The Spirit Became flesh The Miracle On The Day Of Pentecost
Preaching
Preaching the Miracles
Cycle A
When the day of Pentecost had come, they were all together in one place. 2And suddenly a sound came from heaven like the rush of the mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. 3And there appeared to them tongues as of fire, distributed and resting on each of them. 4And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.
5Now there were dwelling in Jerusalem Jews, devout men from every nation under heaven. 6And at this sound the multitude came together, and they were bewildered, because each one heard them speaking in his own language. 7And they were amazed and wondered, saying, "Are not all these who are speaking Galileans? 8And how is it that we hear, each of us in his own native language? 9Parthians and Medes and Elamites and residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, 10Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya belonging to Cyrene, and visitors from Rome, both Jews and proselytes, 11Cretans and Arabians, we hear them telling in our own tongues the mighty works of God." 12And all were amazed and perplexed, saying to one another, "What does this mean?" 13But others mocking said, "They are filled with new wine."
14But Peter standing with the 11, lifted up his voice and addressed them, "Men of Judea and all who dwell in Jerusalem, let this be known to you, and give ear to my words. 15For these men are not drunk, as you suppose, since it is only the third hour of the day; 16but this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel: 17'And in the last days it shall be, God declares, that I will pour out my Spirit upon all flesh, and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams; 18yea, and on my menservants and my maidservants in those days I will pour out my Spirit; and they shall prophesy. 19And I will show wonders in the heaven above and signs on the earth beneath, blood, and fire, and vapor of smoke; 20the sun shall be turned into darkness and the moon into blood, before the day of the Lord comes, the great and manifest day. 21And it shall be that whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.' "
Whether it is a girl or boy, a new baby is usually considered a miracle. When parents look at their newborn baby, they often exclaim, "It's a miracle! How could we have ever produced something as marvelous as this? It is amazing! It is wonderful!" As they count the baby's tiny fingers and toes, they know deep in their hearts that they did not do this by themselves. They realize that they were only God's instruments. This was God's doing. He performed a miracle of physical birth through them.
The coming of the Holy Spirit on Pentecost was also a miracle. It was a miracle of the Spirit. It was a miracle that he came and how he came. His coming was associated with marvelous events: a terrific wind, divided tongues of fire, and unlearned men speaking in foreign languages. Above all, it was a miracle that the Holy Spirit became flesh by entering the lives of ordinary and believing human beings. As the Word became flesh in Jesus, the Spirit became flesh in the apostles on Pentecost.
Not only was the coming of the Holy Spirit a miracle, but the Spirit himself produced miracles. There was the miracle of spiritual birth. As the Spirit enabled the Virgin Birth, the Spirit gave birth to the church. Thus, Pentecost is celebrated as the birthday of the church. The church was not founded by Christ but by the Holy Spirit. When the Spirit came, the apostles began preaching, and as a result of Peter's first sermon, 3,000 converts came to Christ. Moreover, the Spirit made new men out of the disciples. They were changed to apostles. They were born again of the Spirit just as Jesus told Nicodemus he had to be born again of the Spirit (John 3:5). In 2 Corinthians 5:17 Paul wrote that a person in Christ is a new creation. The disciples were transformed into new persons: from fearful to bold preachers, from silent onlookers to forceful proclaimers, from weak to powerful witnesses of the cross and resurrection.
It is this miracle we get to preach on the Day of Pentecost in the hope that today's lethargic, numerically declining church will experience this miracle of spiritual re-birth.
Acclimation
The Situation
In obedience to Jesus' directive given prior to his ascension, the disciples were in Jerusalem awaiting the promised gift of the Holy Spirit. Since Matthias was elected to take the place of Judas Iscariot, 12 were gathered in an upper room. All of a sudden they heard the noise of a furious wind. Tongues of fire settled on each man's head. The Holy Spirit came to them accompanied by these signs. At once they began to speak in various foreign languages. At that time Jerusalem was filled with people "from every country in the world (Acts 2:5)." The amazing thing was that these unlearned apostles were preaching about Jesus in the native language of various peoples. This caused amazement and curiosity. Some asked, "What is the meaning of this?" Others scoffed at the incident and claimed that the apostles were drunk.
As leader and spokesman, Peter, supported by the other 11, gave an answer to their question. Since it was only 9 a.m., he assured them that they could not be drunk. He explained that they received the Holy Spirit as prophesied by Joel who said that God would pour out his Spirit on everyone including men and women, young and old, and even servants.
The Setting
1. The Scriptural Setting. To understand the miracle of Pentecost, we need to know about the events prior to the Spirit's coming. Forty days, according to Luke, after the Easter triumph, Jesus returned to the glory of God the Father. Before ascending Jesus gave orders to his 11 to wait in Jerusalem for the promise of the Spirit to be fulfilled. They obeyed and wajted as a group together with 120 other followers. In this 10-day waiting period, they prayed and had a business meeting to elect someone to replace Judas Iscariot. Matthias won the election. With that accomplished, they were organizationally intact and were ready to go forward. They lacked only one thing: the Spirit to motivate and empower them to continue Jesus' work of preaching, teaching and healing. They were like a fully equipped auto with a full tank of gas but without a battery to give spark to the motor. On Pentecost the spark came as a mighty wind and tongues of fire. The Spirit gave them power to be witnesses of the Christ.
Also, we need to know what happened after the Pentecost event. Having the Holy Spirit, the apostles at once began to speak about Christ to the people who were attracted to the spectacular occurrences of wind and fire. The people consisted of a variety of foreigners who came to Jerusalem for the feast of Pentecost or the Feast of Weeks. Each nationality heard the gospel in their native language. This was a miracle, because the apostles knew only Aramaic. Many wondered what this was all about. One group dismissed it by saying the men were drunk. Under the unction of the Spirit, Peter defended their speaking in foreign languages and then went on to blame them for killing Jesus who was son of David and Son of God. Three thousand responded to his plea that they repent, believe, and be baptized. The new Christians continued in the fellowship of the apostles and had all things in common.
The Church Year Setting
For Jews Pentecost was one of the three most important festivals: Passover, Pentecost and Feast of Tabernacles. Pentecost occurred 50 days after Passover. It was known also as Feast of Weeks, because it occurred seven weeks after the Passover. Pentecost was the observance of the birth of the nation when Moses received from Yahweh the Decalogue. Also, on this festival they brought the first fruits of the wheat and corn harvest to the temple.
For Christians Pentecost also is one of three most important festivals: Christmas, Easter and Pentecost. It marks the birth of the church, the new Israel. It is a time also for the gifts and fruits of the Holy Spirit. Pentecost is observed 50 days from Easter, the giving of the Holy Spirit to the apostles. It is a major festival equal in importance to Christmas and Easter. Three festivals come close to each other: Easter, Ascension and Pentecost. The Sunday following Pentecost is Trinity Sunday, because now we have the three persons of the Trinity: God the Father as creator, God the Son as redeemer, and God the Holy Spirit as sanctifier.
Pentecost means "fifty," because it occurs 50 days after the resurrection. It is also known as "Whitsunday" or White Sunday because centuries ago candidates for baptism or confirmation wore white robes. There is a difference between the Day of Pentecost and the Season of Pentecost. The day celebrates the coming of the Spirit. The season of 27 Sundays is the season for the fruit, gifts and work of the Spirit in and through the church. Pentecost, therefore, opens the second half of the church year. The liturgical color for the Day of Pentecost is red symbolizing the fire of Pentecost, and for the season the color is green, for during the season we are to grow in the Spirit. Green is the color of growth.
Related Passages
Genesis 1:1-2 - The Spirit creates.
2 Kings 2:9-12 - Elisha receives Elijah's spirit.
Joel 2:28-29 - A promise of the Spirit from God.
Ezekiel 37:1-14 - The Spirit gives life to dead bones.
Matthew 3:13-17 - Jesus receives the Holy Spirit at his baptism.
John 3:5-8 - The necessity of being re-born of the Spirit.
John 15:26-27 - Jesus promises to send the Holy Spirit.
Galatians 5:22-23 - The fruit of the Spirit.
The Lectionary
Lesson 1 (Isaiah 44:1-8). Yahweh promises: "I will pour out my spirit upon your descendents." In bondage in Babylon, Israel is as dry spiritually as a desert. God promises to send the rain of his Spirit upon them that once again they may be green in faith and hope and know that he alone is God.
Lesson 2 (Acts 2:1-21). On Pentecost the Holy Spirit came to the apostles. The prophecy in Joel was fulfilled on Pentecost. Ten days after the ascension the Holy Spirit came upon the 12 who were obediently awaiting the fulfillment of Christ's promise to send the Spirit.
Gospel (John 20:19-23). On Easter Day Jesus breathes the Spirit on his disciples. Luke and John give different accounts of the time when the Holy Spirit was received. John places it on Easter Day. The risen Christ appears to the frightened disciples and gives them the Holy Spirit. Then he sends them to the world as he was sent by his Father that repentant believers may receive forgiveness.
Psalm of the Day (Psalm 104:24-34). The Spirit is a creative power of life: "When you send forth your spirit, they are created (v. 30)."
Prayer of the Day: "Look upon your church and open our hearts to the power of the Spirit. Kindle in us the fire of your love...."
Hymn of the Day: "Come, Holy Ghost, Our Souls Inspire"
Explanation
All (vv. 1, 2, 4). Pentecost was an experience for every apostle. When the Spirit came, they were all together in one place. The wind of the Spirit filled all the house. The fire rested on all of them: "resting on each one of them." They were all filled with the Spirit. No one was left out. The reception of the Holy Spirit is not a private affair but a community event. The Holy Spirit is not for a select few but for every member of the church. A lay person can have the Spirit equal to or even more so than the amount of Spirit possessed by a bishop with apostolic succession. If all church members were present to pray for the Spirit, undoubtedly the church would experience another Pentecost.
Wind and fire (vv. 2, 3). It was an audiovisual experience. The apostles heard the wind and saw the fire. It was a "mighty wind." It was a blast. The wind symbolized the power of the Spirit. How powerful wind is can be seen in a hurricane or tornado. The Spirit's coming was no light, gentle Spring breeze. Wind and fire can go together. With a high wind a forest fire gets beyond control. The fire represents God, for he is a "consuming fire." Moses confronted God at a burning bush. A pillar of fire led the Israelites through the wilderness. People of the Spirit are not cold nor even lukewarm. They are hot with zeal, fervor and enthusiasm. After meeting Jesus on the way to Emmaus, one of the men asked the other, "Wasn't it like a fire burning in us when he talked to us on the road ...?"
Spirit (v. 4). The word, "spirit," in Hebrew is ruach. It is translated as "wind" or "spirit." Word and spirit are inseparable, like two sides of a coin, because a word cannot be spoken without wind. Air must pass through the vocal cords for a word to be spoken. "The Spirit gave them utterance (v. 4)." After receiving the Spirit, Peter preached his sermon. The Holy Spirit enabled the prophets to preach. "The spirit of the Lord God is upon me ... to proclaim liberty to the captives (Isaiah 61:1)."
Tongues (vv. 4, 6, 8). When the Spirit came, the apostles began to speak "in other tongues." Were they the unknown tongues described in 1 Corinthians 14? No. At Pentecost the speakers are not expressing their feelings but are zealous to tell the story of Jesus. At the time many Jews were present from various countries in the Roman Empire. Jews were dispersed in every country. Many returned to Jerusalem for Pentecost. When the apostles spoke, the various nationalities heard these Aramaic-speaking Jews talking in their own language. If they spoke in unknown tongues an interpreter would have been necessary to explain and translate what they said. On Pentecost there was no need for an explanation because they got the message in their native language. This was amazing! Have you ever tried to master Hebrew, Chinese or Russian? If so, it usually takes years to learn the language. Here is the miracle: unlearned men spoke intelligently in a foreign language! Still today effective preachers speak in a language known to the people.
Mean (v. 12). What is going on here? We have never heard anything like it! We hear a violent wind. We see tongues of fire settling on heads. Then we hear a dozen men speaking 16 different languages. Just a little while ago they could only speak Aramaic! The people asked each other, "What does this mean?" It was a good question. Some in the crowd gave the wrong answer: "They are drunk." Peter used the question as an opportunity to explain the phenomenon and to preach Jesus crucified and risen. As Peter answered the question in his sermon, today preachers also have the task and opportunity to explain what spiritual truth and experiences mean. What do incarnation, atonement, justification and conversion mean?
Third hour (v. 15). The Jewish day extended from six to six. The Pentecost event took place on the third hour or 9 a.m. It is most unlikely that a group of men would be drunk at this early hour. Drunkenness usually occurs during the night hours. By stating this time fact, Peter nullified the claim that he and his associates were drunk. Rather they were drunk with the Spirit - filled to overflowing!
Application
Relevance Of Revelation
1. Perhaps the most relevant aspect of the miracle of Pentecost is the dire need of today's church for another Pentecost. The church desperately needs a revival of the Spirit. Mainline American Protestant churches are losing members by the millions. Almost half of church members are inactive as shown by their lack of attendance and contributions. The agenda of the world is often the agenda of the church. Her leadership in part is plagued by monetary and sexual scandals. Preaching has fallen to a new low with eight minute homilies consisting of stories. The only hope for a cleansed and renewed church is a re-birth of the Spirit.
2. Pentecost is the festival of the Holy Spirit. Nevertheless, the laity are largely ignorant or misinformed about the Spirit. Often the Spirit is referred to as the "unknown God." One misconception of the Spirit is his origin. Many think th Spirit came into being on Pentecost, 30 A.D. This overlooks the fact that the Holy Spirit is the third person of the Trinity. He is God who is eternal. The Spirit was at the creation of the universe and worked throughout the history of the Hebrews as recorded in the Old Testament.
Another misconception deals with how one gets the Holy Spirit. One of America's largest denominations uses as her slogan, "Catch the Spirit." The Spirit is a gift of God coming through Word and sacraments. Possession of the Holy Spirit is not a human achievement nor a product to be purchased. God gives his Spirit to repentant, believing, praying and receptive souls.
3. Many questions are in the minds of church people -Is there a difference between water and spirit baptism? Does the Holy Spirit come as a result of a "second blessing?" Since the spirit of Christ is the Holy Spirit, is the coming of the Spirit the second coming of Christ? Can one get the Holy Spirit without a Pentecost experience of a rushing wind, tongues of fire and speaking in a foreign language? To be a true Christian, must one be able to speak in unknown tongues? Can one have the Holy Spirit without being a charismatic? How can one be sure one has the Holy Spirit?
Sermon Suggestions
1. It Didn't Just Happen. The Pentecost event didn't just happen as a bolt in the blue. Before the Holy Spirit can be received, conditions must be met and preparations made. On the surface it appears that the Spirit came suddenly and unexpectedly. That is not the case. The apostles were obedient to the Master's directive. They stayed in Jerusalem and waited. If they had not obeyed, the men would have scattered to their homes. Moreover, they prepared by prayer. They kept their hearts receptive through asking and seeking. In addition, they did not get tired of waiting, for they had no idea when the promise would be fulfilled: 10 days, 10 months or 10 years. It was an expression of their faith and trust in Jesus' promise. Because similar preparations are not made, we can see why there is no revival or renewal of Spirit.
2. From Marketplace to City Square. The 12 had the Pentecost experience in an upper room where they regularly gathered for prayer and fellowship. When the Holy Spirit came, they apparently did not stay there but went where the people were. They did not keep to themselves and hold a worship service of thanksgiving, nor celebrate the Eucharist, nor hold a reception or a press conference. At once they began to speak to the people in the language of the people. The tongues of fire ignited their tongues to witness. The first gift of the Spirit is the ability to witness, speak and preach. Today's lack of witnessing by many indicates a need for a new Pentecost.
3. Enthusiasm. Too often we think of Christian proclamation as dull, uninteresting and blah-blah. It is rare to hear and see an enthusiastic Christian, lay or clerical. To have enthusiasm is to have zest, excitement and fervor. Where does enthusiasm come from? The answer is in the Greek meaning of the word: en = "in," "thus" = theos meaning God. An enthusiastic person has God inside. The Holy Spirit is God in the believer. And God is life. To have God is to be thrilled and excited about the things of God. The Spirit came as tongues of fire. God is fire which causes zeal, warmth and fervor. For this reason effective preachers spend much time in prayer as preparation for preaching. With the Spirit the sermon comes alive and the preacher is alive with enthusiasm.
4. Sober Inebriation. Some of the people explained the apostles' speaking in various languages by claiming that they were drunk. What does it mean to be drunk? What does a drunk say or do? Do they say crazy things? Is their speech not intelligible? Peter explained they were not drunk from new wine so early in the day, but they were filled with the Spirit. They had sober inebriation! They were soaked with God's spirit of love and truth. How does one get drunk? By drinking too much alcohol. In the same way, Christians are drunk with the Holy Spirit because they constantly imbibe the Spirit through Word and sacraments.
5. A Sermon that Wins. Do you remember the very first sermon you preached? Are you ashamed of it and would never preach it again? It is good to feel that way because it proves that you have grown and improved in your preaching. On Pentecost Peter preached his first sermon. And it was a bell-ringer! Whose first sermon gained 3,000 converts? Take a look at the sermon as a model for our sermons. First, Peter began with the people's question, "What does this mean (v. 12)?" The accusation that they were drunk moved Peter to make a defense by quoting scripture. Since the people were faithful Jews, they would appreciate the biblical account and its authority. Then, Peter preaches the law by accusing them of crucifying the Son of God. The gospel followed the law, for Peter told who Jesus was and what his death and resurrection meant. When the people asked what they should do about it, Peter was practical. He gave the "how" which is often omitted in sermons. He was specific and definite: repent, believe, be baptized and receive the Holy Spirit. Follow this procedure sometime. You may gain converts!
Sermon Structures
1. Marks of Pentecost (2:1-21). A study of the passages gives us the characteristics of Pentecost -
A. Dramatic: wind, fire - vv. 2, 3
B. Personal: "resting on each of them" - v. 3
C. Universal: 16 languages - vv. 8-11
D. Utilitarian - v. 6
2. How Shall we Respond (2:1-21, 41)? Various responses were made to the miracle of Pentecost -
A. Amazement - v. 12
B. Curiosity - v. 12
C. Ridicule - v. 13
D. Acceptance - v. 41
3. A Church Affair (2:1-21). The coming of the Holy Spirit was a church affair -
A. The Spirit gathers the church - "all together" - v. 1
B. The Spirit comes to the church - "They were all filled" - v. 4
C. The Spirit saves through the church - Word and Sacraments - vv. 14, 21
4. Have You received the Spirit? Many church members are not sure they have the Holy Spirit. Consider the ways the Spirit comes -
A. Are you baptized? - 2:38
B. Do you belong to the church? - 2:38
C. Do you show fruit of the Spirit? - Galatians 5:22-23
D. Do you receive the Word? - "The Holy Spirit will never take us beyond or outside the bounds of scripture."
5. The Big Blast (2:2)! The Spirit came "like the rush of a mighty wind." On Easter Sunday Jesus breathed on the disciples and they received the Spirit. Consider the Spirit as breath or wind.
A. The breath of life - God breathed life into Adam -Genesis 2:7
B. The breath of speech - "The Spirit gave them utterance" - 2:4
C. The breath of power - "filled all the house" - 2:2
6. The Uses of Fire (2:3). The Holy Spirit came as tongues of fire. Why fire?
A. Fire denotes God's presence - Moses at the burning bush.
B. Fire leads - Israelites led at night by a pillar of fire.
C. Fire stirs - Jeremiah had fire in his bones.
D. Fire cleanses - In the temple Isaiah was cleansed by hot coals.
7. Our Only Available God (2:1-21). God the Father is invisible and unapproachable. God the Son sits at the right hand of God. People on earth have only God the Spirit. He is God in believers. God is not in us by nature but by spiritual birth. He is God in us to make us like God, not to be God.
A. Father - God is for us: creation
B. Son - God is with us: incarnation
C. Spirit - God is in us: sanctification
Illustration
A Preacher on Fire! Great crowds came to hear John Wesley preach. One time a young preacher saw the crowd and after the service asked John Wesley how he attracted so many people to hear the Word. Wesley explained, "Put yourself on fire and people will come to watch you burn up."
The Spirit in the Pulpit. Before the Spirit came on Pentecost there was no preaching nor witnessing. "The Spirit enabled them to speak (Acts 2:4)." In many European cathedrals pulpits had a tester which served as a sounding board because PA systems were not yet invented. Under the tester was a carved dove representing the Holy Spirit. When a preacher stood in the pulpit, the dove was directly above his head to symbolize that he spoke under the influence and guidance of the Spirit.
A Church on Fire. Billy Graham tells about a fire that broke out in a small-town church. When the fire brigade with siren wailing arrived on the scene, the minister recognized one of the men. "Hello there, Jim - I haven't seen you in church for a long time," he chided. "Well," answered the sweating man struggling with the fire hose, "there hasn't been a fire in your church for a long time."
The Truth on Fire. Some years ago theologians from a number of denominations met with the leaders of the Pentecostal churches. They asked the Pentecostal representative, "Do you believe that you Pentecostals have the truth and other churches do not?" "No," the Pentecostal leader replied, "we both have the truth. In our home we have a stove and a deep freeze. My wife can take out a frozen steak and lay it on the table. It's a steak all right. But not until she puts it on fire will we say to each other, 'Man, that smells good. Let's have some!' Gentlemen, that is the difference between our churches. You have yours on ice and we have ours on fire!"
Do It Again! William Booth, founder of the Salvation Army, was converted in Wesleyan Chapel in Nottingham, England. One day an old man in uniform of the Salvation Army asked the minister of the chapel, "Can a man say his prayers here?" "Of course a man can say his prayers here!" the minister replied. The old man went into the chapel, bowed his head and knelt down. In a little while he raised his head and with tears he said, "0 God, do it again! Do it again!" O, for another Pentecost experience!
Feathers and All! The Holy Spirit can be carried to an extreme. Karlstadt, a contemporary of Luther, claimed he went beyond Luther in the experience of the Holy Spirit. Luther explained that Karlstadt devoured the Holy Spirit "feathers and all." Luther saw the Spirit related to the Word and sacraments. Karlstadt held that he had a direct, inner experience with the Holy Spirit.
Melting the Saints. During the time of Oliver Cromwell, the British government was out of silver for coins. Cromwell sent his men to investigate the local cathedral to see if they could find any precious metals there. They later reported, "The only silver we could find is in the statues of the saints standing in the corners of the cathedral." Cromwell responded, "Good! We'll melt the saints and put them in circulation." On Pentecost the fire of the Holy Spirit melted the apostles and they circulated among the people.
Keep the Fire Burning. Some years ago plans were made to build a dam in the Tennessee mountain valleys for the production of electricity. This required the flooding of the area. Cabins had to be moved. But one cabin owner refused to sell because his family lived there for generations. Even though he was offered five times more than his property was worth, he refused to sell. The government went ahead and built the cabin-owner a modern house with all the modern conveniences in it. They showed him the house and offered it to him. Still his reply was "No." The government planners were stunned that he would refuse this new home and asked him why he refused it. He explained that his grandfather started a fire on the hearth of the old cabin with instructions that as a sacred family symbol the fire should never be allowed to go out. He felt that it was his sacred duty to keep the fire going. So the engineers suggested that they gather the fire and put it on the new hearth. They guaranteed that the fire would not burn out. The mountaineer was finally convinced, "Then I will move. All I want is to keep alive the fires of my fathers."
5Now there were dwelling in Jerusalem Jews, devout men from every nation under heaven. 6And at this sound the multitude came together, and they were bewildered, because each one heard them speaking in his own language. 7And they were amazed and wondered, saying, "Are not all these who are speaking Galileans? 8And how is it that we hear, each of us in his own native language? 9Parthians and Medes and Elamites and residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, 10Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya belonging to Cyrene, and visitors from Rome, both Jews and proselytes, 11Cretans and Arabians, we hear them telling in our own tongues the mighty works of God." 12And all were amazed and perplexed, saying to one another, "What does this mean?" 13But others mocking said, "They are filled with new wine."
14But Peter standing with the 11, lifted up his voice and addressed them, "Men of Judea and all who dwell in Jerusalem, let this be known to you, and give ear to my words. 15For these men are not drunk, as you suppose, since it is only the third hour of the day; 16but this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel: 17'And in the last days it shall be, God declares, that I will pour out my Spirit upon all flesh, and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams; 18yea, and on my menservants and my maidservants in those days I will pour out my Spirit; and they shall prophesy. 19And I will show wonders in the heaven above and signs on the earth beneath, blood, and fire, and vapor of smoke; 20the sun shall be turned into darkness and the moon into blood, before the day of the Lord comes, the great and manifest day. 21And it shall be that whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.' "
Whether it is a girl or boy, a new baby is usually considered a miracle. When parents look at their newborn baby, they often exclaim, "It's a miracle! How could we have ever produced something as marvelous as this? It is amazing! It is wonderful!" As they count the baby's tiny fingers and toes, they know deep in their hearts that they did not do this by themselves. They realize that they were only God's instruments. This was God's doing. He performed a miracle of physical birth through them.
The coming of the Holy Spirit on Pentecost was also a miracle. It was a miracle of the Spirit. It was a miracle that he came and how he came. His coming was associated with marvelous events: a terrific wind, divided tongues of fire, and unlearned men speaking in foreign languages. Above all, it was a miracle that the Holy Spirit became flesh by entering the lives of ordinary and believing human beings. As the Word became flesh in Jesus, the Spirit became flesh in the apostles on Pentecost.
Not only was the coming of the Holy Spirit a miracle, but the Spirit himself produced miracles. There was the miracle of spiritual birth. As the Spirit enabled the Virgin Birth, the Spirit gave birth to the church. Thus, Pentecost is celebrated as the birthday of the church. The church was not founded by Christ but by the Holy Spirit. When the Spirit came, the apostles began preaching, and as a result of Peter's first sermon, 3,000 converts came to Christ. Moreover, the Spirit made new men out of the disciples. They were changed to apostles. They were born again of the Spirit just as Jesus told Nicodemus he had to be born again of the Spirit (John 3:5). In 2 Corinthians 5:17 Paul wrote that a person in Christ is a new creation. The disciples were transformed into new persons: from fearful to bold preachers, from silent onlookers to forceful proclaimers, from weak to powerful witnesses of the cross and resurrection.
It is this miracle we get to preach on the Day of Pentecost in the hope that today's lethargic, numerically declining church will experience this miracle of spiritual re-birth.
Acclimation
The Situation
In obedience to Jesus' directive given prior to his ascension, the disciples were in Jerusalem awaiting the promised gift of the Holy Spirit. Since Matthias was elected to take the place of Judas Iscariot, 12 were gathered in an upper room. All of a sudden they heard the noise of a furious wind. Tongues of fire settled on each man's head. The Holy Spirit came to them accompanied by these signs. At once they began to speak in various foreign languages. At that time Jerusalem was filled with people "from every country in the world (Acts 2:5)." The amazing thing was that these unlearned apostles were preaching about Jesus in the native language of various peoples. This caused amazement and curiosity. Some asked, "What is the meaning of this?" Others scoffed at the incident and claimed that the apostles were drunk.
As leader and spokesman, Peter, supported by the other 11, gave an answer to their question. Since it was only 9 a.m., he assured them that they could not be drunk. He explained that they received the Holy Spirit as prophesied by Joel who said that God would pour out his Spirit on everyone including men and women, young and old, and even servants.
The Setting
1. The Scriptural Setting. To understand the miracle of Pentecost, we need to know about the events prior to the Spirit's coming. Forty days, according to Luke, after the Easter triumph, Jesus returned to the glory of God the Father. Before ascending Jesus gave orders to his 11 to wait in Jerusalem for the promise of the Spirit to be fulfilled. They obeyed and wajted as a group together with 120 other followers. In this 10-day waiting period, they prayed and had a business meeting to elect someone to replace Judas Iscariot. Matthias won the election. With that accomplished, they were organizationally intact and were ready to go forward. They lacked only one thing: the Spirit to motivate and empower them to continue Jesus' work of preaching, teaching and healing. They were like a fully equipped auto with a full tank of gas but without a battery to give spark to the motor. On Pentecost the spark came as a mighty wind and tongues of fire. The Spirit gave them power to be witnesses of the Christ.
Also, we need to know what happened after the Pentecost event. Having the Holy Spirit, the apostles at once began to speak about Christ to the people who were attracted to the spectacular occurrences of wind and fire. The people consisted of a variety of foreigners who came to Jerusalem for the feast of Pentecost or the Feast of Weeks. Each nationality heard the gospel in their native language. This was a miracle, because the apostles knew only Aramaic. Many wondered what this was all about. One group dismissed it by saying the men were drunk. Under the unction of the Spirit, Peter defended their speaking in foreign languages and then went on to blame them for killing Jesus who was son of David and Son of God. Three thousand responded to his plea that they repent, believe, and be baptized. The new Christians continued in the fellowship of the apostles and had all things in common.
The Church Year Setting
For Jews Pentecost was one of the three most important festivals: Passover, Pentecost and Feast of Tabernacles. Pentecost occurred 50 days after Passover. It was known also as Feast of Weeks, because it occurred seven weeks after the Passover. Pentecost was the observance of the birth of the nation when Moses received from Yahweh the Decalogue. Also, on this festival they brought the first fruits of the wheat and corn harvest to the temple.
For Christians Pentecost also is one of three most important festivals: Christmas, Easter and Pentecost. It marks the birth of the church, the new Israel. It is a time also for the gifts and fruits of the Holy Spirit. Pentecost is observed 50 days from Easter, the giving of the Holy Spirit to the apostles. It is a major festival equal in importance to Christmas and Easter. Three festivals come close to each other: Easter, Ascension and Pentecost. The Sunday following Pentecost is Trinity Sunday, because now we have the three persons of the Trinity: God the Father as creator, God the Son as redeemer, and God the Holy Spirit as sanctifier.
Pentecost means "fifty," because it occurs 50 days after the resurrection. It is also known as "Whitsunday" or White Sunday because centuries ago candidates for baptism or confirmation wore white robes. There is a difference between the Day of Pentecost and the Season of Pentecost. The day celebrates the coming of the Spirit. The season of 27 Sundays is the season for the fruit, gifts and work of the Spirit in and through the church. Pentecost, therefore, opens the second half of the church year. The liturgical color for the Day of Pentecost is red symbolizing the fire of Pentecost, and for the season the color is green, for during the season we are to grow in the Spirit. Green is the color of growth.
Related Passages
Genesis 1:1-2 - The Spirit creates.
2 Kings 2:9-12 - Elisha receives Elijah's spirit.
Joel 2:28-29 - A promise of the Spirit from God.
Ezekiel 37:1-14 - The Spirit gives life to dead bones.
Matthew 3:13-17 - Jesus receives the Holy Spirit at his baptism.
John 3:5-8 - The necessity of being re-born of the Spirit.
John 15:26-27 - Jesus promises to send the Holy Spirit.
Galatians 5:22-23 - The fruit of the Spirit.
The Lectionary
Lesson 1 (Isaiah 44:1-8). Yahweh promises: "I will pour out my spirit upon your descendents." In bondage in Babylon, Israel is as dry spiritually as a desert. God promises to send the rain of his Spirit upon them that once again they may be green in faith and hope and know that he alone is God.
Lesson 2 (Acts 2:1-21). On Pentecost the Holy Spirit came to the apostles. The prophecy in Joel was fulfilled on Pentecost. Ten days after the ascension the Holy Spirit came upon the 12 who were obediently awaiting the fulfillment of Christ's promise to send the Spirit.
Gospel (John 20:19-23). On Easter Day Jesus breathes the Spirit on his disciples. Luke and John give different accounts of the time when the Holy Spirit was received. John places it on Easter Day. The risen Christ appears to the frightened disciples and gives them the Holy Spirit. Then he sends them to the world as he was sent by his Father that repentant believers may receive forgiveness.
Psalm of the Day (Psalm 104:24-34). The Spirit is a creative power of life: "When you send forth your spirit, they are created (v. 30)."
Prayer of the Day: "Look upon your church and open our hearts to the power of the Spirit. Kindle in us the fire of your love...."
Hymn of the Day: "Come, Holy Ghost, Our Souls Inspire"
Explanation
All (vv. 1, 2, 4). Pentecost was an experience for every apostle. When the Spirit came, they were all together in one place. The wind of the Spirit filled all the house. The fire rested on all of them: "resting on each one of them." They were all filled with the Spirit. No one was left out. The reception of the Holy Spirit is not a private affair but a community event. The Holy Spirit is not for a select few but for every member of the church. A lay person can have the Spirit equal to or even more so than the amount of Spirit possessed by a bishop with apostolic succession. If all church members were present to pray for the Spirit, undoubtedly the church would experience another Pentecost.
Wind and fire (vv. 2, 3). It was an audiovisual experience. The apostles heard the wind and saw the fire. It was a "mighty wind." It was a blast. The wind symbolized the power of the Spirit. How powerful wind is can be seen in a hurricane or tornado. The Spirit's coming was no light, gentle Spring breeze. Wind and fire can go together. With a high wind a forest fire gets beyond control. The fire represents God, for he is a "consuming fire." Moses confronted God at a burning bush. A pillar of fire led the Israelites through the wilderness. People of the Spirit are not cold nor even lukewarm. They are hot with zeal, fervor and enthusiasm. After meeting Jesus on the way to Emmaus, one of the men asked the other, "Wasn't it like a fire burning in us when he talked to us on the road ...?"
Spirit (v. 4). The word, "spirit," in Hebrew is ruach. It is translated as "wind" or "spirit." Word and spirit are inseparable, like two sides of a coin, because a word cannot be spoken without wind. Air must pass through the vocal cords for a word to be spoken. "The Spirit gave them utterance (v. 4)." After receiving the Spirit, Peter preached his sermon. The Holy Spirit enabled the prophets to preach. "The spirit of the Lord God is upon me ... to proclaim liberty to the captives (Isaiah 61:1)."
Tongues (vv. 4, 6, 8). When the Spirit came, the apostles began to speak "in other tongues." Were they the unknown tongues described in 1 Corinthians 14? No. At Pentecost the speakers are not expressing their feelings but are zealous to tell the story of Jesus. At the time many Jews were present from various countries in the Roman Empire. Jews were dispersed in every country. Many returned to Jerusalem for Pentecost. When the apostles spoke, the various nationalities heard these Aramaic-speaking Jews talking in their own language. If they spoke in unknown tongues an interpreter would have been necessary to explain and translate what they said. On Pentecost there was no need for an explanation because they got the message in their native language. This was amazing! Have you ever tried to master Hebrew, Chinese or Russian? If so, it usually takes years to learn the language. Here is the miracle: unlearned men spoke intelligently in a foreign language! Still today effective preachers speak in a language known to the people.
Mean (v. 12). What is going on here? We have never heard anything like it! We hear a violent wind. We see tongues of fire settling on heads. Then we hear a dozen men speaking 16 different languages. Just a little while ago they could only speak Aramaic! The people asked each other, "What does this mean?" It was a good question. Some in the crowd gave the wrong answer: "They are drunk." Peter used the question as an opportunity to explain the phenomenon and to preach Jesus crucified and risen. As Peter answered the question in his sermon, today preachers also have the task and opportunity to explain what spiritual truth and experiences mean. What do incarnation, atonement, justification and conversion mean?
Third hour (v. 15). The Jewish day extended from six to six. The Pentecost event took place on the third hour or 9 a.m. It is most unlikely that a group of men would be drunk at this early hour. Drunkenness usually occurs during the night hours. By stating this time fact, Peter nullified the claim that he and his associates were drunk. Rather they were drunk with the Spirit - filled to overflowing!
Application
Relevance Of Revelation
1. Perhaps the most relevant aspect of the miracle of Pentecost is the dire need of today's church for another Pentecost. The church desperately needs a revival of the Spirit. Mainline American Protestant churches are losing members by the millions. Almost half of church members are inactive as shown by their lack of attendance and contributions. The agenda of the world is often the agenda of the church. Her leadership in part is plagued by monetary and sexual scandals. Preaching has fallen to a new low with eight minute homilies consisting of stories. The only hope for a cleansed and renewed church is a re-birth of the Spirit.
2. Pentecost is the festival of the Holy Spirit. Nevertheless, the laity are largely ignorant or misinformed about the Spirit. Often the Spirit is referred to as the "unknown God." One misconception of the Spirit is his origin. Many think th Spirit came into being on Pentecost, 30 A.D. This overlooks the fact that the Holy Spirit is the third person of the Trinity. He is God who is eternal. The Spirit was at the creation of the universe and worked throughout the history of the Hebrews as recorded in the Old Testament.
Another misconception deals with how one gets the Holy Spirit. One of America's largest denominations uses as her slogan, "Catch the Spirit." The Spirit is a gift of God coming through Word and sacraments. Possession of the Holy Spirit is not a human achievement nor a product to be purchased. God gives his Spirit to repentant, believing, praying and receptive souls.
3. Many questions are in the minds of church people -Is there a difference between water and spirit baptism? Does the Holy Spirit come as a result of a "second blessing?" Since the spirit of Christ is the Holy Spirit, is the coming of the Spirit the second coming of Christ? Can one get the Holy Spirit without a Pentecost experience of a rushing wind, tongues of fire and speaking in a foreign language? To be a true Christian, must one be able to speak in unknown tongues? Can one have the Holy Spirit without being a charismatic? How can one be sure one has the Holy Spirit?
Sermon Suggestions
1. It Didn't Just Happen. The Pentecost event didn't just happen as a bolt in the blue. Before the Holy Spirit can be received, conditions must be met and preparations made. On the surface it appears that the Spirit came suddenly and unexpectedly. That is not the case. The apostles were obedient to the Master's directive. They stayed in Jerusalem and waited. If they had not obeyed, the men would have scattered to their homes. Moreover, they prepared by prayer. They kept their hearts receptive through asking and seeking. In addition, they did not get tired of waiting, for they had no idea when the promise would be fulfilled: 10 days, 10 months or 10 years. It was an expression of their faith and trust in Jesus' promise. Because similar preparations are not made, we can see why there is no revival or renewal of Spirit.
2. From Marketplace to City Square. The 12 had the Pentecost experience in an upper room where they regularly gathered for prayer and fellowship. When the Holy Spirit came, they apparently did not stay there but went where the people were. They did not keep to themselves and hold a worship service of thanksgiving, nor celebrate the Eucharist, nor hold a reception or a press conference. At once they began to speak to the people in the language of the people. The tongues of fire ignited their tongues to witness. The first gift of the Spirit is the ability to witness, speak and preach. Today's lack of witnessing by many indicates a need for a new Pentecost.
3. Enthusiasm. Too often we think of Christian proclamation as dull, uninteresting and blah-blah. It is rare to hear and see an enthusiastic Christian, lay or clerical. To have enthusiasm is to have zest, excitement and fervor. Where does enthusiasm come from? The answer is in the Greek meaning of the word: en = "in," "thus" = theos meaning God. An enthusiastic person has God inside. The Holy Spirit is God in the believer. And God is life. To have God is to be thrilled and excited about the things of God. The Spirit came as tongues of fire. God is fire which causes zeal, warmth and fervor. For this reason effective preachers spend much time in prayer as preparation for preaching. With the Spirit the sermon comes alive and the preacher is alive with enthusiasm.
4. Sober Inebriation. Some of the people explained the apostles' speaking in various languages by claiming that they were drunk. What does it mean to be drunk? What does a drunk say or do? Do they say crazy things? Is their speech not intelligible? Peter explained they were not drunk from new wine so early in the day, but they were filled with the Spirit. They had sober inebriation! They were soaked with God's spirit of love and truth. How does one get drunk? By drinking too much alcohol. In the same way, Christians are drunk with the Holy Spirit because they constantly imbibe the Spirit through Word and sacraments.
5. A Sermon that Wins. Do you remember the very first sermon you preached? Are you ashamed of it and would never preach it again? It is good to feel that way because it proves that you have grown and improved in your preaching. On Pentecost Peter preached his first sermon. And it was a bell-ringer! Whose first sermon gained 3,000 converts? Take a look at the sermon as a model for our sermons. First, Peter began with the people's question, "What does this mean (v. 12)?" The accusation that they were drunk moved Peter to make a defense by quoting scripture. Since the people were faithful Jews, they would appreciate the biblical account and its authority. Then, Peter preaches the law by accusing them of crucifying the Son of God. The gospel followed the law, for Peter told who Jesus was and what his death and resurrection meant. When the people asked what they should do about it, Peter was practical. He gave the "how" which is often omitted in sermons. He was specific and definite: repent, believe, be baptized and receive the Holy Spirit. Follow this procedure sometime. You may gain converts!
Sermon Structures
1. Marks of Pentecost (2:1-21). A study of the passages gives us the characteristics of Pentecost -
A. Dramatic: wind, fire - vv. 2, 3
B. Personal: "resting on each of them" - v. 3
C. Universal: 16 languages - vv. 8-11
D. Utilitarian - v. 6
2. How Shall we Respond (2:1-21, 41)? Various responses were made to the miracle of Pentecost -
A. Amazement - v. 12
B. Curiosity - v. 12
C. Ridicule - v. 13
D. Acceptance - v. 41
3. A Church Affair (2:1-21). The coming of the Holy Spirit was a church affair -
A. The Spirit gathers the church - "all together" - v. 1
B. The Spirit comes to the church - "They were all filled" - v. 4
C. The Spirit saves through the church - Word and Sacraments - vv. 14, 21
4. Have You received the Spirit? Many church members are not sure they have the Holy Spirit. Consider the ways the Spirit comes -
A. Are you baptized? - 2:38
B. Do you belong to the church? - 2:38
C. Do you show fruit of the Spirit? - Galatians 5:22-23
D. Do you receive the Word? - "The Holy Spirit will never take us beyond or outside the bounds of scripture."
5. The Big Blast (2:2)! The Spirit came "like the rush of a mighty wind." On Easter Sunday Jesus breathed on the disciples and they received the Spirit. Consider the Spirit as breath or wind.
A. The breath of life - God breathed life into Adam -Genesis 2:7
B. The breath of speech - "The Spirit gave them utterance" - 2:4
C. The breath of power - "filled all the house" - 2:2
6. The Uses of Fire (2:3). The Holy Spirit came as tongues of fire. Why fire?
A. Fire denotes God's presence - Moses at the burning bush.
B. Fire leads - Israelites led at night by a pillar of fire.
C. Fire stirs - Jeremiah had fire in his bones.
D. Fire cleanses - In the temple Isaiah was cleansed by hot coals.
7. Our Only Available God (2:1-21). God the Father is invisible and unapproachable. God the Son sits at the right hand of God. People on earth have only God the Spirit. He is God in believers. God is not in us by nature but by spiritual birth. He is God in us to make us like God, not to be God.
A. Father - God is for us: creation
B. Son - God is with us: incarnation
C. Spirit - God is in us: sanctification
Illustration
A Preacher on Fire! Great crowds came to hear John Wesley preach. One time a young preacher saw the crowd and after the service asked John Wesley how he attracted so many people to hear the Word. Wesley explained, "Put yourself on fire and people will come to watch you burn up."
The Spirit in the Pulpit. Before the Spirit came on Pentecost there was no preaching nor witnessing. "The Spirit enabled them to speak (Acts 2:4)." In many European cathedrals pulpits had a tester which served as a sounding board because PA systems were not yet invented. Under the tester was a carved dove representing the Holy Spirit. When a preacher stood in the pulpit, the dove was directly above his head to symbolize that he spoke under the influence and guidance of the Spirit.
A Church on Fire. Billy Graham tells about a fire that broke out in a small-town church. When the fire brigade with siren wailing arrived on the scene, the minister recognized one of the men. "Hello there, Jim - I haven't seen you in church for a long time," he chided. "Well," answered the sweating man struggling with the fire hose, "there hasn't been a fire in your church for a long time."
The Truth on Fire. Some years ago theologians from a number of denominations met with the leaders of the Pentecostal churches. They asked the Pentecostal representative, "Do you believe that you Pentecostals have the truth and other churches do not?" "No," the Pentecostal leader replied, "we both have the truth. In our home we have a stove and a deep freeze. My wife can take out a frozen steak and lay it on the table. It's a steak all right. But not until she puts it on fire will we say to each other, 'Man, that smells good. Let's have some!' Gentlemen, that is the difference between our churches. You have yours on ice and we have ours on fire!"
Do It Again! William Booth, founder of the Salvation Army, was converted in Wesleyan Chapel in Nottingham, England. One day an old man in uniform of the Salvation Army asked the minister of the chapel, "Can a man say his prayers here?" "Of course a man can say his prayers here!" the minister replied. The old man went into the chapel, bowed his head and knelt down. In a little while he raised his head and with tears he said, "0 God, do it again! Do it again!" O, for another Pentecost experience!
Feathers and All! The Holy Spirit can be carried to an extreme. Karlstadt, a contemporary of Luther, claimed he went beyond Luther in the experience of the Holy Spirit. Luther explained that Karlstadt devoured the Holy Spirit "feathers and all." Luther saw the Spirit related to the Word and sacraments. Karlstadt held that he had a direct, inner experience with the Holy Spirit.
Melting the Saints. During the time of Oliver Cromwell, the British government was out of silver for coins. Cromwell sent his men to investigate the local cathedral to see if they could find any precious metals there. They later reported, "The only silver we could find is in the statues of the saints standing in the corners of the cathedral." Cromwell responded, "Good! We'll melt the saints and put them in circulation." On Pentecost the fire of the Holy Spirit melted the apostles and they circulated among the people.
Keep the Fire Burning. Some years ago plans were made to build a dam in the Tennessee mountain valleys for the production of electricity. This required the flooding of the area. Cabins had to be moved. But one cabin owner refused to sell because his family lived there for generations. Even though he was offered five times more than his property was worth, he refused to sell. The government went ahead and built the cabin-owner a modern house with all the modern conveniences in it. They showed him the house and offered it to him. Still his reply was "No." The government planners were stunned that he would refuse this new home and asked him why he refused it. He explained that his grandfather started a fire on the hearth of the old cabin with instructions that as a sacred family symbol the fire should never be allowed to go out. He felt that it was his sacred duty to keep the fire going. So the engineers suggested that they gather the fire and put it on the new hearth. They guaranteed that the fire would not burn out. The mountaineer was finally convinced, "Then I will move. All I want is to keep alive the fires of my fathers."
