6.16-“No Pentecost without Plenty of Cost”.

6.16-

My thanks to Mark Hamilton, ACU Bible Professor, for his sermon on Pentecost Sunday.  It reminded me of certain realities.

Pentecost Sunday is a day of mercy won for us through the cross of Jesus.  “No Pentecost without Plenty of Cost”.

Joel, a prophet of God had spoken forth a word from God that He would pour out His Spirit on all flesh. Men, women, Jews, Gentiles, Old and Young.  This word from the ninth century B.C.  This promise of God and from God was not forgotten.

God sent His Son from heaven and they killed Him.

Death does not have the last word.  God raised Jesus from the dead.  This is the foundation stone of our hope.  The resurrection of Jesus and our resurrection when Jesus comes back to claim His own.

Death does not prevail.

The audience asks the question Peter wants to hear.  “What should we do?”

The answer for them and all of us.

Repent.  This means a total turn of our hearts from ourselves to God.

And be baptized, every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ, for the remission of your sins and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.

This promise is for all of us regardless of how many years ago 2020 that the first Pentecost happened.

No matter how lost and confused you are and regardless of how many messes you have made.  This promise is for you and for me.

This quarantine time has taught us how few things we really need.  Our Faith.  It is not flimsy or flighty, but if our faith is in the living God it is mighty.

We now know that we cannot separate our religion from our homes, because it is not done in our homes.

We know that the powers of the world are not in control of our destiny.

Salvation is an odd word for some people today.  As Professor Hamilton wrote, Then and now it means “rescue from the power of evil in this life and the power of death itself.”

God keeps His promises.

The day of Pentecost showed that 120 followers with Holy Spirit teaching and preaching could grow to be 3,000.  These received a new life.  A new family.  A new way of life.  The Pandemic and the protesters have reminded us that we cannot go back to the old way of life.  The death of George Floyd and Ahmaud Arbery and over 100,000 dead from the COVID 19 remind us that things will never be the same and they should not be the same.

Our love here on this earth seems frustrated right now.  We see through a mirror darkly but then face to face.  The changes when the will of God in heaven is brought about on earth give a new hope for Pentecost sensitive people.  We long for the day when we can see our brothers and sisters face to face instead of a zoom lens.  But think also of the joy of seeing Jesus face to face someday.

That first Pentecost was not so much the end of something but a new beginning.  Professor Hamilton has suggested it would be a good time to focus on Pentecost Sunday this week to be a new beginning for all of us as to how we look at life.  Can we look at our daily life a chance to practice the golden rule.  That would solve the problem of much violence and killing.  It would solve the racial prejudice.  Treat others the way you want to be treated.

Larry Wishard

6.2.20

Reference, Mark Hamilton,

From Loretta Fulton’s post

Blog Spirit of Abilene,

A sermon given at the Brookline Church on Pentecost Sunday, 5.31.20