experiences or their understanding of religious laws and teachings. He was not suggesting that spending three years in His presence had resulted in them being equipped for the work that lay ahead. Instead, He told them to wait for the power, wait for the anointing, wait for the Holy Spirit to come upon them. Once they had that power, they would be ready to go. Until that happened, they needed to wait!
Pentecost Sunday is the day we remember when and how that anointing took place. While they all were huddled in a room in Jerusalem behind locked doors and shuttered windows, they heard the sound of a rushing wind. What appeared to be tongues of fire seemed to settle over the head of each person. They began to speak in other languages, but what they were saying was understood clearly in the native language of each person gathered in Jerusalem that day.
Acts 2:1-4 NIV When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them.
You see, the power of Pentecost was not the unknown tongues in which the apostles were speaking. The miracle was that people from every known region of the world were able to understand what was being said in his or her language.
Immediately after the miracle of understanding, in their own languages, something else of equal importance took place: The work of the church in the world as an agent of reconciliation and evangelism began that Pentecost Sunday.
Think about Easter and Christmas as events that involve Jesus as the primary actor. On Christmas, Jesus was born into the world and laid in a manger. There were no disciples present for that event. What do you and I do on Christmas that is central to the story? Nothing!
On Easter, Jesus was raised from the dead with all power in His hands. Once again, there were no disciples involved in bringing that event to pass. There is nothing for us to do on Easter except celebrate and give thanks for the work Christ has done on our behalf.
On Pentecost, though, you and I are called away from our roles as spectators into the role of central characters in God’s work of redemption and salvation. As a result of Pentecost, we don't just watch what somebody else is doing for God, but we are equipped by the power of the Holy Spirit so we can become actively involved in the work of salvation and redemption.
That is what Pentecost is all about; it is the day Jesus officially transfers to His disciples the responsibility of spreading the message of salvation.
Pentecost is the day when God begins the process of converting the world to faith in the gospel of Jesus Christ. Most important of all, Pentecost is the day when God decided the way the world would be evangelized was not by the singular ministry of His Son, Jesus Christ, but by the anointed and empowered efforts of every single person who calls him or herself a Christian. The time for following Jesus as a disciple or learner is over, and the time to carry His message forth has come
Think about any event in your life when you began by watching what somebody else was doing, then suddenly the responsibility to work was passed to you. It is one thing to watch while somebody else does all the work. It is another matter to do the job yourself. However, that is what God called those disciples to do on the day of Pentecost and calls us to do today.
Here are a few brief observations about Pentecost based on the biblical texts we read today.
We need to lift up and celebrate the role and work of the Holy Spirit. The purpose of Pentecost is to remind every Christian that even though Christ died for our sins and that by baptism we accept the forgiveness of our sins, there is something else each one of us needs to do.
We need to receive the Holy Spirit so we can do the work of discipleship that awaits each one of us. You cannot witness correctly or effectively unless you have received and depend on the Holy Spirit. You cannot pray, sing, serve or live correctly as a Christian unless and until you have been empowered and enlightened by the Holy Spirit, which first fell on the Lord’s apostles in Jerusalem on Pentecost!
Do you remember when God made Adam from the dust of the earth in Genesis 2:7?
Genesis 2:7 NIV Then the Lord God formed a man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being.
Nothing happened with that body that God had fashioned from the dust until God breathed His Spirit into the nostrils of Adam, who then became a living soul.
Do you remember the dry bones in the valley in Ezekiel 37?
Ezekiel 37:7-10 NIV So I prophesied as I was commanded. And as I was prophesying, there was a noise, a rattling sound, and the bones came together, bone to bone. I looked, and tendons and flesh appeared on them and skin covered them, but there was no breath in them. Then he said to me, “Prophesy to the breath; prophesy, son of man, and say to it, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: Come, breath, from the four winds and breathe into these slain, that they may live.’ ” So I prophesied as he commanded me, and breath entered them; they came to life and stood up on their feet—a vast army.
Although Ezekiel spoke to the bones and they came together to form a body, the body could not and did not move until the Spirit of God blew over those bones.
The same thing is true with the church and with every Christian; no matter what our spiritual gifts might be, they never will function to their full capacity until we allow the Holy Spirit to blow over us, fill us and equip us for God’s service.
There is a hymn that says:
“Breathe on me, breath of God,
“Fill me with life anew,
“That I may live as You did live,
“And do what You would do.”
There is another hymn that is more familiar that says:
“Spirit of the living God, fall afresh on me,
“Spirit of the living God, fall afresh on me.
“Melt me, mold me, fill me, and use me.
“Spirit of the living God, fall afresh on me.”
We cannot do our work, employ our gifts or exercise our ministry areas until God has filled us and transformed us by the power of the Holy Spirit. Once the Holy Spirit has come, we can have the same boldness, conviction and the same results Peter had on the Day of Pentecost when 3,000 souls were added to the church at the end of his sermon. We need the power of Pentecost!
Look at the crowd that was gathered on Pentecost, and then look at almost every church in this country. When we do that, we will see how far short we are falling from what I believe to be God’s will for the church. If you held a map of the world as it was known in the first century A.D. and then listened to the roll call of nations represented in Jerusalem on Pentecost, you would see that every known continent, race and ethnic group was gathered there that day.
Acts 2:9-11 NIV Parthians, Medes and Elamites; residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya near Cyrene; visitors from Rome (both Jews and converts to Judaism); Cretans and Arabs—we hear them declaring the wonders of God in our own tongues!”
Remember that Jews had, by this time, spread into every region of the world. On Pentecost, as on Passover and the other major Jewish holidays, some Jews returned to Jerusalem to celebrate by making a sacrifice in the Temple of Solomon. That is why there were people there from Africa, Asia and Europe. That is why Egyptians, Greeks, Romans and Persians all were present in one place at one time.
God was doing two wonderful things at once: He was converting people who could take the message back to their respective countries and establish the gospel throughout the world; and perhaps more importantly for today, He was establishing a church that consisted of and welcomed people from every race and region of the world.
I am sure God hates the fact that in this city and across this country most Christians gather for worship in all-white, all-black, all-Hispanic or all-Asian congregations. That is not the case here at Christ Church, but we are the exception and not the rule, we're unusual but we shouldn’t be. I am sure God hates the fact that the racism and segregation that still grips our society is strongest in the Christian church. How can the church be the light that draws the world to salvation in the name of Jesus when the world sees inside our walls the same ugly divisions as in the rest of society?
There was an article in Christianity Today magazine that asserted the work of the church will not be complete until the church itself reflects the same multi-cultural and multi-ethnic diversity God has placed within the world. Put another way, according to 1 John 4:20, “If anyone says, ‘I love God,’ but hates his brother, he is a liar. For anyone who does not love his brother, whom he has seen, cannot love God whom he has not seen.”
The diversity God created is not limited to race or ethnic background. Diversity also is reflected in issues of social class, economic levels, educational and political points of view.
Pentecost is the day when gender walls seem to come down. Peter said Pentecost is the fulfillment of the prophecy of Joel who said,
“God will pour out His Spirit on all flesh, and your sons and your daughters will prophesy…Even upon the menservants and maidservants in those days will I pour out My Spirit” (Joel 2:28).
Pentecost is the day when God tears down all the walls of division in the world and the church.
We need to move beyond the idea that God cannot use men and women in the ministry of the gospel. Paul would go on to say, “In Christ there is neither male nor female, neither slave nor free, neither Jew nor Gentile” (Galatians 3:28).
Finally, I want you to notice that when the Holy Spirit comes upon you, there are some people who might laugh at you or look funny at you because of what you might start to do under the influence of that power and anointing. When the Holy Spirit fell on the apostles in Acts 2 and they began to speak in foreign languages, some people accused them of being drunk. It seemed to the outside world as if they were babbling uncontrollably.
There are some people and some places where worship has become so structured, ordered and intellectualized that any room for the free movement of the Holy Spirit has been removed. If you dare raise your voice—or your hand—you are judged as emotional.
However sometimes when you are operating under the power and anointing of the Holy Spirit you shout. Sometimes that power can make you clap your hands.
I invite you to celebrate the third great holiday of the Christian faith which is Pentecost. I invite you to open your hearts to receive the Holy Spirit. You may not always look, or sound dignified, but that’s all right, because “I’m going to shout when the Spirit says shout; I’m going to move when the Spirit says move; and I’m going to dance when the Spirit says dance.” I end by repeating these words: “Every time I feel the Spirit moving in my heart, I will pray!”
Celebrate Christmas, celebrate Easter, celebrate Pentecost, celebrate the Father, celebrate the Son, celebrate the Holy Spirit.
Prayer
Father God we celebrate today the indwelling of Your Holy Spirit, which You sent upon the believers on the day of Pentecost, and which is our blessing today. Lord, we thank You for the transforming work of Your Holy Spirit in our lives and through our lives toward others. We thank You that You have given us boldness to proclaim the Gospel. Remind us to use Your power to do the work You have given us. Amen.
Click the YouTube link for an audio recording of the sermon click the YouTube link at the end of the manuscript.
The watch a recording of the entire service click this link https://youtu.be/zcSNYFDNv_4
Scripture
Acts 2:1-8 NIV When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them. Now there were staying in Jerusalem God-fearing Jews from every nation under heaven. When they heard this sound, a crowd came together in bewilderment, because each one heard their own language being spoken. Utterly amazed, they asked: “Aren’t all these who are speaking Galileans? Then how is it that each of us hears them in our native language?
Acts 2:34-41 NIV For David did not ascend to heaven, and yet he said, “ ‘The Lord said to my Lord: “Sit at my right hand until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet.” ’ “Therefore let all Israel be assured of this: God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Messiah.” When the people heard this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and the other apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?” Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off—for all whom the Lord our God will call.” With many other words he warned them; and he pleaded with them, “Save yourselves from this corrupt generation.” Those who accepted his message were baptized, and about three thousand were added to their number that day.
Introduction
Most Christians could not imagine having a year go by without celebrating the holidays of Christmas and Easter. It was especially difficult in 2020 and even this year Easter for many was celebrated remotely. It is understood by all Christians, no matter how long or short their relationship with God and the church has been, that no Christian calendar is complete without the observance of these two events, Christmas, and Easter.
Christmas is the event that celebrates the birth of Jesus and the beginning of His ministry of redemption on earth. Easter celebrates the resurrection of Jesus and God’s ultimate victory over sin and death. If I were to announce that our church was not going to observe Christmas and/or Easter anymore, you rightfully could say we would be turning our backs on events that are central to our understanding of what it means to be Christians and what it means to belong to the church.
Something would be missing from our lives and experiences as Christians if we didn’t celebrate, in some way, Christmas and Easter as a church.
Can you imagine going an entire year without hearing about there being no room in the inn when Jesus was born or not hearing, “He is risen, indeed!” as the pronouncement of His resurrection?
Imagine a year with no poinsettias and no Easter lilies. Imagine a year with no songs like “Silent Night” or “Christ the Lord Is Risen Today.” I would submit that it is impossible to understand the meaning of the Christian faith without observing and understanding Christmas and Easter.
There is a third Christian holiday, a third observance, a third sacred event that is just as central to our understanding of what it means to be a Christian and what it means to belong to the church. Most Christians do not celebrate this event, and many have never heard of it or know little or nothing about it.
That third event is called Pentecost Sunday. This third great day in the Christian calendar is rooted in the story in Acts 2, part of which we read today. Pentecost celebrates the day when the Holy Spirit descended on the apostles who were gathered in a room in Jerusalem.
Acts 2:1 NIV When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place.
Before Pentecost, those men were hiding from the public for fear that what had happened to Jesus might also happen to them.
John 20:19-20 NIV On the evening of that first day of the week, when the disciples were together, with the doors locked for fear of the Jewish leaders, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you!” After he said this, he showed them his hands and side. The disciples were overjoyed when they saw the Lord.
After Pentecost, those frightened men had become suddenly and miraculously equipped and empowered to carry on the ministry Jesus had begun—in the very city of Jerusalem where Jesus had recently been put to death.
Acts 2:42-47 NIV They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. Everyone was filled with awe at the many wonders and signs performed by the apostles. All the believers were together and had everything in common. They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need. Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.
Pentecost began as and remains one of the major holidays on the Jewish calendar that occurs 50 days after Passover. The word Pentecost means “50th or 50th day.”
For Jews, Pentecost was the time when they celebrated the first harvest of the agricultural year. It was a time when they gave thanks to God for what the land had produced and for what their labor had yielded.
Leviticus 23:15-22 NIV “ ‘From the day after the Sabbath, the day you brought the sheaf of the wave offering, count off seven full weeks. Count off fifty days up to the day after the seventh Sabbath, and then present an offering of new grain to the Lord . From wherever you live, bring two loaves made of two-tenths of an ephah of the finest flour, baked with yeast, as a wave offering of firstfruits to the Lord . Present with this bread seven male lambs, each a year old and without defect, one young bull and two rams. They will be a burnt offering to the Lord , together with their grain offerings and drink offerings—a food offering, an aroma pleasing to the Lord . Then sacrifice one male goat for a sin offering and two lambs, each a year old, for a fellowship offering. The priest is to wave the two lambs before the Lord as a wave offering, together with the bread of the firstfruits. They are a sacred offering to the Lord for the priest. On that same day you are to proclaim a sacred assembly and do no regular work. This is to be a lasting ordinance for the generations to come, wherever you live. “ ‘When you reap the harvest of your land, do not reap to the very edges of your field or gather the gleanings of your harvest. Leave them for the poor and for the foreigner residing among you. I am the Lord your God.’ ”
For Christians, Pentecost marks the birthday of the Christian church, the day when Peter preached and in response to that sermon there was also a harvest of 3,000 souls converted.
His sermon starts at Acts 2 verse 14
Then Peter stood up with the Eleven, raised his voice and addressed the crowd: “Fellow Jews and all of you who live in Jerusalem, let me explain this to you; listen carefully to what I say.
And ends with verses 40 and 41
With many other words he warned them; and he pleaded with them, “Save yourselves from this corrupt generation.” Those who accepted his message were baptized, and about three thousand were added to their number that day.
This is the same Peter now, who 53 days earlier had said about Jesus; “I never knew Him.” This is the same Peter who had nothing to say about Jesus when someone asked him directly if he was one of the followers of Jesus.
The account of Peter’s denial of Jesus is recorded in Luke 22:52-62 and Matthew 26:69-75.
This same Peter, on the Day of Pentecost, stood before a crowd of the same people he once feared, and he boldly declared the gospel of Jesus Christ.
This same Peter stood before many of the same people who had shouted, “Crucify Him,” on the day Jesus stood trial before Pontius Pilate in the city of Jerusalem. Now this same Peter declared in no uncertain terms the Man they had ordered to be crucified was, in fact, the Son of God.
Acts 2:36 NIV “Therefore let all Israel be assured of this: God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Messiah.”
How did Peter go from being frightened to being fearless? How did Peter go from being cowardly to being courageous? How did Peter go from denying Jesus to defending Jesus before the very same people in the very same place?
Acts 2:1-8 NIV When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them. Now there were staying in Jerusalem God-fearing Jews from every nation under heaven. When they heard this sound, a crowd came together in bewilderment, because each one heard their own language being spoken. Utterly amazed, they asked: “Aren’t all these who are speaking Galileans? Then how is it that each of us hears them in our native language?
Acts 2:34-41 NIV For David did not ascend to heaven, and yet he said, “ ‘The Lord said to my Lord: “Sit at my right hand until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet.” ’ “Therefore let all Israel be assured of this: God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Messiah.” When the people heard this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and the other apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?” Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off—for all whom the Lord our God will call.” With many other words he warned them; and he pleaded with them, “Save yourselves from this corrupt generation.” Those who accepted his message were baptized, and about three thousand were added to their number that day.
Introduction
Most Christians could not imagine having a year go by without celebrating the holidays of Christmas and Easter. It was especially difficult in 2020 and even this year Easter for many was celebrated remotely. It is understood by all Christians, no matter how long or short their relationship with God and the church has been, that no Christian calendar is complete without the observance of these two events, Christmas, and Easter.
Christmas is the event that celebrates the birth of Jesus and the beginning of His ministry of redemption on earth. Easter celebrates the resurrection of Jesus and God’s ultimate victory over sin and death. If I were to announce that our church was not going to observe Christmas and/or Easter anymore, you rightfully could say we would be turning our backs on events that are central to our understanding of what it means to be Christians and what it means to belong to the church.
Something would be missing from our lives and experiences as Christians if we didn’t celebrate, in some way, Christmas and Easter as a church.
Can you imagine going an entire year without hearing about there being no room in the inn when Jesus was born or not hearing, “He is risen, indeed!” as the pronouncement of His resurrection?
Imagine a year with no poinsettias and no Easter lilies. Imagine a year with no songs like “Silent Night” or “Christ the Lord Is Risen Today.” I would submit that it is impossible to understand the meaning of the Christian faith without observing and understanding Christmas and Easter.
There is a third Christian holiday, a third observance, a third sacred event that is just as central to our understanding of what it means to be a Christian and what it means to belong to the church. Most Christians do not celebrate this event, and many have never heard of it or know little or nothing about it.
That third event is called Pentecost Sunday. This third great day in the Christian calendar is rooted in the story in Acts 2, part of which we read today. Pentecost celebrates the day when the Holy Spirit descended on the apostles who were gathered in a room in Jerusalem.
Acts 2:1 NIV When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place.
Before Pentecost, those men were hiding from the public for fear that what had happened to Jesus might also happen to them.
John 20:19-20 NIV On the evening of that first day of the week, when the disciples were together, with the doors locked for fear of the Jewish leaders, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you!” After he said this, he showed them his hands and side. The disciples were overjoyed when they saw the Lord.
After Pentecost, those frightened men had become suddenly and miraculously equipped and empowered to carry on the ministry Jesus had begun—in the very city of Jerusalem where Jesus had recently been put to death.
Acts 2:42-47 NIV They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. Everyone was filled with awe at the many wonders and signs performed by the apostles. All the believers were together and had everything in common. They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need. Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.
Pentecost began as and remains one of the major holidays on the Jewish calendar that occurs 50 days after Passover. The word Pentecost means “50th or 50th day.”
For Jews, Pentecost was the time when they celebrated the first harvest of the agricultural year. It was a time when they gave thanks to God for what the land had produced and for what their labor had yielded.
Leviticus 23:15-22 NIV “ ‘From the day after the Sabbath, the day you brought the sheaf of the wave offering, count off seven full weeks. Count off fifty days up to the day after the seventh Sabbath, and then present an offering of new grain to the Lord . From wherever you live, bring two loaves made of two-tenths of an ephah of the finest flour, baked with yeast, as a wave offering of firstfruits to the Lord . Present with this bread seven male lambs, each a year old and without defect, one young bull and two rams. They will be a burnt offering to the Lord , together with their grain offerings and drink offerings—a food offering, an aroma pleasing to the Lord . Then sacrifice one male goat for a sin offering and two lambs, each a year old, for a fellowship offering. The priest is to wave the two lambs before the Lord as a wave offering, together with the bread of the firstfruits. They are a sacred offering to the Lord for the priest. On that same day you are to proclaim a sacred assembly and do no regular work. This is to be a lasting ordinance for the generations to come, wherever you live. “ ‘When you reap the harvest of your land, do not reap to the very edges of your field or gather the gleanings of your harvest. Leave them for the poor and for the foreigner residing among you. I am the Lord your God.’ ”
For Christians, Pentecost marks the birthday of the Christian church, the day when Peter preached and in response to that sermon there was also a harvest of 3,000 souls converted.
His sermon starts at Acts 2 verse 14
Then Peter stood up with the Eleven, raised his voice and addressed the crowd: “Fellow Jews and all of you who live in Jerusalem, let me explain this to you; listen carefully to what I say.
And ends with verses 40 and 41
With many other words he warned them; and he pleaded with them, “Save yourselves from this corrupt generation.” Those who accepted his message were baptized, and about three thousand were added to their number that day.
This is the same Peter now, who 53 days earlier had said about Jesus; “I never knew Him.” This is the same Peter who had nothing to say about Jesus when someone asked him directly if he was one of the followers of Jesus.
The account of Peter’s denial of Jesus is recorded in Luke 22:52-62 and Matthew 26:69-75.
This same Peter, on the Day of Pentecost, stood before a crowd of the same people he once feared, and he boldly declared the gospel of Jesus Christ.
This same Peter stood before many of the same people who had shouted, “Crucify Him,” on the day Jesus stood trial before Pontius Pilate in the city of Jerusalem. Now this same Peter declared in no uncertain terms the Man they had ordered to be crucified was, in fact, the Son of God.
Acts 2:36 NIV “Therefore let all Israel be assured of this: God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Messiah.”
How did Peter go from being frightened to being fearless? How did Peter go from being cowardly to being courageous? How did Peter go from denying Jesus to defending Jesus before the very same people in the very same place?
Peter did not simply change his mind; Peter was completely changed. Something happened to Peter and to the others in that room, as well, to set them on fire for Jesus Christ to such a degree that it was soon said about them, “These men who have caused trouble all over the world have now come here,
This was said about Paul and Silas who, were later baptized and filled by that same Holy Spirit that filled that room on Pentecost Sunday.
Acts 17:1, 5-7 NIV When Paul and his companions had passed through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where there was a Jewish synagogue. But other Jews were jealous; so they rounded up some bad characters from the marketplace, formed a mob and started a riot in the city. They rushed to Jason’s house in search of Paul and Silas in order to bring them out to the crowd. But when they did not find them, they dragged Jason and some other believers before the city officials, shouting: “These men who have caused trouble all over the world have now come here, and Jason has welcomed them into his house. They are all defying Caesar’s decrees, saying that there is another king, one called Jesus.”
What happened to Peter, and those in that room and what needs to happen to everyone who calls him or herself a disciple of Jesus Christ is what Pentecost is all about.
Pentecost marks the outpouring of the Holy Spirit by which human beings are equipped to do the work of God. We are not by our own natural resources going to save the world, establish God’s kingdom or usher in what Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. often referred to as “the beloved community.”
If any of these things happen, it will be because we have acknowledged, embraced and moved under the power and conviction of Pentecost and the work of the Holy Spirit.
Consider these three events, Christmas, Easter, and Pentecost this way: If Christmas marks the birth of Jesus, Pentecost marks the birth of the church; if Easter marks the day when Jesus was raised from the dead, Pentecost marks the day when that message about Jesus began to make its way to people and places all over the world.
Of course, the church and the world do not treat Pentecost as they do Christmas and Easter. For instance, there are no Pentecost sales, no Pentecost tree, no Pentecost pageant; and I have never heard of the Pentecost Bunny.
The fact that we have failed to understand or observe this day on the calendar does not change the basic truth this day holds for every believer.
Unless you understand what happened at Pentecost you will never completely understand what it means to be and live as a Christian.
Before He assessed to heaven Jesus tells the apostles to remain in the city of Jerusalem until the power of the Holy Spirit came upon them.
Acts 1:6-8 NIV Then they gathered around him and asked him, “Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?” He said to them: “It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”
He was not sending them out to evangelize on the basis of their life experiences or their understanding of religious laws and teachings. He was not suggesting that spending three years in His presence had resulted in them being equipped for the work that lay ahead. Instead, He told them to wait for the power, wait for the anointing, wait for the Holy Spirit to come upon them. Once they had that power, they would be ready to go. Until that happened, they needed to wait!
Pentecost Sunday is the day we remember when and how that anointing took place. While they all were huddled in a room in Jerusalem behind locked doors and shuttered windows, they heard the sound of a rushing wind. What appeared to be tongues of fire seemed to settle over the head of each person. They began to speak in other languages, but what they were saying was understood clearly in the native language of each person gathered in Jerusalem that day.
Acts 2:1-4 NIV When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them.
You see, the power of Pentecost was not the unknown tongues in which the apostles were speaking. The miracle was that people from every known region of the world were able to understand what was being said in his or her language.
Immediately after the miracle of understanding, in their own languages, something else of equal importance took place: The work of the church in the world as an agent of reconciliation and evangelism began that Pentecost Sunday.
Think about Easter and Christmas as events that involve Jesus as the primary actor. On Christmas, Jesus was born into the world and laid in a manger. There were no disciples present for that event. What do you and I do on Christmas that is central to the story? Nothing!
On Easter, Jesus was raised from the dead with all power in His hands. Once again, there were no disciples involved in bringing that event to pass. There is nothing for us to do on Easter except celebrate and give thanks for the work Christ has done on our behalf.
On Pentecost, though, you and I are called away from our roles as spectators into the role of central characters in God’s work of redemption and salvation. As a result of Pentecost, we don't just watch what somebody else is doing for God, but we are equipped by the power of the Holy Spirit so we can become actively involved in the work of salvation and redemption.
That is what Pentecost is all about; it is the day Jesus officially transfers to His disciples the responsibility of spreading the message of salvation.
Pentecost is the day when God begins the process of converting the world to faith in the gospel of Jesus Christ. Most important of all, Pentecost is the day when God decided the way the world would be evangelized was not by the singular ministry of His Son, Jesus Christ, but by the anointed and empowered efforts of every single person who calls him or herself a Christian. The time for following Jesus as a disciple or learner is over, and the time to carry His message forth has come
Think about any event in your life when you began by watching what somebody else was doing, then suddenly the responsibility to work was passed to you. It is one thing to watch while somebody else does all the work. It is another matter to do the job yourself. However, that is what God called those disciples to do on the day of Pentecost and calls us to do today.
Here are a few brief observations about Pentecost based on the biblical texts we read today.
We need to lift up and celebrate the role and work of the Holy Spirit. The purpose of Pentecost is to remind every Christian that even though Christ died for our sins and that by baptism we accept the forgiveness of our sins, there is something else each one of us needs to do.
We need to receive the Holy Spirit so we can do the work of discipleship that awaits each one of us. You cannot witness correctly or effectively unless you have received and depend on the Holy Spirit. You cannot pray, sing, serve or live correctly as a Christian unless and until you have been empowered and enlightened by the Holy Spirit, which first fell on the Lord’s apostles in Jerusalem on Pentecost!
Do you remember when God made Adam from the dust of the earth in Genesis 2:7?
Genesis 2:7 NIV Then the Lord God formed a man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being.
Nothing happened with that body that God had fashioned from the dust until God breathed His Spirit into the nostrils of Adam, who then became a living soul.
Do you remember the dry bones in the valley in Ezekiel 37?
Ezekiel 37:7-10 NIV So I prophesied as I was commanded. And as I was prophesying, there was a noise, a rattling sound, and the bones came together, bone to bone. I looked, and tendons and flesh appeared on them and skin covered them, but there was no breath in them. Then he said to me, “Prophesy to the breath; prophesy, son of man, and say to it, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: Come, breath, from the four winds and breathe into these slain, that they may live.’ ” So I prophesied as he commanded me, and breath entered them; they came to life and stood up on their feet—a vast army.
Although Ezekiel spoke to the bones and they came together to form a body, the body could not and did not move until the Spirit of God blew over those bones.
The same thing is true with the church and with every Christian; no matter what our spiritual gifts might be, they never will function to their full capacity until we allow the Holy Spirit to blow over us, fill us and equip us for God’s service.
There is a hymn that says:
“Breathe on me, breath of God,
“Fill me with life anew,
“That I may live as You did live,
“And do what You would do.”
There is another hymn that is more familiar that says:
“Spirit of the living God, fall afresh on me,
“Spirit of the living God, fall afresh on me.
“Melt me, mold me, fill me, and use me.
“Spirit of the living God, fall afresh on me.”
We cannot do our work, employ our gifts or exercise our ministry areas until God has filled us and transformed us by the power of the Holy Spirit. Once the Holy Spirit has come, we can have the same boldness, conviction and the same results Peter had on the Day of Pentecost when 3,000 souls were added to the church at the end of his sermon. We need the power of Pentecost!
Look at the crowd that was gathered on Pentecost, and then look at almost every church in this country. When we do that, we will see how far short we are falling from what I believe to be God’s will for the church. If you held a map of the world as it was known in the first century A.D. and then listened to the roll call of nations represented in Jerusalem on Pentecost, you would see that every known continent, race and ethnic group was gathered there that day.
Acts 2:9-11 NIV Parthians, Medes and Elamites; residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya near Cyrene; visitors from Rome (both Jews and converts to Judaism); Cretans and Arabs—we hear them declaring the wonders of God in our own tongues!”
Remember that Jews had, by this time, spread into every region of the world. On Pentecost, as on Passover and the other major Jewish holidays, some Jews returned to Jerusalem to celebrate by making a sacrifice in the Temple of Solomon. That is why there were people there from Africa, Asia and Europe. That is why Egyptians, Greeks, Romans and Persians all were present in one place at one time.
God was doing two wonderful things at once: He was converting people who could take the message back to their respective countries and establish the gospel throughout the world; and perhaps more importantly for today, He was establishing a church that consisted of and welcomed people from every race and region of the world.
I am sure God hates the fact that in this city and across this country most Christians gather for worship in all-white, all-black, all-Hispanic or all-Asian congregations. That is not the case here at Christ Church, but we are the exception and not the rule, we're unusual but we shouldn’t be. I am sure God hates the fact that the racism and segregation that still grips our society is strongest in the Christian church. How can the church be the light that draws the world to salvation in the name of Jesus when the world sees inside our walls the same ugly divisions as in the rest of society?
There was an article in Christianity Today magazine that asserted the work of the church will not be complete until the church itself reflects the same multi-cultural and multi-ethnic diversity God has placed within the world. Put another way, according to 1 John 4:20, “If anyone says, ‘I love God,’ but hates his brother, he is a liar. For anyone who does not love his brother, whom he has seen, cannot love God whom he has not seen.”
The diversity God created is not limited to race or ethnic background. Diversity also is reflected in issues of social class, economic levels, educational and political points of view.
Pentecost is the day when gender walls seem to come down. Peter said Pentecost is the fulfillment of the prophecy of Joel who said,
“God will pour out His Spirit on all flesh, and your sons and your daughters will prophesy…Even upon the menservants and maidservants in those days will I pour out My Spirit” (Joel 2:28).
Pentecost is the day when God tears down all the walls of division in the world and the church.
We need to move beyond the idea that God cannot use men and women in the ministry of the gospel. Paul would go on to say, “In Christ there is neither male nor female, neither slave nor free, neither Jew nor Gentile” (Galatians 3:28).
Finally, I want you to notice that when the Holy Spirit comes upon you, there are some people who might laugh at you or look funny at you because of what you might start to do under the influence of that power and anointing. When the Holy Spirit fell on the apostles in Acts 2 and they began to speak in foreign languages, some people accused them of being drunk. It seemed to the outside world as if they were babbling uncontrollably.
There are some people and some places where worship has become so structured, ordered and intellectualized that any room for the free movement of the Holy Spirit has been removed. If you dare raise your voice—or your hand—you are judged as emotional.
However sometimes when you are operating under the power and anointing of the Holy Spirit you shout. Sometimes that power can make you clap your hands.
I invite you to celebrate the third great holiday of the Christian faith which is Pentecost. I invite you to open your hearts to receive the Holy Spirit. You may not always look, or sound dignified, but that’s all right, because “I’m going to shout when the Spirit says shout; I’m going to move when the Spirit says move; and I’m going to dance when the Spirit says dance.” I end by repeating these words: “Every time I feel the Spirit moving in my heart, I will pray!”
Celebrate Christmas, celebrate Easter, celebrate Pentecost, celebrate the Father, celebrate the Son, celebrate the Holy Spirit.
Prayer
Father God we celebrate today the indwelling of Your Holy Spirit, which You sent upon the believers on the day of Pentecost, and which is our blessing today. Lord, we thank You for the transforming work of Your Holy Spirit in our lives and through our lives toward others. We thank You that You have given us boldness to proclaim the Gospel. Remind us to use Your power to do the work You have given us. Amen.
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