Sermon: May 19, 2024

“Pouring Out His Spirit”
Acts 2:1-21
As we celebrate the outpouring of the Holy Spirit upon those gathered in Jerusalem on the first Pentecost Sunday, I was reminded this week of the story of the preacher who decided that rather than plan a message he would ask the Holy Spirit what he should say on Sunday morning. We are, after all, promised that the Holy Sprit will give us the words to use when we are in need. Well, it came time for the preacher to begin his sermon and he prayed, “Holy Spirit, give me the words for this message.” And the Holy Spirit responded, “Tell them you are unprepared.”

Have you heard the one about the shark and the whale? Both were swimming in the sea when the shark swam up to the whale to engage in conversation. As they swam along, the shark said to the whale, “You are so much older than I, and wiser too. Could you tell me where the ocean is?” The whale responded, “The ocean is what you are in now.” The shark would not believe it. “Come on, tell me where the ocean is so I may find it!” The whale repeated, “The ocean is here, now; you are in it.” Unbelieving, the shark swam away searching for the ocean.

The moral of the story, I believe, is this: Don’t spend too much time looking for God because the Spirit of God is here in the now of your life, dwelling in you, within me, with this community.

Held fifty days after Easter, Pentecost was also called the Festival of Weeks. It was one of the three major annual festivals (Passover—Festival of Weeks—and Festival of Tabernacles) all found explained in Deuteronomy 16. This Festival of Weeks was to give thanks for harvest crops. Some also believed that this was a festival that commemorated the giving of the Law on Mount Sinai. At the Jewish Pentecost God wrote His law on tablets of stone for Israel’s moral government. At the Christian Pentecost He wrote His moral laws on hearts of flesh for the moral government of mankind.

Regardless of which you believe we know that there would have been a big crowd gathered together in Jerusalem at this time. Thus, Peter’s speech was given to an international audience, and it resulted in a worldwide harvest of new believers—the first converts to Christianity who had not followed Jesus during His earthly life.

This was, of course, the fulfillment of John the Baptizer’s words about the Holy Spirit’s baptizing with fire in Luke 3:16 and of the prophet Joel’s words about the outpouring of the Holy Spirit in Joel 2:28-29. Many people had been waiting a long time for the coming of the Messiah and the outpouring of the Holy Spirit.

As my family can attest to, I don’t do waiting well. I can still remember when my dad would take me hunting with him. He could spot a squirrel in a tree—get down on his haunches—and just sit there for what seemed like hours so he could get a clean shot at it. I’d be throwing acorns—swinging sticks—or one time tripped over a log and went rolling down a hill. He told my mom once that I scared away every squirrel within five counties.

Thankfully, with the help of the Holy Spirit, I’ve gotten a little better at waiting especially since I get lots of practice at it now sitting in waiting rooms at the hospitals and surgery centers. But Connie still has to remind me from time to time to, as she says, “Take a breath.”

There are certain human experiences that are universally annoying, but everyone has to experience them at some time. Like waiting in lines. And in our rushed and privileged society, it seems like we have less and less capacity for waiting.

A woman tells of trying to get a table at a very popular and very busy restaurant. She approached the hostess and asked quite brusquely, “Will it be long?” The hostess kept writing in her hostess book, so the woman leaned closer and asked again a little more firmly, “Will it be long?” Without looking up, the hostess said, “About ten minutes.”

A few minutes later, the woman heard this announcement over the speaker: “Willette B. Long, your table is ready. Willette B. Long, your table is ready.”
Is that what those gathered in Jerusalem on the first Pentecost had been asking? Will it be long?

I verse 2 of our text we see the word “Suddenly.” The suddenness of the Pentecostal experience was the result of fourteen and a half centuries of preparation—from the giving of the Law at Mount Sinai to this present point. We see four important things occurring in this verse and continuing in verse 3.

Power = the blowing of a violet wind
Purity = tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them
Possession = all of them were filled with the Holy Spirit
Proclamation = they began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them

Pentecost was a threefold miracle of interpretation—clarification—and conviction. Those assembled heard these disciples proclaim the mighty works of God in their own language and were deeply convicted in their hearts of the truthfulness of the message. Fifteen different nations are listed as being present that day. This was a unifying experience which transcended all barriers of nationality and language.The crowd that day represented the whole world—Jewish and heathen alike—and Luke considers this as the beginning of the world-wide mission entrusted to the disciples—and now us. This was the birth of the Church of Jesus Christ!

I think it’s important for us to note that what seemed like “tongues of fire” rested on each of them—not just a couple of them—but all of them and because they did, they were able to speak to everyone gathered.

Verse 12 tells us that the crowd was “Amazed and perplexed.” Those who heard the preaching of the mighty works of God in their own language by the Spirit-filled disciples felt the mighty influence of that Spirit and found themselves in a state of spiritual ecstasy—for such is the meaning of the word amazed—beyond their ability to understand. Those gathered listened to the disciples—were moved by them—and were amazed by what they were saying.

One lesson we can learn from the events of the Day of Pentecost is that when the wind of God blows—amazing things can happen. What do you think would happen if the Holy Spirit overcame us in the church today? Would it give us a sense of excitement? Or would we just pass it off onto someone else? We’re getting really good at that one aren’t we!

Several years ago, when there was still an Americus District, Bishop Richard Looney was our Camp Meeting preacher. One night he preached about how we Methodist’s, for the most part, are afraid of the Holy Spirit. He described how we fear being changed in some way—as we are when filled with the Spirit [big S].

This Spirit might actually make us enjoy worship—might make us to desire to attend worship—might gets our hands raised in the air while singing a hymn—might get us out of our seat—might make us say the word “Amen”—might set us on fire as it did those gathered that first Pentecost. People might call us foolish, might think we are full of new wine [or Welch’s Grape Juice]—they might call us fanatical, Pentecostal, full of it, and many more things. But I ask you on this Pentecost Sunday—on the birthday of the church—what would be so bad about that?

I pray for a fresh outpouring of the Holy Spirit every morning. For our hearts, homes, community, churches. The Seedbed group that I am a part of (I’m a member of their Farm Team) is doing excellent work around the world promoting the planting of seeds for a Great Awakening. This past week the “Awakening Project,” pointed to our younger generation has seen some excellent results in Europe and this week will be meeting with college-age students at Asbury College in Wilmore, Kentucky.

The power of God can invade the body—inflate the mind—swell the soul—lift the Spirit and make us more than we ever imagined. It will make you young when you are old—and it will make you live even when you die. The power of the Spirit will disturb, delight, deliver and lift. When God sends forth the Spirit, the whole face of the earth is renewed.

When God sends forth the Spirit chaos is changed into creation and the Red Sea opens up to a highway of freedom. When God sends forth the Spirit—a young woman says “Yes.” Jesus is born and life is never the same.

When God sends forth the Spirit amazing things happen:
Barriers are broken—communities are formed—opposites are reconciled—unity is established—disease is cured—addiction is broken—cities are renewed—races are reconciled—hope is established—people are blessed—and church happens.

Today the Spirt of God is present, and we are all together in this place. So, be ready, get ready…God is up to something…Discouraged folks cheer up—dishonest folks fess up—sour folks sweeten up—closed folks open up—gossipers shut up—conflicted folks make up—sleeping folks wake up—lukewarm folks fire up—dry bones shake up—and pew potatoes stand up!

But most of all—because of us—because of Pentecost—because of the coming of the Holy Spirit—Christ the Savior of all the world is lifted up!