Day of Pentecost

Scripture Reading:

Acts 2:1–21 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? 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!” Amazed and perplexed, they asked one another, “What does this mean?” Some, however, made fun of them and said, “They have had too much wine.” 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. These people are not drunk, as you suppose. It’s only nine in the morning! No, this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel: “ ‘In the last days, God says, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your young men will see visions, your old men will dream dreams. Even on my servants, both men and women, I will pour out my Spirit in those days, and they will prophesy. I will show wonders in the heavens above and signs on the earth below, blood and fire and billows of smoke. The sun will be turned to darkness and the moon to blood before the coming of the great and glorious day of the Lord. And everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.’

Sermon:

Maybe this morning, we should start this sermon off by singing “Happy Birthday”. Let’s do that. Will you help me? Let’s sing. “Happy Birthday to you. Happy Birthday to you. Happy Birthday dear Church. Happy Birthday to you.” That’s right. Today is Pentecost Sunday and that marks the birthday of the church. Prior to the day of Pentecost the disciples were a bunch of ragtag individuals brought together by their experience of life lived as followers of Jesus Christ. And Jesus had given them instructions that they not leave Jerusalem but wait for the gift the Father had promised. The gift was the Holy Spirit.

And our text tells us the disciples were obedient and all were together in the upper room, praying and talking, and singing, and reflecting, and waiting. But something happened that day that honestly hadn’t happened before then and hasn’t happened since, at least not in the same way. The Holy Spirit fell on the disciples. And this caused quite a scene.

Listen to it again, “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.”

There is no question the arrival of the Spirit was an incredible display of power. And the disciples were the recipients. But is that all it was? Was the gift of the Holy Spirit merely another demonstration of the power of God? Was the gift of the Holy Spirit only for the affirmation to these disciples that Christ had chosen them and now they could go home and live fairly regular and somewhat productive lives? Peter and the fishermen could go back to fishing. The tax collector back to the office. The doctor back to his clinic? The rest could go back to whatever it was they had done before?

No. The power of the Holy Spirit was given to those in the upper room for a purpose. Christ had given them this purpose when He was preparing them before He ascended to heaven. Luke records His words in Acts 1:8. “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.”

The Holy Spirit was given to those gathered in the upper room to equip them to be witnesses. The Holy Spirit was given as a tangible sign that Christ’s followers are to be representatives of the kingdom of God. Remember just a few weeks ago when Christ was speaking to His disciples and He spoke about the vine and the branches? And He told His followers they were to bear fruit. And the fruit they bear would reflect the nature of the vine, the nature of Jesus.

The church is still the branches. Jesus is still the vine. God is still the gardener. The Holy Spirit is still with us. We are still to be the light and the salt to the world. Just as the gift of the Holy Spirit was not given so the disciples could go back home and return to life as normal before Christ, so you and I are called to live in the world so that His love is expressed to those who need it the most.