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Pentecost Sunday
The Holy Spirit
May 31, 2009

TEXT:    (Acts 2:1-13 NKJ) When the Day of Pentecost had fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. 2 And suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. 3 Then there appeared to them divided tongues, as of fire, and one sat upon each of them. 4 And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance. 5 And there were dwelling in Jerusalem Jews, devout men, from every nation under heaven. 6 And when this sound occurred, the multitude came together, and were confused, because everyone heard them speak in his own language. 7 Then they were all amazed and marveled, saying to one another, "Look, are not all these who speak Galileans? 8 "And how is it that we hear, each in our own language in which we were born? 9 "Parthians and Medes and Elamites, those dwelling in Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, 10  "Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya adjoining Cyrene, visitors from Rome, both Jews and proselytes, 11 "Cretans and Arabs-- we hear them speaking in our own tongues the wonderful works of God." 12 So they were all amazed and perplexed, saying to one another, "Whatever could this mean?" 13  Others mocking said, "They are full of new wine."
 
 
 
Pentecost is the day the Church celebrates Jesus’ sending of the Holy Spirit—the Holy Spirit was there at creation—the Holy Spirit was there throughout the Old Testament—the Holy Spirit came upon the virgin Mary to deliver the Son of God—but that is not what the Pentecost celebration is all about—Pentecost is all about God giving man the power to defeat the devil himself—Pentecost is the beginning of the end—salvation and eternal life for believers—and condemnation and eternal death for unbelievers
 
The name Pentecost comes from the Greek for 50 days—the first Pentecost celebration was 50 days after the Passover Feast that set the Israelites free from the bondage of Egypt—50 days after departing Egypt—Moses went up onto the mountain to receive the 10 Commandments from God—while he was on the mountain with God, the people began to doubt that Moses would return—this is after the voice of God spoke to all of Israel from the smoke covered mountain some 40 days prior—90 days, 3 months after the miracle of the Passover—3 months after the parting of the Red Sea—the people ask Aaron to form a false god idol from gold for them
 
The symbolism of Scripture is clear—Jesus defeated the Law so God’s people could again be free—in the Old Testament that freedom was from the bondage of slavery to the Egyptians—in the New Testament Jesus set us free from the bondage of sin and the Law—therefore, God sent His Holy Spirit to His people of the New Testament on the anniversary of the original Pentecost Feast
 
Baptism by Fire
In the beginning of Jesus’ ministry—John the Baptist was leading the way—John told those who came to be baptized that he was not the Christ promised in Scripture—but He was coming—and He would baptize with fire and the Holy Spirit—John’s baptism was about repentance—the baptism of the Holy Spirit is about the gifts of God and the forgiveness of sin
 
In the Old Testament times of Moses—God showed His presence in the form of a pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night—when the New Testament Day of Pentecost came—God showed His presence in the form of tongues of fire—just as John the Baptist said He would
 
(Matthew 3:11 NKJ) "I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance, but He who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.
 
 
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In verse three of our text we read
 
(Acts 2:3-4 NKJ) Then there appeared to them divided tongues, as of fire, and one sat upon each of them. 4 And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit
 
Indeed, those early believers were baptized with the Holy Spirit—and the Spirit gave them gifts to use in their ministry—John the Baptist had the power to offer his followers repentance—but he did not have the power to give them the gifts of the Holy Spirit
 
Gifts from God Not for Us—They Are for Us to Share
 
The early Church was not the first to be promised gifts from God—we see gifts promised as early as Adam and Eve at the fall of man into sin—God promised He would send a Savior—but we should consider the promise of God to Abraham—at a ripe old age—Abraham was nearly 100 years old when God promised that his descendants would inherit the promised land—but notice Abraham would inherit none of that land—not even enough to place his foot on the property—we learn this from this excerpt from Stephen’s sermon to the Jews before they stoned him to death
 
(Acts 7:1-5 NKJ) Then the high priest said, "Are these things so?" 2 And he said, "Brethren and fathers, listen: The God of glory appeared to our father Abraham when he was in Mesopotamia, before he dwelt in Haran, 3 "and said to him,`Get out of your country and from your relatives, and come to a land that I will show you.' 4 "Then he came out of the land of the Chaldeans and dwelt in Haran. And from there, when his father was dead, He moved him to this land in which you now dwell. 5 "And God gave him no inheritance in it, not even enough to set his foot on. But even when Abraham had no child, He promised to give it to him for a possession, and to his descendants after him.
 
Abraham was given the promise of the great inheritance to his children—they would be a great nation—Abraham believed through faith—he was old and he had no children—the gift God gave Abraham was not going to benefit him—it was all for others—kind of like the gifts given by God through the Holy Spirit—the gift is for the recipient to give to others—if you try to keep the gifts they are of no value to the one to whom God gave them
 
Holy Spirit Poured Out on All Mankind
 
The Holy Spirit was poured out upon all people—believers and unbelievers—just as promised by the Prophet Joel
 
(Joel 2:28 NKJ) "And it shall come to pass afterward That I will pour out My Spirit on all flesh; …
 
But even though the Holy Spirit was poured out upon all mankind—not everyone would heed the power of the Spirit—God made us with the ability to reject His gifts—the people of God in the Old Testament rejected the things of God—and the same happens in the New Testament
 
(Acts 7:51-54 NKJ) "You stiffnecked and uncircumcised in heart and ears! You always resist the Holy Spirit; as your fathers did, so do you. 52 "Which of the prophets did your fathers not persecute? And they killed those who foretold the coming of the Just One, of whom you now have become the betrayers and murderers, 53 "who have received the law by the direction of angels and have not kept it." 54 When they heard these things they were cut to the heart, and they gnashed at him with their teeth.
 
There are many examples of God giving the power of the Holy Spirit to Old Testament men—not poured out onto all men—but poured upon or filling the soul of particular men for a purpose—in Genesis, Joseph was filled with the Spirit of God so he could rise to power and save God’s people from the death of famine
 
(Genesis 41:38-41 NKJ) And Pharaoh said to his servants, "Can we find such a one as this, a man in whom is the Spirit of God?" 39 Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, "Inasmuch as God has shown you all this, there is no one as discerning and wise as you. 40 "You shall be over my house, and all my people shall be ruled according to your word; only in regard to the throne will I be greater than you." 41 And Pharaoh said to Joseph, "See, I have set you over all the land of Egypt."
 
(Exodus 31:1-5 NKJ) Then the LORD spoke to Moses, saying: 2 "See, I have called by name Bezalel the son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah. 3 "And I have filled him with the Spirit of God, in wisdom, in understanding, in knowledge, and in all manner of workmanship, 4 "to design artistic works, to work in gold, in silver, in bronze, 5 "in cutting jewels for setting, in carving wood, and to work in all manner of workmanship.
 
Samaria Believed—But Did Not Have the Holy Spirit
 
The passing of the power of the Holy Spirit took place by the laying on of hands—this was the case in both the early Christian Church—and the Old Testament people of God—the first clear example brought to mind was the transfer of power and the Holy Spirit from Moses to Joshua
 
(Numbers 27:18-19 NKJ) And the LORD said to Moses: "Take Joshua the son of Nun with you, a man in whom is the Spirit, and lay your hand on him; 19 "set him before Eleazar the priest and before all the congregation, and inaugurate him in their sight.
 
In the New Testament Church, Jewish believers in Jerusalem heard that there were Gentiles in Samaria who believed Jesus was the Messiah—but whom the Spirit was not given—Peter and John were sent to lay hands upon them so they would receive the Spirit
 
(Acts 8:14-17 NKJ) Now when the apostles who were at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent Peter and John to them, 15 who, when they had come down, prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit. 16 For as yet He had fallen upon none of them. They had only been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. 17 Then they laid hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit.
 
Today the Holy Spirit dwells within us—it is a gift from God
 
(Ephesians 2:8 NKJ) For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God,
 
It is by the gift of the Holy Spirit that we are saved—without the Spirit we cannot know Jesus is our Savior
 
(1 Corinthians 12:3 NKJ) Therefore I make known to you that no one speaking by the Spirit of God calls Jesus accursed, and no one can say that Jesus is Lord except by the Holy Spirit.
 
Holy Spirit within Man
 
(Romans 7:22 NKJ) For I delight in the law of God according to the inward man.
 
(Ephesians 3:13-19 NKJ) 13 Therefore I ask that you do not lose heart at my tribulations for you, which is your glory. 14 For this reason I bow my knees to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, 15 from whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named, 16 that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might through His Spirit in the inner man, 17 that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love, 18 may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and height-- 19  to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.
 
ALL GLORY BE TO GOD!