The Holy Spirit Comes at Pentecost
You know some times as a preacher (and I’m sure that some of my colleagues will be able to bear this out!) you get so many good ideas in your preparation for your sermon that you just don’t know where to begin, and sometimes the art of a good sermon is knowing what to leave out just as much as knowing what to put in. And that’s exactly where I am today, I’ve got so much stuff up here that I’m buzzing and yet I don’t want to leave too much of it out, so hold on to your hats because we are in for a rollercoaster of a ride! So where do I start? Where do I start? I know with my favourite subject –food! Or actually harvest, because the Festival of Pentecost was known by Jews long before it ever became a Christian celebration when the Holy Spirit descended upon the disciples. And yet it’s important, because how do we understand scripture? Well we understand difficult passages in the light of easier ones, and we understand the new in the light of what has gone on before namely the old, and that’s precisely where we are going now. The Jewish Feast of Pentecost was actually a harvest, when the Jews would bring the first crop of the harvest to the Temple and give thanks for it and pray that the rest of the harvest (bearing in mind that they didn’t have machines) would be safely given in. and so there is in that act a ‘now’ moment and a future anticipation of what would be. But Pentecost was so much more than that because it also has a resonance with the past – because you couldn’t bring produce from the land without thinking about that story which made it all possible. The story of Moses, the flight from Egypt, escape and salvation through the waters of the Red Sea, and of course finally entry into the Promised Land. And Pentecost is called Pentecost because it recalls the 50 days that took place between Passover (with all its sacrificial lambs & blood painted over door posts) to the giving of the law when Moses received the Ten Commandments on the top of Mt. Sinai. And of course there are all sorts of profound echoes here, for the Christian, because it is also therefore, 50 days from the death of Jesus upon the cross and the coming of the Holy Spirit. For just as Moses climbed the mountain and met with God and descended with the Ten Commandments, the law, a guide for life, so Jesus ascends into heaven and the spirit descends with power, bringing with him that wonderful new awareness of God, and gift of guidance which is not external, carved in stone, but internal, carved upon the very fabric of our heart and soul when we put our faith in Jesus, understanding that he is of course our salvation. The church becomes real at this point, and it’s a wonderful occasion full of wonder and miracle. And yet strangely and perhaps surprisingly it’s not without precedent, for back in the Old Testament we find this rather astonishing story in the book of Numbers.
Moses you may recall had led the people out of Egypt and they were wandering in the wilderness, and the Bible tells us that they followed a cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night, and Numbers Chapter 9 describes how this phenomena had a direct bearing upon the Tabernacle and the people’s worship.
15 On the day the tabernacle, the Tent of the Testimony, was set up, the cloud covered it. From evening till morning the cloud above the tabernacle looked like fire. 16 That is how it continued to be; the cloud covered it, and at night it looked like fire. 17 Whenever the cloud lifted from above the Tent, the Israelites set out; wherever the cloud settled, the Israelites encamped.[1] (Numbers 9.15-17)
But actually the thrill of being free and this apparent aimless wandering in the desert soon lost its appeal and people started to grumble, especially about their food – or rather the lack of it, and they began to crave the food that they enjoyed back in Egypt. And their complaints began to wear Moses down, so much so that he actually despairs and tells the Lord.
13 Where can I get meat for all these people? They keep wailing to me, ‘Give us meat to eat!’ 14 I cannot carry all these people by myself; the burden is too heavy for me. 15 If this is how you are going to treat me, put me to death right now[2] (Numbers 11.13-15)
And so the Lord acts he tells Moses to select 70 elders and get them to stand in a semi circle before the Tabernacle and:
25 the Lord came down in the cloud and spoke with him, and he took … the Spirit that was on him and put the Spirit on the seventy elders. When the Spirit rested on them, they prophesied.[3] (Numbers 11.25)
In other words as the Spirit of God touched them they spoke God’s word in to the present. But the funny thing is that two guys who weren’t even there but in their own tent, also got zapped and also prophesised and to be honest it caused some panic:.
A young man ran and told Moses, “Eldad and Medad are prophesying in the camp.” 28 Joshua son of Nun, …. spoke up and said, “Moses, my lord, stop them!”
29 But Moses replied, “Are you jealous for my sake? I wish that all the Lord’s people were prophets and that the Lord would put his Spirit on them!” [4] (Numbers 11.27-29)
I wish that all the Lord’s people were prophets and that the Lord would put his Spirit on them!” There’s prophecy for you! For that is precisely what we see happen on the day of Pentecost. Not just 70 elders, or 12 apostles but for anyone who puts their faith and their trust in Christ.
When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. 2 Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. 3 They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. 4 All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tonguesa as the Spirit enabled them.[5]
And immediately they are thrown out into the street full of joy, excitement and wonder, talking to anyone who would listen.
5 Now there were staying in Jerusalem God-fearing Jews from every nation under heaven. 6 When they heard this sound, a crowd came together in bewilderment, because each one heard them speaking in his own language. Utterly amazed, they asked: “Are not all these men who are speaking Galileans? 8 Then how is it that each of us hears them in his own native language?[6] (Acts 2.5-8)
What an incredible moment that must have been! It was amazing! Everybody could tell that these men were from Galilee, they were from up north, and everybody knows that it’s utterly impossible to understand anyone who comes from ‘up north’. Also it was well known that in general Galileans weren’t the most educated of people and because of their own natural dialect they literally found it difficult to pronounce some of the more complicated guttural sounds found in other languages, so how could they possibly be speaking them. It was totally astonishing.
So what do we have here? We have wind, we have flames and we have speech. The wind reminds us of that passage from John chapter 3, when Jesus describes the work of the Holy Spirit as being like a wind “You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going.”[7] (John 3.8), and that in turn is reminiscent of those early scenes in Genesis when the Holy Spirit we are told was hovering over the waters at the creation. In fact it also reminds us of that passage of recreation from Ezekiel chapter 37 when the Holy Spirit brings new life from a pile of dry and dusty bones. The fire reminds us of God’s ability to bring judgement but also purity to whatever it touches and it’s a symbol of God’s holy presence through which God sometimes speaks, as when God speaks to Moses through the flames of the burning bush, reminding him to take of his shoes, for he stands on holy ground. Through the fire and wind God reveals himself. It’s no wonder is it that the Psalmist can write:
He makes the clouds his chariot
and rides on the wings of the wind.
4 He makes winds his messengers,a
flames of fire his servants. [8] Psalm 104
And then of course we come to the excited and exuberant speech of the disciples as they were filled with the Spirit. Now this isn’t the same ecstatic “speaking in tongues” which is described in 1 Corinthians used in the worship and personal prayer of believers and familiar in charismatic circles today when perhaps even the believer doesn’t know what is being said without an interpretation, this is proclamation and communication. It’s God speaking into the world and the world responding to it, with wonder and amazement as they share the good news of Christ, although it seems that some on lookers thought that they had drunk too much wine. It’s a new era in the life of the church no longer is the spirit perhaps resting upon one or two particular individuals such as prophets or judges, and neither is it a one of experience as was the case with Moses and his 70 elders, this was God’s gift to the church as sent by Jesus, strengthening and equipping it for mission and giving comfort, confidence and reassurance to the individual - and courage too. For as one commentator says This is…. a divine endowment giving all necessary resources for the leadership (and equipping) of God’s people [9] And from that moment on the church was never the same again, for it was given real impetus, momentum and drive, and frightened, timid individuals became roaring lions in God’s service, and was clearly seen by Peter who far from being drunk boldly stood up and gave what was probably the sermon of his life, but then of course this spirit refreshes the parts that others spirits cannot reach.
And he does an incredible thing, he expounds scripture in a way that has never been seen before, because he understands it in a way that has never existed before. Time is short, but let me briefly explain. The Jewish people were not without understanding or religious insight, they had an understanding of certain key passages, but their understanding was blinkered by years of tradition. They were an expectant people, they were waiting for a Messiah, one who would restore all things and at the end of time, someone who would make all things right, when Israel would be restored and redeemed, but that time would happen far of in the future and was known as the terrible and dreadful day of the Lord, as seen in Joel Chapter 2.
‘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.
18 Even on my servants, both men and women,
I will pour out my Spirit in those days,
and they will prophesy.
19 I will show wonders in the heaven above
and signs on the earth below,
blood and fire and billows of smoke.
20 The sun will be turned to darkness
and the moon to blood
before the coming of the great and glorious day of the Lord.
21 And everyone who calls
on the name of the Lord will be saved. Joel 2.28-32
[10]
What Peter effectively does is that he brings that future into the present, he says if you want a taste of the future, here it is, this is that and that is this. The Kingdom of God is breaking into the world, yes there will be a future climatic finale (no doubt about it) when all things will be made right, but it many ways it starts right now because God is with us, the Spirit of Christ the one you crucified, is here and with us and with you when you repent and put your faith in him. And so astonished and bowled over were the people that 3000 of them turned to faith and became Christians that day. Wonderful! And yet we shouldn’t be surprised! Delighted perhaps, but not surprised! Because our God is a missionary God, and the spirit of God is the spirit of truth. The Kingdom of God is breaking in, it started with Jesus, it continues with our risen Lord, which has so much to say about a present and future hope, and it’s endorsed by the coming of the Holy Spirit.
So where does that leave us? Well perhaps after all I’ve had to say, it might leave us a little bewildered and confused, but hopefully it leaves us inspired. It should give us confidence about who we are and what we are about, and as we celebrate Art Alive and later this evening look towards Committed to Growth, it should give us the opportunity to give thanks for the many God given talents and skills we have amongst us and at our disposal, and it should make us eager and confident to share the faith that we have with others.
But some of you might be saying, but how can I be sure? How can I be sure that I have this Holy Spirit? Well if you are a Christian then the Spirit of God is within you, it’s part of the package; it’s part of the deal! Nobody can say that Christ is Lord and mean it unless the spirit is within them. But the problem is that sometimes we quench it don’t we? We say and do things that get in the way of our Christian faith and hinder it.
Or perhaps we don’t do enough to encourage and feed it, so everything becomes dry, fusty and tired. In which case we need to take stock, we need to make amends, and we need to be together, remembering that actually our faith grows and matures as we use it, and as we learn more and as we encourage one another. Remember Ezekiel and his dry bones - renewal is possible and usually it’s just around the corner.
Sometimes we get confused and lack reassurance, others seem to be so much more ‘on fire’ or spiritual than we are, so how can we be sure that what we have is the ‘real thing’? Well remember that we are all different and that God often works in us in different ways, often we would like to have the more spectacular spiritual gifts wouldn’t we? Such as speaking in tongues, that we think would give us reassurance we would know that we’ve made it then. If you have that gift congratulations, it’s very special, but equally if you don’t then remember that the apostle Paul said “I would rather speak five intelligible words to instruct others than ten thousand words in a tongue.[11] (1 Corinthians 14.19) our God is a missionary God and his joy is proclamation, and that proclamation can come about by a whole host of various and different ways; prayer, hospitality and encouragement are just as important as speaking in tongues. We are all different and we all have different gifts and we can all play a part – that’s why we need each other.
But perhaps there are a few here who haven’t ever really made a commitment, who have been coming to church, but wouldn’t actually (if they’re honest!) say that they have a real and vibrant faith, even a quiet one – but you would like it. If that is so, then in the quietness of your heart I would like to encourage you to say a prayer and ask the Lord Jesus into your life as your Lord and Saviour, and to touch you with his love and grace and fill you with his spirit just as he touched the disciples and so many others. It’s not impossible confined to a moment of history, the Kingdom of God is breaking in. Christ is with us and the moment is now. Let us all close our eyes to pray.
Heavenly Father we thank you for your great love for us demonstrated by Jesus and his death upon the cross, help us to put our faith and trust in you as we accept you to be our Lord and Saviour. Forgive us our sins and make us clean, touch our hearts and fill us with your Holy Spirit, so we might live joyfully and confidently as your beloved children. In the name of Christ. Amen.
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[1] The Holy Bible : New International Version. electronic edition. London : Hodder & Stoughton, 1984; Published in electronic form by Logos Research Systems, 1996, S. Nu 9:15
[2] The Holy Bible : New International Version. electronic edition. London : Hodder & Stoughton, 1984; Published in electronic form by Logos Research Systems, 1996, S. Nu 11:13
[3] The Holy Bible : New International Version. electronic edition. London : Hodder & Stoughton, 1984; Published in electronic form by Logos Research Systems, 1996, S. Nu 11:24
[4] The Holy Bible : New International Version. electronic edition. London : Hodder & Stoughton, 1984; Published in electronic form by Logos Research Systems, 1996, S. Nu 11:27
a Or languages; also in verse 11
[5] The Holy Bible : New International Version. electronic edition. London : Hodder & Stoughton, 1984; Published in electronic form by Logos Research Systems, 1996, S. Ac 2:1
[6] The Holy Bible : New International Version. electronic edition. London : Hodder & Stoughton, 1984; Published in electronic form by Logos Research Systems, 1996, S. Ac 2:7
[7] The Holy Bible : New International Version. electronic edition. London : Hodder & Stoughton, 1984; Published in electronic form by Logos Research Systems, 1996, S. Jn 3:8
a Or angels
[8] The Holy Bible : New International Version. electronic edition. London : Hodder & Stoughton, 1984; Published in electronic form by Logos Research Systems, 1996, S. Ps 104:3
[9]Budd, Phillip J.: Word Biblical Commentary : Numbers. Dallas : Word, Incorporated, 2002 (Word Biblical Commentary 5), S. 128
[10] The Holy Bible : New International Version. electronic edition. London : Hodder & Stoughton, 1984; Published in electronic form by Logos Research Systems, 1996, S. Ac 2:17
[11] The Holy Bible : New International Version. electronic edition. London : Hodder & Stoughton, 1984; Published in electronic form by Logos Research Systems, 1996, S. 1 Co 14:19