Today is Pentecost Sunday - A day we often look upon as the Birthday
of the Church; the time when the Holy Spirit came to the Disciples.
Acts 2:1 “When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in
one place.” - At that point, Acts 1:15 tells us that the followers of Jesus
numbered about 120 people - When the day of Pentecost arrived, about
3,000 more people were added to the followers of Jesus .
Acts 2:2-3 “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.”
When I was in Iowa I experienced having a tornado passed through my town. During that time the wind was strong and I was hearing loud sirens coming from the squad car of the local sheriff. Lucky for us the tornado came through town without destroying much of the structures.
However one of my most unforgettable experience of that ordeal was the noise of that storm. It was incredible - Louder than any freight train that I have heard.
That is what I think the Scripture is describing here - It was not the
sound of a gentle breeze - But the noise a violent, rushing wind, like a
tornado or a hurricane.
It is easy to picture people running from all over Jerusalem to see what
was going on - God made His presence known to this group of believers
in a spectacular way: violent wind, and fire
Have you ever had God reveal Himself in a spectacular way?
Yet, sometimes when we seek God, or when God seeks us - It is not a
voice booming out of the heavens - Have you read about when the
prophet Elijah was in trouble, and needed a message from God? - It is
recorded for us in 1 Kings 19.
There was a great wind, then an earthquake, and finally a fire - Yet,
God was not in those things - God spoke in a gentle whisper
As we look into this passage in Acts we must understand that God may use dramatic methods to work in our lives, or He may speak in gentle whispers.
We must wait patiently and always listen - Ready to hear God’s voice - As
Psalm 46:10 exhorts us, “Be still, and know that I am God”
Acts 2:4 “All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak
in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them.” - Here we have the central
event of the day - The believers were filled with the Holy Spirit
This is what sets apart the days before that Pentecost - With the
dispensation of today’s Church age - Before that day, the Holy Spirit
might come for a time or for a task - Since then, the Spirit of God
indwells all of Jesus’ believers
1 Corinthians 3:16 “Do you not know that you are the temple of God and
that the Spirit of God dwells in you?”3 - On the day that we believe, we
are fully indwelt by the Holy Spirit.
This creates a struggle in many new Christians - We have begun a new
life in Jesus - Yet, old sinful habits die hard - Therefore, even though we
are filled with the Holy Spirit - Some of those old habits may also be
present
Growth comes as we surrender more and more of what we want - To a
dedication to following instead what God wants - Through the direction
of God’s Holy Spirit.
On that day of Pentecost, Peter preached a great Sermon - It was no
great theological dissertation - It was just a simple message, in simple
language - It is recorded for us in Acts 2:14-36
Listen to some of Peter’s words, “People of Israel, listen to this: Jesus of
Nazareth was a man accredited by God to you by miracles, wonders
and signs, which God did among you through him, as you yourselves
know.
This man was handed over to you by God’s deliberate plan and
foreknowledge; and you, with the help of wicked men, put him to death
by nailing him to the cross. But God raised him from the dead, freeing
him from the agony of death, because it was impossible for death to
keep its hold on him.”
Peter’s message was just a simple sharing of who Jesus is - How Christ
had died for us, and then rose from the grave - Peter also exhorted
them to call upon the Lord to be saved.
Some of the beauty of God’s plan for salvation is in its simplicity – For a
seminary class, I once wrote 19-page theology paper on the nature of
Jesus Christ and why He is so central to our faith
In spite of all the effort I put into that paper - Often a few simple words
are a better way to communicate the truth of the Gospel.
Like the words from a favorite children’s song - “Jesus Loves Me, this I
know, for the Bible tells me so”
Or maybe the powerful words of a favorite Bible verse - “For God so
loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever
believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”
I would like you to take three things away from this passage today
1. Believe - Trust Jesus Christ as your own personal Savior
2. Be Empowered by God’s Spirit
3. And proclaim the Message of Jesus and His Love
First, if you have never trusted God to save you - If you have never
accepted Jesus as your Savior and dedicated yourself to following
Jesus as your Lord - Do not wait
Make today the day you accept the free gift of a New Life in Christ
Jesus - Trusting in the promise of today’s passage from Acts that,
“everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”
Next, recognize that the moment you believe, you are filled with the
Holy Spirit - Then allow God’s Spirit to work through you - Guiding your
actions - Shaping your life - Empowering your faith
Finally, do not keep the Good News to yourself - Go and tell others -
Share what Jesus has done for you - Share the presence of God’s Holy
Spirit in your life. Amen
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