Pentecost Sunday
Today we’re remembering the day that Jesus poured out the Holy Spirit on His Church. Pentecost Sunday takes place 50 days after Passover. Pentecost Sunday is really the birthday of the church! It’s the Holy Spirit that brings new birth to our hearts.
John 3:5:
Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God.
It’s the Holy Spirit who gives us POWER to reach our world!
Acts 1:5:
John truly baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.
Acts 1:8:
But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.
Acts 2:1-4:
When the Day of Pentecost had fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. And suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. Then there appeared to them divided tongues, as of fire, and one sat upon each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.
Today is a day not only to remember but to ask for
-
- fresh wind to blow upon my life.
- fresh fire to ignite my tongue.
Gospels (Before Pentecost)
Peter: ▪️Denied ▪️Fearful ▪️Backslidden
Acts 2 (After Pentecost)
Peter: ▪️Power ▪️Boldness ▪️Gifts of the Holy Spirit
Acts 2:37:
Now when they heard this, they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “Men and brethren, what shall we do?”
Acts 2:38-41:
Then Peter said to them, “Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promise is to you and to your children, and to all who are afar off, as many as the Lord our God will call…Be saved from this perverse generation.” Then those who gladly received his word were baptized; and that day about three thousand souls were added to them.
Acts 3:14-15, 19-20:
But you denied the Holy One and the Just, and asked for a murderer to be granted to you, and killed the Prince of life, whom God raised from the dead, of which we are witnesses. Repent therefore and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, so that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord.
Five thousand men were saved.
Acts 4:31:
And when they had prayed, the place where they were assembled together was shaken; and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and they spoke the word of God with boldness.
Acts 5:28:
“Did we not strictly command you not to teach in this name? And look, you have filled Jerusalem with your doctrine, and intend to bring this Man’s blood on us!”
Acts 16:20:
And they brought them to the magistrates, and said, “These men, being Jews, exceedingly trouble our city.”
Acts 17:6:
These who have turned the world upside down have come here too.
Acts 6:3:
Therefore, brethren, seek out from among you seven men of good reputation, full of the Holy Spirit and wisdom, whom we may appoint over this business;
Acts 7:54-56:
When they heard these things they were cut to the heart, and they gnashed at him with their teeth. But he, being full of the Holy Spirit, gazed into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God, and said, “Look! I see the heavens opened and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God!”
Acts 7:57-60:
Then they cried out with a loud voice, stopped their ears, and ran at him with one accord; and they cast him out of the city and stoned him. And the witnesses laid down their clothes at the feet of a young man named Saul (Paul). And they stoned Stephen as he was calling on God and saying, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.” Then he knelt down and cried out with a loud voice, “Lord, do not charge them with this sin.” And when he had said this, he fell asleep.
God heard Stephen’s prayer and Paul is the evidence of it.
Augustine said, “If Stephen had not prayed, the church would not have Paul.”
Acts 8:1:
Now Saul was consenting to his death. At that time a great persecution arose against the church which was at Jerusalem; and they were all scattered throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, except the apostles.
Those were difficult days! But God was in those difficult days accomplishing His will.
These are difficult days – these are our difficult days!
How we need the fresh wind and fresh fire of the Holy Spirit! How we need to pray! Ask during our prayer meetings this week.
The message of the Bible: God uses ordinary people by the power of the Holy Spirit to accomplish extraordinary exploits.
Ask – ask for more!
Luke 11