Pentecost

Welcome

Exodus 33:12–17 NLT

12 One day Moses said to the Lord, “You have been telling me, ‘Take these people up to the Promised Land.’ But you haven’t told me whom you will send with me. You have told me, ‘I know you by name, and I look favorably on you.’ 13 If it is true that you look favorably on me, let me know your ways so I may understand you more fully and continue to enjoy your favor. And remember that this nation is your very own people.” 14 The Lord replied, “I will personally go with you, Moses, and I will give you rest—everything will be fine for you.” 15 Then Moses said, “If you don’t personally go with us, don’t make us leave this place. 16 How will anyone know that you look favorably on me—on me and on your people—if you don’t go with us? For your presence among us sets your people and me apart from all other people on the earth.” 17 The Lord replied to Moses, “I will indeed do what you have asked, for I look favorably on you, and I know you by name.”

Come Holy Spirit

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-Duplicate Opening Slide- Pentecost

Today is Pentecost Sunday!

For many Christians they may or may not know what Pentecost Sunday is.

Some may say…is that something to do with Pentecostals?

Others will say birthday of the church?

Others may say doesn’t it mean 50 because of Pente?

Some will say it is all about the Holy Spirit, some will say it is all about tongues

I say, lets talk about it, let’s explore it, let’s learn together, let’s open up scripture together.

As always before we dive into Scripture let’s pray.

Enlighten our Minds to study your Word and open our hearts to understand your teachings, Help us to apply what we learn and to praise you with all our hearts and to glorify you in everything we do. Come Holy Spirit. Amen

What is Pentecost?

Pentecost is the annual celebration of a particular day, but like almost everything else in the New Testament, it is rooted in the Old Testament.

There are a couple of background things that we will touch on before jumping into the particular Scripture.

The Jews had a calendar much like ours and on it they had certain events that served like Holidays just like we do today.

God had commanded the Jews to gather 3 times a year, all the males from all over were required to go but would often bring their families.

If you remember when Jesus was 12 and the story of when He was left home alone style at the temple

Luke 2:41–42 NLT

41 Every year Jesus’ parents went to Jerusalem for the Passover festival. 42 When Jesus was twelve years old, they attended the festival as usual.

Pentecost is one of those three Pilgrim Festivals. In Scripture it is called the Feast of Weeks, because it is scheduled a full set of weeks after Passover.

A week is 7 days and a week of weeks is 49 days 7 x 7 - which is celebrated on the 50th day, which is where we get the name Pentecost which is the Greek for 50.

Remember last week when we talked about the firstfruits offering?

This is the festival when everyone would bring their first fruits offering to Jerusalem and have a massive party funded by the first fruits offering.

Now, the festival itself was celebrating something, just like at Passover, which celebrates God’s liberation of the Jews from Egypt and giving them new life, so Pentecost is also a celebration.

It is celebrating when God’s presence and glory showed up on Mount Sinai and He gave the Jews the 10 Commandments and by extension the rest of the Torah.

Pentecost is the annual celebration of God’s presence and His Word and His covenant with His people.

In a way it is like a wedding anniversary. Where the Jews would gather to celebrate God’s enduring presence with them. Remember that the Jews, like we read in Exodus earlier counted themselves different and better than everyone else because of their unique relationship and proximity to Yahweh.

Only they had Torah, only they had the Words that lead to life and prospering, only they had the covenant and the blessing. Pentecost is a celebration of all that.

What happened at this particular Pentecost?

We have covered what Pentecost is generally speaking, but what happened at this particular one in the book of Acts?

Remember, think back about 50 days ago and we were talking about the death and resurrection of Jesus…who died and was resurrected at Passover.

Instead of being rescued us from Egypt Jesus has rescued us from the powers that drove Egypt namely, satan, sin and death…Jesus started the true Exodus for His people.

Acts 1:1–5 NLT

1 In my first book I told you, Theophilus, about everything Jesus began to do and teach 2 until the day he was taken up to heaven after giving his chosen apostles further instructions through the Holy Spirit. 3 During the forty days after he suffered and died, he appeared to the apostles from time to time, and he proved to them in many ways that he was actually alive. And he talked to them about the Kingdom of God. 4 Once when he was eating with them, he commanded them, “Do not leave Jerusalem until the Father sends you the gift he promised, as I told you before. 5 John baptized with water, but in just a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.”

Acts 1:8 NLT

8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you. And you will be my witnesses, telling people about me everywhere—in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”

Jesus was walking around for 40 days and ascended, so for 10 days the disciples went back to Jerusalem and waited.

There were things to do, they had to pick someone to replace Judas, they knew they had a mission, which was to be Jesus’ witnesses, but they were told to wait.

Important Point: Sometimes we can know what we are meant to do and can come up with ways to do it and God will tell us to wait. We need to remember His plans always out perform ours, if He says wait…it is good.

What happened?

Acts 2:1–42 NLT

1 On the day of Pentecost all the believers were meeting together in one place. 2 Suddenly, there was a sound from heaven like the roaring of a mighty windstorm, and it filled the house where they were sitting. 3 Then, what looked like flames or tongues of fire appeared and settled on each of them. 4 And everyone present was filled with the Holy Spirit and began speaking in other languages, as the Holy Spirit gave them this ability. 5 At that time there were devout Jews from every nation living in Jerusalem. 6 When they heard the loud noise, everyone came running, and they were bewildered to hear their own languages being spoken by the believers. 7 They were completely amazed. “How can this be?” they exclaimed. “These people are all from Galilee, 8 and yet we hear them speaking in our own native languages! 9 Here we are—Parthians, Medes, Elamites, people from Mesopotamia, Judea, Cappadocia, Pontus, the province of Asia, 10 Phrygia, Pamphylia, Egypt, and the areas of Libya around Cyrene, visitors from Rome 11 (both Jews and converts to Judaism), Cretans, and Arabs. And we all hear these people speaking in our own languages about the wonderful things God has done!” 12 They stood there amazed and perplexed. “What can this mean?” they asked each other. 13 But others in the crowd ridiculed them, saying, “They’re just drunk, that’s all!” 14 Then Peter stepped forward with the eleven other apostles and shouted to the crowd, “Listen carefully, all of you, fellow Jews and residents of Jerusalem! Make no mistake about this. 15 These people are not drunk, as some of you are assuming. Nine o’clock in the morning is much too early for that. 16 No, what you see was predicted long ago by the prophet Joel: 17 ‘In the last days,’ God says, ‘I will pour out my Spirit upon all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy. Your young men will see visions, and your old men will dream dreams. 18 In those days I will pour out my Spirit even on my servants—men and women alike— and they will prophesy. 19 And I will cause wonders in the heavens above and signs on the earth below— blood and fire and clouds of smoke. 20 The sun will become dark, and the moon will turn blood red before that great and glorious day of the Lord arrives. 21 But everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.’ 22 “People of Israel, listen! God publicly endorsed Jesus the Nazarene by doing powerful miracles, wonders, and signs through him, as you well know. 23 But God knew what would happen, and his prearranged plan was carried out when Jesus was betrayed. With the help of lawless Gentiles, you nailed him to a cross and killed him. 24 But God released him from the horrors of death and raised him back to life, for death could not keep him in its grip. 25 King David said this about him: ‘I see that the Lord is always with me. I will not be shaken, for he is right beside me. 26 No wonder my heart is glad, and my tongue shouts his praises! My body rests in hope. 27 For you will not leave my soul among the dead or allow your Holy One to rot in the grave. 28 You have shown me the way of life, and you will fill me with the joy of your presence.’ 29 “Dear brothers, think about this! You can be sure that the patriarch David wasn’t referring to himself, for he died and was buried, and his tomb is still here among us. 30 But he was a prophet, and he knew God had promised with an oath that one of David’s own descendants would sit on his throne. 31 David was looking into the future and speaking of the Messiah’s resurrection. He was saying that God would not leave him among the dead or allow his body to rot in the grave. 32 “God raised Jesus from the dead, and we are all witnesses of this. 33 Now he is exalted to the place of highest honor in heaven, at God’s right hand. And the Father, as he had promised, gave him the Holy Spirit to pour out upon us, just as you see and hear today. 34 For David himself never ascended into heaven, yet he said, ‘The Lord said to my Lord, “Sit in the place of honor at my right hand 35 until I humble your enemies, making them a footstool under your feet.” ’ 36 “So let everyone in Israel know for certain that God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, to be both Lord and Messiah!” 37 Peter’s words pierced their hearts, and they said to him and to the other apostles, “Brothers, what should we do?” 38 Peter replied, “Each of you must repent of your sins and turn to God, and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. Then you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. 39 This promise is to you, to your children, and to those far away—all who have been called by the Lord our God.” 40 Then Peter continued preaching for a long time, strongly urging all his listeners, “Save yourselves from this crooked generation!” 41 Those who believed what Peter said were baptized and added to the church that day—about 3,000 in all. 42 All the believers devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching, and to fellowship, and to sharing in meals (including the Lord’s Supper), and to prayer.

Why is this important?

God’s timing matters.

God had set the perfect stage, God brought the world to the Apostles, one of the reasons Christianity spread so far so fast was because of this, these new converts all went home proclaiming Jesus. According to church history this is how Christianity came to Rome.

If I can be so bold, I believe this to be the case for Cairns, so many from so far come to Cairns. If Cairns becomes a place overflowing with God’s presence that will spread all over the world. I think this is why the enemy fights tooth and nail for it, Cairns is strategic. Japan and China are hard fought areas for the Gospel, yet they come here in hundreds of thousands a year!

Church we can not miss this, Cairns is a gateway city, the work we do here for the Gospel impacts the whole world.

God’s provision is always perfect for the mission ahead.

When people gathered to defy God and build their own kingdom at Babel/Babylon, God split and confused their languages. When God’s people united to build God’s Kingdom, He provided languages to reach every tribe tongue and nation, Uniting the disparate people of God into 1 unified people called by His Name to be His people and to see His Kingdom come.

God’s presence is still what differentiates His people from everyone else.

The main message of Pentecost is that God has inhabited His new temple. That is His people, the people of faith. See God is omnipresent so He is everywhere, but His manifested presence, the weight, the Glory, the presence that used to fill the Tabernacle and later the Temple in Jerusalem is not there anymore, it has moved and sadly most of the Jews did not move with it. In the our ancestors followed God’s manifested presence as the pillar of fire where ever it led them. Eventually many Jews stopped following and it is tragic and heartbreaking.

When the Holy Spirit sat over the people, not just 1 singular pillar filling a room, but filling the people, this is the true understanding of Temple, We the Body of Christ, the church are the true temple of God, We His people, are where the world goes to meet God, we are mobile, people do not need to come to us, we can go to them. We can carry the manifest presence of the Holy Spirit with us anywhere.

Pentecost is not about the gifts of the Holy Spirit, although the Holy Spirit equips us for the mission, Pentecost is all about God inhabiting His Temple, with and now, in His people.

Not just speaking His Words to us externally from Mount Sinai, but to our very Spirit, communicating directly to the deepest parts of us, every moment, every hour.

What is more is that the Jews constructed a 1.4 meter wall to keep Gentiles out of the Temple, away from the presence of God and God’s whole goal all along was to make His presence available to all who called on His name, Jew and Gentile alike.

This is what Pentecost is all about, it is about uniting all tongues, tribes and nations under the banner of our loving Father, in the name of Jesus Christ by the power of the Holy Spirit!

Come Holy Spirit

We are going to do something. We are people of the presence of God so we are going to invite the Holy Spirit to have His way here.

What I believe God wants is to use this time to speak to us.

So when I pray, we are going to wait, if you feel like God wants you to say something, I want you to be bold, we are all learning here and it is a safe place to practice listening to and speaking what God says.

As a group we are going to do this. Remember whenever two or more are gathered, God is with us, we don’t have to wonder if He will show up, it is our job to listen.

Gods wants to be intimately involved.

If when we are praying you start to feel a pain or sensation somewhere, that could be God wanting to heal someone with a pain in that area, so speak it out and ask if anyone is experiencing pain there.

This is a safe place and it is important that we practice with ministering.

Closing Worship

Next Week: Kingdom Series

Numbers 6:24–26 NRSVue

24 The Lord bless you and keep you; 25 the Lord make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you; 26 the Lord lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace.