This is Pentecost Sunday…... and the liturgical color is red …. The color representing …...the presence of the Holy Spirit.
“Pentecost” … designates … the 50th day … after Passover
Pentecost is a Jewish Feast Day……. known as …the Feast of Weeks … or the … Feast of Harvest.
It was on this day, …. that the Holy Spirit … was poured out … on 120 Followers … of the Christ. (Acts 1:15)
It was on this day … that the Church was born.
Born in a Blaze of Glory… In A Blaze… of Fire.
Experiencing Pentecost … the coming of the Holy Spirit into one’s life… it is clearly … one of the great experiences … for any disciple … of Jesus.
However, … For some … Any Sermon … or discussion … about the Holy Spirit … seems to create a spirit of … anxiety.
The idea … of God filling a person with His Spirit, … makes them feel … a little uneasy.
And some feel uncomfortable … discussing anything … having to do with … the supernatural.
It all sounds too mystical, … to other worldly.
For others, … such discussion brings forth a feeling of culpability … or shame.
They hear of the … miracles, … of the anointing’s with signs and wonders … and question … if they are for our time.
They wonder if God still manifests his gifts here on Earth … they wonder if God still has the ability to heal.
And if they are for our time, … why don't we witness them more often.
And some wonder … if it has to do … with them.
Is there something that … they are missing? (Pause)
I hope for you this day, … that reading and hearing about the Holy Spirit … is a … joy.
For there is no greater experience … than having the Holy Spirit … present … and active … in your life.
There is no greater comfort and companion …than living in the purity, … sanctification … and justification … of the Lord.
A life lived … in the realization … of Pentecost.
A life … yielding … to the guidance … of the Holy Spirit.
[Much of the following is based off a Sermon by Ernie Arnold Titled "Pentecost- Promise, Purity and Power" and I commend it to you].
A life that stands on the truth … of the Holy Spirit …That stands on the Promise … Purity and Power of Pentecost:
(1 Finger) Pentecost is … A Promise Fulfilled
(2 Fingers) Pentecost is … Purity Realized
(3 Fingers) Pentecost is … A Power Possessed.
Beloved …Pentecost … the gift of the Holy Spirit …is a Promise … of the Father … Fulfilled.
God's Word … is replete with passages … addressing the person … of the Holy Spirit.
For instance, … we know … The Spirit is active in creation (Genesis 1:2) and is also active … in the lives of men and women … who the Scriptures inform us … were filled … with the Holy Spirit.
We see that … in the lives of Job (Job 33:4), David (1 Chronicles 28:12; 2 Samuel 23:2), Nehemiah (Nehemiah 9:20), Joseph (Genesis 41:38) and others.
Each of these individuals … received an infilling … of the Holy Spirit, … anointing them for service…. giving them special insight.
Daniel is renowned … as a man full … of God's Holy Spirit (Daniel 4:8-9).
The presence of the Holy Spirit is one of the core themes … in the prophetic writings of Ezekiel (Ezekiel11:19), … Isaiah (Isaiah 44:3) and the prophet Joel (Joel 2:28-29).
Others, … like the prophet Jeremiah … look to a future time … when the Spirit … will come and give the people … a new covenant, … a new heart … a new vision. (Jeremiah 31:33)
And if all these examples are not enough, … Jesus, Himself, … speaks numerous times … to the attributes … and work of the Holy Spirit. (Luke 11:13; 12:12; John 7:37-39; John 7:14-16; John 7:20:22).
However, … He does so in a peculiar manner.
When Jesus refers to the coming of the Holy Spirit, … He tells us … that the Coming of the Holy Spirit … is a result of the Quote … "Promise of the Father" (Luke 24:49; Acts 1:4-5).
Jesus tells us plainly … that the Coming of the Holy Spirit … is a part of the Father's plan … His plan …for His People.
Hear Gods Word… BIBLE "And behold, … I am sending the Promise … of my Father upon you. But stay in the city until you are clothed with power from on high." END (Luke 24:49).
The coming of the Holy Spirit … is something … that the church was promised … promised by our Heavenly Father.
The coming of the Holy Spirit … is God the Father …making good … on His promise.
In Peter’s sermon in Acts … Peter replied, BIBLE "Repent and be baptized, …. every one of you, …in the name of Jesus Christ …for the forgiveness of your sins … And you will receive …. the gift of the Holy Spirit. …. The Promise is for you …and your children …and for all who are far off… for all whom the Lord our God … will call." END (Acts 2:38-39)
This Outpouring of the Spirit ….is not a Special Blessing …. for a Special Few …. in a Special Age.
It Is for All …… All who have Truly Repented … And Believe in the Gospel.
It is for all …… All who have Found Remission of Sin … in the Blood of the Lamb.
The Promise is for you …and for your children …. and for all …. whom the Lord our God … will call.
What a precious gift…. What a precious Promise.
The Real Question … is Not …whether as a Christian …you Have A Right to the Gift of the Holy Spirit, … But whether … you have… Claimed that Right.
Weather you have Availed yourself …of this Glorious Promise. (Pause)
It is a privilege … that you and I are able to receive and live into … as followers of the Christ.
We have the Holy Spirit … because our Heavenly Father promised … His Holy Spirit.
(1 Finger) Pentecost is a Promise of the Father … Fulfilled.
And ... (2 Fingers) Pentecost is Purity Realized
Purity … is a central theme … of the Scriptures.
Yet … How does one impure … approach the Almighty?
How does a sinful people … approach a Holy God? (Job 14:1)
Uncleanness, … impurity … and sin …. simply cannot exist … in the presence … of the LORD.
So … In rushes … the Father’s … Amazing Grace.
You and I… cannot … on our own … approach a Holy God.
So… The Heavenly Father made … a way for us … …A way to be cleansed and made righteous.
The Father has made a way for us … to experience … spiritual purity.
The Father sent … his Son … that all who believe on him for salvation … will be saved.
He also sent His Holy Spirit … to dwell in the hearts and in lives … of those that look to Jesus… for their salvation.
He sent His Holy Spirit … that we may be progressively transformed … into the image of Jesus.
Pentecost … ignites holiness in our lives, … in the lives of our families … and in lives of our community of faith.
Pentecost … makes regeneration of our hearts, minds and souls … a reality.
It fulfills the prophecies of Ezekiel and Jeremiah …who spoke so longingly …of the people of God being able to possess … a new heart, … a new spirit … a new life.
(1 Finger) Pentecost is a Promise of the Father … …Fulfilled.
(2 Fingers) Pentecost is Purity … Realized.
(3 Fingers) Lastly … Pentecost is a Power …Possessed.
There is more to Pentecost … than Purity.
There is more to Pentecost … than being cleansed and renewed.
Through the power of Pentecost, … God enables us to walk in the restoration of the Image of Jesus … in our lives.
God does not leave us alone … after we have been redeemed.
Instead, … God continues to work in our lives.
Remember these words of promise: … BIBLE "And I am sure of this, … that he who began a good work in you … will bring it to completion … at the day … of Jesus Christ." END (Philippians 1:7)
The Apostle Paul makes it plain … that we are not just saved from something … that is … the penalty of sin … but we are saved … to something.
We are saved … to Christ… to be in Christ …to be a part of the Body of Christ.
We are justified …we are saved … to live as God's … holy people. (Long Pause)
The highlight of a marriage … is not the wedding day.
It is the continual … day to day sharing of life …with one another.
It is the learning … growing … and maturing we experience … as one's spirit … is joined with another.
It is a life adventure … with the one … that you promised to love … and to cherish. (Pause)
The high light of having a child… is not the day … of their birth.
Of course, … that is a glorious moment … but even a greater glory is experienced … when daily sharing your life … with your child.
The glory and the memories … are found in the relationship … of parent to child … and child to parent. (Pause)
Our personal Pentecost … is also … more than a specific event … it is a launching pad … to an even greater life … in Christ Jesus.
We are made clean … to be a clean … people.
We are purified … to live a life of sanctification …both … as individuals … and as a community … of faith.
One of the true joys … of being a part of a faith community … is living out our lives … with and for …one another.
God has chosen to dwell in … and through His people …. called the Body of Christ.
At times … that involves growing, … giving, …transforming, …adjusting, … utilizing the fruit of the Holy Spirit.
For … It is only when we are not obeying the Holy Spirit …that sin abounds.
It is only … when we are not obeying the Holy Spirit … that the community of faith suffers … from grumbling, bickering and dissension. (Galatians 5:16-24).
Yet … when we live in the power of the Holy Spirit …We enjoy a life of giving to one another… a life of overflowing with joy.
And This interaction of a community of believers is called … the Church… His Church.
The Power of the Holy Spirit … is progressively bringing about … a spirit of unity and harmony.
It does not mean … that everyone will always be on the same page.
But it does mean … that all should be striving for harmony… within the body.
And if we do the Holy Spirit will be present … He will be present in great power. (Pause)
One of the memories … one of the joys … I was able to experience in my life … was to meet regularly with 3 other men of God … in a group we called: “The New Fellowship”.
The 4 of us … would travel throughout Northeast Ohio … singing and sharing are faith witness … with others.
When we would practice … we would often try different arrangements … aiming to find the sound …that fit the harmony …of the group.
And there were times … when we would be out singing and sharing our testimonies.
That the presence of the Holy Spirit was so present and so powerful … that you could literally … feel the anointing … as the Spirit moved.
Beloved … There is a great peace … a great joy … that always seems to accompany …. the presence of the Holy Spirit.
We are called to yield our giftedness … to the will of our Lord.
And when the people of God … come together … …when they yield to the leadership and direction of the Holy Spirit … a beautiful symphony … will come forth.
We all are gifted … we all have been given voices … or instruments … to be used … for the glory of God.
And when we watch, … when we listen … we will meld together… as one body.
We will join heart, mind and soul together… as one.
Each doing our best … for our Lord … and for one another.
No one … yearning to shine brighter, … knowing that real music of heaven … happens in community.
That is the power of the Holy Spirit … that is the power of Pentecost.
That is the Promise … of the Father … realized in the lives … of human beings.
O’ Beloved … We must yield to the direction and guidance of the Holy Spirit.
Who abides within your very being.
And when we do … it is Sacred, … it is Holy, … it is Pentecost.
Amen and Amen!
Much of this Message is based off a Sermon by Ernie Arnold Titled "Pentecost- Promise, Purity and Power" and I commend it to you.
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