Sermon Archives

May 23, 2010
Pastor Dan Selbo

"Pentecost Is Now"
John 17:20-26

            Dear friends, Greetings in the name of our Lord Jesus.

            A few years back, Dr. Fred Craddock, (I don’t know if you know that name or not? He’s known most-widely for his teaching and training of preachers), experienced a rather humorous (if not curious) event. He was at the Pacific School of Religion in Berkeley, about to give the first in a series of lectures on the work of the Holy Spirit.

            Just before the first lecture was to begin, one of the students stood up and said, “Dr. Craddock, before you speak, I need to know if you are Pentecostal?” He said the room grew silent. He said he looked around for the Dean of the Seminary, who was nowhere to be found. (And so he responded.) He said, “Do you mean do I belong to the Pentecostal Church?” He said, “No. I mean, are you Pentecostal?”

            Craddock said, “Are you asking me if I’m charismatic?” The student said, “No. I’m asking if you’re Pentecostal.” Craddock said, “If you want to know if I speak in tongues, the answer is ‘no.’” He said, “That’s not what I want to know. I want to know if you’re Pentecostal.” He said, “I don’t know what your question is.” And (then he said) the student just shook his head and left.

            What are we talking about this morning? On this day when we remember and celebrate the coming of the Holy Spirit on those first disciples?

            It’s a day known (today) as the birthday of the church. It’s the Day of Pentecost. It’s a celebration of that time (almost 2000 years ago) when the church began to form and to grow. What are we talking about? And what is it that makes this day so important?

            Now, I don’t know what that student had in mind when he asked that question, “Are You Pentecostal?” But I believe he might have been (on to something). And I say that because (and I think we all realize it) that it’s one thing to talk about the Day of Pentecost as a one-time event, as something that took place (in the lives of people) long ago. It’s another to talk about the things associated with that day; things like speaking in tongues and fiery flames and (some of the more) charismatic churches in the world. And yet it’s still another, (and that’s where I want us to focus this morning), to talk about Pentecost as an ongoing action, as a movement of the Holy Spirit, and as one that is as real and alive (and necessary for us today) as it was for those believers when it first happened.

            “Pentecost Is Now.” Let’s talk for a few moments about the story and about how it’s positioned in the larger context of what has taking place. It was fifty days after Easter (if you remember). It was a celebration of what was called (at that time) “The Feast of Weeks” or the “Festival of the Harvest.” People from the surrounding regions of Jerusalem had gathered to celebrate the blessing of the harvest they’d been given.

            Fifty days after Easter, ten days after Jesus had gone back into heaven. In chapter one (of the book of Acts), we find the story of Jesus ascending into heaven, of how he went back to be with his Father, and of how (before his ascension), he told his disciples to wait in Jerusalem for the Holy Spirit.

            And that’s when it happened. On the fiftieth day, the “Festival of the Harvest,” ten days after Jesus had ascended into heaven, the disciples waiting as they were told, the Holy Spirit is sent. The disciples are empowered. And the Christian Church begins, (in Acts chapter two), the context in which the story of Pentecost is found.

            Now, let me ask you a question. (And let’s see how the context begins to expand.) But do you remember who wrote the book of Acts? It was Luke. He was a physician. He was a Gentile. He was the same one who wrote the gospel (by the same name).

            In fact, (and I’m sure there’s a good reason), but I’ve often thought it’s unfortunate that the gospel of Luke and the book of Acts are separated (in the Bible) as they are (with the gospel of John in between), because Acts picks up where the gospel of Luke leaves off. And the parallels between the two are significant.

            Remember the story? (There are tremendous parallels.) Chapter one (in the gospel of Luke), we find the angel appearing to Mary, telling her that “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you.” Chapter one (in the book of Acts), the disciples are told to wait in Jerusalem and “you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you.”

            Chapter two (in Luke’s gospel), it’s the birth of Jesus. In Acts (chapter two) it’s the birth of the Christian Church. In Luke, John the Baptist tells the people that the one who is coming will “baptize with the Holy Spirit and with fire.” In Acts, it happens (on the Day of Pentecost) just as John had said. In Luke, it’s the Spirit who descends upon Jesus at his baptism, empowering him for his ministry. In Acts, the Spirit empowers the disciples to preach and to teach in the name of Christ. And in Luke, Jesus tells his disciples not to worry about what they would say, and in the book of Acts, time after time after time, the Holy Spirit gives them just the right words.

            And so what’s the point? (Tremendous parallels between the gospel of Luke and what takes place in the book of Acts.) The point is that the Holy Spirit hasn’t been sitting around, waiting for the Day of Pentecost (to come) to begin his work. No, the Holy Spirit has been working throughout all of history, teaching people about God, drawing people to faith, guiding and leading people to Christ.

            “Pentecost Is Now.” There are all kinds of lessons in the story from which we can learn and apply in our lives today. The story begins with the disciples in Jerusalem. On that first Pentecost, Peter was the preacher, but the emphasis was on the community of faith. (It says), “They were all together in one place. Tongues (as of fire) rested on each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and they all began to speak in other tongues.

            I always feel sorry for our readers on this weekend, having to read the names of the places from which the people (that day) had come. Parthians and Medes and Elamites, residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia. Luke gives us the names (of those countries) to give us an idea of how far-reaching that first Pentecost was.

            He then goes on to tell us what happened. He says, the disciples began to speak in tongues “as the Spirit enabled them.” And he says (when the people heard it), “they were amazed, because each one heard them speaking in their own language.”

            I read an article (this past week) about the United Nations and about how the many different leaders (from different countries) communicate. It said that the U.N. hires hundreds of translators to help. Maybe you’ve seen one of the sessions, with all of the delegates wearing headsets. When a speech is given, the translators translate what’s being said. And (as a result) each of the leaders can hear in their own language, (in real time), the message being shared.

            On the Day of Pentecost, that’s exactly what happened. The disciples began to speak, and the people, (from many nations), heard what was being said. And there were no headsets, (no translators). All there was was the Holy Spirit, who took their words and put them into a language that could be understood.

            Now take what happened on that Day of Pentecost (with those disciples) and apply it to your life. Do you think God can use your words to speak to a people only you can reach?

            You know, it’s incredible how God can use our words. I get the chance to preach (in our services). It’s a privilege to be able to share what God has to say (in his word) with those who come to worship. And God takes those words and they pass through the Holy Spirit and they end up changing lives. In a language that’s understood. With a message that leads people to Christ.

            Now, let me tell you something. (And here’s the secret to Pentecost.) But God is in the communications business. And he’s good at what he does, (light years ahead of Comcast and Google and AT&T). God has been communicating from the beginning of time. And he uses people to speak to people. And he takes their words (even if they’re not exactly what they were meant to be) and translates them into a message that’s understood.

            Many people think it’s my job/our job (as preachers) to tell the world about Jesus. And it is. And we work hard (all three of us) at doing what we do. And we trust that the Spirit is at work.

            But it wasn’t just Peter (as a preacher) who was used on the Day of Pentecost. It was the disciples, the followers of Jesus, every one of those (that day) who considered themselves to be among the followers of Christ.

            Now, you tell me. But do you consider yourself a follower of Jesus? Do you think of yourself as one whose witness can be used? God is the communications business (even today), and he can use your life to say (what he has to say) if you let him.

            You see, we (as preachers) get the chance (to preach here) on the weekend. You (as followers of Jesus) get the chance to talk to people (throughout the week) that we’ll never see.

            Maybe it’s at school with that friend who has never gone to church. Maybe it’s at work with that colleague (who used to go) but now never does. Maybe it’s with your neighbor. Maybe it’s with someone in your family.

            It doesn’t matter. God used the witness (of those first disciples) to share the message of Jesus. And God will use your witness as you open your life to be used (by the Holy Spirit) to touch and to change lives.

            “Pentecost Is Now.” Now, I don’t want to get ahead of the game, because next weekend we celebrate the Trinity; Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. And it’s in the name of the Trinity that we have learned to speak and to proclaim the name of God.

            But do you know (that in those early years after the church began), that those first followers (often times) reversed the order when they spoke about God? It’s true. (Not always, but often.) Instead of speaking of God as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, (as we do today) they would often speak of God as Holy Spirit, Son, and Father.

            Now, the reason they did it was because (they thought) that it would be easier for the world to understand the idea of God’s Spirit (loose in the world), than it would be to comprehend the doctrine and teaching of God as Father, and the reality that God loved this world so much that he was willing to send his Son. (And so they reversed the order.) They started by talking about how God’s Spirit was loose in the world (changing people’s lives). And from there, they told the people about Jesus and (from there), about what they believed (about God) as Father.

            Now, I’m not suggesting that that’s what we should be doing in the church today. I believe there’s good reason to talk (as we do) about all three (persons of God) at once. But it’s interesting, in a world like ours, that people today are more into things spiritual than they are into the organized church.

            You talk to people today and they want to be inspired. They want to get in touch with the spiritual side of life. It’s interesting, because the word “spiritual” comes from the same word as the word “inspire.” And the word “inspire” comes from the same word (used in the book of Acts) to describe what happened on that first Pentecost.

            Luke says there was a “sound like a mighty wind, and it filled the house, and they were all filled (he says) with the Holy Spirit.” He says they were “inspired.” They were “breathed into.” They were filled with the Holy Spirit and they were used in spiritual ways.

            Now, take that idea and apply it to the church today, (apply it to your life). Where it needs to start is with the Spirit. Where it needs to begin is with being “breathed into” and “inspired” by God.

            “Pentecost Is Now.” You know, the trends these days aren’t encouraging. (We’ve talked about this before.) We’re taking a beating (as Christians) in this country (every day). Unpopular stands on social issues, our theology being questioned by the world, the media taking shots at us every chance it gets. It’s not as popular (today) as it was when I was growing up, to be a follower of Jesus and a member in his church.

            But that doesn’t change the importance of what we do and who we are. If anything, it raises it. And it certainly doesn’t take away from the necessity of having the Spirit active and alive in our lives.

            You tell me. (And here’s where it ends up.) But how else can we dare to stand up for what is right, in a world that seems to celebrate what’s wrong? How else can we live lives of integrity, when the morals and values of our society are crumbling more every day? And how can we even dare to live Christ-like lives, in a world that is more intent (every day) in dragging him down? Only one way, and that is to pray that Christ’s Spirit will come into our lives and inspire us, breath into us, and turn us into the kind of spiritual followers who would bring honor and glory to Christ.

            I came across an interesting story this past week about a group of explorers in a remote part of Africa who came upon something they couldn’t figure out. In a cleared out space (in the middle of the jungle) they found 35 carefully laid fires that had never been lit.

            And they were perfectly formed fires. They had the appearance of little tepees, with dry leaves, surrounded by small sticks, and finally larger pieces of wood carefully put into place (standing tall). But who built the fires? And why had not even one been lit?

            The mystery was solved when they discovered dozens of chimpanzees watching from the trees. These little chimps, (smart little animals) had evidently watched campers (over the years) who had stopped in that clearing and built fires. And they had copied the art of building a fire. But they had no fire. And so there stood these tepees, ready to be lit, but never able to do that for which they were built.

            My friends, (in closing today) the same thing can happen in the church, if we forget why it is we were built, (what God has called us to be about). Because the reality is that the world needs Jesus today, as much (if not more) than any other time in history. And you and I have been brought together in this place for the sole purpose of lifting up the name of Christ. But if we forget who we are (and why we are here), then we might as well be a bunch of chimpanzees (sitting in the trees), because we’ll never be able to do that for which we were built.

            We need the fire of the Holy Spirit. “Pentecost Is Now.” Are you willing to be lit-up (in your life) for Jesus? In the name of the Spirit, and the Son, and the Father. Amen.