Summary: WE SET ASIDE TO CELEBRATE THE BIRTH OF JESUS - THE RESURRECTION OF JESUS BUT DO WE EVER CONSIDER THE PENTECOST AND IT’S IMPORTANCE.

TODAY IS PENTECOST

WHO WILL CELEBRATE WITH US?

TEXT

ACTS 2: 1 - 13

INTRODUCTION

THE DAY OF PENTECOST REPRESENTS THE FIFTHIETH DAY

AFTER JESUS’ RESURRECTION, WHEN WE GET READY TO

CELBRATE THE BIRTH OF JESUS THE WHOLE WORD PAUSES TO

CELEBRATE CHRISTMAS - WHEN WE CELEBRATE JESUS’S

RESURRECTION, MOST OF THE WORLD CELEBRATES EASTER.

BUT TODAY IS PENTECOST WHO WILL CELEBRATE WITH US

TODAY? I BELIEVE IT IS FITTING TO SAY VERY FEW, BECAUSE HARDLY ANYONE REALIZES IT.

THIS DAY IS AS IMPORTANT AS THE BIRTH OF CHRIST AND THE DEATH OF CHRIST; IN THAT IT MARKS THE BIRTH OF THE FIRST CHURCH AND THE GOD GIVEN OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO BE A PART OF IT.

THIS DAY MARKS THE FIFTHIETH DAY AFTER JESUS’S

RESURRECTION.

TODAY IS PENTECOST

WHO WILL CELEBRATE WITH US?

THREE POINTS TO BE MADE

(1) THE CREATION OF THE CHURCH AND IT’S PURPOSE

(2) THE DIVINE REVELATION

(3) BENEFITS IN PARTICIPATING IN THE LOCAL CHURCH

ACTS 2: 1 - 4

IT WAS, AS SAID, WHEN THE DAY OF PENTECOST CAME,THEY

THEY WERE ALL TOGETHER IN ONE PLACE. THERE CAME A

SOUND FROM HEAVEN AS A RUSHING MIGHTY WIND AND IT

FILLED THW WHOLE HOUSE WHERE THEY WERE SITTING. THEN

APPEARED TO TO THEM DIVIDED TONGUES AS OF FIRE. AND

THEY WERE FILLED WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT AND BEGAN TO

SPEAK WITH OTHER TONGUES.

I. THE CREATION OF THE CHURCH

THE CHURCH WAS CREATED BY GOD - FOR GOD - FOR HIS

CHILDREN.

THIS INSTITUTION UNLIKE OTHER INSTITUITIONS IS AN

INSTITUTION DESTINED TO BE EVERLASTING. FROM THE

INCEPTION OF TIME - BEFORE THE FOUNDATION OF THE WORLD,

GOD INTENDED THAT THIS INSTITUTION STAND AND BE CALLED

HIS CHURCH.

JESUS HAS DECLARED IN MATTHEW 16:18

AND I ALSO SAY TO YOU THAT YOU ARE PETER, AND ON THIS

ROCK I WILL BUILD MY CHURCH, AND THE GATES OF HADES

SHALL NOT PREVAIL AGAINST IT.

JESUS ENTRANCE INTO THIS WORLD WAS A BLESSING AND WE

HAVE SOMETHING TO BE HAPPY ABOUT.

EPHESIANS 2:20 SPEAKS OF THE CHURCH:

HAVING BEEN BUILT ON THE FOUNDATION OF THE APOSTLE AND

PROPHETS, JESUS CHRIST HIMSELF BEING THE CHIEF CORNER

STONE

SO JESUS CAME INTO THE WORLD & AFTER THE DEATH - THE

BURIAL AND THE RESURRECTION. THE CHURCH WAS FORMED

AND IT HAS COME INTO REALITY THE DAY OF PENTECOST.

TODAY IS PENTECOST

WHO WILL CELEBRATE WITH US?

WHO WILL CELEBRATE THE PENTECOST WITH US? WILL THE

SINNERS COME? IF THEY COMES LET THEM COME. WILL THE

ADULTERER COME? IF THEY COME LET THEM COME.

WHO WILL CELEBRATE THE PENTECOST WITH US? WILL THE

SAINTS COME? IF THEY COME LET THEM COME.

LET THE WORLD BE RENEWED THROUGH THE APPRECIATION OF

GOD’S GRACE AND MERCY.

LET THE HOUSE OF ISRAEL NOW SAY; GOD’S MERCY ENDURES

FOREVER

LET THE HOUSE OF AARON SAY; GOD’S MERCY ENDURES

FOREVER

LET EVERYONE WHO FEARS HIM SAY; GOD’S MERCY ENDURES

FOREVER.

GOD HAS BEEN MERCIFUL UNTO US IN THAT HE LEFT US AN

INSTITUTION THAT WE COULD BUILD THROUGH HIM A

FOUNDATION.

SO HE ALLOWED A SOUND FROM HEAVEN, AS OF A RUSHING

MIGHTY WIND, YES, LIKE A RUSHING MIGHTY WIND FROM

HEAVEN HE HAS ALLOWED HIS CHURCH TO BE FORMED FOR

HIMSELF THAT WE MAY GLORIFY HIM - NOT FOR US - THAT WE

MAY GLORIFY OURSELVES.

TODAY IS PENTECOST

WHO WILL CELEBRATE WITH US?

II. THE DIVINE REVELATION TO THE CHURCH

ACTS 1:8 SAYS

YOU SHALL RECEIVE POWER WHEN THE HOLY SPIRIT HAS COME

UPON YOU; AND YOU SHALL BE WITNESSES TO ME IN JERUSALEM, AND IN ALL JUDEA AND SAMARIA, AND TO THE END OF THE EARTH.

AND TO THE END OF THE EARTH IS WHERE GOD; IS AND HAS

FORMED THE CHURCH. THROUGH HIS CHOSEN VESSELS THAT

THEY MAY BE WITNESSES TO A SELF DESTRUCTING PEOPLE.

THEY ARE SELF - DESTRUCTING IN THAT GOD HAS DECLARED IT

SO THAT HE WHO BELIEVES IN HIM IS NOT CONDEMNED; BUT HE

WHO DOES NOT BELIEVE IS CONDEMNED ALREADY, BECAUSE HE

HAS NOT BELIEVED IN THE NAME OF THE ONLY BEGOTTEN SON

OF GOD. ( JOHN 3: 18 )

LISTEN, CHRISTIAN FRIENDS IT IS OUR OBLIGATION TO SEEK THE LOST, IT IS UNCERTAIN IF WE MAY WIN THAT PERSON AT THE TIME OF INCEPTION BUT I BELIEVE WHAT PAUL SAID:

I PLANTED, APOLLOS WATERED, BUT GOD GAVE THE INCREASE.

I CORINTHIANS 3: 6

WE HAVE AN OBLIGATION TO SHARE THE GOSPEL OF JESUS

CHRIST TO SOMEONE - ALLOW THE HOLY SPIRIT TO USE YOU - BE A VESSEL FOR JESUS CHRIST SHARE THAT NEW WINE TO THE

WORLD, DON’T BE ASHAMED.

FOR IT IS WRITTEN:

FOR I AM NOT ASHAMED OF THE GOSPEL OF CHRIST: FOR IT IS

THE POWER OF GOD UNTO SALVATION TO EVERYONE THAT

BELIEVETH; TO THE JEW FIRST, AND ALSO TO THE GREEK.

PAUL IS ONE OF MANY MEN THAT KNEW THAT HE HAD A SOLEMN

PROMISE TO GOD, TO TAKE THE GOSPEL OF CHRIST TO THE ALL

OF THE WORLD, SO IT IS WITH OUR BELIEVING FRIENDS TODAY.

III. BENFITS OF PARTICIPATING IN THE LOCAL CHURCH

ACTS 2: 42 - 47

THE BENEFITS OF PARTICIPATING IN A LOCAL CHURCH ARE

IMMEDIATELY APPARENT. THIS MESSAGE RECORDS THE FIRST

LOCAL CHIRCH. FROM THIS PASSAGE THERE ARE SEVEN

BENEFITS OF PARTICIPATION IN THE LOCAL CHURCH.

SEVEN BENEFITS

1) INTRODUCTION - CONTINUED STEADFASTLY

2) FELLOWSHIP - AND FELLOWSHIP

3) OBSERVANCE OF THE ORDINANCES - BREAKING OF BREAD

4) CORPORATE PRAYER - PRAYERS

5) EFFECTIVE OUTREACH - FEAR CAME UPON EVERY SOU

6) COMMON CAUSE - HAD ALL THINGS IN COMMON

7) MUTUAL ASSISTANCE - DIVIDED ALL THEM AMONG ALL, AS

ANYONE HAD NEED.

BECAUSE THE CHURCH HAS THIS BENEFIT IT IS VIRTUALLY

IMPOSSIBLE FOR YOU TO UTILIZE THEM WHEN YOUAR NOT

PRESENT, LETS TELL THE TRUTH; PARTICIPATING IN THE LOCAL CHURCH IS NOT OPTIONAL FOR THE CHILD OF GOD, IT IS IMPERATIVE AND YIELDS ETERNAL BENEFITS.

HEBREWS 10:25 SAYS

NOT FORSAKING THE ASSEMBLING OF OURSELVES TOGETHER, AS

IS THE MANNER OF SOME, BUT EXHORTING ONE ANOTHER, AND

SO MUCH THE MORE AS YOU SEE THE DAY APPROACHING

TODAY IS PENTECOST

WHO WILL CELEBRATE WITH US?

THE CHURCH WHICH IS HOLY SPIRIT WHICH IS IN YOU.

CHRISTIAN FRIENDS MANY OF YOU HAVE SPENT A LIFETIME

TRYING TO FIND A CHURCH OF CHOICE NOT TRULY UNDER -

STANDING THAT THE CHURCH IS IN YOU.

MANY OF US HAVE SPENT TIME LOOKING FOR THE CHRIST

WHEN IN ESSENCE THE CHRIST IS SUPPOSE TO BE IN US.

I CORINTHIANS 3: 16 SAYS

DO YOU NOT KNOW THAT YOU ARE THE TEMPLE OF GOD AND

THAT THE SPIRIT OF GOD DWELLS IN YOU?

STOP LOOKING FOR AND START LOOKING INTO.

CLOSING

TODAY THERE IS ONE THAT LOOKING FOR THE CHURCH AND

WANT TO CELEBRATE THE PENTECOST WITH US.

(1) THERE IS SOMEONE WHO HAS FOUND AN EMPTINESS WITHIN

THEMSELVES.

(2) THERE IS SOMEONE WHO HAS BEEN IN THE STORM.

(3) THERE IS SOMEONE WHO’S IN THE LIONS DEN.

(4) THERE IS SOMEONE THAT FEELS USED AND ABUSED.

(1) ALTHOUGH YOU ARE EMPTY

(2) ALTHOUGH YOU ARE IN THE STORM

(3) ALTHOUGH YOU’RE IN THE LION’S DEN

(4) ALTHOUGH YOU HAVE BEEN USED AND ABUSED

COME TO JESUS

COME TO JESUS

EMPTY - AND YOU SHALL BE FULL, IT IS SAID, BLEESED ARE THEY WHICH DO HUNGER AND THIRST AFTER RIGHTEOUSNESS: FOR THEY SHALL BE FILLED (MATT 5:6)

COME TO JESUS

IN YOUR STORM AND COUNT IT ALL JOY WHEN YE FALL INTO

DIVERS TEMPTATIONS; KNOWING THIS, THAT THE TRYING OF

YOUR FAITH WORKETH PATIENCE. (JAMES 1: 2 -3)

COME TO JESUS

IN YOUR LIONS DEN AND BELIEVE THAT GOD WILL DISPATCH HIS ANGEL AND SHUT THE LIONS’ MOUTHS AND SHIELD YOUR

INNOCENSE.

COME TO JESUS

USED AND ABUSED JESUS HAS SAID: COME TO ME ALL YOU WHO

LABOR AND ARE HEAVY LADEN, AND I WILL GIVE YOU REST.

TAKE MY YOKE UPON YOU AND LEARN FROM ME, FOR I AM

GENTLE AND LOWLY IN HEART, AND YOU WILL FIND REST FOR

YOUR SOULS.

FOR MY YOKE IS EASY AND MY BURDEN IS LIGHT.

COME TO JESUS

TODAY IS PENTECOST

WHO WILL CELEBRATE WITH US?