"What Is Pentecost ?"

What is Pentecost? Acts 2:1-11

• Traditionally been understood as the birth of the Christian church.

• The Anointed One promised in the scriptures of the Jews This day would come “I will not leave you comfortless, but I will send the Holy Spirit”

• Pentecost, meaning "fifty," fell 50 days after Passover, and was also known as the Festival of Weeks, Lev 23:15 15" `From the day after the Sabbath, the day you brought the sheaf of the wave offering, count off seven full weeks. 16Count off fifty days up to the day after the seventh Sabbath, and then present an offering of new grain to the LORD.

1. Pentecost was Harvest time it is the time to offer unto God

• Pentecost was a harvest festival of the early summer, in which the first fruits were gathered and offered in part to God.

• What have I to offer God? Isaiah said, "Here I am lord if you need me Here I am"

• Noah offered God “I will build what you ask”

• Abraham offered “Faith enough to move”

2. Pentecost is a time to be together be in unity “come together right now”

• The disciples were "all together in one place" 1When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. (44All the believers were together and had everything in common

• Paul encourages Harmony We may have different instruments, but they can be diverse but can make a beautiful Harmony Romans 12:16 . 16Live in harmony with one another

• Luke records gathering as a unit is vital Acts 512The apostles performed many miraculous signs and wonders among the people. And all the believers used to meet together in Solomon's Colonnade

3. Pentecost is sounds from heaven. 2Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting.

• Pentecost sounds in the OT are in Exodus 19:16-19 16On the morning of the third day there was thunder and lightning, with a thick cloud over the mountain, and a very loud trumpet blast. Everyone in the camp trembled. --

• Elijah heard Pentecost type sounds 1 Kings 19:11-15 11The LORD said, "Go out and stand on the mountain, for the LORD is about to pass by." Then a great and powerful wind tore the mountains apart and shattered the rocks before the LORD, but the LORD was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the LORD was not in the earthquake. 12After the earthquake came a fire, but the LORD was not in the fire. And after the fire came a gentle whisper.

• Here are the sounds from heaven " I need Jesus" I am lost save me Jesus" " I want to be saved”

We hear the tears from the Altar prayers, Ringing the bell, Pentecost is those boots we heard two weeks ago when Jonas came to the altar and gave his soul to the lord, someone said, "I heard those boots while I was praying and I wondered whose they were." Pentecost is the engine of our vans to go pick up children for church. Pentecost is helping the needy in our community, Pentecost is a church that cares.

4. Pentecost is being filled in verse 4 . 4All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tonguesA as the Spirit enabled them.

• Jesus wants us to be filled with Thirst Jesus said, “If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, streams of living water will flow from within him” (John 7:37-38).

• Jesus tells us to be filled with Compassion on others Feeding 5 thousand the text says “He had compassion on the multitudes for they had been with him 3 days”. Jesus invites us to , "Leave it all behind, he who thirsts will thirst no more, come to the well"

5. Pentecost is hearing despite different languages, there were different cultures, different beliefs, different doctrines, different opinions, different concepts, different thinking, “Note they all heard”

. 7Utterly amazed, they asked: "Are not all these men who are speaking Galileans? 8Then how is it that each of us hears them in his own native language?

• Let us be understanding, considered, accepting, and compliant, with all the diverse voices

6. Finally, Pentecost is Time to Offer to God, Pentecost is Unity. Pentecost is sounds from Heaven, Pentecost is being Filled, and Pentecost is Hearing. Are you listening for the voice of God? What is he saying to you?