Pentecost - God's Gift keeps giving (CC)
0 (0 Likes / 0 Dislikes)
LET US RISE FOR THE READING OF
THIS MORNING'S SERMON TEXT
RECORDED FOR US IN ACTS WHERE
WE READ FROM
CHAPTER 2, THE SECOND PORTION
OF OUR EPISTLE LESSON: [14-21]
THEN PETER STOOD UP WITH THE
ELEVEN,
RAISED HIS VOICE AND ADDRESSED
THE CROWD:
"FELLOW JEWS AND ALL OF YOU
WHO LIVE IN JERUSALEM,
LET ME EXPLAIN THIS TO YOU;
LISTEN CAREFULLY TO WHAT I
SAY.
THESE PEOPLE ARE NOT DRUNK, AS
YOU SUPPOSE.
IT'S ONLY NINE IN THE MORNING!
NO, THIS IS WHAT WAS
SPOKEN BY THE PROPHET JOEL:
" 'IN THE LAST DAYS,
GOD SAYS, I WILL POUR OUT MY
SPIRIT
ON ALL PEOPLE. YOUR SONS AND
DAUGHTERS WILL PROPHESY,
YOUR YOUNG MEN WILL SEE
VISIONS,
YOUR OLD MEN WILL DREAM
DREAMS.
EVEN ON MY SERVANTS, BOTH MEN
AND WOMEN, I WILL POUR OUT
MY SPIRIT IN THOSE DAYS, AND
THEY WILL PROPHESY.
I WILL SHOW WONDERS IN THE
HEAVENS ABOVE
AND SIGNS ON THE EARTH BELOW,
BLOOD AND FIRE AND BILLOWS OF
SMOKE.
THE SUN WILL BE TURNED TO
DARKNESS AND THE MOON TO BLOOD
BEFORE THE COMING OF THE GREAT
AND GLORIOUS DAY OF THE LORD.
AND EVERYONE WHO CALLS ON THE
NAME OF THE LORD
WILL BE SAVED.'
THIS IS THE WORD OF OUR LORD.
LET US PRAY:
GLORIOUS AND GRACIOUS GOD, MAY
THE WORDS OF MY MOUTH
AND THE MEDITATION OF EACH OF
OUR HEARTS
BE ACCEPTABLE IN YOUR SIGHT,
OUR ONLY SOURCE OF HOPE
AND COMFORT. AMEN.
[TEXT TAKEN FROM
THE HOLY BIBLE,
NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION
1973, 1978, 1984, 2011
BY BIBLICA, INC.]
DEAR FOLLOWERS OF OUR LORD AND
SAVIOR,
JESUS CHRIST: AFTER I HAD
ACCEPTED A CALL
TO SERVE IN FLORIDA,
JO AND I MOVED THERE. IT WAS A
RATHER QUICK MOVE. WE DROVE
ALMOST CONSTANTLY SO THAT WE
COULD MEET THE FURNITURE TRUCK
WHEN HE ARRIVED.
WE WERE TIRED. IT WAS HOT.
IT WAS HUMID IN JULY. AND IT
WAS INTERESTING BECAUSE WE
STOPPED OUTSIDE OF TOWN TO
MEET THE CHAIRMAN OF THE
CONGREGATION AND HIS WIFE.
AND BERT GOT OUT OF THE CAR
AND HE LOOKED
LIKE COLONEL SANDERS.
HE COULD DO THE COMMERCIAL FOR
KFC.
BUT ALL OF A SUDDEN HIS WIFE
COMES RUNNING AROUND THE CAR
THROWS HER ARMS AROUND ME AND
SHARES SOMETHING IN SOUTHERN
THAT I COULDN'T UNDERSTAND
WHAT SHE SAID.
BECAUSE IT REALLY IS SOMETHING
WHEN YOU
GO TO A DIFFERENT PART OF THIS
COUNTRY
AND YOU THINK YOU CAN
UNDERSTAND ENGLISH
TILL SOMEONE STARTS TALKING TO
YOU
IN A DRAWL THAT IS DRONING,
THAT DRONES ON
AND DRAGS OUT AND SHE WAS ONE
OF THOSE PEOPLE
THAT USE THE SAME WORD FOR
DAWN, DON, DON'T ... ANYTHING
THAT HAD A
"D" AND SOME VOWELS
AND AN "N" AT THE END, ALL
SOUNDED THE SAME! AND HER NAME
WAS DONNA. [LAUGHTER] AND WHAT
I REMEMBER MOST ABOUT IT
WAS THAT ONE OF HER FAVORITE
LINES WAS, SHE'D SAY:
Y'ALL, THAT LADY CAN TALK
SO MUCH SHE MUSTA
BEEN VACCINATED WITH A
VICTROLA NEEDLE.
AND THE OTHER THING ABOUT
PEOPLE IN FLORIDA ... YOU JUST
WANT THEM TO GET TO THE
END OF THE SENTENCE.
BECAUSE THEY JUST DRAG IT OUT.
SO THEN,
WE MOVED TO L.A. !
AND WE GO TO THE GROCERY
STORE.
AND BY THEN, PEOPLE TALK
REALLY FAST IN OTHER
LANGUAGES THAT I HAVE NO IDEA
WHAT THEY ARE.
SO NOW, AFTER ALMOST 15 YEARS,
IT SEEMS
ODD NOT TO HEAR THAT NOISE
IN THE BACK OF MY HEAD. NOT TO
HEAR
THAT SPANISH. NOT TO HEAR THAT
KOREAN. NOT TO HEAR
WHATEVER ELSE IS BEING SPOKEN
AROUND ME WHILE EVERYONE'S
TALKING ON THEIR PHONE. I CAN
JUST GO ABOUT MY DAY
AND IT DOESN'T SEEM TO BOTHER
ME ANYMORE.
BUT I DON'T KNOW HOW I WOULD
HANDLE
TWELVE PEOPLE, EACH
SPEAKING THEIR OWN LANGUAGE,
TRYING TO STAND IN FRONT OF ME
AND
COMMUNICATE SOMETHING TO ME.
ONE OF THEM SPEAKING MY OWN
LANGUAGE; ELEVEN OF THEM 'NOT'!
AND A BIG CROWD AROUND ME
TRYING TO FIGURE OUT
WHAT'S GOING ON. BUT THAT'S
EXACTLY
WHAT HAPPENED ON THAT DAY OF
PENTECOST.
THAT DAY OF PENTECOST WHERE SO
MANY PEOPLE HAD
COME TOGETHER, TO WORSHIP GOD
IN JERUSALEM
ACCORDING TO THE JEWISH FAITH,
IN THE JEWISH LAW.
AND ON THAT DAY GOD POURED OUT
HIS HOLY SPIRIT
ON HIS DISCIPLES. THE SPIRIT
THAT HE HAD PROMISED TO SEND
TO THE CHURCH.
THROUGH THE PROPHET JOEL, HE
WAS VERY CLEAR.
IN THOSE LAST DAYS, IN THE
LAST DAYS OF THE CHURCH,
I WILL POUR OUT MY SPIRIT ON
ALL PEOPLE. AND ON THAT DAY OF
PENTECOST,
THAT POURING OUT BEGAN.
THAT POURING OUT TO PEOPLE,
BOTH MEN AND WOMEN,
YOUNG AND OLD ... THE SPIRIT
OF GOD!
BECAUSE GOD KEEPS HIS WORD!
GOD KEEPS HIS WORD IN WHAT, IN
THE MIDDLE OF OUR
EARTHLY PERSPECTIVE, MUST HAVE
BEEN CHAOS.
HEY, WHAT IS GOING ON? WHAT
DOES THIS MEAN?
WHY CAN I HEAR THAT PERSON,
THAT I KNOW
IS A GALILEAN, SPEAKING IN MY
LANGUAGE?
AND I CAN UNDERSTAND
EVERYTHING THAT HE'S SAYING
TO ME! AND THEN THE PERSON
NEXT TO YOU SAYS THEY'RE
OBVIOUSLY DRUNK AND ALL YOU
GOTTA DO IS LISTEN TO 'EM.
IT'S ALL JABBER. THEY DON'T
KNOW WHAT THEY'RE SAYING.
AND YET YOU HEAR THAT PERSON
SPEAKING DIRECTLY TO YOU.
AND THEN PETER STANDS UP
TO ADDRESS THE CROWD.
AND HE SAYS LISTEN CAREFULLY
TO WHAT I HAVE TO TELL YOU.
THIS 'IS' IMPORTANT!
AND THIS IS WHAT IT MEANS.
THIS MEANS THAT GOD
KEEPS HIS PROMISES;
HIS PROMISES TO THE CHURCH!
THIS MEANS
THAT THE HOLY SPIRIT HAS BEEN
POURED OUT
ONTO YOU AS BELIEVERS IN
CHRIST.
THIS IS OF UTMOST IMPORTANCE
AS THE FOUNDATION OF YOUR
FAITH. BECAUSE YOU ARE TO
BELIEVE IN GOD AND EVERYTHING
THAT WE SEE FROM SCRIPTURE
SAYS THAT GOD KEEPS HIS
PROMISES!
HE KEEPS 'ALL' OF HIS PROMISES
TO US!
WE THINK HOW IT STILL
MUST HAVE BEEN BURNING IN THE
BACK OF THE DISCIPLES MINDS.
THAT DEATH OF CHRIST. HIS
BURIAL
AND HIS RESURRECTION. AND HOW
JESUS CAME TO THEM
STILL TO COMFORT THEM: 'THIS'
IS WHAT HAD
TO HAPPEN. THIS IS WHAT
THE FULFILLMENT OF SCRIPTURE
IS ALL ABOUT.
I HAD TO DIE FOR THE SINS OF
THE WORLD.
I HAD TO BE RAISED TO LIFE
SO THAT YOU, TOO, WILL KNOW
THAT ETERNAL LIFE IS YOURS.
JESUS CAME TO THEM TIME AND
TIME AGAIN
AND IN OUR GOSPEL LESSON WE
HEAR HIM SAYING TO THEM AND
NOW YOU'RE IN GRIEF BECAUSE
YOU KNOW I HAVE TO GO AWAY.
JESUS WAS CONCERNED ABOUT THEM
AND CONCERNED ABOUT THEIR
FAITH.
CONCERNED ABOUT WHAT WAS GOING
TO HAPPEN
WHEN HE DID LEAVE THIS WORLD
AT HIS ASCENSION.
BUT HE SAID TO THEM: KNOW THAT
I AM NOT GOING TO LEAVE YOU
ALONE. I'M NOT GOING TO LEAVE
YOU AS ORPHANS.
I'M SENDING YOU THE ADVOCATE.
I AM
SENDING YOU THE HOLY SPIRIT. I
AM SENDING YOU
THE COUNSELOR, FROM THE FATHER
AND FROM ME
WHO IS GOING TO COME AND BE
WITH YOU
TO STRENGTHEN YOUR FAITH.
TO CAUSE YOUR EARS TO HEAR
WHAT GOD HAS TO SAY.
TO LISTEN TO IT CAREFULLY.
TO BE THE ONE WHO IS DAILY
THERE IN YOUR STRUGGLE TO LIVE
THE LIFE OF FAITH
THAT YOU WANT TO LIVE. HE IS
COMING
INTO THIS WORLD, HE SAID TO
HIS DISCIPLES.
KNOW THIS. TRUST THIS. AND NOW
WE SEE THAT FULFILLMENT WHEN
HE CAME TO THOSE DISCIPLES
IN THAT GREAT AND WONDERFUL
AND MIRACULOUS WAY; WITH
THE SOUND OF A GREAT WIND AND
WITH WHAT APPEARED TO BE
TONGUES OF FIRE ON THEIR
HEADS.
THEY KNEW THAT SOMETHING
SPECIAL HAD HAPPENED.
THEY KNEW THAT SOMETHING
TREMENDOUS WAS GOING ON AND
THEN ON TOP OF THAT, THEY HAD
THE ABILITY
TO SPEAK PERFECTLY IN
LANGUAGES
THAT THEY DID NOT KNOW. AND
FOR WHAT PURPOSE AND
FOR WHOSE GLORY?
GOD'S PURPOSE. AND GOD'S
GLORY!
TO TELL THE WORLD THAT GOD
KEEPS HIS PROMISES.
THAT HE IS A LOVING GOD WHO
COMES TO THEM
IN FAITH. THAT HE COMES TO
THEM WITH COMPASSION;
WHO IS NOT GOING TO ABANDON
THEM
OR LEAVE THEM ALONE, BUT WHO
IS THERE TO BE WITH THEM.
AND YOU AND I HAVE THAT SAME
PROMISE!
YOU AND I HAVE THAT SAME
TRUTH! WE KNOW THAT GOD KEEPS
HIS WORD AND HE KEEPS HIS
PROMISES.
HE SAID TO US THAT IN OUR
BAPTISM, WE RECEIVED
THE HOLY SPIRIT. THAT GIFT OF
THE HOLY SPIRIT IS OURS.
HE LIVES IN US. HE CREATED
FAITH IN US.
HE KEEPS THAT FAITH ALIVE.
HE IS THE ONE WHO IS FIGHTING
ON BEHALF OF US WHEN WE DON'T
EVEN KNOW THAT THERE IS A
BATTLE OR A WAR GOING ON.
HE IS THE ONE WHO IS
ALWAYS THERE - TO COMFORT US
WITH THE WORD OF GOD.
TO COME TO US AND REMIND US OF
GOD'S LOVE.
HE HAS BEEN POURED OUT ON US.
THAT HOLY SPIRIT IS YOURS!
AND DON'T LET ANYONE
TRY TO ROB YOU OF THE
ASSURANCE
THAT YOU HAVE THE GIFT OF THE
HOLY SPIRIT! DON'T LET SOMEONE
COME TO YOU AND SAY: YOU MAY
NOT HAVE THAT GIFT OF THE
HOLY SPIRIT UNLESS YOU'VE
FELT HIM.
UNLESS ONE DAY YOU HAD THIS
'GOD EXPERIENCE' WHERE ALL OF A
SUDDEN GOD ZAPPED YOU AND YOU
TINGLED WITH JOY
BECAUSE THE HOLY SPIRIT HAD
COME UPON YOU.
AND ALL OF A SUDDEN YOU COULD
DO SOMETHING MIRACULOUS.
THE GIFT OF THE HOLY SPIRIT
COMES TO US IN THE MIRACLE OF
BAPTISM!
TAKING PEOPLE WHO ARE
SEPARATED FROM GOD AND MAKING
THEM
HIS CHILDREN.
THAT GOD IN HIS LOVE HAS
POURED OUT
THAT HOLY SPIRIT ON US.
BOTH MEN AND WOMEN, YOUNG AND
OLD, TO BE
HIS BELIEVERS. POURED IT OUT,
NOT SELECTIVELY HANDING OUT A
LITTLE BIT HERE
AND A LITTLE BIT THERE, BUT
SAYING:
THIS IS MY SPIRIT THAT I SEND
INTO THE WORLD
WHO IS GOING INTO THE WORLD TO
CONVINCE PEOPLE
OF SIN AND RIGHTEOUSNESS AND
JUDGMENT.
TO BRING PEOPLE TO FAITH
WITH THE KNOWLEDGE OF KNOWING
THAT THEIR SINS HAVE BEEN
FORGIVEN IN JESUS CHRIST. THAT
IS WHAT HAS BEEN
POURED INTO YOUR HEART. THE
KNOWLEDGE
THAT JESUS CHRIST 'IS' YOUR
LORD AND SAVIOR.
WHAT HAS BEEN POURED INTO YOUR
HEART
IS THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF CHRIST
THAT YOU WEAR.
THAT WE DON'T STAND BEFORE GOD
COMING TO SAY: LOOK HOW GREAT
I AM. LOOK WHAT I CAN DO FOR
YOU, GOD.
RATHER, IN HUMILITY WE COME
INTO HIS PRESENCE AND
THANK HIM FOR WHAT HE HAS DONE
FOR US.
WHAT HE DOES FOR US DAILY
BY THAT HOLY SPIRIT THAT KEEPS
US
IN THE FAITH. AND WORKS
WITH US ALWAYS. AND REMINDS
US: THAT YES,
THESE LAST DAYS ARE GOING TO
END AND THERE IS GOING TO BE
A DAY OF JUDGMENT! A DAY OF
JUDGMENT THAT,
FOR PEOPLE WHO DON'T HAVE
FAITH, IS GOING TO BE
HORRIFIC! BUT IT'S ALSO GOING
TO BE SCARY FOR US
WHO REALIZE THOSE SIGNS. THOSE
SIGNS
THAT WERE TALKED ABOUT IN
JOEL. THOSE SIGNS THAT
JESUS ALSO TALKED ABOUT. THOSE
SIGNS THAT ARE IN THE WORD OF
GOD THAT HE IS GOING TO KEEP!
WHEN THE SUN IS GOING TO STOP
SHINING AND THIS WORLD
IS GOING TO END. WHEN IT'S
GOING TO BE REFINED
BY FIRE AND WE ARE GOING TO
LIVE IN A NEW HEAVEN
AND A NEW EARTH; THE HOME OF
RIGHTEOUSNESS!
'THAT' IS OUR FUTURE!
THERE IS OUR STRENGTH IN
KNOWING THAT GOD
IS GOING TO KEEP THOSE
PROMISES.
HE WILL NOT LEAVE US. HE WILL
NOT ABANDON US
BECAUSE HE HAS GIVEN TO US
THE GIFT OF HIS HOLY SPIRIT.
AND TODAY WE REJOICE IN THAT
GIFT.
AND IT MEANS FOR US, THAT WE
ARE STRONG IN OUR FAITH,
CONFIDENT IN OUR FAITH; LIVING
THAT LIFE OF FAITH BY THE
POWER OF THE HOLY SPIRIT.
BECAUSE GOD HAS PUT HIS HOLY
SPIRIT IN US
TO PROPHESY. AND LET'S NOT
THINK BIG.
RIGHT AWAY WE HEAR THAT WORD
'PROPHESY' AND WE THINK:
OH, I'M GOING TO SEE VISIONS
INTO THE FUTURE AND I'M
GONNA KNOW EVERYTHING THAT'S
GOING TO HAPPEN. PROPHESY
MEANS TO SHARE THE WORD OF
GOD.
TO PROCLAIM WHAT GOD HAS DONE.
AND THAT IS WHAT HAS BEEN
GIVEN TO EACH OF US.
THAT IS WHAT WE KNOW.
TO SHARE WITH OUR CHILDREN.
TO TEACH OUR GRANDCHILDREN. TO
USE AS ENCOURAGEMENT
FOR EACH OTHER. TO USE AS
CORRECTING OR REBUKING
WITH EACH OTHER. THAT WE, AS
THE MEN
AND WOMEN OF GOD'S CHURCH
ARE TO PROCLAIM HIS WORD.
AND TO BE CONFIDENT IN KNOWING
THAT EVERYTHING
THAT HE SAYS 'IS' THE TRUTH!
EVERYTHING THAT HE PROMISED
'IS' AND 'WILL' COME TRUE.
AND THAT 'IS' WHAT IS SO
IMPORTANT TO US.
THAT'S THE MEANING FOR OUR
LIFE!
THAT'S WHAT GOD WANTS US TO BE
AND HE WANTS US TO DO. AND
TODAY WE REJOICE
IN THAT. ON THIS DAY OF THE
OUTPOURING
OF THE HOLY SPIRIT, WE ARE
RENEWED IN OUR FAITH.
WE ARE RENEWED IN OUR
CHRISTIAN LIFE. WE ARE
RENEWED IN SAYING: GOD LOVES
ME!
AND I CALL ON HIS NAME!
AND THE LAST VERSE
OF OUR SERMON TEXT FOR THIS
MORNING
HAS TO BE OUR BANNER CRY.
EVERYONE WHO CALLS
ON THE NAME OF THE LORD
WILL ... BE ... SAVED!
GOD SAID IT! HE HAS DONE IT!
IT IS ...
THE TRUTH!
AMEN.
LET US RISE.
NOW MAY THE
PEACE OF GOD WHICH GOES BEYOND
ALL OF OUR UNDERSTANDING
KEEP YOUR HEARTS AND YOUR
MINDS AND ESPECIALLY YOUR
LIVES IN THE ONE TRUE FAITH
UNTO LIFE EVERLASTING. AMEN.