Pentecost

2014/06/08
Christ Church, Mountain Top; Pentecost

Prayer,
Psalm 104.24-35

Children,
Numbers 11.24-30

Message,
Acts 2.1-21

1987,
my prayers, Spain

      You shall receive power when the Holy
Spirit comes upon you

            and you shall be my witnesses (Acts
1.8)

      What was important was not my speaking or
his hearing,

            but “God’s deeds of power”

      Have you experienced the power of the
Spirit?

      Have you experienced the blessing of
sharing “God’s deeds of power”?

Pentecost
story told using the images of prior stories, intentional echoes

      Sinai (Covenant of the Torah) (Stott, 62)
– wind, fire, voice

      New Covenant (Stott, 62):

            “I will write my law upon your
hearts”

            “I will put my Spirit within you”

      New Covenant’s invitation – universal

            Joel quoted: “I will pour out my
Spirit on ALL flesh” (2.17)

                  Sons and daughters

                  Old and young

                  Slaves and free

      New Covenant’s promise – salvation

            Joel: “everyone who calls on the
name of the Lord shall be saved”

                  (2.21)

Struggle
to understand – the languages

Do
not seek to understand; seek to be set on fire.

      Saint Bonaventure

The
language is not the important thing, only the glory of God, and the gospel of
salvation

No
awkwardness or inhibition in our witness

Pentecost
story told using patterns from Luke (“volume 1”) (Tannehill, 29)

      “what Jesus began to do and teach” (Acts
1)

            Jesus’ ministry begins with
preaching based on Israel’s prophets

                  “The Spirit of the Lord is
upon me …” (Luke 4)

      What Jesus continues to do and teach
(volume 2, Acts)

            Church’s
ministry (Jesus’) begins with preaching, prophets

                  “I will pour out my Spirit on
all flesh” (Acts 2)

Torah
Covenant: Joshua wanted to protect Moses as uniquely endowed with the Spirit
(Numbers 11)

      It is not about me

      It must not be limited by my time or gifts
or understanding

      It is about the mission – bigger than me 

Numbers
12:3  Now the man Moses was very humble,
more so than anyone else on the face of the earth.

Pentecost
story told as the reverse of the Babel curse (Genesis 11)

      An expression of arrogance – it is all
about me

      The division of the human race is rooted
in pride

      The universality of the human race
(Pentecost) is God’s gift