Acts 2:1-21 [Pentecost—CWS C]
Pastor Ron Koehler
Grace—Benson/Vail, AZ
June 9, 2019
In the name of our God—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, dear friends, “Hey dad, what’s that light up in the sky? Is that a UFO?” “No, I don’t think so, son.” “Is it a shooting star?” “No, it’s moving a little too slowly to be a shooting star. I’m pretty sure it’s just an airplane.” “Honey, wake up! I heard a noise out in the kitchen!” “I’m sure it’s nothing, just go back to sleep.” “No, I definitely heard something—go see what it is!” Upon quietly sneaking into the kitchen, it was obvious what had happened. The breeze through the kitchen window just knocked over a mostly-empty bottle of hand lotion which then fell into the sink. Most of the time there are quite reasonable, natural explanations for what at first seem like odd sights and sounds. But that was not true of the phenomena which occurred at the Pentecost Festival in Jerusalem 50 days after Jesus’ resurrection. The people who had come into the Holy City from all around the world heard and saw things that defied normal explanation. On that day, the Holy Spirit came in special ways. It’s important to see just what the Spirit did so that we can praise him as true God AND it is also important to look at these events because the same things are happening today! This will also move Christian hearts to praise him. That may be surprising to hear and it might just prompt the question: WHAT HAPPENS WHEN THE HOLY SPIRIT COMES? The unchanging nature of God the Holy Spirit brings about the same things today that we hear about in the book of Acts, chapter 2: MIRACLES, REJECTION, AND FAITH The day of Pentecost came around every year. It was an annual festival that took place 50 days from the first Sunday after Passover. Faithful Jews from all over the world were to make the journey to Jerusalem so that they could bring to the Lord the “firstfruits of the wheat harvest (Exodus 34:22).” The spring grain harvest in Israel gave them the opportunity to do what you and I still do today—give a generous offering to the Lord as the very first thing we do when we receive a blessing from God. For them, it was the very first and best of the crop they received from God’s gracious hand. For us, it is the very first money taken out of our crop received from God’s gracious hand—usually our paycheck. We set it aside to bring to the Lord, just as these faithful believers did when they travelled to the festival. They would package up a sheaf of new grain along with an amount of flour mixed with oil, some wine, and an unblemished lamb—all to be given as an offering to the Lord. Pentecost was the Greek name for this yearly festival. As you read in the Old Testament, you’ll find it called the Feast of Weeks, the Feast of the Harvest, and the Day of First Fruits (Ex. 23:16; Ex. 34:22; Lev. 23:15-22; Num. 28:26-31; Dt. 16:9-12).
MIRACLES Jesus’ disciples were all together for that festival when the Holy Spirit made a miraculous appearance. There was no logical, natural explanation for what occurred on that Sunday: Listen to how Luke describes it: Suddenly a sound like the rushing of a violent wind came from heaven, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. They saw divided tongues that were like fire resting on each one of them. They were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other languages, since the Spirit was giving them the ability to speak fluently. Did you hear how what happened was even a little difficult to describe? A sound like the rushing of a violent wind came… They saw divided tongues that were like fire... These things were not natural—they were supernatural. These miracles were designed to get the people’s attention and draw the crowd together. Combined with the ability of the disciples to preach in languages they had never learned, the Spirit was fulfilling the words of John the Baptist who said of Jesus: He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire (Lk. 3:16) and the words of Jesus himself, who said to his disciples at his Ascension: In a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit (Acts 1:5). The faithful God who fulfills all his promises was doing so again for the salvation of souls and for the future spreading of his kingdom. REJECTION A wind-like sound that emanated from heaven, filling the room and heard by those in the city…tongues of fire over the disciples’ heads, and the ability to speak other languages on the spot, amazed the festival participants. And they were confused by it all. It raised natural questions “Look are not all these men who are speaking Galileans? Then how is it that each of us hears them speaking in his own native language?…What does this mean?” The Spirit definitely got their attention! But some obviously rejected that what they were seeing and hearing came from God. So they made fun of the disciples: “They are full of new wine.” To us it may sound as if Peter was simply blowing them off, saying no one could possibly be drunk that early in the morning. But his defense of the apostles was more than a dismissive reply. Peter’s brief comment explained what the accusers already knew—9:00 AM was the hour of prayer and the Jews didn’t eat until after that. And since wine was only drunk with meals, there was no way these men were drunk. In addition, it was pretty clear from what they were saying, and that the people understood their own languages, that they were not drunk at all. But for some, Peter’s explanation wouldn’t have been good enough. Just as many of the Jews to whom Jesus preached rejected the message of salvation by faith in him, so many of these would reject the apostles and their Spirit-given message. FAITH Many, however, continued listening to Peter and the other apostles. They listened when Peter explained that as they stood there in that moment, a prophecy that they knew, and whose fulfillment they had looked forward to, was taking place. Through the prophet Joel, God said: I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh. Your sons and your 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 and Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved. The Holy Spirit, working through these words of Scripture and through the words of the apostles, tied things together for these people. The Spirit was being poured out on the people and they were prophesying. The word “prophesy” by the way, really means to “speak for someone else.” And that’s what these early Christians were doing. They were speaking for God, representing him to all those around them and assuring them that all who called on God’s name—who trusted in him—would be saved. Peter went on to explain that Jesus was the promised Christ and that they had witnessed his resurrection just weeks prior and then his ascension. He preached repentance and urged them to be baptized, saying that in so doing, they would receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. And you know what happened? They trusted! They believed! About 3,000 people heard the law and gospel preaching and believed that Jesus was the long-awaited Savior. You know that feeling of hardly believing you are experiencing something, right? You can’t believe this is happening. Whatever the experience—whether it’s a concert you’ve wanted to attend, or you’re standing there receiving the trophy or award, or someone pays you the most amazing, unexpected compliment, or whatever—you can get caught up in that moment. You’re on cloud nine, an emotional high. But it’s soon over and life returns to normal. In many ways, it is as if nothing much has changed. You could see that happening at an overwhelmingly more important event like this, couldn’t you? People on a spiritual high that most certainly would fade later on? Well, that’s not what we hear. After our lesson, we’re told that Those who accepted his message were baptized, and about three thousand were added to their number that day. They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer…And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved. (Acts 2:41-42, 47). The Holy Spirit came in the preaching of law and gospel. He changed hearts to repentance and faith. He came in baptism, washing sins away. He came and made a difference in these people’s hearts and lives—a difference that would last. It wasn’t just for the day; it was a life-change that he brought about as he bestowed spiritual blessings upon these people. And these people, it should be noted, were the ones who would then return to their various countries and spread the saving gospel of Jesus Christ. They would tell others about his sinless life and the way he went willingly to a Roman cross to satisfy God the Father’s demand for payment of the world’s sin. They would tell how he rose from death, defeating it. They would share the news that Jesus returned to heaven, but sent the Holy Spirit on that spectacular Pentecost—in wind and fire and preaching and baptism. Oh, they had a lot to say! So if you ever wondered how the message of forgiveness and eternal life in Christ spread so rapidly after Jesus’ death, Pentecost is your answer!
The account of Pentecost is awesome! I love Pentecost—from the story to the music and hymns right down to the red paraments! What happened on Pentecost is so dramatic and important. But what about today? WHAT HAPPENS WHEN THE HOLY SPIRIT COMES today? The same kind of things! He does MIRACLES. There is, unfortunately, REJECTION. But FAITH in Jesus is also created. When God’s Word—his law and gospel—is preached and taught today, the Holy Spirit is active in it. In fact, the only way we know for sure the Spirit comes to people is as the words of Scripture are proclaimed. Even with baptism, it is the Word of God which the Spirit uses to provide faith and forgiveness and eternal life. Paul later wrote this about how people are saved: From the beginning God chose you to be saved through the sanctifying work of the Spirit and through belief in the truth. The truth about Jesus is shared and the Spirit creates faith through that message. It says that those early disciples were filled with the Holy Spirit. When the Holy Spirit comes today, he fills us as also. You may remember the passage that says Don’t you know that you yourselves are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit lives in you (1 Corinthians 3:16)?” These are miracles of the Holy Spirit today—faith given in baptism, sin-hardened hearts softened by the good news of Jesus Christ, that people who would, on their own, hate God and have nothing to do with him would have lives changed to the point that they would do anything, give anything for their Savior—including their very lives. These are modern miracles of the Holy Spirit, but they are the same things he did on that day in Jerusalem. I bet most of you can relate to the experience of Peter and the other disciples. There they were sharing the gospel with people and they were made fun of for it. They were teased and taunted. I bet that’s happened to a lot of you. It’s been your friends in college who live an unchristian life. It’s been a spouse who just doesn’t understand why you keep going to church. It’s been people insecure about their eternal future who have mocked your confidence in yours. It happens in a thousand different ways, but people today reject the Spirit as he speaks through you, as he speaks through the words that I and your other pastors preach, as they are confronted with the truth of the Bible. But that only goes to show you what a miracle the Spirit has done on your heart, because left all on your own, you would be the same way. So would I. That’s how bad the sinful nature is. But thanks and praise be to the Holy Spirit, who still comes in truly awesome power, as he has given us faith to trust in Christ’s sacrifice for our sins! That first Pentecost was awesome for the Christian Church and for the thousands who came to faith that day, but your personal Pentecost—whether it came by hearing the Word first or on the day of your baptism—was also awesome! Praise the Holy Spirit this day for overcoming your rejecting heart and miraculously giving you saving faith. But don’t let your praise end today. Thank him each day for his gifts given to you and then go out like those first disciples did, speaking for God to the world so that he might continue to add to our number those who are being saved. Amen. Now the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Amen.