Promises Kept....pentecost Fire

In Jesus Holy Name May 31, 2020

Text: John 16:7, Acts 1:4b,5 Pentecost Redeemer

“Promises Kept-Pentecost Fire”

“The Wizard of Oz was a classic film from 1939 staring Judy Garland. The characters, the Scarecrow was seeking a way to strength. The Lion was afraid to take charge of life and be a Lion. The Tin Man didn’t think his life was real. Dorothy was just lost. They were traveling together on the Yellow Brick Road to the Emerald City, the home of the great Wizard who could grant all wishes. Upon arrival they discovered that the Wizard was a fraud.

The Wizard’s advice was to look inside yourself to find yourself. That never works. God says: Look inside yourself and you will find the Holy Spirit. The first will get you to Kansas. The latter will get you to heaven.

After the crucifixion of Jesus the disciples were hiding in the Upper Room in Jerusalem. They were experiencing the feeling of the Tin Man, afraid their life was empty their dreams unable to be fulfilled. They were like the Lion, afraid of everything. They were comfortable locked behind closed doors. Like the Scarecrow they had no internal strength. Pentecost would change their world, their lives.

Consider the genius of God’s plan. While on earth Jesus has been healing the blind. Restoring paralyzed limbs. Forgiving sins. He has been raising the dead, all accomplished by the power of the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of the Eternal God, which He possessed.

Now Jesus was promising to give that same Spirit of the Eternal God to each disciple. Their fear of life would be dissipated like the morning due on a hot day.

Their words would find strength and boldness to face the same powers that crucified their Lord. Pentecost was coming. They didn’t know it but Jesus did. Jesus was not a fraud. His promises would soon grab their hearts, minds and lips.

After His resurrection from the dead Jesus spent 40 days with His disciples which numbered about 120 in Jerusalem. He was about to return to heaven because His work on earth, was finished. His death on the cross had purchased forgiveness from the wrath of God against our broken commandments. His resurrection from the borrowed tomb of Joseph, guarantees the gift of eternal life to all who place their trust in Jesus. His resurrection would guarantee the promised gift of His Spirit to every believer. It would happen on Pentecost.

After His resurrection the disciples were curious. What are they to do now? Go back to their fishing business. Go back to their bakery store, their carpentry shop, their farming business? They wanted to know. So they asked Jesus if He was now going to restore the physical, geographical borders of Israel.

They wanted to know what was next. “Lord are you going to restore the kingdom to Israel?” You know, kick out the Romans and establish heaven on earth? Jesus said…no. I have another plan. “It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set.” “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes…” You will tell my story. You will tell the story of God’s offer of love and forgiveness. You will tell people that peace with God, eternal life in heaven is not something to be earned but it is a gift by faith.

Wait in Jerusalem and you will receive the Holy Spirit which my Father has promised.” Did you hear that? They would be filled the same Holy Spirit, the same invisible presence of the Holy God, which dwelt in Jesus Himself. God the Father who bundled himself in swaddling clothes, so that we might know Him, was about to dwell in each believer. “In a few days you will be baptized with My Holy Spirit. He will empower you to be my witnesses in Jerusalem, Judea, and Samaria and to the ends of the earth.” Ten days later His Promise was kept. It was Pentecost.

Now I realize that for many Christians the event of Pentecost is like the words that King George of England wrote in his diary on July 4, 1776 the day the Declaration of Independence was signed in America. He wrote: “nothing of importance happened today.”

As you look around, do you see that anybody putting up Pentecost lights on their homes. Have you sent out your Pentecost cards. Have you noticed that nobody is singing Pentecost carols. No newspaper is telling us: “Only two shopping days left till Pentecost” there are no Pentecost parties. No Pentecost music being pumped though our shopping malls and elevators. No Pentecost trees, no Pentecost ornaments, and you have not driven all over town to get your child or grandchild the perfect Pentecost present. Yet we know that this year, Pentecost will change our world. Soon thousands of Christians will “stop sheltering in”, we will stop acting like the disciples behind locked doors, We will return to worship together.