Acts 2:1-21

The disciples had spent three and half years following Jesus. They had attended seminars and lectures on the kingdom of God. They had labs on healing the sick and casting out demons. They participated on field studies on spreading the good news. And in the end they were even tested.

So what would they do now? Jesus had given them a final address where he told them to "Go Forth" and make disciples of all nations. But were they truly ready? They had taken the classes. They had put their learning into practice. They had even passed the test - well, they were graded on a curve and Judas really pulled that curve down.

But apparently they weren't ready. They were trained but they were still lacking something. So Jesus gave the disciples the ultimate graduation gift. He gave them the Holy Spirit. And the Holy Spirit gave them the strength and gifts they needed to proclaim the gospel.

Are you ready for what's next? Some of you are going on for more education. You will be leaving home and living on your own for the first time in your lives. Mom and Dad won't be looking over your shoulder to see if you are doing your homework. Some of you will be entering the work force, paying your own way for the first time in your lives. Some of you will be getting married and setting up your own household.

Are you ready? Did all the classes and seminars and labs and exams prepare you for what is next? Hopefully you can say to some degree "yes." I hope you learned something in school. But is that all you need for the rest of your life?

Probably not. Even if you made strait A's I am sure there is some practical experience missing. And just knowing something doesn't give one the wisdom and ability to apply that knowledge. Then there are the realities of life that school can never prepare you for: the realities of the world that labs and internships could never anticipate. Like the disciples, you have the basic knowledge to get the job of living underway, but there is still a vast unknown ahead of you.

That is where the Holy Spirit comes in. The disciples knew all the things that Jesus taught them, but they still lacked something. So before he ascended, Jesus told them to wait for the Holy Spirit. So they waited and then on the day of Pentecost God's holy presence came upon them. It gave them the courage they needed to go out into the streets and proclaim Jesus. It also gave them the skills they didn't yet have to make themselves understood.

You may not feel ready for what is next. You may not even be sure what is next in your life. But that's OK. It's OK because God knows what is next. He has a plan for you and he knows what hardships and trials you will face.

And he has given you His holy presence, the Spirit, to be with you. You might be going off to a school in another state far from any of your family and friends. But God's Spirit is with you. The Spirit can guide you and remind you of the things you have already learned but might have forgotten about. The Spirit can help prepare you for things in your future that you could never have anticipated. And the Spirit can give you the skills and gifts you need to succeed in life.

Are you truly ready for what's next? Peter wasn't. He was Jesus' star pupil. He was the first to openly confess that Jesus was the Messiah! Yet when they took Jesus he denied him three times. He clearly was not ready. Peter, the man who said "You are the son of the living God," swore with an oath that he didn't even know Jesus, in order to save his skin.

But look at him after the Spirit came. Peter is standing in front of the others who are speaking in different languages. And what is he doing? He is proclaiming Jesus out in the open for all to see. Three years of training had giving him the knowledge, but it took the rush of a mighty wind to finally move him?

The Holy Spirit can give you the courage and the boldness to go forth and live your life to the fullest. The Holy Spirit can give you the gifts you need to be successful in life. The Holy Spirit can give you peace and patience in the midst of life's trials. The Holy Spirit can go with you and before you and remind you of the lessons you have learned.

You noticed I said the Holy Spirit "can" do all those things. God is not going to do all those things for you against your will. You have to let it move in you. You have to open your hearts to the Spirit's presence. You have to dedicate yourself to serving Jesus.

God gave us the Holy Spirit. But we have to look to it for guidance and help. When you are packing for college or whatever is next, don't forget to take the Holy Spirit. It is the ultimate dorm room accessory. It will be an indispensable addition to the décor of our apartment or house. It will be a necessary addition to your office.

You might say, "Well fine preacher but what about the rest of us who are not graduating? This lesson applies for you too. Do you truly know what's coming next in your life? Are you ready for what's next: parenthood, career change, unemployment, over-employment, marriage, separation, retirement, death, �? God knows what's next and the Holy Spirit can prepare you and equip you for what's next.

Are you ready for what's next? By the grace of God you can be! Put your trust in Jesus. Let his Holy Spirit guide you and equip you. Then like the disciples you will be ready! Look to Jesus. After all Peter said, "Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved."

John 7:37-39

Are you thirsty? Have you ever really been thirsty? We take clean water for granted in our country. In some places in the world people have to walk miles to find water. We simply turn on a tap and there it is.

The context of this statement by Jesus was the Festival of Booths or Tabernacles. This was the annual celebration of the time when Israel wandered in the wilderness. One of the things that they commemorated and celebrated was the water that God gave from the rock in the wilderness. And each day the priests would pour out water before the altar to remember that gift of water. It was in this context that Jesus said, "Let anyone who is thirsty come to me."

Of course Jesus was not talking about H2O. He was speaking of the Holy Spirit of God. Jesus knew that after he rose from the dead and ascended into heaven that he would send the Holy Spirit. You know you can live a long time without eating but not very long without drinking. Some estimate that about 2/3 of the body is water. In the same way that water is essential for physical life, the Holy Spirit is essential for spiritual life. When our heart or soul thirsts, it is for God's Holy Spirit.

So I ask you again, "Are you thirsty?"

Once upon a time there was a woman who was thirsty. She had been rejected by her community. She had been cast off by men. Husband after husband after husband had divorced her and cast her off. She was shunned by the women in her small village. And her village was small enough that everybody there knew her history. On top of that she was a Samaritan, a people who has been shunned by their own kin the Jews.

She was thirsty on many different levels. So one day she went to the well near the village to get some water. But she went at noon when she knew that the other women would not be there to sneer and her and turn their backs on her. To her surprise she was not alone. There was a man there, a Jew from his looks of him.

Jesus spoke to the woman asking for a drink. A conversation followed during which she discovered that He already knew her whole story and yet he wanted to talk to her. He also offered her living water that will become a spring of eternal life in her. Realizing that he was the Messiah she left her jar and ran to tell the others. Jesus had given her the assurance that even though the Jews had rejected her and even though the town's people had rejected her and even though her husbands had rejected her, God had not. In fact God's Messiah had even offered to share a drink of water with her.

There are a lot of thirsty people in our world. Steve was thirsty. He was going through what some would call a mid life crisis. He had been working of years in career that didn't seem to be going anywhere. As he watched his parents age he realized that time was running out. There are so many things he wanted to do in life and the opportunities to do them seemed to be slipping away. He thirsted for meaning and purpose and fulfillment.

Regina was thirsty. Looking at her people would say she was a typical teenager. She made decent grades and was into a few outside activities. She had never really been in trouble except for a few tardies. But High School would not last forever. The "real world" waited for her. College, jobs, marriage, family: it all seemed so scary. Regina thirsted for acceptance, direction, hope, peace.

Catherine was thirsty. The kids had grown up and moved away. Occasionally she saw the grandkids, but less and less now that they were in school and her daughter in law had gone back to work. One day while she was at the grocery story she suddenly found a 4 year old with his arms around her knees giving her a hug. He looked up and realized he had grabbed the wrong grandmother and ran off to his grandmother, who was further down in the same isle. At that point Catherine realized that was the first time she had been hugged in a month and it was by accident. Catherine was thirsty for assurance, for affection, for hope, for love.

Jerry was thirsty. He had made so many mistakes in life. Some of them big and some small. He had hurt people and alienated people. He had lived for the day with no thought for the future. He was empty. Jerry was thirsty for forgiveness, for joy, for peace for salvation.

Are you thirsty? When you are thirsty you need water. I know that Coka-Cola may be the "pause that refreshes" but I have found that nothing beats just plain water. If I have been out in the sun working up a sweat I find that drinking water replenishes me. Because water is what I need. It is essential to my existence as a living physical being.

If you are thirsty spiritually then the Holy Spirit is what you need. Only God's Holy presence can give you the hope and peace and joy that you thirst for. Through the Holy Spirit you can receive the love of God, the assurance to hope for the future, and the acceptance you crave. Only though the Spirit which comes from above can you receive the forgiveness and salvation that Jesus bought with his own blood for you on the cross.

If you are thirsty or if you know someone who is thirsty come to Jesus. He said, "Let anyone who is thirsty come to me, 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.'"

Jesus has poured out His Holy Spirit. Come and drink. Let the Spirit of God well up in you. Then let is flow out of you for the world!

Acts 2:1-21

The kingdom of heaven is like a person who left a car out in the sun. Someone left their car sitting out in the sun with all the windows rolled up. When they retuned to the car it was blistering hot inside. The temperature was comfortable outside. But everything in the car was almost too hot to touch.

The air in the car was hot and dry. It was so hot that it was hard to breath. And it smelled stale.

So immediately the driver rolled down all the windows. As if on cue a cool breeze brew through the car. The air in the car immediately cooled down and was easy to breath. The air was also no longer stale. Instead is smelled of wildflowers and mown grass. The oppressive heat and the stale air were literally gone with the wind.

It's like a young man � He has no direction or purpose in his life. His teachers and mentors and even his peers look at him and say "He's going nowhere." He has no reason to go anywhere. He has no joy. And so he has no incentive or ambition to better himself.

Then along comes a young woman. He is attracted to her and she takes an interest in him. His teachers and coaches and friends notice a change in him. He combs his hair now. He even goes and gets a job!

Suddenly he has a purpose; a direction. He has joy in his live. He is in love! Not just a passing infatuation. But a genuine devotion to this young woman. He wants to make something of himself. Like a breath of fresh air she has come into his life. And this loving relationship has redeemed him from his joyless existence. She has brought life to the staleness of his heart.

It's like the disciples � After Jesus' death they gathered in the upper room. They hid there for fear of the religious leaders. They were afraid that the people who had arranged Jesus' crucifixion might come looking for them. And after Jesus ascended they were all there in that one place�

Ooo Ooo! I know what's coming. The preacher's gonna talk about Pentecost. About the tongues of flame that rested on all the apostles. And how they all spoke in different languages just like the people did at the beginning of the service. And, and, and the people hear the gospel and were saved �

Hold on just a minuet! We all like to hear about that stuff because it is exciting and important. But the story of Pentecost didn't start with tongues of fire and the languages of the known world. It started in an upper room. The doors were shut and the disciples were all gathered there.

Are you catching on? This was Jerusalem in late May or early June. The doors and windows were shut. And 12 men plus some women and other men are gathered in the 2nd floor of a house. They didn't have air conditioning or fans. It must have been hot and dry and it probably didn't smell good either.

So the story of Pentecost starts with a room full of dead stagnant air. The first thing we are told happened was that there was a mighty rushing wind. And it filled the room where they were. In the Bible the wind is often a symbol for the spirit. In Hebrew the same word "ruwach" means both wind and spirit.

So the Holy Spirit comes from heaven and blows into the house. This is fresh air from God blowing into the upper room. It is blowing out all the dead and stale air. It is replacing the lifeless stuff that they have been breathing and with something fresh and cool.

It is only then that the disciples come to life. Once the fresh air of the Spirit has come in then they see tongues of fire. Once the stale dead air of their lives is blown away then they begin speaking in other languages. Only when the Spirit replaces the dead air do people begin to get saved!

Is it just me or is it getting a little stuffy in here? Maybe we should open a few windows or something. You know sometimes it gets stuffy ion the church. If you keep a room closed so nothing new can get in the air stops moving. It gets stale and dead. It even starts to smell bad.

We like what we've got so we shut the doors to hold it in. But the Spirit doesn't work that was. Jesus said, "The wind blows where it wills, and you hear the sound of it, but you do not know whence it comes or whither it goes; so it is with every one who is born of the Spirit." (John 3:8) If you try to shut the wind up it dies.

Have you seen that commercial? The boy is on a hill top near the shore with a jar. He holds the jar up and then closes the lid on it tight. He then takes a log journey during which he protects the closed jar. Finally he ends up at cottage where his grandfather is about to blow out the candles on his birthday cake. So the boy opens the jar and out rushes the wind blowing out the candles and everything else in the cottage. That commercial is funny because we all know that wind doesn't work that way.

That is one of the things I like about Grace. In other churches the phrase "We've never done that before" means "and we won't start doing it that way now!" At Grace the phrase "We've never done it that way before" means "So let's try it out!" Grace isn't afraid to try new things. We're not afraid to open up and let the Spirit blow where it wills.

About 20 years ago the United Methodist Church had an advertising slogan: "Catch the Spirit." How can you catch the Spirit? You can get caught up by the Spirit but if you were to capture it would it be like the boy with the jar. I like the new slogan better "Open Hearts, Open Minds, Open Doors." You see being open is not just about some secular idea of inclusiveness, but it does encompass that and then goes further. "Open hearts, Open minds, Open doors" is a spiritual principle. We have to open the church up to allow the Holy Spirit to blow through it. Then miraculous things happen and people get saved!

Is your life getting a little stuffy? Is your spirit stale and dry? Open your heart. Let the Holy Spirit blow in your life. Let it bring the cool air of God's love and grace and forgiveness into your heart.

You have to open you heart to let the Spirit more. Wind can't blow in a closed room. Allow God's love and grace to circulate in your soul.

Do you feel that? Ahh, a nice cool breeze. Open yourself to God and let the mighty rushing wind of the Holy Spirit blow though your life. Then watch as miracles happen and people are saved!

I was there when he said it! Jesus said "If yall's thirsty come here and I'll give you something' ta drink!" He said it during the annual camp meetin'. Folks have been campin' out and going to preachin' and Bible studies all day. They started every service with "Give Me that Old Time Religion" and ended with another old favorite.

There was a lot of good preaching that year. Like always they preached about Moses leading the children of Israel out of Egypt. They preached about the Red Sea partin'. They preached 'bout the pillar of fire by night and cloud by day. They preached about Moses and the Ten Commandments. There was one sermon 'bout Aaron's calf that gave me goose pimples.

Then on the last day, the biggest of them all, as always they preached about the water from the rock. At the end of the evening sermon they started pouring water out at the altar and it ran down a trough in the middle of the isle making a riving or sorts. And we all sang "Shall we gather at the River." It was then that Jesus stood up in front and said it. He said "If yall's thirsty come here and I'll give you something' ta drink!"

One in our group, bless his heart, decided he was thirsty and started to go up. I grabbed holt of his shoulder and said to him, "He ain't givin' away lemonade. He's really talking about something else." We knew then that it was something' religious; it wasn't till after he died and rose again that we realized. He was talking about the Holy Spirit. He was sayin' those who accept him would receive God's Holy Spirit, and it would quench every thirst of their hearts.

Have any of you ever been to an old fashioned camp meeting? There are some places where they still have them in South Carolina. Every year at a certain time, people literally camp out and go to preaching service and Bible Studies and Prayer meetings all week. Sometimes they have tents and sometimes they have little huts or cabins that they stay in. It is kind of like a camping trip, a Revival and Vacation Bible School all rolled up in one.

Well they didn't really have camp meetings back in Jesus' day but they did have the festival of booths or tabernacles. At this festival the Israelites would camp out in booths or tabernacles. It was a way of commemorating the time when the children of Israel camped out in the desert. At the beginning of each day's festivities water was carried from the pool of Siloam and ritually poured out. This was done to commemorate the water that God gave from the rock in the desert. On the last day there was more fanfare and ceremony attached to the event.

So the events surrounding Jesus' statement "If any one thirst, let him come to me and drink" were like an old fashioned camp meeting. They may not have been singing "Give Me That Old Time Religion," but they were recalling the good old days when the children of Israel followed God manifest as a pillar of fire. I am sure they didn't Sing "Shall We Gather At The River," but they did recall the water that gave life to their ancestors in the desert.

But of course when Jesus said "If any one thirst, let him come to me and drink," he wasn't talking about H2O. John tells us that he was really talking about the Holy Spirit. But the context is important. You see God had given the children of Israel water in the desert. This water had kept them alive in an arid land. Without that water they would have died.

That water came to symbolize all the needs that God meets for us. Our hearts exist in a spiritual desert. And God give us the things we need to survive in this harsh environment. God supplies the forgiveness and the peace and the joy we all yearn for.

So it is important when Jesus said this. The people were being reminded not just of God providing water in the dessert. They were also being reminded that God provides for those deeper needs in the here and now. And Jesus was saying come to me to receive the ultimate fulfillment of those needs: "All that your heart and soul yearns for I will give."

We still live in a spiritual desert. And Jesus is still saying "If any one thirst, let them come to me and drink." People today are thirsty. They are looking for some kind of meaning and direction in life. They are throwing themselves in to all sorts of things looking for fulfillment. But only Jesus can quench their thirst. Only Jesus can give them what they truly thirst for.

Jesus purchased that living water for us when he died on the cross. Because he died for us our sins are paid for. All we have to do is accept him as our Savior to receive that living water. And he rose again to be the first fruits of the resurrection. He is the living breathing proof of the promise of life everlasting.

But our thirst doesn't stop there. At Pentecost Jesus poured out the Holy Spirit on the disciples. The Spirit living us is a well that gushes forth the living water we need. It supplies the hope, and peace and joy and love that we most deeply yearn for.

But it doesn't end there. Jesus is still calling out in our world "If any one thirst, let them come to me and drink." That is why the Holy Spirit moved the disciples to go out into the world. They were doing just fine in that room praying together. But the Holy Spirit drove them out into the street. It was like a well gushing forth. It yearned to flow out into the street where the thirsty people were.

That is why we send people out to invite others to church. Not because the church needs more people. Oh, we are doing fine with the people we have. We don't go out because we need more people. We go out because more people need Jesus.

Jesus said "If any one thirst, let them come to me and drink." And we repeat that message for all the world to hear. If you are thirsty for forgiveness, for peace, for hope for purpose, for love, for guidance � ; come to Jesus! He can quench your thirst. Come to him if you are thirsty and he will fill your empty soul with his Holy Spirit!

John tells us that Jesus stood up in the temple and said, "Let anyone who thirsts come to me and drink."(John 7:37) These words were spoken on the last day of the Festival of Booths or Tabernacles. During this religious festival the ancient Hebrews would live in booths or tents. They did this to remember and teach future generations about how they lived in the wilderness. For forty years they wandered in the desert living in tents and being led by God. Water was a very important part of the festival. When they were in the desert they might have died from lack of water. But God gave them water from a rock. So every day of the festival, water was brought into the temple in a procession. Gold vessels were used to carry the water and each day the water was poured out into a vat in front of the congregation. This was to remind the people that God had sustained them every day of their journey through the wilderness.

But this water represented more than God quenching their thirst for water centuries before. To the Jews of Jesus day it also represented the promise to quench their thirst for salvation. To fulfill the promise that God would provide for all their needs, physical and spiritual. The pouring of the water at the festival was a demonstration that God was pouring out grace upon them. And ultimately it represented the hope and promise of a Savior or Messiah to bring them safety and peace.

It was in the context of this religious use of water that Jesus said, "If anyone thirsts let them come to me." Jesus wasn't just offering them a glass of water. He was offering them the answer to all their prayers. Every day for seven days as the water was brought in the people remembered how God saved Israel form Pharaoh and the desert and they prayed that God would do it again. So Jesus, hearing those prayers, stood up and said, "Here I am. I am the source of salvation. If you are thirsty for God's Spirit, I will give it to you."

The people in Jesus' day were spiritually thirsty, and people today still are. A person who is thirsty will do just about anything for water. It seems to me that people are doing just about anything to fill their souls today. People are constantly selling themselves to cheap thrills and drugs to find some meaning. There is so much crime today because people are empty and desperate to fill that emptiness. If they think drugs will fill the void they will kill to get the money to buy drugs. If they think power of money will fill the void they will cheat and steal to get it. If they think lust will fill the void they will risk getting AIDS to satisfy those lusts.

Did you know that we probably live in the most religious decade in a century? People are turning to religion because they are spiritually thirsty. Unfortunately it is not always the religion of Christ. Why do people pay fortunes to psychics and dabble in the occult? Because they are thirsty for come contact with God's Spirit. Why is the New Age movement on the rise? Because people are seeking and they think these philosophies will give them what they need. Why is it that people gave their souls to a mad men like David Koresch? Because they were dying of spiritual thirst, and they thought he could save them.

We Christians have what people need: the Holy Spirit. John tells us that when Jesus said, "Let anyone who is thirsty come to me," he was speaking of the Holy Spirit which would be given to all who believed in him. What these thirsty people need is God's Holy Spirit. In this spiritual desert people are dying for God's Spirit to dwell in their lives. That living presence has been given to all who believe in Jesus Christ.

So what is the Holy Spirit? The Holy Spirit is God's presence with us. It is that aspect of God that is always with us to comfort us, strengthen us and guide us. It is what we feel when we feel that God or Jesus close. It is through the Spirit that the Father and the Son make their presence known in real and transforming ways in our lives.

But the Spirit does more than care for us where we are, it calls us to where God wants us to be. It pulls and pushes on our hearts and souls to show us God's will and God's calling for us. And once we accept that calling, the Holy Spirit equips us to do the task God has set before us. You know when I heard my call into the ministry the last thing I wanted to do was get up in front of a group of people and preach. I already had a gift for listening to people and caring for them. But I had no experience or ability to speak in public and I didn't feel comfortable do it either. But as I prepared for ministry I believe the Holy Spirit slowly gave me the ability to speak in public. Now I am not Billy Graham, but at least I feel at home speaking from a pulpit know. It was God's Spirit that gave me that gift.

The Bible says that there is one spirit but many gifts and not every person has each gift. The Spirit equips us with the gifts we need when we need them. When the Apostles were called to spread the Good News to people of all nations, the Spirit gave them the ability to speak many different languages. When the Apostle Paul faced hardship the Spirit gave him perseverance and hope. I can see this in my own life. When I needed peace God gave me peace. When I have needed an ability to understand a situation God has given me discernment. When I needed to know I was loved the Spirit made that love known to me. So don't let someone tell you that because you can't preach or teach or speak in tongues that you are not a compete Christian or that you don't have the Holy Spirit. The Spirit is with you. That is a promise from Jesus. In the same way don't look down on others who don't have the gifts you do or who have different gifts.

We have been given the Holy Spirit; Christ dwelling in our hearts; God sustaining us and calming our souls. The world needs that. The world desperately lacks a sense of God's presence in their lives. It is no wonder Jesus stood up in that crowd and hollered, "If you are thirsty come to me." I am sure he could sense the deep need and yearning in the people's souls and he wanted them to know the blessing of God's presence in their lives. I imagine Him almost crying for the people, "Come drink of God's Spirit."

Why don't we do that? Why aren't we overcome by compassion for the masses of spiritually thirsty people? Why don't we stand up in the crowd and holler, "If you are thirsty come to Christ!" Maybe we don't sense the thirst in others as strongly as Jesus did. But more likely we don't know that we have the source of what they need so desperately.

Jesus said, "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.'"(John 7:38) God's Holy Spirit had been poured out on you and all who believe. Drink of it. You can do that by simply trusting that God is with you and that God will strengthen you. Seek the gifts that God is giving to you. Pray for God to show you your gifts and calling, then wait patiently for the answer. Then let that Spirit flow out of your heart through deeds and words of Christian love. Let the compassion flow out just as Jesus did when he called the thirsty to drink. Show others that God dwells in you and that God can dwell in them also.

top of this page

Where was Matthias? When the spirit came down at Pentecost with the sound of a mighty rushing wind, was Matthias there? People don't bother to ask this question. And I don't know why? We all know how important Matthias was to the events surrounding pentecost. You do know who Matthias was, Don't you?

If you don't know who Matthias was don't worry. He is not portrayed as a major actor in the story of the early church. In fact the Interpreter's Bible Dictionary, a five volume set, only has half a page on him. Put simply, Matthias was the apostle chosen to take Judas' place. After Judas had that unfortunate little accident, he threw himself on a rock Acts says, there were only 11 disciples. A twelfth one had to be chosen. The number twelve was important because it represented the twelve tribes of God's people. So there was a run off election and Matthias was chosen.

Little is known about Matthias. Matthias was a follower of Jesus, but he was never in the front of the crowd. He had been with Jesus from the time that John had baptized Jesus. Yet he had never been mentioned before. He had followed Jesus, but he had not made the cut when Jesus chose the twelve. In many ways Matthias was like any ordinary Christian, like you or me. None of us are in the top twelve of christianity. None of us starts our name with "Saint." But we are faithful followers of our Lord. Always there in the congregation of the righteous if not leading it.

So where was Matthias at Pentecost? From Jesus baptism, he had been there with Jesus' Disciples. Through Jesus ministry, his trial, and his crucifixion. I am sure Matthias was with the other disciples when Jesus appeared to them on Easter. For forty days Matthias communed with the Lord. Matthias was probably even there when Jesus ascended into heaven.

So naturally Matthias stayed with the disciples after Jesus ascended. During the next ten days the disciples waited. Matthias was elected as a replacement for Judas. But they did little else except pray. What else could they do. They couldn't go out into the streets, at least not alone If they had gone out they would have needed armed guards. The people were angry, after all Jesus had single handedly ruined their passover by getting himself crucified. Nothing can ruin a party quicker than a self righteous martyr. Anyway the Lord had told them to wait until they received power from on high, whatever that meant.

So they waited. They folded their hands, And twiddled their thumbs. And Matthias was there, praying and waiting with them.

But God had a plan for all that waiting. It wasn't to let the authorities cool down either. You see the feast of weeks was coming up. The wheat harvest was coming in and people would be arriving in Jerusalem to bring grain offerings to the temple. The people from the surrounding towns in Galilee who had been there for Jesus' crucifixion would be there again. In addition pilgrims from all over the would would be arriving to worship God.

So in a few days, the streets were filled with devout worshippers of God. And while Matthias and the other disciples prayed, there was a sound from heaven. It was like a mighty rushing wind. I am sure that Matthias thought the end had come. It was loud, probably deafening. It had been loud enough that people gathered to where the sound was to see what had happened.

After the wind filled the room, Matthias looked around. And tongues of fire appeared and rested on each of the Disciples. Immediately they knew and understood what Jesus was talking about before he ascended. Jesus had told them to wait until they were clothed with power from on high. That power was the power of the holy spirit. The power that now filled them. They were not alone, God was with them. And God had given them power. The power of a mighty rushing wind. They could now go out and spread the good news because God had given them the spirit to aid and protect them.

So with courage they went out into the street to tell the good news of Jesus resurrection from the dead. Now Matthias was out of his element. He had always been a follower. He was never in the front of things, not even Jesus' followers. He had followed Jesus from the time of John's baptism until the present, but he had not been part of Jesus' inner circle. Many times Jesus had gone away with the twelve and he had been left behind. What had they talked about on those retreats. What had Jesus told them that he didn't know.

Matthias had never been in the front of Jesus' followers but he had always been faithfully there. And here he was again. Standing there with the twelve and the crowds were looking at them wondering what was happening. People from all over the world who had come to see what had made the noise. I can imagine Matthias turning to Philip of someone and whispering: What do I do now? What do I say? Then suddenly Philip started addressing the crowd. But he was speaking in Latin. And Matthew was talking Egyptian. James was babbling on in Persian. Poor little Matthias didn't know any of those languages. All he knew was Aramaic, and a little Greek. How could he to address these people from all over the world. He didn't even speak any of their languages. But he had such an important message to give them. The message that Jesus had overcome death and sin, and that they could live forever. So Matthias just started telling them. Suddenly all the Elamites in the crowd were looking at him. He had overheard them talking in the marketplace before. But there language had sounded like nothing more than a bunch of gibberish. But he was speaking it and they were hearing and understanding.

Matthias was not a great man. He almost didn't make it into the Bible. He didn't have an innate ability to speak publicly. He was as helpless as any of us. But God gave him the ability he needed. God gave him the gift of being able to speak to some people who needed to hear of the good news of Jesus Christ. God had taken helpless little Matthias and clothed him with power from above so that the Son would be glorified.

Where was Matthias at Pentecost? He was right there in the thick of things. He felt the mighty wind of God. He was swept up in its power. He had little ability on his own. But God used what he had, and gave him more. The Almighty clothed him in power from heaven and used him to shed light in the darkness of earth.

Who was Matthias? He was the thirteenth Apostle, the one who replaced Judas. But in many ways you are Matthias. Like him you are not in the forefront of the faith. We don't have any Billy Graham's or Mother Taresa's here.

But you are people who have faithfully followed Jesus. People who have witnessed the life that he gives through his resurrection. And like Matthias you know that there are people out there who need to know of that life. But how can we tell them. What do we say to that lost. Many times we can't even speak their language. Wait on the Lord in prayer. And when the time is right, you will be clothed with power from on high. Then, for heaven's sake, there will be no shutting you up.

Acts 2:1-21

John 14:15-17; 25-27

"Do you believe in the Holy Spirit?" The question was asked by a seminary student as part of a discussion group. The first response I gave was "Of course I do! I'm a Christian, aren't I?" One of the basic doctrines if Christianity is a belief in the Trinity; that the one true God is revealed in three persons: Father, Son and, last but not least, Holy Spirit. But this student confessed that there was a member in his church who said he did not believe in the Holy Spirit. As we talked we realized that this member didn't doubt the Trinity but rather had misgivings about certain worship practices involving the Holy Spirit.

Most Sundays we say "I believe in the Holy Spirit" as part of our Affirmation of Faith. That statement of its equivalent is in the Apostles' Creed and most of the other creeds we use in worship. But too often main line Christians like ourselves are uncomfortable talking about the Holy Spirit.

I think that too many Christians really don't know what the Holy Spirit is. Some equate the Holy Spirit with emotionalism or ways of worshipping that we are not accustomed to. But God's Holy Spirit is more than the worship practices of one group and it encompasses much more than just the emotions. So today I want to address the question, "What is the Holy Spirit?"

First of all, what did Jesus say about the Holy Spirit? As Jesus was preparing his disciples for his death he told them of the Holy Spirit. Open your Bibles to John 14:16 Jesus said, "I will ask the Father and he will give you another," what? "advocate." Later in verse 26 this advocate is identified as the Holy Spirit. An advocate is one to stands by you in times of trouble or adversity. An advocate is also someone who helps and gives aid and support.

And how will this Advocate give aid. In verse 26 it says that this advocate will do what? someone read aloud verse 26. "Will teach you everything, and remind you of everything I(Jesus) have said to you." So it is the Holy Spirit that helped the Apostles tell and eventually others to write down their accounts of Jesus' life. It is also the Holy Spirit that helps us understand the Bible and apply it to our lives.

So the Holy Spirit gives us help and understanding, but it is also the source of the peace that Jesus says he gives his followers. This peace is not like the peace that the world gives. The peace of mind that the world offers is based on human understandings and abilities. But the peace the Holy Spirit give is a peace that surpasses understanding. It is the peace of mind and tranquillity that we have even in the case of events we do not comprehend and cannot control.

Jesus' promise to send the Holy Spirit was fulfilled on the day of Pentecost. Let's consider what happened at Pentecost. I read the beginning of that story in the Book of Acts. After raising from the dead Jesus appeared to his disciples for forty days. Then Jesus went up into heaven. Ten days later on the Jewish Feast of Weeks, also called Pentecost, God sent the Holy Spirit.

The Holy Spirit came upon the disciples like a mighty rushing wind and flames of fire appeared and rested on each of them. Then they went out into the streets and began to speak in different languages. And people from many different nations who had come to Jerusalem to worship God heard the apostles speaking to them in their native languages. Now some people say that the Apostles here are speaking in tongues. But this is a different phenomenon from what is referred to as "speaking in tongues" in other places in the Bible. The term "speaking in tongues" usually refers to speaking in the language of the spirit. Just read through Paul's letters. He talks about "ecstatic utterances" in a language of the Spirit that humans cannot understand without a special gift of interpretation. In Paul's writings "speaking in tongues" is speaking in a non-human language that the Spirit speaks through people as an aid to prayer and as a sign to unbelievers. On the day of Pentecost the Apostles were not speaking the language of the Spirit. They were speaking human languages by the Holy Spirit. Non-believers were hearing them and understanding what they were saying. By the power of God's Holy Spirit they were given an ability they did not have before. They were given the ability to speak foreign language so that all may hear the Good News of Jesus and believe.

Have you ever wanted to tell someone about Jesus but you just didn't know how? Maybe you tried and it seemed like you were speaking a foreign language to them: they just didn't understand. For instance how do we tell people outside the church that they need to accept Christ to have abundant life. Sometimes when Christians try to speak to the world it is as if we are speaking a foreign language. They look at us as if we are babbling on in Russian or something. It's the Holy Spirit that helps us at such times. Through the Holy Spirit God gives us the ability to communicate across those barriers.

What is the Holy Spirit? It's God's presence with us. God's Holy Spirit is with us to be an advocate and aid. It's the Holy Spirit that give us understanding of God's Word. It's the Holy Spirit that gives us power and strength. It's the Holy Spirit that give us the gifts we need to carry out the ministry that God has planned for each of us.

So do I believe in the Holy Spirit? I do because I have experienced it! I have experienced that presence of God in my life. I have experienced strength through times of difficulty. And that strength came not from me. It came from God's presence with me. I have experienced the presence of God giving me abilities I did not have before so that I may be an instrument of God's grace.

Do you believe in the Holy Spirit? If you have given your life to Christ then the promise of the Holy Spirit is for you. The problem is that many Christians don't know that God has given them a helper, an advocate. They think that they have to live the Christian life on their own. But you don't have to do it alone. God has given you an advocate, a helper, a teacher. But it's up to you to accept that helper. Then God's power will work within you and your life.

This morning I want to do something a little different. As we sing the "Hymn of Response" I want to invite everyone who would like to receive the Holy Spirit to come forward so that I can pray for you. Now let me explain to you what I mean. I know some of you may have been in services where the preacher invited people to come forward and receive a particular gift of the Holy Spirit That is not what I am talking about this morning. I don't ridicule those who do that, I simply do not feel called by God to do that. However I do feel called to invite you to open your hearts and minds to God's presence in your life. That presence is called the Holy Spirit.

You may have given your life to Christ years ago. You are already a Christian and have a reservation for heaven. I'm not talking about that. I am talking about receiving the one who helps us in the here and now to live for Christ. The accept the advocate Jesus has sent to give you strength and guidance in your walk with God.

As we sing the "Hymn of Response" if you want to receive the Advocate Christ has sent you; the Holy Spirit, then I ask you to come forward to the center of the Altar. Then I will ask that you kneel and I will place my hands on your head and pray a simple prayer for the Holy Spirit to be at work in you. If you feel led to come forward to pray for any other reason I will ask that you go to sides of the Altar.

Genesis 11:1-9

Acts 2:1-11

Something Happened! Something happened that first Pentecost Sunday and I am not entirely sure what it was. I wasn't there after all and all I have to go on is the account recorded in Acts. Based on that account I had always assumed that the Holy Spirit gave the apostles the ability to speak in other languages. For instance maybe Matthew spoke in Greek while Thomas spoke in Latin etc. After all it says that they spoke in "other languages." But one Sunday I preached a sermon on Pentecost that included a description of just such an event. After the sermon a church member who knew her Bible very well came up to me and said, "What a unique interpretation." I was surprised but as we talked I discovered that she had always been taught that the disciples were speaking the language of the Holy Spirit and the people "heard in their own language". In other words Matthew and Thomas and the others were speaking in the language of the Holy Spirit and God gave the people the ability to understand in their own language. So for her the miracle of Pentecost was not so much a miracle of tongues as a miracle of ears; not a miracle of speaking but one of hearing.

So which was it? Was it a miracle of tongues or ears? I don't know! I wasn't there! But this much I do know, something happened. Something wonderful happened! The Holy Spirit was poured out and something wonderful and miraculous took place.

Now, if I were God and I wanted to do something miraculous what would I do. Perhaps I would part an ocean and cause it to swallow up God's enemies as in the Exodus. Perhaps I would orchestrate a showdown with God's enemies and would rain down fire from heaven as God did for Elijah. Perhaps I would turn the twelve apostles into super heroes that would make the Power Rangers look like wimps. Now I am getting silly, but of all the things God could have done at that moment God chose to work a miracle of communication. Instead of fires or earthquakes or superhuman powers God granted the ability to communicate.

I think to understand what is happening here we need to go back thousands of years. Back to an unknown plain in ancient history. Back to a time when there where no "other" languages. The people of the earth all spoke one language. And in pride they decided to build a tower to God. "Let us build a siege tower to heaven and storm the citadels of the Almighty," they said.

Ridiculous as this was, they went about the attempt and started to build a tower or pitch and mud bricks. Of course their attempt was so puny that God is described as having to descend to even get a look at it. The project would never succeed, but as long as the people were working on it they would never truly turn to God. Instead of trusting God to descend to them they would be trying to ascend to God.

So God confused their language. Suddenly there were other languages. One worker asked to a brick and everyone looked at him funny until he lost his patience. Another asked for some pitch and was tossed a brick which hit him on the side of the head. The formerly cooperative effort collapsed into a confusing babble of languages. And the peoples of the world scatted, as God had intended.

If you think about it, God didn't need to go to all that trouble. People seem to babble on enough without God's help. Even when we are supposed to be speaking the same language we often seem to be speaking different languages. Parents often speak English to their English speaking children and yet the children don't seem to understand. The English speaking children try to communicate with their English speaking parents and they might as well be speaking Russian! The church uses the common language to tell people that God loves them and wants to save them, yet they don't understand.

This is the miracle of Pentecost. Not so much a miracle of tongues or a miracle of ears but a miracle of communication. God undid the damage caused by human sinfulness at the tower of Babble. At the tower of Babble people wanted to be gods unto themselves. And the consequence was that their speaking and understanding was confused. The were no longer speaking the words of God but the words of humans and they made no sense. But at Pentecost the faithful were given the words of God, the language of the Spirit, if you prefer. Others were given the ability to understand the words the were spoken. And that day thousands came to Christ.

But not all heard and understood. There were some who thought it was all drunken babbling. I suppose their hearts were so hard they refused the gift God offered them.

Of all the things God could have done, God chose to give these early Christians the ability to communicate with the world. That is significant! God could have performed signs and wonders. God could have orchestrated mass healings and resurrections. God could have destroyed the earthly citadels of evil. But God chose to make communication happen.

Do you remember what Jesus' last words to his disciples were before he ascended to send the Spirit? "You will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth."(Acts 1:8b) A witness is one who testifies to what they have seem. If the jury can't understand the witness they are not much good. And if the witness doesn't know what they are talking about they are unreliable.

God gave the gift of communication at Pentecost because that is our first job as disciples. Our first job is to bear witness to what we have seen and heard. It is our first job as the church to tell the world of God's love. And it is not by our own ability, but by the gift of God that we can do this. It is God who takes our babbling and turns it into a testimony of the Gospel that can be heard and understood.

Something happened at Pentecost: God gave the disciples the ability to overcome the curse of Babble and to communicate clearly so people could hear and be saved. But I still hear a lot of babbling going on in the church. When people are asked what they believe I hear them saying "Well, I ... uh .... believe - you know - kind of ...uhh...." When someone asks you what you believe do you babble? If I asked you to stand up here this morning and tell us about Jesus would you communicate or mumble? Or would you say you believe that Jesus is the Son of God who died for the sins of the world and that everyone who believes in him has forgiveness of sins. When you are confronted with a public debate do you stammer and babble or do you proclaim the love and judgment of God.

Perhaps we need to pray for God to heal our tongues! God gave the Apostles the ability to communicate and God will give us the gift of communication if we will seek it. If we will surrender ourselves to the Spirit of God we will be given the words we need to speak. Didn't Jesus say that when we are dragged before councils that the words we need to speak would be given to us.(Matthew 10:19) Know what you believe and then when the time comes just trust the Holy Spirit to guide you as you proclaim the Word of God. That is a gift of tongues as great and honoring to God as any.

But let's not forget the hearers. Communication is a two way street. We need to pray for those to whom we are bearing witness so that they can understand. Not only do we need tongues from God to speak the truth, but people need ears from God to understand what we are saying. Then the miraculous communication that overcomes the curse of Babble can happen just as it did at Pentecost.

Something happened at Pentecost. Something happens at Pentecost. Something is happening! Can't you hear it? The sound of a mighty rushing wind. Jesus, the son of God died and rose again and sits at the right hand of God. Do you hear what I am saying?! Jesus died to offer forgiveness and salvation to anyone who will believe in him. That means that you and you and you and everyone hearing my voice needs to repent from their sin and turn to God to find eternal life in Jesus Christ! Believe in Jesus, and go forth in the power of the Holy Spirit to bear witness to your belief!

Acts 2:1-21

The Bible said that on the day of Pentecost the Holy Spirit came upon the Disciples and they spoke in various tongues. I didn't say it. Joe didn't say it. The most current poll didn't say it. The government officials didn't say it. Even the experts didn't say it.

The Bible said it. It said that the disciples were gathered on the day of Pentecost 10 days after Jesus ascended to the right hand of the Father. And as they stood in prayer there was a sound like a mighty rushing wind! It was so loud that it attracted the attention of all the people in Jerusalem. And there was a visible presence of the Holy Spirit resting on each of the disciples. And they spoke in different languages and proclaimed the Good News in the native languages of the many peoples gathered there.

Now some people scoff at this account. They say that maybe the disciples simply overcame their fear of the Romans and came out and started telling people. So the account we have in the Bible was just an embellishment that came out their emotional furor. In other words the disciples were drunk with confidence. Others say that maybe the disciples memorized the speech in different languages for the express purpose of telling the good news to different people. Their desire was not to fool people, but simply to tell them the Good News. But years later those who witnessed the event saw it as miraculous and so described it in the terms we have it. But isn't that the kind of thing that even the people back then said. They said, "These Jesus people are drunk."

People then and now look for excuses and explanations because they don't want to admit that the Spirit of God can enter people's lives in dramatic and life changing ways. "Well preacher isn't that just a bunch of emotionalism?" they suggest. Or they say, "You know that people who change like that often don't stick with it; they just fall back into old habits." Or "Well, you can't teach an old dog new tricks." And so all religion is explained as merely the human will being taught ethics, and the role of God coming in and radically changing someone is downplayed. "People change" they say "because they work at it, not because God comes in and changes them." And so out of fear they explain away the coming of the Holy Spirit.

But the Bible said that the Holy Spirit came. It wasn't the preacher who said it. If it had just been me then we could explain it away and say, "You know that Alex has an imagination." If Joe or anyone else had said it you could say, "Well he or she must have misunderstood." If the experts had said it you could say, "Well they have made big mistakes before." If the government had said it you could say, "They have a political ax to grind here." If the latest poll said it then you could say, "Yeah and how many of those people believe Elvis is still alive."

But the point is that the Bible said it. And I guess that is the real issue here. Do we trust the Bible more than the opinions of our friends, experts, and 4 out of 5 dentists surveyed. Do we really believe the Bible?

I am not talking about some blind unthinking belief. God gave us brains and expects us to use them. Some of the Bible is poetic. It says that God will cover us with his wings(Ps 36:7). That doesn't mean God is a great big chicken. It is poetic language that expresses the idea of God protecting. Some of the Bible is fictional stories or parables told to illustrate a truth. Jesus said, "There was a man who had two sons..." He wasn't reporting an incident that happened. Jesus was clearly telling a fictional story that illustrated the love of God. Some of the Bible clearly presents itself as parable. But the Book of Acts claims to be history. Luke states at the beginning that he is attempting to describe the course of events as they have been told to him by the eyewitnesses.

Do we believe him. If it were just some guy named Luke we could question his motives. And Luke's motives are clear: he wants people to believe in Jesus. But what Luke wrote is not just Luke's words. It is part of the Bible: God's Word. And do we trust it not to lead us astray. Are we willing to accept what it says?

And what does it say here? First of all it says that the Holy Spirit was poured out upon the disciples at Pentecost. This is not a poetic expression. It's a historical report. The Spirit of God came down in a real and tangible way in entered into the bodies and lives of the believers. And it was that Spirit that gave the disciples abilities that they previously didn't have. Namely the Spirit gave them that ability to speak in other languages.

This means that God does come into people's hearts and lives and change them. It's not a matter of the disciples discovering a hidden confidence in Jesus that led them to go out into the street. All that lived in them before was fear. It was God's Holy Spirit that gave them the courage to go out into the street to proclaim the Gospel. And they did not unearth some hidden linguistic potential that was buried in them. God came in and gave them the ability to speak in those languages.

So the Bible says that God came into people's lives and gave them abilities they didn't already have. And God still does that. God still pours out the Spirit upon disciples and drastically changes them from the inside out. It is not a matter of exerting our moral will or relearning or uncovering hidden potentials. Our moral will by itself is corrupt and our potential is only to sin. God needs to come in and make the change.

The second thing is says is that in the last days the Holy Spirit will be poured out on all flesh and your sons and your daughters will prophesy. You know we usually picture twelve men with tongues of fire on their heads preaching in twelve languages on Pentecost. That is because there were 12 apostles: all of the men. But the Bible clearly says that all of them were gathered and that the spirit filled "all of them" and they began to speak in other tongues. That "all of them" included a number of women named in Acts 1:14. It included the women who had gone to the tomb and others including Mary the mother of Jesus. These women were among the preachers proclaiming the Good News that Pentecost Day. For further evidence that it was more than the 12 apostles consider that in 2:7-11 more than 12 languages are mentioned.

The Bible clearly says that in the last days the Holy Spirit will be poured out on all flesh and your sons and your daughters will prophesy. When we hear the word "prophet" we think of someone who tells the future. In the Bible the role of the prophet is to proclaim the Word of the Lord. Sometimes that word was a revelation about the future but often it was not. Now in Bible times the prophets received direct revelation from God and then the proclaimed them. But today we have the inspired record of those revelations the Bible. So preachers study the Bible and led by the Spirit proclaim it.

In short I am prophesying now by proclaiming the Word of God. And the Word of God says that your daughters shall prophesy. I know that many Bible believing Christians do not believe that God calls women to preach, but that is not what is says here in Acts. It says that God called the women among the disciples to preach and that the Holy Spirit is poured out on women and some of them are called to prophesy. Don't believe it because I said it or because the United Methodist Church says it. Believe it because the Bible said it.

The third thing is says is that everyone who calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved. That is why the Spirit has been poured out so that all can hear and have the opportunity to believe. And all who take that opportunity and call on the name of the Lord shall be saved. That means everyone. It doesn't matter what their family background or racial background and how long their hair or rap sheet is or isn't. Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.

The Bible says it. Calling on the name of the Lord doesn't mean just coming to church or giving to the church. It means personally calling upon Jesus to asking him to be your Savior. It means confessing that you are a sinner and that you need a Savior and then asking Jesus into your heart. Then you shall be saved.

If you want to be saved you must call on Jesus. Don't believe it because I said it or because Peter said it. Believe it because the Bible says it.

Have you asked Jesus into your heart? Have you made him Lord of your life? Have you personally and publicly committed your life to him? If not then do it today!

The Bible, not Alex nor the church, the Bible says that God pours out his Spirit upon those who do. The Bible says that everyone, male or female, rich or poor, churched or unchurched, who calls upon the name of Jesus shall be saved. The Bible also says that when the Spirit comes into your life it changes you. It gives you abilities you never had before. It gives you the ability to have faith you never had, strength you never had, and the ability to love like you never have before.

2000 years ago on the day of Pentecost the Holy Spirit was poured out on the followers of Jesus and "all of them" proclaimed the Good News to the people in the streets. Do you want the Holy Spirit poured out on you today? Do you want strength and courage and abilities to proclaim the saving grace of God in ways you never dreamed of? Have you heard the Good News that everyone who calls on the name of Jesus will be saved? Do you want to call upon that name and receive Jesus as your Lord and Savior? Then come to the altar and open your heart to God's Holy Spirit!

top of this page