Sermons

Summary: Dealing with a number of issues at EBC led me to a series by Pastor Jerry Shirley which God has graciously allowed me to revise and use to speak to our congregation.

“The Day of Pentecost, pt. 2 by Acts 2:1-2:4

A sundial was given to a group of people who lived in a jungle. They villagers loved so much that it soon became an idol, so they built a house over it to keep it safe and holy. However, the house kept the sun away from the sundial and everyone knows that a sundial without sun is useless.

With all they did to beautify this treasure, they actually caused it to have no purpose.

This story reminds us of how a “powerless” Christianity can treat the Holy Spirit.

IF He is thought of at all, He is treated as an emotional high or a theological concept to be debated and discussed, rather than the supernatural person He really is.

As we continue our journey to understanding the book of Acts and the church I want to look at the Miracles of Pentecost.

On this day we see the miracle of sound, of sight and the miracle of speech.

Pastor Jerry Shirley made this statement: “The Holy Spirit came on the Day of Pentecost in a sound to awaken them, in a wind to move them, in fire to enlighten and warm them, and in tongues He made them speak.”

This statement pretty much sums it up. BUT this statement also reveals the need for a couple of questions:

Are we here @ EBC awake today?

Are we on the move for Christ?

Are we enlightened and on fire for God?

Are we using our tongues for to build the kingdom?

We’ll only be able to look at the first miracle today. The Miracle of Sound.

In the Bible, wind is a symbol of the Holy Spirit and I want to show you 3 reasons why this is:

1. Reason number one: Wind is invisible:

You can’t see wind. You can see the effects of the wind but not the wind itself.

You can’t take a picture of the wind… only the effects of the wind.

[John 3:8 NKJV] “The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear the sound of it, but cannot tell where it comes from and where it goes. So is everyone who is born of the Spirit.”

Some people have a problem with this, yet there are many things just as real as the wind and they believe in them even though they are not visible to the naked eye.

Let me ask a question: How many colors are there in a rainbow? The naked eye can only see 7 basic colors there. Scientists will tell you that if you look thru a special lens you can see thousands! They’re there, we just can’t see them!

Here is something I really want you to get a hold of. There is a difference in mouthing the words, “I’m a Christian” and really being one. A person who is saturated in sin can’t see the wind of the spirit sweep across their soul any more than you or I can see Him enter their hearts. BUT when we truly seek forgiveness, the Holy Spirit WILL enter our lives and you WILL SEE the difference!

This happened to me, on the day I asked Jesus into my heart. The Holy Spirit moved in and changes began to take place in my life. Because God’s Spirit is in me, I no longer desire to cuss, to lie, cheat and steal. I no longer have hatred in my heart for those who are not like me. I have no desire for some chemically induced high to make me feel better about myself and my life.

I did not see the Spirit when He arrived on the scene but I am a walking testimony of the evidence of the wind that blew through my soul the day I asked Jesus into my heart!

Let me get real personal with you this morning. Where’s your evidence? Do you have any? Is there proof that the Holy Spirit of God is living in you…?

Paul tells us in; [1Co 6:9-11 NKJV] “9 Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites, 10 nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God. 11 And such were some of you. But you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God.”

Listen to these verses in the NLT

[1Co 6:9-11 NLT] “9 Don't you realize that those who do wrong will not inherit the Kingdom of God? Don't fool yourselves. Those who indulge in sexual sin, or who worship idols, or commit adultery, or are male prostitutes, or practice homosexuality, 10 or are thieves, or greedy people, or drunkards, or are abusive, or cheat people--none of these will inherit the Kingdom of God. 11 Some of you were once like that. But you were cleansed; you were made holy; you were made right with God by calling on the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.”

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