It Is Pentecost!

And the reason was because the expression on their faces had given them away. Their faces were aglow in anticipation of the wealth that soon would be theirs. People knew that they must have found something very special. So a crowd followed them out of town.

ILL. A famous motivational speaker was once asked about his most difficult speech. He answered, "Well, it was when I was asked to speak at a national convention of undertakers. My topic was to explain to them how to look sad during a $20,000 funeral." You see, when there is happiness inside, it's hard to keep it from showing.

ILL. Then there is the story that Erma Bombeck told about a little boy at church with his mother. He was a good little boy, quiet & well behaved. He didn't cause any problems. But every once in a while he would turn around, look at the people behind him & smile at them.

His smile was infectious, & soon those behind him were smiling back at him. It was all going fine until his mother realized what the little boy was doing. When she did, she grabbed him by his ear, twisted it a bit, & told him to remember that he was in church.

Then he started sniffling & crying softly, & she said to him, "That's better." It's sad, isn't it, that some have the impression that when we go to church that it is all gloom & doom, & that there is nothing here to bring joy into their lives?

SUM. But Pentecost says that the early Christians discovered joy unspeakable in the Church of the Lord Jesus Christ. Again & again, Paul writes, “Rejoice in the Lord. Rejoice in the Lord always, & again I say, Rejoice!”

PROP. Pentecost was a once in history event, when the Church was born. So let me share with you three things that we learn from "Pentecost."

I. THE CHURCH WAS CREATED BY GOD

First, we see that the Church was created by God.

A. From the beginning of time, before the foundation of the world, God had in His mind the Church. And He promised that even the gates of Hades would not prevail against it.

So Jesus came into the world, & after His death, burial & resurrection, the Church is formed. It begins on the Day of Pentecost.

Sometimes we act as if we think Peter called a meeting of the apostles & said to them, "We’re here today to talk about whether or not to start a Church." They discuss that for a while, & then James makes a motion that they start a Church. John seconds the motion, & they vote to start a Church in Jerusalem.

B. It didn't happen that way! Listen again to what the Word said, "Suddenly, a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from. . ." Where? "from heaven."

God started the Church! God brought the Church into existence & it is His Church, not ours. We are just a part of it. It is essential for us to realize that.

ILL. I don't know if you remember, but about 15 years ago radio stations were running commercials for 2 major Christian denominations. And both sets of commercials were saying almost the same thing. They were advertising for their members to come back to them.