Unity: The Countdown To Pentecost - 13 Of 14 Series

May 24, 1998

John 17:20-26

THERE WAS A BIG HOLE IN THE SKY. A loud silence! Jesus was gone! They stood there with their faces turned up and their mouths open. Two shining beings brought them confirmation of what somehow they already knew: they knew this was a forever kind of change. Things were never going to be the same ever again.

Jesus was gone, but he did leave definite instructions: Don't leave town! Jesus had told them, "Go into all the world! Begin in Jerusalem and go to Judea and Samaria and to the uttermost part of the earth— but for NOW— don't leave town!" I have Something— Someone— that I want to give you! I promise!

So in obedience the disciples went back to Jerusalem. They waited. And they prayed. During the next ten days there was a focus in their faith that brought them to where the scriptures say they were "in one place in one accord."

WHAT OR WHERE IS THIS PLACE WHERE PENTECOST COMES?

For the disciples it was the Upper Room, the place where they had had Communion with Jesus. That place became a place of unity of PURPOSE and OBEDIENCE. Everything else went "on hold" until God came as He had promised. It was also a place of unity in FAITH and TRUST. The Resurrection had given them faith to know that Jesus is as good as His Word! That living faith was enough for them to hold them steady if they had to wait one day or ten days or more.

A place where Jesus' own prayer is answered: During the ten days they did wait the disciples certainly remembered the last prayer Jesus had prayed when they were together in this same Upper Room. It was a prayer for Himself: "Father, glorify me with the glory I had before the world!" It became a prayer for them: "Father, let these my friends share that glory, too!" But wonder of wonders, that High Priestly Prayer is a prayer for you and me! We, too, can come to the place where Pentecost happens!

It was a prayer for unity: "Make them one, Father! One with us— one with one another!" That prayer for unity was a feature of the High Priestly prayer that hits us right in the face. It is inescapable.

CAN PENTECOST BE REPEATED?

It has been many times, in many places. In one real sense Pentecost happens every time a soul is born into the Kingdom, or every time a believer is filled with the Holy Spirit. But as a mighty moving of God on His church? Can that happen again? I believe the answer is "Yes!" I also believe it is the only hope for the church to survive as the church and make any impact at all on this generation. "Yes!"

CAN WE MAKE PENTECOST HAPPEN AGAIN?

The answer absolutely is "No!" We are so self-confident in our age we think all we have to do is get in the right speaker— organize the right kind of rally— discipline ourselves, pray more— and we can have Pentecost again any time we want!

But that is all backwards! No one commands the Holy Spirit! He is not a captive of any sect or denomination. The Spirit's coming is always of grace! He responds when believers believe Jesus' Promise, and obey His command to wait.

CAN YOU AND I, CAN WE COME TO THE PLACE WHERE PENTECOST COMES?

We have been pointing toward Pentecost for 13 weeks now: Confessing... believing... repenting... in humility... obedience... in reaching out... in Christ-like love and anticipation... we have been pointing toward Pentecost! We want to know what it means to be awakened by God's Spirit!

Whatever took place those ten days— we don't know— but human effort— even human prayer was not what brought the Spirit. The Spirit's coming was all of grace. It was attractive. It was powerful. It was also frightening, awesome, and wonderful beyond description. It was the first mighty Awakening of the Holy Spirit. It has been repeated over and over again where God's people have come simply agreeing that they want God more than they want anything else!

When the church across the centuries has sought for God as more than a fire-escape, or more than a therapeutic convenience to enhance our life-style— when the church has given up its own selfish ways, God has been found!

THE SPIRIT IS A GIFT OF GOD'S GRACE!

It is hard to grasp, but Jesus said that if we simply ask the Father, He will give us the Holy Spirit as the free gift of His grace. Jesus said that as imperfect and self-centered as we can be, if we enjoy giving good and necessary things to our children— then HOW MUCH MORE WILL THE HEAVENLY FATHER GIVE THE HOLY SPIRIT TO THOSE WHO ASK? What would happen if we really believed that?