Life after 50!

Today’s message really is a continuation from last week’s message on Jesus’ ascension. When Jesus ascended into heaven, he was restored to his former glory. All power and authority belongs to him. He rules on the Father’s behalf, he is available to everyone, anywhere, and he knows what life is like, the joys and the sorrows. Jesus is our advocate who pleads our case on our behalf. Jesus knew what we needed most, and he gave it to us.

Therefore, Jesus sent his Holy Spirit on Pentecost, 50 days after Easter. The Holy Spirit has given us life, true life! So you can say, life, real life is after 50, the 50 days after Easter, when the new life in Christ is powerfully poured out onto all who believe in Jesus.

Now, some background on the Holy Spirit. In , the Holy Spirit hovered over the waters of the earth. Together the Trinity created all things visible and invisible. In the beginning, God the Father said “Let there be… and it was so.” The Father spoke, the Word-Jesus was the one by whom all things were created, and the Spirit was the breath of the spoken Word. The Spirit was the breath of God breathing life into Adam and Eve, making them living beings ( & 22).

The Spirit was the breath of God breathing life into Adam and Eve.

The Holy Spirit appears repeatedly throughout the Old Testament. He appeared as the presence of God who led the Israelites as the pillar of cloud and the pillar of fire.

The Holy Spirit came upon individuals, such as Sampson, to give them power to do specific tasks. In this, all the Spirit’s power was pointing to when the second person of the Trinity would appear: Jesus.

There are several texts that point to Jesus. But in Luke chapter 4:18-9, we are reminded of one in particular from Isaiah that points us to Jesus. It’s the verse on the screen behind me.

At the beginning of his ministry, after his baptism and the 40 days of temptation in the wilderness—here Jesus life parallels Israel’s history—they were baptised in the crossing of the Red Sea and spent 40 years in the wilderness, Jesus was baptised and spent 40 days—and yet remained perfectly faithful. He went to the Synagogue in his home town, Nazareth, he stood up to read. By no mere coincidence, Jesus was handed the scroll of Isaiah. He opened it to chapter 61:1-2 and read, “The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to release the oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favour.”

Then, Jesus rolled up the scroll and sat down. All eyes were on him. This is when the preaching would begin. He began by saying, “Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.” Bam! There he was, Jesus the Messiah, for all to see. And from that moment on until his ascension, Jesus fulfilled that promise. He preached, he proclaimed, he healed, he released.

Now, let’s turn to our text. 50 days after Easter, at the celebration of the feast of Pentecost, all the disciples met in one place in Jerusalem, on a day not unlike today. Here we are, all disciples gathered in one place.

The Holy Spirit came upon them in power. They knew it was the Holy Spirit, because of the violent breath, the strong wind from heaven that filled the whole place. This was further reinforced by the presence of the tongues of fire. Notice the difference. When the Spirit led the Israelites in the wilderness, he appeared as one pillar of fire. Now, the pillar has separated and is resting on each disciple.

What did the disciples do? Did they sit around and keep the Spirit to themselves? Did they sit around and wait to see what else would happen? Did they question what was happening?

No, they responded to the Spirit and immediately did what Jesus promised they would do.

After his resurrection from the dead, Jesus appeared to his disciples many times. On one occasion, recorded for us in , Jesus said to his disciples, “Peace be with you! As the Father has sent me, I am sending you.” And with that he breathed on them and said, ‘Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive anyone his sins, they are forgiven; if you do not forgive them, they are not forgiven.’”

Jesus prepared them to receive the Holy Spirit by breathing on them. Thus, when the Spirit came on Pentecost, they knew exactly what they were supposed to do.

They immediately went out and preached. Some people were amazed, some were confused, some doubted and suggested the disciples were drunk.

But Peter reminded them of the prophecy from Joel, “In the last days, I will pour out my spirit on all people—men, women, children, old people, giving visions and dreams. They will prophecy—that is, they will call people to repentance, to turn back to following the Lord. I will show, by signs and wonders the coming of the glorious day of the Lord. Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”

Then Peter went on to preach. As he preached, the Holy Spirit translated his words into every native language of all the foreigners gathered to hear him. Every person there, Jew or Gentile heard and understood what he said.

And Peter preached Jesus. He called people to repent and be baptised, everyone of them, in the name of Jesus Christ, for the forgiveness of sins.

Today, Pentecost Sunday, we have received the Holy Spirit. We have received God’s gift for the church in the form of servant leaders: deacons and elders. The Holy Spirit has filled you. He empowers you to your task, whether you are new on council or entering your final year. He empowers you to do what Jesus came to do: to seek and to save the lost. Encourage us all to do so!

To those who have retired from council, the Holy Spirit is upon you still, to do as you have been doing, serving God’s people, seeking and saving the lost.

Members of Christ’s body the church: As the Father sent Jesus, Jesus is sending you, where you’re at, at home, at school, at work, in your neighbourhood, seek and save the lost by calling them to repentance, to put their trust in Jesus.

This past week, I’ve had the privilege of hearing from you. How the Holy Spirit has filled you, and worked in and through you! How one called a colleague to repentance when he took the Lord’s name in vain. How another shared Jesus with her neighbour. How another created an online Bible Study that includes someone whom the Holy Spirit is bringing into faith in Jesus Christ!

Brothers and sisters, the Holy Spirit is upon us. He is unleashed on earth, empowering us to do what the Spirit has always done: bring people into a saving faith in God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Surrender your life to Jesus, be filled with the Holy Spirit, and begin to live, really live the life after 50 the life after Pentecost, led by the Spirit! Amen!