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05-31-09 Pentecost

Rev. Eddie Bradford

“3000 and Counting!”

Acts 2: 1-4

Birthday parties are a lot of fun! Have you been to one recently? Surprise birthday parties are even more fun! When one is pulled off to perfection it is hard to beat! There is a usually a great amount of joy, a delicious cake, presents, family, and friends all joining together for the same reason.

But I know of another occasion when many people joined together for a common purpose. The difference is that the gift given THAT day has lasted forever! That gift is the gift of the Holy Spirit!

Today is Pentecost Sunday so let me tell you a little about Pentecost. First – a little history: It comes from the Greek word meaning 50th and it is observed on the 50th day after Passover. It was called the Feast of Weeks or the Feast of Harvest as it was originally an agricultural festival – an occasion on which the community was expected to show gratitude to God for the first fruits. According to Old Testament traditions one was not allowed to work on the day of Pentecost. It was between 300 BC and AD 300 in the Hellenistic period when Pentecost began to loose its association with agriculture and began being associated with the religious history of the Hebrew people. The New Testament clearly shows that Pentecost was celebrated in the 1st century and that it came to have a special Christian significance. In writing to the Corinthians Paul said that he planned to stay in Ephesus until Pentecost so he expected his readers to know what he was talking about. Because of this many Biblical scholars suggest that Pentecost had become a Christian observance as early as Paul’s time.

But what does Pentecost mean to us today? It is observed by the Christian Church as the day on which the gift of the Holy Spirit was given to God’s people – to the church. In the 2nd chapter of Acts we read that the apostles and many others were gathered in Jerusalem on the day of Pentecost. It says that there was a sudden sound like the rush of a mighty wind from heaven, followed by tongues as of fire distributed and resting on each one of them. As a result the apostles began to speak in many different languages. What a sight that must have been!

So this is the first we know of the Holy Spirit coming upon such a large group of people. The Holy Spirit has been described and defined many different ways, but the one I like is that it is “the mysterious power or presence of God with individuals and communities, inspiring or empowering them with qualities they would not otherwise posses.” The mysterious presence of God empowering us! I like that! In John 14 Jesus said, “All this I have spoken while still with you but the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you.” So the Holy Spirit teaches us and reminds us of all things about Jesus! I certainly need that!

Dr. William Barclay, a renown theologian who taught at several different seminaries and wrote more than 80 books on the New Testament, said that “the Christian must be a learner to the end of the day, for to the end of the day the Holy Spirit will be leading you deeper and deeper into the truth of God.” Remember, the Bible says that Holy Spirit is a teacher and a reminder!

Christians can be very forgetful at times. We sometimes forget all that we have read and heard about Jesus. This is apparent when we sin and don’t praise and worship God like He deserves; when we are jealous, impatient, rude and easily angered; when we steal, cheat, spread rumors, or say things to hurt others. When we do these things we must be forgetting the teachings of Jesus! But isn’t it great that we have the Helper, the Holy Spirit to remind us about Christ? And we do need that reminder at times as we try much too often to rely on our own abilities.

Philippians 4:13 does not say that I can do all things by my own strength! It says that I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me! We need to remember the teachings of Christ and rely on HIS strength! The Holy Spirit helps us to do that even in this materialistic world we live in because it helps keep us grounded and focused on Jesus. These young folks who (are joining – joined) the church this morning have heard so much about Jesus over the past 10 months or so during confirmation classes and the Holy Spirit is already working in their lives to help remind them about all that they have heard. They (will be – have been) added to the number of believers today and that glorifies and pleases God!

These youth have heard what Jesus has to offer them and what the church has to offer them and they responded by saying yes to God because of His prevenient grace that has been seeking them their entire lives. The Holy Spirit is at work here folks!

Those people who listened to Peter preach that day realized what they had seen and heard was from God and if you read on in the story in Acts 2 you will see that they were cut to the heart and asked Peter what they should do. Peter said, “Repent and be Baptized, everyone of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.” The Holy Spirit IS a gift! Yet another gift from God for His people – for you and for me, for all who believe!

Dr. Barclay also said that the Holy Spirit will keep us right in the matter of conduct. When we are tempted to do something against God’s will the Holy Spirit reminds us of a saying of Jesus, a particular Bible verse, a picture of Jesus in our mind, a verse from a hymn or praise song, or maybe even our mother’s telling us, “If you can’t say anything nice, don’t say anything at all!” In the moment of a potentially dangerous thought or deed these things can flash into our minds and that is the work and the power of the Holy Spirit. Talking about a full time job! It’s at work 24/7 and it never leaves us!

Jesus tells us in John 14: 15-17, “If you love me, you will keep my commandments. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate, to be with you for ever. This is the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, because he abides with you, and he will be in you.” As Christians we all have the Holy Spirit with us and within us at all times. We have the Counselor, the Helper with us in every situation! The Holy Spirit is a gift from God! Take it, rely on it and feel its power! Now 3000 people are not going to join God’s church here this morning, but what about, oh, say 100, 200, maybe even 300 folks either joining or renewing their promises to God today? It can happen! Let’s keep growing in our faith and let’s let the Holy Spirit teach us, remind us, and move us each day!