First Steps (Acts 2:1-21) - Pentecost Sunday

 Sermon for Milledgeville and Centenary UMC...

[Title] First Steps (Acts 2:1-21)

 

Consider God's journey with humanity to be with us.

Did you know the disciples drove a Honda?

On the day of Pentecost, they were all together [Slide] in one accord.”

 

Happy Pentecost everyone! This day corresponds with [Slide] Shavuot, the Jewish Feast of Weeks. It’s 7 weeks after Passover, marking a new period with the 50^th day. In the Bible, the Feast of Weeks was a first fruits celebration of the barley harvest. Barley was a staple food source for bread.

 

With the emphasis on bread, the holy day eventually became a celebration of the law given at Sinai. Moses wrote that [Slide]

 

“We do not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of the Lord.” (Deuteronomy 8:3)

 

Bread and Torah (the Law) are both celebrated at Pentecost.

 

Moses urged Israel to keep the law so that it would go well with them in the land God was giving them. [Slide] Jews today enjoy dairy products as part of their celebration, remembering that God gave their ancestors a land flowing with milk and honey. Ice cream and cheesecake are favorite desserts during Shavuot. Keeping the law led to God’s sweet blessings upon them and the land.

 

[Slide] For the Church, Pentecost is a celebration of the gift of the Holy Spirit. 50 days after Jesus rose from the grave, the Spirit was poured out upon the Church. It was the first fruits of a new way of life. With the Spirit’s power, the Church made its first steps into mission.

 

Luke is the author of The Acts of the Apostles. Acts is Luke’s sequel to his gospel account. [Slide] Acts is Jesus Part II!

 

 

Luke wrote a wonderful summation of Jesus’ ministry.

 

[Slide] They came to hear him and to be healed of their diseases, and those who suffered from unclean spirits were cured. (Luke 6:17b-18)

 

They came to hear Jesus teach about the kingdom of God. Jesus taught hope. They came to be cured. Jesus restored health. They came to be set free of demonic oppression. Jesus liberated lives.

 

The Ministry of Jesus is continued in the Book of Acts. Why? [Slide] Because Jesus is alive in His body, the Church. The Spirit of Jesus dwells among us and within each of us. [Slide] Jesus continues His ministry of teaching, healing and liberation through us, building a kingdom of hope, health and holiness.

 

Ten days before Pentecost, t he Risen Lord Jesus told his disciples,

 

“Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait there for what my Father promised… [Slide] For John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit...” (Acts 1:4-5)

 

Many prophets speak of the promise of the Father.

 

Through Ezekiel The Lord promises,

[Slide] I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my Spirit in you and move you to follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws. (Ezekiel 36:26-27)

 

Let’s look at what happens on the Day of Pentecost.

 

[Slide] The Disciples were all together. They could’ve split up and went back to fishing, tax collecting, and homemaking, the lives they left behind to follow Jesus. But they trusted that Jesus had more for them to do. The disciples were united in purpose.

[Slide] Our mission statement is our purpose with three specific objectives. We live by faith, are to be known by love, and as a voice of hope.

 

Living by faith is how we follow Jesus. We train ourselves and each other to trust Jesus. Living by faith is following Jesus into a ministry of teaching hope, restoring health, and liberating lives. Are you living by faith, doing as Jesus does?

 

To be known by love is about how we serve the needs of others. Do we work begrudgingly or with the love of God in our hearts toward those we serve? Loving action begins at the home. Are you known for loving your spouse, your children and their families? Be the one who sends a birthday card, who shows up with food when someone is ill. And how are you known in the church family? In what ways are you showing up, meeting needs, and showering love on your brothers and sisters in Christ? To be known by love is to be consistent at loving action. Deeds of kindness, mercy, and compassion will communicate that you love like Jesus. Build on the ways you love your friends, relatives, associates and neighbors.

 

Hope is like oxygen to the soul. Speak hope into the lives of your neighbors. There is a lot of despair and hopelessness in our world. When you hear someone bemoaning the latest bad news, listen. Give them the gift of an empathetic ear. When there’s bad news, why do you have hope? How has God been faithful to you? Let others hear of your hope in God’s faithful love and provision. Encourage others. Pray with them. Be a voice of hope to the hurting and hopeless.

 

The disciples were united in purpose [Slide] and in prayer.

 

They all joined together constantly in prayer, along with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brothers. (Acts 1:14)

 

 

1^st Thessalonians 5:17 says, “pray without ceasing.” Prayer is more than words. Prayer is communion with God. It is God-centeredness and God-consciousness. Unceasing prayer is ongoing friendship with God. It is enjoying His presence throughout the day. The more you practice God-centeredness, the more it becomes a part of who you are. Practice listening for God’s voice. You will experience holy nudges to say hopeful words and do loving deeds.

 

The disciples were all together and praying constantly when the Spirit came from heaven and filled the room like a violent wind. [Slide] After the wind, they experienced the warmth of holy fire resting upon them.

 

Hebrews 12:29 says, “our God is a consuming fire.”

 

[Slide] Consider God’s journey with humanity. God appeared to Moses as a burning bush. Later, God descended from heaven on Mount Sinai in fire and thick clouds. There, God gave Israel the law. Then God moved to the tabernacle, to dwell among the Israelites. God appeared in a pillar of cloud by day and fire by night. Then God moved to the temple in Jerusalem. At the dedication of the temple, God consumed the offering on the altar with fire from heaven. His glory filled the temple, and the people fell to their faces in worship.

 

Unfortunately, Israel turned away from God and worshiped idols. God sent them into exile. The temple was destroyed, but God was with the exiles through Spirit-filled, fiery prophets like Isaiah, Jeremiah, and Ezekiel. In the fullness of time, God sent Jesus. John the Baptist heralded his coming.

 

“I baptize you with water. But one who is more powerful than I will come, the straps of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. (Luke 3:16)

 

All the fullness of God dwelt in Jesus. On the Day of Pentecost, the fire of God rested on the Church.

All 120 disciples, gathered that day, were filled with the Holy Spirit.

 

The Spirit filled others in the past. Samson was famous for his strength when the Spirit of the Lord was upon him. In Numbers 11, the Spirit filled 70 chosen elders, but two others in the camp were also filled and began to prophesy. Joshua ran to tell Moses. “Hey, there’s two dudes prophesying in the camp. Make them stop!” Moses replied to Joshua, “I wish that all the Lord’s people were prophets and that the Lord would put his Spirit on them!” (Numbers 11:29)

 

Moses got his wish. [Slide] Each of you have received the Spirit. Grace is working on you, calling you into a lifegiving relationship with God. The Spirit is working in you to become more like Jesus. And grace works through you as you live by faith, act in love, and encourage others with hope.

 

[Slide] When the Spirit filled the disciples, they began to speak in other languages as the Spirit enabled them. (Acts 2:4)

 

There were Jews in Jerusalem to celebrate Pentecost. They heard the disciples speaking about what God had accomplished in Jesus. They were amazed. How are Galileans speaking our language? It was a sign. God made a donkey speak to Balaam. (Numbers 22) God can certainly open our mouths to speak an encouraging word to our neighbors.

 

The Spirit empowered Peter to speak. He stood before the people and helped them to understand. 3000 came to faith in Christ that day.

 

One way to think about Pentecost is that God is undoing the confusion started at the tower of Babel. [Slide] You may remember the story. The people decided to build a tower that reached the heavens. God saw the arrogance of what they were doing and confused their speech so that they could no longer work together. They spoke different languages and couldn’t understand one another. But there is a language that every human understands and that is the language of love.

Love is seen in the eyes, heard in words of hope, and felt in compassionate care. Love transcends the language barrier. [Slide] Love brings people together. And Jesus is the embodiment of love. We are called to embody Jesus and His love and continue His ministry.

 

Pentecost marks the first steps of the Church into the continuing ministry of Jesus. The Spirit empowered them to speak hope, to act with love, and to walk in faith. They were united in purpose to continue the ministry of Jesus.

 

[Slide] This summer we are going to study the Book of Acts and learn how the early Church continued the ministry of Jesus by teaching hope, restoring health and liberating lives. [Slide] Christ is risen and living in you, the body of Christ.

 

[Slide] May the holy fire of the Spirit rest on you and lead you each day to do as Jesus does.