Pentecost 2020

See and be amazed.

At this particular Pentecost, at nine o’clock on a May morning, probably in ad 27, God pours out his Holy Spirit on the apostles of Jesus.

The apostles are meeting together. The place is large and public, for they are joined by many hundreds of others. They are probably in one of the temple courts.

Suddenly they hear a powerful gale, like the mighty desert wind. This wind is a symbol of the great gale of God’s Spirit pouring out upon them. They are swept by fire from heaven—the flames licking each head. These flames are the warming, purging furnace of God. The disciples of Jesus are inspired and purified by the Holy Spirit of God. From this day they will be burning people—alight with the love of Christ and on fire with his love for the world.

Suddenly the apostles start to speak in other tongues—languages from all over the known world. In the old days, when the tower of Babel fell, the languages of the world were confused. Now that tragedy is reversed. Soon a huge crowd gathers around the apostles—everyone hearing God praised in their own language from back home!

Luke tells us there are people from Asia, Greece, North Africa and Rome—all the places where Jews have been scattered by the winds of misfortune, or the tides of trade. Now they stand together again, united in amazement at this great event. Some think the disciples are babbling because they’ve been drinking the cheap harvest wine. But Peter stands up and calls for silence. He explains that they’re not at all drunk—it’s far too early in the day for that!

Peter’s first sermon

(Acts 2:14–41)

Acts 2:14–41 NIV

14 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. 15 These people are not drunk, as you suppose. It’s only nine in the morning! 16 No, this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel: 17 “ ‘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 heavens 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.’ 22 “Fellow Israelites, listen to this: Jesus of Nazareth was a man accredited by God to you by miracles, wonders and signs, which God did among you through him, as you yourselves know. 23 This man was handed over to you by God’s deliberate plan and foreknowledge; and you, with the help of wicked men, put him to death by nailing him to the cross. 24 But God raised him from the dead, freeing him from the agony of death, because it was impossible for death to keep its hold on him. 25 David said about him: “ ‘I saw the Lord always before me. Because he is at my right hand, I will not be shaken. 26 Therefore my heart is glad and my tongue rejoices; my body also will rest in hope, 27 because you will not abandon me to the realm of the dead, you will not let your holy one see decay. 28 You have made known to me the paths of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence.’ 29 “Fellow Israelites, I can tell you confidently that the patriarch David died and was buried, and his tomb is here to this day. 30 But he was a prophet and knew that God had promised him on oath that he would place one of his descendants on his throne. 31 Seeing what was to come, he spoke of the resurrection of the Messiah, that he was not abandoned to the realm of the dead, nor did his body see decay. 32 God has raised this Jesus to life, and we are all witnesses of it. 33 Exalted to the right hand of God, he has received from the Father the promised Holy Spirit and has poured out what you now see and hear. 34 For David did not ascend to heaven, and yet he said, “ ‘The Lord said to my Lord: “Sit at my right hand 35 until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet.” ’ 36 “Therefore let all Israel be assured of this: God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Messiah.” 37 When the people heard this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and the other apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?” 38 Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. 39 The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off—for all whom the Lord our God will call.” 40 With many other words he warned them; and he pleaded with them, “Save yourselves from this corrupt generation.” 41 Those who accepted his message were baptized, and about three thousand were added to their number that day.

Peter stands up to speak. He explains that they aren’t drunk. It is the Holy Spirit of God who is enabling them to babble in this way! He reminds his hearers of Joel’s prophecy (Joel 2:28–29)

Joel 2:28–29 NIV

28 “And afterward, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your old men will dream dreams, your young men will see visions. 29 Even on my servants, both men and women, I will pour out my Spirit in those days.

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Joel promised that one day God would pour out his Spirit, freely and without limit. Men and women, young and old, will be caught up in the life of God—having visions of his kingdom and speaking his word.

This outpouring of the Spirit is happening now, before their very eyes.

Peter tells the crowd that Jesus of Nazareth has been raised to life! The miracle-worker whom they all heard about, and many of them saw, was crucified less than two months ago outside this very city. But God raised him from death. Jesus is in fact the Messiah, the Son of God.

Peter quotes from Psalm 16.

Psalm 16 NIV

A miktam of David. 1 Keep me safe, my God, for in you I take refuge. 2 I say to the Lord, “You are my Lord; apart from you I have no good thing.” 3 I say of the holy people who are in the land, “They are the noble ones in whom is all my delight.” 4 Those who run after other gods will suffer more and more. I will not pour out libations of blood to such gods or take up their names on my lips. 5 Lord, you alone are my portion and my cup; you make my lot secure. 6 The boundary lines have fallen for me in pleasant places; surely I have a delightful inheritance. 7 I will praise the Lord, who counsels me; even at night my heart instructs me. 8 I keep my eyes always on the Lord. With him at my right hand, I will not be shaken. 9 Therefore my heart is glad and my tongue rejoices; my body also will rest secure, 10 because you will not abandon me to the realm of the dead, nor will you let your faithful one see decay. 11 You make known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand.

There David speaks of a holy One who will not die and rot, but be raised to life with God. This is what has happened to Jesus. He is the true successor to David’s throne.

The people are horrified at what has happened—and appalled at their own part in it. Many of them were in the crowd that yelled for Jesus’ blood. He was the longed-for Messiah—and they crucified him! They earnestly ask Peter what they can do to get right with God again

Peter calls them to repent and be baptised. They must stop rebelling against God and become followers of Jesus. Their sins will be forgiven, and they and their families will have God’s promise of new life. His words meet with a wonderful response, as about 3,000 people join the church that day

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Not everyone will understand what is happening.

The second thing the understanding the Holy Spirit is God brings to us is that not everyone will understand what is happening.We see the people in Jerusalem accusing the disciples of being drunk and Peter pointing to the truth, in Joels prophecy. The same is true today culturally, people do not expect to see God move and when it does they are confused and sometimes suspicious - but I tell you people are intrigued and seeking it out.In the church we seem to be concerned that if the spirit moves too much it will mess up our order and our organisation - we may not get the last song in. Or we’ll be late for lunch.Personally, I don’t understand what is happening when God moves, when the power of the Holy Spirit moves on people, why my legs buckled as I walked away from praying for someone, why I find my self promising things in peoples lives that I would be stupid to do in the Natural. I can’t understand why Shirley can have a picture of a bithday cake that she delivers to the one person in the room who is a cake maker, considering what to do with their life and talents. I don’t understand why when we pray for people God heals or moves in their lives, bringing healing and restoration Or why so many ‘coincidences’ happen when the Spirit moves - I don’t understand any of it, other than it is God, it is the Holy Spirit.

Freely Available - but not forced.

In Acts we heard how Peter quoted the prophet Joel who said that God’s Holy Spirit will be poured out upon all who believe.We see how Peter was empowered by the Holy Spirit - from hot headed fisherman to a leading fisher of men ( that calling Jesus put on him on day one)But he was still Peter. The Holy Spirit had not destroyed his essential self and replaced it with something new and alien. His personality remained the same, but had been refined and strengthened, so that he became closer not only to what God wanted him to be, but closer also to what he himself wanted to be.The Holy Spirit does not invade us unasked but, if we truly wish to receive it, it is there for each one of us for the asking. And if we truly want the Holy Spirit to enter our lives, it will be because we want to change and will welcome the changes that the Spirit will bring. It will also mean that we have recognised our inability to bring these changes about on our own and have realised our need for God’s grace.

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24 “ ‘For I will take you out of the nations; I will gather you from all the countries and bring you back into your own land. 25 I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean; I will cleanse you from all your impurities and from all your idols. 26 I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. 27 And I will put my Spirit in you and move you to follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws.