Sermon Tone Analysis

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Scripture Intro:

Context of our passage...

Joel 2:12–13 (ESV)

“Yet even now,” declares the Lord, “return to me with all your heart, with fasting, with weeping, and with mourning; and rend your hearts and not your garments.”

Joel 2:12–13 (ESV)

Return to the Lord your God, for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love; and he relents over disaster.

Remember that in in v. 18 God declares his mercy on his people.

Drives out enemies

Restores rain to the land

Plants and trees will again flourish.

But our passage,

God declares another aspect of the promised restoration.

Scripture Reading (“Please stand…”)

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Pray...

Intro:

The Promise of the Spirit

(v.

28-29)

OT references:

Jesus promises the Spirit to come.

(In John)

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Mistaken Thoughts:

To read this promise as “give you the Holy Spirit,

b/c he is not here now.”

This is mistaken.

“The Holy Spirit was not active in the OT.”

Or “that the Holy Spirit did not indwell believers in the OT.”

Though the Old Testament said much about the Spirit’s activity in

Creation (e.g., Gen. 1:2; Ps. 33:6),

revelation (e.g., Isa.

61:1–6; Mic.

3:8),

enabling for service (e.g., Exod.

31:2–6; Judg.

6:34; 15:14–15; Isa.

11:2), and

inward renewal (e.g., Ps. 51:10–12; Ezek.

36:25–27),

This also makes sense in light of Jesus’ conversation with Nicodemus

John 3

But Nicodemus is confused.

The Pouring Out of the Spirit

What is the pouring out of the Spirit?

And does this have anything to do for us?

What is going on?

Acts 2:15–17 (ESV)

For these people are not drunk, as you suppose, since it is only the third hour of the day.

But this is what was uttered through the prophet Joel: “ ‘And in the last days it shall be, God declares, that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh...

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Pentecost

OT Harvest Festival

Feast of Weeks

The Early Church.

In the early church pentēkostḗ is used for the 50 days of rejoicing that begin with Easter.

Since Easter is always kept on Sunday, the seven weeks end on a Sunday too.

During this period there are no fasts, prayer is offered standing, catechumens are baptized, and thoughts are directed to the last things, so that pentēkostḗ can be regarded as a sign of the heavenly kingdom, to which Christ has already ascended as the firstfruits of the harvest.

The purpose of this feast was to commemorate the completion of the grain harvest.

Interesting how this is the immediate context of Joel as well.

Restored crops and rain.

“At first, God would send the needed rains, but afterward he would send a downpour of his Holy Spirit.”

Fulfills Num.

11:29

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App.

Worldwide evangelism

We speak the word empowered by the Spirit.

The Perspective of the Spirit

In Joel, “afterward”

In Acts 2, “in the last days”

Joel 2:28 (ESV)

“And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh...

Acts 2:17 (ESV)

“ ‘And in the last days it shall be, God declares, that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh...

The outpouring of the Spirit is the beginning of the last days.

And this is the time when Jesus is not on earth, nor in the grave...

he is enthroned in heaven...

reigning over all things.

What is different?

Jesus has come, died, and rose from the dead.

It is the Spirit that points to Jesus and makes him known.

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Purposeful

Not simply holding on.

Living in the Hope of the Resurrection

His resurrection is the pattern of God at work.

Reframes our view of life.

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Pray

Closing Song:

“Only a Holy God”

Let’s worship him...

No one else like him.

Benediction:

Extra Stuff: