PENTECOST SUNDAY
May 15, 2005
Acts 2:1-12
Pastor Brian Matherlee
Introduction
The Fine Art of Doing Nothing
The sign on the stage proclaimed: "The Motionless Man: Make Him Laugh. Win $100." The temptation was irresistible. For three hours boys and girls, men and women, performed every antic and told every joke they knew. But Bill Fuqua, the Motionless Man, stood perfectly still. Fuqua is the Guinness Book of World Records champion at doing nothing. In fact, he appears so motionless during his routines at shopping malls and amusement parks that he is sometimes mistaken for a mannequin. When I heard about Bill Fuqua, "The Motionless Man," he reminded me of a lot of churches I know—many congregations seem to have mastered the fine art of doing almost nothing.
Well, that’s not the way it was on the Day of Pentecost almost 2000 years ago.
AC 2:1 When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. 2 Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. 3 They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. 4 All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them.
AC 2:5 Now there were staying in Jerusalem God-fearing Jews from every nation under heaven. 6 When they heard this sound, a crowd came together in bewilderment, because each one heard them speaking in his own language. 7 Utterly amazed, they asked: "Are not all these men who are speaking Galileans? 8 Then how is it that each of us hears them in his own native language?
11 b, we hear them declaring the wonders of God in our own tongues!” 12 Amazed and perplexed, they asked one another, “What does this mean?”
Background
The death, burial and Resurrection of Jesus Christ were during the Passover. Passover observed the miracle of the death of the firstborn in Egypt.
Pentecost was at the same time the Jews were observing the “Festival of Firstfruits”. It was a celebration of the harvest.
Many Jews from many nations were present in Jerusalem on the day of Pentecost. God had a plan to bring people together so that the fullness of the coming of Jesus would be evident to as many people as possible.
A. Two things preceded the coming of the Holy Spirit among them at Pentecost:
1. Repentance
RECALL NOTICE:
The Maker of all human beings is recalling all units manufactured, regardless of make or year, due to a serious defect in the primary and central component of the heart.
This is due to a malfunction in the original prototype units code named Adam and Eve, resulting in the reproduction of the same defect in all subsequent units.
This defect has been technically termed, "Subsequential Internal Non-morality", or more commonly known as S.I.N., as it is primarily expressed.
Some other symptoms:
1. Loss of direction
2. Foul vocal emissions
3. Amnesia of origin
4. Lack of peace and joy
5. Selfish, or violent behavior
6. Depression or confusion in the mental component
7. Fearfulness
8. Idolatry
9. Rebellion
The Manufacturer, who is neither liable nor at fault for this defect, is providing factory authorized repair and service free of charge to correct this SIN defect.
The Repair Technician, Jesus, has most generously offered to bear the entire burden of the staggering cost of these repairs. There is no additional fee required.
The number to call for repair in all areas is: P-R-A-Y-E-R. Once connected, please upload your burden of SIN through the REPENTANCE procedure.
Next, download ATONEMENT from the Repair Technician, Jesus, into the heart component.
No matter how big or small the SIN defect is, Jesus will replace it with:
1. Love
2. Joy
3. Peace
4. Patience
5. Kindness
6. Goodness
7. Faithfulness
8. Gentleness
9. Self control
Please see the operating manual, the B.I.B.L.E. (Believers Instructions Before Leaving Earth), for further details on the use of these fixes.
WARNING: Continuing to operate the human being unit without correction voids any manufacturer warranties, exposing the unit to dangers and problems too numerous to list and will result in the human unit being permanently impounded. For free emergency service, call on JESUS.
DANGER: The human being units not responding to this recall action will have to be scrapped in the furnace. The SIN defect will not be permitted to enter Heaven so as to prevent contamination of that facility.
Thank you for your immediate attention.
When you became a Christian, you received the gift of the Holy Spirit. The continued effectiveness of the Holy Spirit hinges upon the same thing the reception of the Holy Spirit does...repentance.
• AC 2:38 Peter replied, "Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.
• 5:31 God exalted him to his own right hand as Prince and Savior that he might give repentance and forgiveness of sins to Israel. 32 We are witnesses of these things, and so is the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to those who obey him."
Repentance is not a singular event but rather a point of crisis and a continuing relationship choice. Repentance is part of the Christian’s regular spiritual life or routine.
• For instance—in every house with central air, there are filters. It would be foolish for me to place a filter in the air return and never replace it. In my house I have two returns, one upstairs and one down. It is equally foolish to replace one filter and not the other. What do I mean?
o Repentance needs to happen when my life is dirty.
o Repentance needs to be complete (I can’t repent of one or two things the Holy Spirit has brought to my attention and ignore another and expect that I am clean before God or effective for Him.)
2. Rest (2:1)
• ISA 30:15 This is what the Sovereign LORD, the Holy One of Israel, says:
"In repentance and rest is your salvation,
in quietness and trust is your strength,”
• Acts 1:4 On one occasion, while he was eating with them, he gave them this command: "Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about. 5 For John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit."
B. The Holy Spirit accomplished three things on Pentecost:
1. Personal Witness (v. 2 & 6)
2. Personal connection (v. 3)
• They didn’t need someone else to intermediate for them anymore. They had the Personal Presence of God Almighty dwelling within them.
• I Corinthians 6:19Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God?
•
3. Personal power (v. 4, 7, 11, 12)
• Power can be used in at least 2 ways. It can be unleashed or it can be harnessed. Drop an atomic bomb and just watch as raw power is unleashed or harness the power of the atom and it will produce energy to make enough electricity for entire states. On the Day of Pentecost, and on the day you were filled, the burst of power was evident by the tongues of fire, but the controlled release of that power has caused the people of God to go great distances and effect many lives as the Power was manifest in them.
• When God sends forth the Spirit amazing things happen:
barriers are broken,
communities are formed,
opposites are reconciled,
unity is established,
disease is cured,
addiction is broken,
cities are renewed,
races are reconciled,
hope is established,
people are blessed,
and church happens.
Today the Spirit of God is present
and we’re gonna‚ have church.
So be ready, get ready...God is up to something...
discouraged folks cheer up,
dishonest folks ’fess up,
sour folks sweeten up,
closed folk, open up,
gossipers shut up,
conflicted folks make up,
sleeping folks wake up,
lukewarm folk, fire up,
dry bones shake up,
and pew potatoes stand up!
Conclusion
If you are not experiencing these three things, then you need to see what of the two things preceding the Spirit’s coming is missing in your walk with God.
Do you need to repent of sin?
Do you need to quit relying on your own strength and wisdom?
• The poet William Blake wrote a poem about Pentecost. Part of the poem says:
Unless the eye catch fire, God will not be seen.
Unless the ear catch fire, God will not be heard.
Unless the tongue catch fire, God will not be named.
Unless the Heart catch fire, God will not be loved.
Unless the mind catch fire, God will not be known.
