When you stop to think about it…what brought us here today. Now I don’t mean by plane, train, or automobile, but what things in our lives caused us to be gathered today, and each Sunday before and after today? We gather here not by chance, but by divine appointment. We are not here merely to fill a pew, but to fill our hearts with the living word of God. As we come together today, let's remember the words of the great Christian author, A.W. Tozer, who wrote, "The Bible is not an end in itself, but a means to bring men to an intimate and satisfying knowledge of God, that they may enter into Him, that they may delight in His Presence, may taste and know the inner sweetness of the very God Himself in the core and center of their hearts."
Our divine appointment was written in stone, so to say, when the birth of the church occurred at that first Pentecost after the resurrection of Jesus.
When the Day of Pentecost had fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. And suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. Then there appeared to them divided tongues, as of fire, and one sat upon each of them.
And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.
Acts 2:1-4
For many reasons I love the Bible, but this one I am about to say is one of them…it is not just an historical account, but a vivid and accurate illustration of God’s promise fulfilled, His power bestowed, and His plan for us revealed. Today we are going to look at the prominence of Pentecost in the Israelite tradition, the prophetic foreshadowing of Pentecost to the New Testament believers, and the post-resurrection power that was unleashed at Pentecost.
So, let's open our hearts and minds as we consider the day of Pentecost, a day that forever changed the course of human history, a day that continues its impact on our lives today. Are we ready to receive what God has for us today? Are we ready to experience the power of Pentecost in our lives? If we are, say Amen.
Pentecostal Prominence in Israelite Tradition
The word Pentecost is not used in the Old Testament but is a word from the Greek that means “fiftieth” and it relates to the Feast of Weeks. This feast was commanded by God that the Israelites observe seven sabbaths after the Feast of Firstfruits. According to the Old Testament, you would go to the day of the celebration of Firstfruits, and beginning with that day, you would count 50 days off. The fiftieth day would be the Day of Pentecost or the Feast of Weeks. The Feast of Firstfruits is the beginning of the barley harvest and Feast of Weeks is the celebration of the beginning of the wheat harvest. Now keep in mind the feast that leads up to the Feast of Weeks (Pentecost), because it is an eye opener and will show the awesome power of God and His word.
Since the Feast of Weeks was always 50 days after Feast of Firstfruits, and since 50 days equals seven weeks, counting the day after firstfruits, it always came a "week of weeks" later. Therefore, they either called it the Feast of Harvest or the Feast of Weeks.
The Feast of Weeks was a pilgrim festival. That meant that according to Jewish Law, all the adult Jewish men would come from wherever they were living to Jerusalem and personally be in attendance during this celebration, and because of how God created all the feasts, this is the one that would get people, both Jew and Gentile to be together in one place for the birth of the church.
Prophetic Foreshadowing of Pentecost
Now this is where the eyes are opened and the power of God’s creation and planning over the course of thousands of years is seen.
The Feast of Weeks was a pilgrim festival. That meant that according to Jewish Law, all the adult Jewish men would come from wherever they were living to Jerusalem and personally be in attendance during this celebration, and because of how God created all the feasts, this is the one that would get people, both Jew and Gentile to be together in one place for the birth of the church.
And you shall count for yourselves from the day after the Sabbath, from the day that you brought the sheaf of the wave offering: seven Sabbaths shall be completed. Count fifty days to the day after the seventh Sabbath; then you shall offer a new grain offering to the Lord.
You shall bring from your dwellings two wave loaves of two-tenths of an ephah. They shall be of fine flour; they shall be baked with leaven. They are the firstfruits to the Lord.
Leviticus 23:15-17
In the Bible, the number 50 symbolizes freedom, renewal, and divine empowerment, which has a whole lot of meaning when it came to the birth of the church. The Pentecost symbolized the freedom from the law, the beginning of a new contract with God, and the empowerment of the Holy Spirit, which is the power that runs the church.
Now here is the thing we miss when reading these verses…the two wave loaves, which means two loaves of bread. They were different than loaves made for other feasts, because these loaves were commanded to be made with leaven. In all the other feasts, the leaven was to be removed from the house. So, why does God command leaven to be used? I will get to that in a moment. God aways has a specific number for the things He calls for, and in the Old Testament that number by itself has a meaning only God knows. But remember that the Old Testament is a foreshadow of Jesus. He says this Himself.
Then He said to them, “These are the words which I spoke to you while I was still with you, that all things must be fulfilled which were written in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms concerning Me.”
Luke 24:44
Everything in the Old Testament points to Jesus. Back to the two loaves of bread that were to be brought as an offering as their firstfruits to the Lord. Those two loaves in the Old Testament just represented loaves of bread, but in the New Testament, at Pentecost, those loaves of bread represented the Jews and Gentiles that would be brought together on the 50th day after Jesus’s resurrection. Remember that these loaves were to be baked with leaven…how else can you represent sinful man? Oh, the words of God are awesome!
Alright, let’s open our eyes a little wider. Remember that I told you to keep the Feast of Firstfruits in your mind, well I know you’ve been waiting for why and here it tis.
But now Christ is risen from the dead, and has become the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. For since by man came death, by Man also came the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ all shall be made alive.
1 Corinthians 15:20-22
This passage relates to the resurrection of Christ Jesus, being the firstfruits of the dead, meaning those who are dead to the New Testament grace. Now here’s the coolness of this…Feast of Firstfruits, it foreshadows Jesus’ resurrection…boom…knowledge dropped, but wait, there’s more. Just as in the Old Testament the Feast of Firstfruits was 50 days before the Feast of Weeks…wait for it…Jesus’ resurrection was 50 days before Pentecost where the Holy Spirit came, bringing life to all who will accept it and birth to the church.
Let me throw some more numbers at you that relate to the Pentecost. The number 40 holds significant meaning, often symbolizing a period of testing, trial, or probation. It appears frequently in contexts related to judgment and transformation. It is also associated with the completion of God's purpose. Overall, the number 40 represents a time of preparation and spiritual renewal. Here are some notable 40’s in the Bible:
• Noah's 40-day flood.
• Moses on Mount Sinai for 40 days and 40 nights.
• Israelites' 40 years in the wilderness.
• Goliath taunted Israel for 40 days before David defeated him.
• Three kings (Saul, David, and Solomon) reigned for 40 years each.
• Ezekiel's 40 days of lying on his right side.
• Jesus' 40 days of fasting.
And finally, the number of days Jesus was seen by people after His resurrection. For 40 days He walked among the people, talking with them, healing them, comforting them, and teaching them, and at the end of those 40 days, He appeared to His disciples locked away in a room and then ascended into heaven.
Here are His last words to them before He returned to heaven.
Then He said to them, “Thus it is written, and thus it was necessary for the Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead the third day, and that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in His name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. And you are witnesses of these things.
Behold, I send the Promise of My Father upon you; but tarry in the city of Jerusalem until you are endued with power from on high.”
Luke 24:46-49
Jesus tells them to stop preaching and teaching the word of God, and do not leave the city, until the Holy Spirit empowers them. This message from Jesus was given 10 days before Pentecost. The number 10 holds significant meaning in the Bible, representing completion, perfection, and divine order. The completion of the Old Testament law with the introduction of grace. The perfection of the system of grace over that of the law. The divine order of things from the creation to Jesus’ death on the cross, to the birth of the church, to the end times events, to the second coming of Jesus, to eternity.
The birth of the church began at Pentecost, those 50 days after Jesus, the firstfruits of us resurrected from the tomb. At Pentecost the Holy Spirit began to dwell in man, making all who believe in the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ Jesus a member in the church.
From two loaves of bread to the joining of Jews and Gentiles, just as God had said at the beginning time. His divine plan and order were the central point of Pentecost.
Now, let me tell you that not all Christians will speak in tongues, but that does not mean that you are not a born-again saved believer. I mention that here because many have asked me about this, because they were told that if you do not speak in tongues, you are not saved. Although the Holy Spirit came down to cause unification, the sad fact remains that some people do not want to be liked-minded with those filled with the Holy Spirit. Also, there are those who use the verses in Acts 2 to create division in the church stating that you aren’t saved unless you speak in tongues. But for a price they will teach you to speak in tongues.
Even at Pentecost there were those who believed and were added to the church, and those who did not and walked away, but not before making a snide remark that those speaking in tongues must be drunk. Jesus said it Himself, that He came to bring division, knowing that it is God’s desire that all men be saved, but that is not the desire of all men.
On that note of division in the church, our opening verse has been used to mark division between those that preach the word of God. They look at our opening verse and say, “this is how the word is preached, and you are not a preacher of God unless you do it under the power of the Holy Spirit.” First, let me say that those who say that do not understand that verse.
When the Day of Pentecost had fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. And suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. Then there appeared to them divided tongues, as of fire, and one sat upon each of them.
And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.
Acts 2:1-4
When the Holy Spirit gave them utterance, it was for the sole purpose to praise God. They did not preach, as we understanding preaching, but as the people responded saying, “we hear them speaking in our own tongues the wonderful works of God.” This was not preaching, but a means for God to get the glory and everyone’s attention because Peter was going to stand up and preach, and in reading the remainder of Acts 2, he spoke in one language, Greek, not with tongues because he spoke Greek and everyone there understood Greek. And it was a Holy Spirit filled message without all of the theatrics used in some of our modern day preachers.
Post-Resurrection Power at Pentecost
The power of Pentecost, both before and after the Resurrection, is a subject of great significance. It is a subject that is both profound and transformative, and it is one that we should all strive to understand and apply in our own lives.
Pentecost, as we know, was a Jewish festival that took place fifty days after Passover. It was a time of celebration, a time of thanksgiving for the harvest. But for the early Christians, Pentecost took on a new meaning. It became a time of empowerment, a time when the Holy Spirit descended upon them, giving them the ability to speak in different languages and to spread the message of Jesus Christ to all nations.
The first sub-point to consider is the transformation that took place at Pentecost. Before the Resurrection, the disciples were ordinary men. They were fishermen, tax collectors, and zealots. But after the Resurrection, they were transformed. They became bold proclaimers of the Gospel, fearless in the face of persecution, and tireless in their mission to spread the Good News. This transformation was not a result of their own efforts, but a result of the power of the Holy Spirit.
In the words of the respected Christian writer, C.S. Lewis, "God doesn't want something from us, He simply wants us." This quote speaks to the heart of Pentecost. It is not about what we can do for God, but what God can do through us when we surrender to the power of the Holy Spirit.
Pentecost was a turning point for mankind. In the Old Testament God choose a people. In the New Testament the people chose God. The Old Testament had a national boundary, but at Pentecost that boundary was broken down, and all nations and creeds can come unto Jesus.
Which brings to the second sub-point to consider, the inclusivity of Pentecost. The Holy Spirit did not just descend upon a select few. It descended upon all who were present, regardless of their status, their ethnicity, or their gender. This was a radical departure from the societal norms of the time and a powerful demonstration of the inclusive nature of God's love.
The third sub-point to consider is the global impact of Pentecost. The disciples were not just empowered to spread the Gospel in their local communities. They were empowered to spread the Gospel to all nations. This was the beginning of the global Christian movement, a movement that continues to this day, the birth of the church.
The final sub-point to consider is the ongoing nature of Pentecost. Pentecost is not just a historical event. It is an ongoing reality. The Holy Spirit continues to empower believers today, just as it empowered the early Christians.
So, what does this mean for us? It means that we too can experience the power of Pentecost. We too can be transformed, we too can be inclusive, we too can have a global impact, and we too can experience the ongoing nature of Pentecost. All we need to do is open ourselves up to the power of the Holy Spirit. Let us act in our lives to accomplish the goal of this sermon.
Conclusion
As we close today, let's remember the goodness and love of our God. He's not a distant deity, but a loving Father who knows us intimately. He's the One who walks with us in our struggles, comforts us in our pain, and rejoices with us in our victories. His goodness isn't dependent on our circumstances, but it's a constant that we can rely on.
Let's not forget His love that's so profound, so deep, and so wide that it's beyond our comprehension. It's this love that sent Jesus to the cross for us. It's this love that forgives, heals, and restores. It's this love that gives us hope, peace, and joy.
So, as we go about our week, let's carry this truth in our hearts. Let's remember to extend this same love and goodness to those around us. Let's be the hands and feet of Jesus in our homes, workplaces, and communities.
