In the Old Testament Pentecost is called the Feast of Weeks or the Feast of Firstfruits. The other two were the Passover and the feast of Booths. Pentecost was one of the three annual festivals that Israel was to observe. What is Pentecost? (1-4) Backgroundīefore we get to our actual passage let’s set the context of our story. Spirit, apply this passage to our hearts, and strengthen us for the week ahead. Help us understand what you have to say to us this morning through this text. And now I ask that your Spirit would make this sermon clear to our hearts. And thank you for your Holy Spirit, who worked powerfully through men to write your Word. Thank you that your Word really only makes sense when we know the Son and his atoning work and mighty reign. Thank you for your Son, the living Word who reveals you to us. Thank you for your Word that we can know you and what you require. Prayer: LORD of heaven and earth, we gather this morning to hear from you. If you don’t have the sermon outline, the two basic questions we’ll answer this morning are What is Pentecost? And Why Pentecost Matters?īefore we do that, let’s ask the Holy Spirit to help us understand, and apply this passage to our hearts. The first section, verses 1-4 describes what happened at Pentecost and the second section, verses 5-13 will pull out the significance of this event. And that’s what we’ll do this morning with our passage. But understanding the significance of the events and how they fit into the bigger picture of God’s story is even more important. It is interesting to look at what actually happened and picture everything. At least they look unusual or wild to us, but they are never without purpose. Throughout the Bible there are all kinds of incredible scenes filled with unusual events, signs and wonders. I hope we would all come away marveling at the power of God and being more motivated to help carry out the Great Commission. The focus shouldn’t be on our conviction about Spiritual gifts, but about the Holy Spirit filling believers for the work of the gospel. One theologian I follow wants us to reclaim the word Pentecostal for all Orthodox Christians. For others maybe it’s a time to remember that the Holy Spirit is a vital part of the godhead. For some hearing about speaking in tongues brings you back to an experience at a charismatic church, whether good or bad. You might think of the Pentecostal Denomination where there is a heavy emphasis on speaking in tongues or even an over-emphasis on the Holy Spirt that minimizes the work of the Father and Son. When we hear the word Pentecost or look at a passage involving speaking in tongues, that might evoke different responses for different people here. This morning we’ll look at the actual events at Pentecost and next Sunday we’ll look at Peter’s sermon in verses 14-41. So we’ll actually spend two weeks in Acts chapter 2. He’s a wealth of information in this area.Īnyway, this morning happened to fall on Pentecost Sunday and as it was my opportunity to preach, I thought it was worth looking deeper into Pentecost and its significance. How much more should we arrange our calendars around God’s calendar? If you want more information on the Church calendar, talk to David Oman. Nothing wrong with celebrating most National Holidays, although some of the more recent ones that we’re told to celebrate you probably shouldn’t.
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How many days do you get off from work or school? How many weekends do you have some kind of feast because it’s Memorial Day or the 4th of July. Think about how many man-made holidays that we observe every year.
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I don’t exactly know how, but maybe next year we have some kind of church feast or something for Pentecost. As I’ve thought and studied this week, it struck me that the events of scripture should inform our calendar more than they do. Some denominations observe lots of dates on the church calendar, but that hasn’t been part of our tradition. We observe Easter and the Advent season leading up to Christmas, but not a lot beyond that. At Grace Church we don’t often recognize a lot of liturgical events on the calendar. And then you realized you were understanding them in English! What a scene! This is a unique scene in the Bible and even more importantly, it’s a unique point in the history of redemption too. Has anyone been sitting in a room and it sounded like a tornado ripped through? Kids, have you ever seen flames float above someone’s head? Further, imagine if one section of our sanctuary was filled with people you knew were Minnesotans who suddenly were speaking Spanish, French, German and Russian. Can you imagine sitting in this room at Pentecost? ‘What is going on?’ you wonder.