Whitsun 2024

It is the Sunday of Pentecost. It was brought to my attention that some folks did not grow up in churches where the regular feasts of the church were observed, so to blanke with just… it's Pentecost Sunday can be confusing to some. Let me see if I can add some clarity.

The church year begins with Advent, the waiting for the arrival of the Christ Child in the Manger. This season is a season of fasting, and it ends with Christmas and Epiphany, Those seasons work hand in hand because the arrival of God in the flesh will also mean the arrival of the Gospel for all the nations.

Epiphany takes us to Lent, Lent means springtime in Latin, it is again a season of fasting as the church prepares for Ressurection Sunday, easter. So you are in Lent until Palm Sunday which kicks off Holy Week, which includes Maunday Thursday, Good Friday, The Saturday VIgil and Easter Sunday.

The Easter Season takes us to Ascension, the celebration that the resurrected Jesus after teaching the disciples then went up to heaven and then there is Pentecost, where we celebrate that the Holy Spirit then comes to the church. And then finally we are then in a very long season called Trinity that takes us to the end of the calendar year. So now that we are in Trinity time or Ordinary time we are going to focus in on the work the church is given to do.

Main Point: So in today’s text is going to focus on the Holy Spirit initiating a new Israel, And we will see that this will mean the message of God will go out to the world to invite all of humanity to participate.

So first the text

[1] When the day of Pentecost arrived, they were all together in one place.

So no one is left out here the disciples are all together, reportedly about 120 including Jesus' family with his mother.

[2] And suddenly there came from heaven a sound like a mighty rushing wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting.

Part one the people of God are all together in one place and the sound of a rushing wind come. Another place the people are all together and there is a scary wind…Sinia 1700 years earlier when the people gathered at Mount Sinai and received the 10 commandments. In that case, they received the law as a stone-carved saying in this case they received the law as the Holy Spirit dwelling in them.

[3] And divided tongues as of fire appeared to them and rested on each one of them.

[4] And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance.

The OT talks about a day with the Holy Spirit will come and fill his people, we are seeing that fulfill itself here. These 12 men are a new Israel and a spirit filled Israel.

The revelation of God in his word is now not one language but all languages.

God is a talking language God. IN the beginning, was the word…logos.

[5] Now there were dwelling in Jerusalem Jews, devout men from every nation under heaven. [6] And at this sound the multitude came together, and they were bewildered, because each one was hearing them speak in his own language.

The OT does not just prophesy the pouring out of the spirit, but also the gathering of all nations to the throne. Regathering under wone language…where in the OT do we see a scattering of people and language…the TOwer of Babel…and now Babel in reverse.

[7] And they were amazed and astonished, saying, “Are not all these who are speaking Galileans? [8] And how is it that we hear, each of us in his own native language?

Galilee and its reputation

[9] Parthians and Medes and Elamites and residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, [10] Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya belonging to Cyrene, and visitors from Rome, [11] both Jews and proselytes, Cretans and Arabians—we hear them telling in our own tongues the mighty works of God.” (ESV)

There are a couple places where people have plotted all this on a map and you see that there is a circle people groups. The Jews are there from ever direction on the compass. Its revealing. And all the gathered new Israel hearing God’s word in their own language see the mighty work of God.

Main Point: So in today’s text is going to focus on the Holy Spirit initiating a new Israel, And we will see that this will mean the message of God will go out to the world to invite all of humanity to participate.

SO what is ours to do or to remember in light of Pentecost Sunday

Well first. We need to remember that the church belongs to God and in moved by the Holy Spirit. We are a little church plant and we are often thinking in terms of strategy on how to move the life of this church forward. None of that means anything without the guidance of the HS. This is his church.

The church is for all people. Yes we reflect the community around us. At the same time around the world today Christians of all ethnic families are gathering to worship. To say the Gloria Patri, the Sanctus, the communion rite. We all stand together.

Finall, our God is a talking God. God is very involved with the use of language.

Not only should we watch what we say we need to watch what God says, read his word and pray to him with language.

Main Point: So in today’s text is going to focus on the Holy Spirit initiating a new Israel, And we will see that this will mean the message of God will go out to the world to invite all of humanity to participate.

As Anglicans, the most important way we interact with the Holy Spirit on the Regular is through worship.

Our daily prayer services are worship services where we read the word of God with HS guidance.

It's my firm belief that the work of missions is to bring worship. That makes what we do here an essential work of mission and all of us missionaries.

Baptism is a pouring out of the Holy Spirit.

Communion is the uniting of the HS to the Material of Bread and wine so we can eat of God and from God.

AND we most humbly beseech thee, O merciful Father, to hear us; and, of thy almighty goodness, vouchsafe to bless and sanctify, with thy Word and Holy Spirit, these thy gifts and creatures of bread and wine; that we, receiving them according to thy Son our Saviour Jesus Christ's holy institution, in remembrance of his death and passion, may be partakers of his most blessed Body and Blood.

In that way every week can be a mini-pentacost. The HS coming down for us to be in union with him.

Let us prepare today to experience a piece of what the disciples experience. And to be in union with the HS.