Pentecost

Luke 24:45–49 NIV

Then he opened their minds so they could understand the Scriptures. He told them, “This is what is written: The Messiah will suffer and rise from the dead on the third day, and repentance for the forgiveness of sins will be preached in his name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. You are witnesses of these things. I am going to send you what my Father has promised; but stay in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high.”

Today is ‘Pentecost Sunday’, it’s the day we celebrate the fulfillment of this promise.

Now, Jesus was crucified on the passover (EXPLAIN).

The spirit was poured out on the ‘day of pentecost’.

The Festival of Harvest

This festival was a celebration of the first crop of the grain harvest. It was celebrated 50 days after passover.

It also connected to passover this way. The Passover commemorated the day that God brought out, in power, his people from Egypt. Traditionally, the law was given to the jews 50 days later at Mount Sinai.

So you see this structure:

God exerts his mighty power, and shows his dominion even over death, in order to free his people from slavery and bondage

50 days later, God makes a covenant, a promise with his people, with a specific direction as to how to follow Him. And not only that, he makes an identity for his people - a people claimed by and ruled by Him. A people who do things totally different, who obey God, and in that difference and obedience, are destined to be a blessing to all people.

Genesis 22:18

Genesis 22:18 NIV

and through your offspring all nations on earth will be blessed, because you have obeyed me.”

So, between Passover and Pentecost, we see God bringing to fulfillment the promised blessing… or do we?

This was all an image of what was to come

In the new testament, it teaches that everything - the law, the temple, the promises of God to Israel - that they all are images, examples, shadows of the spiritual realities that God was planning to bring to light through Jesus and the church.

So, we’ve talked about how in Jesus, we see this passover festival fulfilled.

But now, we’re understanding this dynamic. God rescues his people in power, he draws them out of oppression and death. But then 50 days later, there’s a promise made, with the tools to back it up, and the mission to go out into the world in order to be a blessing.

And I love the images. In passover, it was recognized with the slaughter of a lamb. But in pentecost, it was recognized with the first crop. At passover, someone died on our behalf. At pentecost, there’s a first growth of life.

Hold onto that image.

Acts 2:1–4 NIV

When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them.

I want to take a qiuck aside and explain this idea of tongues.

Tongues is a spiritual prayer language that confirms that we have been baptised in the Holy Spirit

We see this phrase of ‘tongues’ pop up over Acts, and some of Paul’s writings throughout the rest of the New Testament. There’s a few things as pentecostals that we believe about tongues:

First

It accompanies this thing we call being ‘baptised in the Holy Spirit’

Acts 10:45-46

Acts 10:45–46 NIV

The circumcised believers who had come with Peter were astonished that the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out even on Gentiles. For they heard them speaking in tongues and praising God. Then Peter said,

It’s a language we don’t naturally understand ourselves

1 Corinthians 14:14

1 Corinthians 14:14 NIV

For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays, but my mind is unfruitful.

It’s not the BIG DEAL - being productive in the kingdom is

1 Corinthians 14:15,18-19

1 Corinthians 14:15 NIV

So what shall I do? I will pray with my spirit, but I will also pray with my understanding; I will sing with my spirit, but I will also sing with my understanding.

So let’s tie this back to this idea of the pouring out of the spirit.

we need to understand, how big of a deal this was.

In the old testament, the spirit was VERY selective. He was given in specific doses, at specific times, to accomplish a task. The idea that someone had the spirit of God in them was a BIG deal.

At Pentecost, the Holy Spirit came into everyone

Every person who calls on the Lord would receive the spirit. Peter highlights a prophecy from Joel.

Acts 2:17-18,21

Acts 2:17–18 NIV

“ ‘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. Even on my servants, both men and women, I will pour out my Spirit in those days, and they will prophesy.

Acts 2:21 NIV

And everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.’

So at Pentecost, we have the Holy Spirit coming in great power, down to every last person. But the Holy Spirit hasn’t shifted his game plan. It’s not like, in the past he was given out to accomplish a specific task, a goal, but now he’s given out just to give us the warm fuzzies.

The presence of the Holy Spirit in our lives is intimately tied to the idea of us

we are workers in the kingdom of God

And we see that in the following verses.

Acts 2:38–41 NIV

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. The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off—for all whom the Lord our God will call.” With many other words he warned them; and he pleaded with them, “Save yourselves from this corrupt generation.” Those who accepted his message were baptized, and about three thousand were added to their number that day.

The very first thing that Peter does is go out and preach. And the very first response to the very first post-pentecost sermon is MASSIVE. Jesus made a promise - that he’d send the spirit to enable us to fulfill his commands and do his work - and now he’s proved it.

As pentecostals, this is the heritage we step into. This is the heritage we remember.

The Holy Spirit fills us up - and then sends us out in power

And I think we need to honor that same commitment when we pray today for the Holy Spirit. After all - that’s what the disciples WERE doing at the time. They were told - you’re supposed to go out and make disciples, but I’m going to send you this power first. So that’s what they were doing - we have a job, now we’re waiting for the power download to back it upso we can go do it.

Pray that God Would Fill You up - and use you in his kingdom