Pentecost - At Last!
Sermon Review
19 May 2002
(Acts 2:1-13)Introduction:
Today is Pentecost Sunday in the Christian Calendar and is intended to be a celebration. For many, this might be the first time that you have ever actually celebrated it. Originally Pentecost was an old Jewish festival held on the 50th. day after the Jewish Passover. It was an agricultural festival celebrating and giving thanks for the 'first fruits' of the early spring harvest (Lev.23; Exod.23,34). Over time this changed to celebrating God's creation of his people and their religious history. By the destruction of Jerusalem in AD 70, the festival focused exclusively on God's gracious gift of the Torah (the Law) given at Mt. Sinai. For Christians, Pentecost Sunday is a day to celebrate the beginnings of the church when, 50 days after the death of Jesus, the church began. It is a time to celebrate the knowledge that God is at work amongst and through his people by means of the Holy Spirit. It is a time to be reminded of the Spirit's power and presence throughout the church, calling and enabling people to live out in dynamic ways the witness of being His people. It is a day of hope, a day of rejoicing, a day to seek renewal in faith, commitment, and the power of the Spirit in our lives for witness and mission. It is a day for God to breathe fresh life into our 'dry bones', just like in Ezekiel's vision (chap.37:1-14), and to seek God for 'streams in the desert' - our deserts, both personal and corporate (Isa.44:3,4).
The Out Pouring of the Spirit:
Pentecost Sunday, so long ago, was a remarkable day. After Jesus rose from the dead, he appeared to, and taught his disciples for 40 days, then ascending into heaven before the eyes of the watching disciples. 10 days later, as promised by Jesus, the Holy Spirit came in a remarkable and observable way. Prior to this we do have a precedent for the Holy Spirit taking on a visible form - that of a dove Matt.3:16. Here we have the Spirit coming in both audible and visible form - sound like a violent wind, and fire that separated and came to rest on each of those in the one place - either the 12, or the 120. It is unclear. Though the number of languages inspired by the Spirit suggests more than the 12. What a powerfully orchestrated affair! In no uncertain terms the promise of Jesus had been fulfilled, and that in a way which ensured all those waiting would not forget. The inspired diversity of languages added further impact, and paved the way for the first evangelistic response from more than 3,000 people on that day alone. Wouldn't it have been astounding being a fly on the wall during the outpouring of the Spirit? Probably it would have been quite scary in many ways also.
Something New:
This out pouring of the Holy Spirit to this extent and with such power was entirely new - something that God had planned to occur, as the prophecies of Joel make clear. However, it was also timed to occur after Christ ascended, not before. We know that the Holy Spirit was at work in the O.T. age eg. 2Pet.1:21 'men spoke from God, being moved by the Holy Spirit', but Jesus could also say that 'the Holy Spirit was not yet given' John.7:39. As Theologian Augustus Strong says in relation to this passage, 'Before Christ the Holy Spirit was not given just as before Edison electricity was not yet given. There was just as much electricity in the world before Edison as there is now. Edison has only taught us its existence and how to use it. Still we can say that before Edison, electricity, as a means of lighting, warming and transporting people had no existence. So until Pentecost, the Holy Spirit, as the revealer of Christ 'was not yet'. He had been engaged in creation, and inspired the prophets, but officially, as Mediator between men and Christ, 'the Holy Spirit was not given'. This all changed at Pentecost for Pentecost began a flowing forth of the Spirit which before hand had been dammed up. Now the Holy Spirit could also be called the Spirit of Christ, for He began applying Christ's finished work on the cross in the lives of people like you and me. So Pentecost was extremely important in so many ways.
Imagineering - Pentecost
I wonder what would have happened if the early disciples resisted what the Holy Spirit intended to do that day? If they had fled when they heard the wind and saw what looked like flames? Or refused to speak in other languages despite a burning desire to do so? Or if Peter squashed his urge to preach about the death of Christ and forgiveness and eternal life that could be found through faith? Could they have done this? Yes, I think they could have. Why? Partly because if God had forced them to do those things, it would have produced anger, resentment, and rebellion once the compulsion left them, leaving the early church in a complete mess. But also partly because we know that God does not force people to obey Him; he doesn't work that way. He allows people the privilege of choice eg. Luke 13:34 "O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you, how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing! We know that the Holy Spirit can be resisted and quenched, grieved, and blasphemed and can therefore be insulted, offended, and overridden (Eph.4:30; 1Thess.5:19 etc.). Even the appearance of Jesus to Paul was not an exercise of force. Paul thought he was already serving God; he was powerfully enlightened to his error and then served God correctly and well from then on out. No, I think that they could have resisted as we can when God works in our lives, but they did not. Why not? I think it was because they were more than willing to cooperate with God. In fact they had been prepared for it.
Over the last 7 weeks from Easter onwards, their worlds had been turned upside down. Their Rabbi had been executed. They felt like prey to the authorities for being Jesus' disciples. They had felt the pain of grief, then remorse over failing to stand along side him at his arrest. Then they experienced the elation of his return amongst them, his consequent departure, and then a waiting period of no fixed ending in so far as they knew, for Jesus to fulfil his promise to empower them through an outpouring of the Holy Spirit. In all of this they had to cast aside 'truths' they had been taught from birth, and embrace a flood of new understandings about God, Jesus, the Jews, and themselves. The last couple of months had no doubt changed their lives as nothing beforehand had. Their world could never be the same again - nor could they. Old securities, and the bluff and bluster that life often calls for, were left in their wake. They now looked forward to the movement of God in their lives and His future for them for the past could never be returned to again. In many ways their feet had left the ground and they were waiting for the stream of the Spirit of God carry them where he willed. They were a prepared and waiting people, cooperative in intent - only waiting for direction and the power of God to move amongst them. So when the Holy Spirit abruptly came, they responded without any hesitation - perfect instruments for the work of God that day, and those following.
However, this is not to say that they didn't dig their feet in from time to time. There were problems of unequal distribution of welfare; lying by Anannias and Saphira; and of course a great reluctance to move into being witnesses beyond Judea. They grew to like their place in Jerusalem and in the Jewish people's minds. Ultimately, this resulted in a wearing out of their welcome in the Jewish capital, and a very nasty persecution which forced them out amongst the Samaritans and non-Jewish people, once again moving with the Spirit with great impact wherever they went. They started off well, but had to keep learning to let go of worldly securities and going where the Spirit wished to flow.
Imagineering - Pentecost & You:
Although we live many centuries later, we are very much like them. Often we need preparation in our lives to be willing to even consider God in the first place - some kind of softening up that comes to us through choices we make or others have made around us and yet impact on us. Those mild to galvanic upheavals of our worlds that come from time to time. This softening up is often needed even if we have become a Christian for too often our feet are very much on the ground and we are unwilling to consider that God may want to lead us into new things or different directions. Therefore it sometimes takes a storm to change our ways. Consider a river in flood - have you ever watched one? The surging water often carries along a lot of floating trees. Although surrounded by a powerful force, those trees mostly bob along without any great ado because they are moving where the current is going.
But what about those trees that are still rooted? Mammoth turbulence builds up around them as the water pressure rapidly increases. These trees feel the lash and sting of water and swirling currents, and bruising objects smashing into them. However once they are uprooted the turbulence around them mostly disappears, the experience of storm diminishes, and they float along largely unmolested by the current and surging waters around them, because they are now going with the flow instead of trying to resist it. This is what Pentecost is about for you and I. It is about lifting up our feet that we have planted so firmly on the ground. It is about letting go those things which, apart from God, provide us with a sense of security and we have used and found wanting when storms and swirling and bruising forces attack, molest, and harass us. It is about uprooting ourselves by letting go things like cherished opinions, world views, even long held doctrinal positions or views of God; and of course those convenient comforts which we surround ourselves with. Pentecost is about yielding to God's intent for us and letting him have his way in our lives. It is about being willing to cut ourselves adrift and trust that God will look after us. It is about being willing to be moved by the Spirit of God where he chooses - to go with the flow and see where it ends up.
Conclusion:
I wonder if you are ready for that? I wonder if this church is ready for that? I hope so, for ultimately that is the response that celebrating Pentecost calls for - to respond with the same enthusiasm and willingness of the early disciples to the outpouring of the Spirit amongst them; the same enthusiasm and willingness that characterised the beginnings of the church. If we are not willing to do this then I can only assume that the outpouring of the Spirit which began at Pentecost will largely pass us by - pass you by, and we will be left thrashing about in the shallows. Why wait for more softening up storms? Why not let the strain of worldly securities go? Why not stop resisting God either intentionally or unintentionally, and celebrate Pentecost, perhaps your first Pentecost today. Use this moment to seek God, perhaps for the first time, or for renewal in your faith, in your commitment, and in the power of the Spirit for witness, mission, and obedience to God in your life. Make it a morning to seek God for fresh life in your 'dry bones' (Ezek.37:1-14), and to seek God for 'streams in the your deserts' (Isa.44:3,4). Let us all make it a day when we are willing to uproot our feet and go with the flow of God in our lives and see where it ends!
Blessings