3-4
June 2017, Christ Mountain Top, Pentecost
June 2017, Christ Mountain Top, Pentecost
Baptisms at 8:30; Confirmation at 10:45;
Lord’s Table
Lord’s Table
Psalm
104, selections (call to worship, 6:00pm)
104, selections (call to worship, 6:00pm)
John
7.37-39 (children)
7.37-39 (children)
Acts
2.1-21 (message)
2.1-21 (message)
Opening:
Pentecost
Language and location
My
Kazakhstan Tshirt
Kazakhstan Tshirt
Golden sun from the Kazakh flag, on a red
field (Russian)
field (Russian)
Instead of sky blue (of Kazakh flag)
The team of guys from Central Asia, united
by speaking Russian
by speaking Russian
Children:
Procession
from Gihon spring, into Jerusalem via Water Gate, to the Temple. Circumnavigate
the altar seven times, then pour out the golden pitcher of water into a silver
funnel. An expression of hope for the day described by the prophet, when a
steam of living water will flow out from the altar and into the world, bringing
life everywhere it goes.
from Gihon spring, into Jerusalem via Water Gate, to the Temple. Circumnavigate
the altar seven times, then pour out the golden pitcher of water into a silver
funnel. An expression of hope for the day described by the prophet, when a
steam of living water will flow out from the altar and into the world, bringing
life everywhere it goes.
John
7:37-39 On the last day of
the festival, the great day, while Jesus was standing there, he cried out,
“Let anyone who is thirsty come to me,
38 and let the one who believes in me drink. As the scripture
has said, ‘Out of the believer’s heart shall flow rivers of living
water.'” 39 Now he said
this about the Spirit, which believers in him were to receive; for as yet there
was no Spirit, because Jesus was not yet glorified.
7:37-39 On the last day of
the festival, the great day, while Jesus was standing there, he cried out,
“Let anyone who is thirsty come to me,
38 and let the one who believes in me drink. As the scripture
has said, ‘Out of the believer’s heart shall flow rivers of living
water.'” 39 Now he said
this about the Spirit, which believers in him were to receive; for as yet there
was no Spirit, because Jesus was not yet glorified.
Baptism!
Spirit of God!
Spirit of God!
Message:
Say
“when”
“when”
My fantasy … not to speak and see if the
person over-fills
person over-fills
Anyone
thirsty? Come to Jesus. Believe. Drink.
thirsty? Come to Jesus. Believe. Drink.
Jesus gives the Spirit.
And we overflow.
No
wonder Acts uses the language of filling, full, fully, fulfilled, around the
story and gift of the Spirit of God. No wonder Peter quotes the prophet Joel,
“I will pour out my Spirit”. No wonder Acts uses a meld of the two themes, the
Holy Spirit “falling” upon persons.
wonder Acts uses the language of filling, full, fully, fulfilled, around the
story and gift of the Spirit of God. No wonder Peter quotes the prophet Joel,
“I will pour out my Spirit”. No wonder Acts uses a meld of the two themes, the
Holy Spirit “falling” upon persons.
They were all filled with the Holy Spirit
(2.4)
(2.4)
Peter in his preaching
New leaders like Stephen, Barnabas, and
Paul
Paul
All disciples, gathered together in
worship
worship
Say
“when”. Don’t say “when”!
“when”. Don’t say “when”!
The Gift of the Spirit is
the Hinge of our History
the Hinge of our History
(borrowing from Pelikan)
Had
“fully come” (AV, 2.1)
“fully come” (AV, 2.1)
· Greek:
fill completely, nautical term for a swamped boat (Friberg)
fill completely, nautical term for a swamped boat (Friberg)
· Don’t say “when”!
Parallels
(Jaroslav Pelikan, Acts, 49):
(Jaroslav Pelikan, Acts, 49):
· Luke
9:51 When the days drew
near (were fulfilled) for him to be taken up, he set his face to go to
Jerusalem.
9:51 When the days drew
near (were fulfilled) for him to be taken up, he set his face to go to
Jerusalem.
· Galatians
4:4 when the fullness of
time had come, God sent his Son
4:4 when the fullness of
time had come, God sent his Son
The
gift of the Spirit, like the gift of the Son, is the moment
gift of the Spirit, like the gift of the Son, is the moment
when everything changes,
when the old is no longer sustainable or
viable
viable
A “hinge” in the story (Pelikan)
· True
for the biblical story – “birthday” of Church
for the biblical story – “birthday” of Church
o
Because of the Spirit, we carry on Jesus’ work in the world:
forgiving sins (John 20), proclaiming the kingdom (Acts 1, Luke 24) as Jesus’
witnesses
Because of the Spirit, we carry on Jesus’ work in the world:
forgiving sins (John 20), proclaiming the kingdom (Acts 1, Luke 24) as Jesus’
witnesses
· True
for our individual stories
for our individual stories
o
Because of the Spirit, our old lives are swamped, and a new
life begins – a perfect image for the baptisms we will celebrate this weekend.
Because of the Spirit, our old lives are swamped, and a new
life begins – a perfect image for the baptisms we will celebrate this weekend.
o
Because of the Spirit, we have a different perspective on
change going on around us: It can be overwhelming. It can be life-changing. It
can make us feel “like immigrants in a new land” (Roxburgh & Romanuk). But
next to the gift of the Son and the gift of the Spirit, it cannot define us.
Because of the Spirit, we have a different perspective on
change going on around us: It can be overwhelming. It can be life-changing. It
can make us feel “like immigrants in a new land” (Roxburgh & Romanuk). But
next to the gift of the Son and the gift of the Spirit, it cannot define us.
The Gift of the Spirit is
the Fabric of our Fellowship
the Fabric of our Fellowship
Blessing:
The love of God, peace of Christ, fellowship of the Spirit
The love of God, peace of Christ, fellowship of the Spirit
The
Creed: one, holy, catholic, apostolic church
Creed: one, holy, catholic, apostolic church
Fabric
of our fellowship, in this passage, two dimensional:
of our fellowship, in this passage, two dimensional:
Union of the congregation itself
Union in and through our mission … with
world, new disciples
world, new disciples
Over
and over in Acts, the Spirit fills or falls upon persons
and over in Acts, the Spirit fills or falls upon persons
As part of the expansion of the church
The apostolic work – witness,
proclamation, forgiveness
proclamation, forgiveness
The evangelical response – faith,
repentance, baptism
repentance, baptism
3000 persons “added” on Pentecost, from
all over the world
all over the world
(though ethnically Jewish)
Ethiopian
eunuch (8.39 TPR, see Pelikan, Acts,
51)
eunuch (8.39 TPR, see Pelikan, Acts,
51)
Cornelius
the Roman centurion (10.44, 11.15)
the Roman centurion (10.44, 11.15)
Disciples unhappy with the
Gentile mission
Gentile mission
Don’t say “when”!
“Filled
with new wine” (2.13)
with new wine” (2.13)
Peter’s
response, humor (Pelikan, 50)
response, humor (Pelikan, 50)
I know it’s 5 o’clock somewhere, but it’s
9 am!
9 am!
And … don’t say “when”!
No
wonder Peter quotes the prophet Joel:
wonder Peter quotes the prophet Joel:
Acts
2:17-18 I will pour out my
Spirit upon all flesh, and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and
your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams. 18 Even upon my slaves, both men
and women, in those days I will pour out my Spirit; and they shall prophesy.
2:17-18 I will pour out my
Spirit upon all flesh, and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and
your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams. 18 Even upon my slaves, both men
and women, in those days I will pour out my Spirit; and they shall prophesy.
Sons and Daughters
Young and Old
Free and Slave
And,
in the story, additional dimensions of diversity are added by the Spirit,
through the apostolic work and evangelical response:
in the story, additional dimensions of diversity are added by the Spirit,
through the apostolic work and evangelical response:
Geographical regions
Languages
The
Gift of the Spirit is the Fabric of our Fellowship
Gift of the Spirit is the Fabric of our Fellowship
Irrespective of our political party
Native language
Economic status
Gender
Age
Tenure in the church
The
Gift of the Spirit is the Fabric of our Fellowship
Gift of the Spirit is the Fabric of our Fellowship
A
perfect reminder for a weekend on which we welcome young people making their
vows to follow Jesus and live in the power of the Holy Spirit as part of the
fabric of our fellowship
perfect reminder for a weekend on which we welcome young people making their
vows to follow Jesus and live in the power of the Holy Spirit as part of the
fabric of our fellowship
I will pour out my Spirit.
Don’t
say “when
say “when
