WHAT IS PENTECOST
Text: Acts 2:1 thru 4
There is much to learn from the story of the Day of Pentecost, but I am impressed to speak today about it’s importance.
In scanning over verses 5 thru 11, we can see there were many different languages spoken as a result of Pentecost. The people gathered there were from all over the world. Many nationalities, cultures and dialects. This should remind us that what happened on this historical day, is for everyone and not just for folks from a particular denomination.
Let us read on in verses 12 thru 14 to find why Pentecost is so important.
At this point in Peter’s life, Peter began to preach Pentecost to the people gathered in the “upper room” there in Jerusalem. And from that day forward, Peter lived and spoke of the Day of Pentecost for the rest of his earthly life.
We should know that other than the message of salvation to sinners, the preaching of Pentecost is (no doubt) one of the most important message to ever be preached. As in verse 14, let us “heed the words” of Peter and the Word of God.
When someone has truly experienced Pentecost, that someone will preach Pentecost for the rest of their lives. And I believe that the Apostle Peter did just that. Peter, and many other people, got something down deep inside that day and never stopped talking about Pentecost the rest of their lives.
Have you ever met someone who seems to always talk about the same thing every time you them? They say,
“well…I can remember the time when…well I’ll never forget…”
They are always talking about how they remember a famous person, or a favorite person, or a particular event in their lives that no one else seems to care about. You know them when you see them.
Peter was that way about Pentecost. He could never forget or stop talking what happened that day in the upper room in Jerusalem. You see there are some people whom God has really gotten a hold of and changed the way they talk, the way they act, and the way they think.
I believe this is what happened to Peter and the other believers that day.
And this is what needs to happen to believers living today!
All men and women, all boys and girls must know what the Lord has done for (and to) His people and never forget it.
We must ask ourselves today,
“What is Pentecost?” More specifically,
“Why is experiencing the Holy Spirit so important?”
My friend, Pentecost is meaningless to anyone without the Holy Spirit filling us.
Unfortunately, many have misunderstood the Holy Spirit and what Pentecost is.
Many only look upon the Holy Spirit as -
· The mystical part of God –
· Only pertains to God in heaven, and not man on earth.
Many think that man is too small to ever understand the God of this Universe. Many are indifferent to the deeper things of God. Many only respect God, but few know Him. That is the reason for the Holy Spirit and Pentecost. The Holy Spirit came to man on Pentecost for a very good reason. So that man would know Christ – the Savior of the world!
Man must know that God is in three persons. God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. God cannot be ignored for any of His attributes.
We cannot ignore the purpose of God.
He is the Creator. He is the Savior.
And, He is the Comforter.
What we are talking about is not just doctrine or dogma or opinion or belief.
Pentecost is not –
· A style of worship.
· A special day in church history.
Pentecost is –
· (Part of) the purpose for this church.
· The means of seeing all sinners come to finding Christ as their personal Savior.
· The direct result of what the Holy Spirit is doing and has done.
· (Many times) controversial.
We have to accept this in our own life. As long as you are attending a church that believes in Pentecost and the moving power of the Holy Spirit, you will be part of that controversy.
Can you live with knowing that?
Pentecost has always been that way and always will be until Jesus comes.
Let me show you what I mean by looking at what else happened in Acts 2.
Peter had just finished preaching to the people with the power of the Holy Spirit.
Read verse 37.
There is obviously something unsettling about Pentecost. People are challenged by Pentecost. The unsaved are often moved with conviction of their sins. They said to one another, “What shall we do?”
Pentecost will do that to people. This is what we should see in every one of our worship services here. We should always be so moved by the overwhelming presence of the Holy Spirit that we turn and ask one another,
“What shall we do?”
I have found that all too often folks only want the pleasant and soothing move of the Holy Spirit. While being comforted by the Holy Spirit is very important, there is also the challenging and convicting power of Pentecost.
Sometimes all I see is folks just folding their hands and saying,
“Isn’t this just so wonderful?”
What I think God wants to see is more folks lifting their hands in surrender and saying with conviction in their heart,
“What shall we do?”
We get all excited and go tell others that they should come to our church because it is “…just so wonderful…” When we should be telling others how desperate we are, and how the power of God is setting us free from the bondage of sin.
You see this is the first and primary reason for Pentecost. It is so each of us will cry out to God, “What shall we do?”
And, so that we all will find the freedom of the forgiveness of our sins.
And then, and only then, will we experience the comforting and wonderful presence of the Holy Spirit.
We can only expect to be filled with the Spirit of God once we have emptied the garbage and filth in our lives. We must not look to Pentecost to only patronize our sinful ways and not be challenged.
And once we are cleansed from our unrighteousness, Jesus will be glorified in us. That is also the purpose of Pentecost.
Jesus said in John 14:16-17
16 "And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever--
17 "the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him...
Jesus also spoke about this in John 16:14
14 "He will glorify Me, for He will take of what is Mine and declare it to you.
My friend Pentecost is unique.
It is not just a formula for feeling good. Pentecost is about being free from sin. Pentecost is not for the world to receive, unless the world repents from sin.
Jesus was adamant about this.
Listen to what else Jesus said about the Holy Spirit and the power of Pentecost in John 16:8
8 "And when He has come, He will convict the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment:
Getting a hold of Pentecost is about getting cleansed and sanctified.
I Peter 1:2 tells us that we will find the Father through the
“…sanctifying work of the Holy Spirit…”
Romans 8:16 tells us that -
16 The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God,
Are you struggling with your spiritual life and/or your relationship with the Lord? You need –
· The power of Pentecost.
· The Holy Spirit to set you free and fill you to overflowing.
Consider this -
As a result of Pentecost, the disciples became apostles. They only watched Jesus do things. They were spectators. They only stood back out of the way and observed what God was doing.
But after Pentecost they became participators. Once they followed Him, but now they went on His behalf to proclaim to the world what He had done.
Likewise we must continue what Christ has begun. And what is that?
Pentecost is prayer:
I am happy to report to you that there are many believers who are genuinely hungry for and searching for the power of Pentecost. That is because in these last days with men’s hearts failing them we desperately need the Holy Spirit.
But the cleansing must come first, and then the renewal will begin.
How will that happen for God’s people?
Jesus gave to us the model, or the example for us in John 14:16,
"And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever--
Why was praying to the Father important for Jesus to do? Because Jesus knew what the disciples were like (just like He knows what you and I are like).
At the point in time when Jesus said this, He had been traveling with the disciples for 3 years. Jesus knew first hand the frailties of these men.
They had weaknesses, temperaments and were sometimes over zealous with their excitement.
Jesus knew something had to be done to prevent the disciples from making some big mistakes with their new found faith.
For example:
· Peter was a loose cannon.
· James was often passive and insecure.
· John may have been naïve and too trusting with certain people.
· Judas was a thief.
· Thomas was (no doubt) fearful and a skeptic.
Unless these misfits received the Holy Spirit, they would have destroyed Christianity before it ever began.
Each of them needed the Holy Spirit to give them:
· Strength for their weaknesses.
· Stability for their foolish behavior.
Jesus was ready to entrust the future of Christianity to these men, but not until they had the power of Pentecost.
Well now, what about you?
Are you any different than some of these disciples?
Are you –
· A loose cannon (like Peter)
· Passive (like James)
· Naïve (like John)
· Fearful (like Thomas)
If so, then do as Jesus did.
“Pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever.”
Just as Pentecost is about being convicted of our sins, it is equally about “praying the Father.”
We need the Holy Spirit just as the disciples did. The Holy Spirit will –
· Strengthen our weaknesses.
· Stabilize our foolish behavior.
Jesus knows you won’t make it without the power of Pentecost.
Only the Holy Spirit abiding in you will transform you and make you more responsible for the Gospel of Christ.
