Sermon Notes
Pentecost 2009
Passing of the Peace
Question: What do you do in the midst of a crisis?
Retreat or eat? Hold up or Party? Sleep or Work? Easy or Right thing?
INTRO TO PENTECOST
Today is Pentecost. Pentecost is the 50th day after Passover. It is both a Harvest Festival and a celebration of the receiving of the law.
INTRO
Question: What are the different images in the OT representing the presence of God?
We are all different and some of the images may resonate over others
SCRIPTURE: Exodus 3:2
EX 3:1 Now Moses was tending the flock of Jethro his father-in-law, the priest of Midian, and he led the flock to the far side of the desert and came to Horeb, the mountain of God. 2 There the angel of the LORD appeared to him in flames of fire from within a bush. Moses saw that though the bush was on fire it did not burn up. 3 So Moses thought, "I will go over and see this strange sight--why the bush does not burn up."
POINT
God often times appears in the form of fire/light
SCRIPTURE: Exodus
21 By day the LORD went ahead of them in a pillar of cloud to guide them on their way and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light, so that they could travel by day or night. 22 Neither the pillar of cloud by day nor the pillar of fire by night left its place in front of the people.
POINT
During the exodus, the Hebrews followed by God, when they followed the fire.
OLD TESTAMENT: Ruah (wind/breath/spirit)
NEW TESTAMENT: Penuma (wind/breath/spirit)
SCRIPTURE: Leviticus 16:2
2 The LORD said to Moses: "Tell your brother Aaron not to come whenever he chooses into the Most Holy Place behind the curtain in front of the atonement cover on the ark, or else he will die, because I appear in the cloud over the atonement cover.
POINT: Aaron (the High Priest) can only enter the Most Holy Place (once a year: Day of Atonement)
SCRIPTURE: Matthew 27: 50 & 51
50And when Jesus had cried out again in a loud voice, he gave up his spirit.
51At that moment the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. The earth shook and the rocks split.
POINT: The veil no longer separates the ark (God) from the people.
SCRIPTURE: Hebrews 4:14
14Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has gone through the heavens,[e] Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess. 15For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet was without sin. 16Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.
POINT: Jesus is THE High Priest
We can access the throne directly.
INTRO TO SCRIPTURE (Acts 1)
The book of Acts is what the church did after Jesus was resurrected and ascended into heaven.
SCRIPTURE: Acts 1:4
4On one occasion, while he was eating with them, he gave them this command: "Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about.
SCRIPTURE: Acts 1:8 (theme verse for the book of Acts)
Jesus said (after resurrection) before ascending to heaven:
“But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth."
WHERE: “to the ends of the earth.” (NEW SERMON SERIES: OPEN DOORS)
NOTE: Matthew 28: 19 – 20 GREAT COMMISSION (purpose of the church):
Jesus said (after resurrection):
Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,
QUESTION: How will this be achieved?
ANSWER: When the (church) individual receives POWER.
INTRO TO SCRIPTURE (Acts 2)
The disciples were waiting for the power as they gathered together in worship.
SCRIPTURE: Acts 2: 1 & 2
AC 2:1 When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. 2 Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting.
SCRIPTURE: Acts 2: 3
3 They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them.
REMEMBER: Matthew 27:51 (curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom)
SCRIPTURE: Hebrews 8:6
But the ministry Jesus has received is as superior to theirs as the covenant of which he is mediator is superior to the old one, and it is founded on better promises.
SCRIPTURE: Hebrews 9:15
HEB 9:15 For this reason Christ is the mediator of a new covenant, that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance--now that he has died as a ransom to set them free from the sins committed under the first covenant.
SCRIPTURE: Hebrews 12:4
4 to Jesus the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood that speaks a better word than the blood of Abel.
SCRIPTURE: Romans 5:2
RO 5:1 Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, 2 through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God
SCRIPTURE: Ephesians 2:18
For through him we both have access to the Father by one Spirit.
QUESTION:
What did this do them?
4 All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them.
POINT
Pentecost is the birth of the church. Pentecost is a reminder that each of us have direct access to God.
PROBLEM:
Acts 1:4 - WAIT (until they receive the POWER)
Acts 1:8 - GO (When you receive the POWER)
Acts 2 - STAYED (did not go, instead they Party On in Jerusalem)
OBSERVATION: Sometimes the church does not DO until it is in CRISIS
US
Sometimes we as individuals are the same way. Sometimes we do not DO the right thing until we are in the midst of crisis. Sometimes it is is crisis that causes us to do the right thing.
CHALLENGE
On Pentecost we celebrate each of us having been called into ministry to be the church. If you feel like God is calling you into a deeper ministry here at the church, Or if you wouLd like to participate in the ministry of helping others get more involved in ministry contact LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT.
