Sermon May 23, 1999 Keep Calling based on Acts 2:1-21
Grace to you and peace from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.
Especially: 2:21 And everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.
Today we are gathered celebrating one of the top three days in the Christian Church, Pentecost. This day occurs fifty days after the celebration of our Lord's resurrection on Easter. It was originally a Jewish feast, known also as the Feast of Weeks. It was a celebration of the early grain harvest and bread made from the new grain was offered in the temple.
Pentecost became so much more for Christians, however. It was the day that Christ's promise concerning the coming of the Holy Spirit was fulfilled. On the day of Pentecost, the Holy Spirit came in a dramatic demonstration of God's power. The Holy Spirit gave witness with the apostles speaking in various foreign languages to foreigners present in Jerusalem. Peter, who was formerly fearful enough to deny Jesus, was given power by the Holy Spirit to deliver a sermon. The Holy Spirit worked through the Word and through the words of that sermon and 3000 people were converted that day.
Pentecost has become in a sense the birthday celebration of the New Testament Church. Early Christians connected the old celebration of the fruits of the earth's harvest with the fruits of the Spirit's blessing.
Today our worship is filled with the special events of the Rite of Confirmation and recognition of our high school graduate(s). We look back to see the work of the Holy Spirit in the lives of these young people and we look forward to the work of the Holy Spirit yet to come.
The events of Pentecost start with the apostles gathered together by themselves. Then a strong, driving wind blows. The connection of this wind would have been apparent to the apostles who spoke Greek and also knew Hebrew. The word for "spirit" is the same as the word for "wind" and "breath" in both of these languages. The Holy Spirit is the Holy Wind or Holy Breath. Following Jesus' resurrection, He breathed on His disciples and said, "Receive the Holy Spirit." Along with this wind came tongues that looked like fire dividing and resting over each of them. They were personally given a special measure of the Holy Spirit so that they would have power for the task they needed to do: to share God's message of Good News.
Next came the dramatic sign that the apostles would give: the speaking in other languages. Other people had heard the sound of the wind and they gathered together around the apostles. The apostles then began speaking and sharing the Good News, but those who were present heard them speak in their native language. Now the group assembled were not all native to Jerusalem. In fact they had come from around the world, as the list in our text explains. The list forms a geographic circle around the Holy Land. Most interesting is that many of the nations mentioned were wiped out or absorbed into other nations. Indeed the peoples mentioned were a rare group and thus the languages were unusual.
This demonstration of God's power brought a mixed reaction. Some were amazed and perplexed. Others accused the apostles of being drunk. Peter then explains the situation in his sermon. Only a portion of his sermon is included in our text. The text ends at verse 21, but the sermon goes on to verse 39. Peter starts by denying that the men are drunk. Rather, he identifies the event as the outpouring of the Holy Spirit which was promised long ago. He then references Joel, the Old Testament prophet to give that promise. Joel wrote, inspired by the Holy Spirit, some 860 years prior and he gave the promise of God. That promise was fulfilled at Pentecost.
We see that God is faithful to His promises, past, present and future. He is one who stands by His Word. He promised a messiah, and Christ came. He promised the Holy Spirit and He came. The portion of Joel that Peter uses ties Pentecost into the coming of the great and glorious day of the Lord. That would be Judgment Day. Pentecost is a foreshadowing of the Day of the Lord. On the Day of the Lord He will come in a powerful demonstration of His might. God promises us this Judgment Day to come in which all sinners will by judged by their deeds. We have God's promise that we are to be pardoned by the grace of Christ. And everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved. God is faithful to His promises.
The apostles of Jesus were accused on that Pentecost day of sounding like drunks, babbling, uttering sounds that made no sense. They were accused of saying things that were "just words." To those who are perishing, the Gospel is foolishness. For us who believe, however, they are words that make us just. They are words that bring God's justifying message to us. Many today consider the Bible to be just words, in its various teachings. This is particularly evident in our post-modern society. However, the Bible is not ordinary words, rather they are God's Words ... words that convict of sin, and words that bring justification, or make us just by showing us our Savior. This is the Gospel. This is the Good News of Jesus Christ dying for our sins.
Over the years we have heard the Gospel again and again. Our confirmand(s) has(have) heard it in his(their) intense instruction the last two years. Our graduate(s) has(have) heard it over the years. You have learned the Gospel. Now, as our young people move forward and perhaps move away, we urge them to keep this Gospel dear, guard it, hold it precious.
When people encounter a disaster where they might lose their house, it is very revealing to see what they might chose to save from their house. When people go into their house the last time to get out things which are most precious as their house is burning or when a flood is approaching they show what they really value. Often, they go get things that are not replaceable. You can see what is really valued by someone when they are placed in such a crisis.
We urge our youth to put the greatest value on Jesus Christ and His Gospel. This is true for all of you. Make the truth of our Lord the thing you value the most. It is a gift given to you by God. It cannot be replaced by something else, for there is no substitute. There is no other way to salvation. You don't want to leave it behind. Take it with you everywhere. Remember: "And everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved."
It is often hard in our lives to keep Jesus first. There is much competing with Christ. John finishes his first epistle by saying: "Little children, keep yourselves from idols." We are to keep ourselves from calling upon other names than our Lord's.
This is difficult, for our world programs us to call upon other things for our good, our happiness, and our salvation. Among the top idols in our world today are money, jobs, and recreation. Money is often looked to as the source of happiness. Jobs and recreation are the two biggest reasons people give for not being at divine services and Bible study. It is easy to let these three get in the way of the Lord. We each need to evaluate if we put them at a higher position that Jesus. For what things are we willing to compromise our attendance at divine services? What keeps us away from Bible study? Why do we not pray more often? If we look for a cause, we find at the root that we are calling upon something other than the name of the Lord. It may be money, our jobs, our recreation, or any of a number of other possibilities. In this we fall short of our God's requirements. We sin.
What does God say to all this? He speaks to us with a Word--His Son. Jesus Christ is God's reply to sin. He came to take on human form and die on the cross to wipe out our sins. So we hear the Good News: "And everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved." This Gospel is like a blank check given to each of us. Each of our youth has this blank check. Salvation is freely offered. All who call upon the name of the Lord receive this salvation.
This Gospel is something precious. However, we don't just hold on to it and put it away for safekeeping, but we share it with others. You have perhaps seen the TV crews come into a town after a fire, tornado or flood. They tape people going through the remains of their belongings. You watch the tears and regrets. Sometimes you see the joys. These people are sharing what is valuable for them. They are letting the world know what is precious to them.
You too, are to share this precious thing you have in the Gospel. Share it with others, don't sit on it. This we especially encourage for our high school graduate(s). As you move away, or begin college, a job or a family, take the Gospel with you. Share Jesus with the new people you meet. Remember that God wants to use you to share His Gospel with others. To be really effective at sharing, we need to keep ourselves filled up with an overabundance of Christ, through the Holy Spirit.
At Pentecost, the Holy Spirit was poured out dramatically on the apostles. Then, their preaching of God's Word brought thousands to faith. It was the Holy Spirit at work through the Word that brought faith. This is the same way the Holy Spirit nurtures and feeds our faith--through the Word.
If you wish to remain strong and be filled-up in your faith, what will you do? You will gladly read and hear God's Word. You won't despise preaching and His Word, but will instead hold it sacred and gladly hear and learn it.
God offers us His strength to face the future. He gives us the way to remain faithful. How can our confirmand(s) keep his(their) vows? How can our high school graduate(s) hold fast to Jesus in the face of all the anti-Christian influences he(they) will encounter? None of this can be done by our own efforts. We are too weak to survive. This is why God promises to send His Holy Spirit. Then the Holy Spirit teaches us the Gospel again and again, saying: "And everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved."
As we each move out into the future, we call upon the name of the Lord in all we do. One verse I will share with our graduate(s) in a moment is Proverbs 16:3: "Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and your plans will succeed." We need to call on the Lord as we each go about our lives.
The confirmation verse(s) also give(s) direction for the future.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Dan had Romans 1:16: "I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile." This encourages the sharing of this precious Gospel that Dan has learned with other people. It is the power of salvation for all who call upon the name of the Lord.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Justin had John 8:12: "I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life." We live in a world of darkness. Following Jesus in this life will lead us to be saved.
Lacey was given 1 Corinthians 6:20: "You were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body." The price of our salvation was the death of our Lord upon the cross. In response to that wonderful gift, we honor the Lord with all that we do.
Heather received Psalm 55:22: "Cast your cares on the LORD and he will sustain you; he will never let the righteous fall." As we face the future, we can lay our burdens at the Lord's altar. There we will come to know the Gospel again, hearing how all our sins are forgiven.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Pentecost was that day when the Holy Spirit gave power to the apostles to preach God's Word. The Spirit works through that Word. In our lives we strive to put our Lord first. He wants to feed and nurture us through His Word, so we make ourselves available to the work of the Holy Spirit. Though our sins are great, God's Word is even greater. That great Word calls us to know and believe that "everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved." So we move into the future, carrying that Word with us and sharing it. We count on the Holy Spirit to work through that Word to give us strength for the future. That Word is great for it proclaims the Gospel of our Savior, Jesus Christ. Amen.
Now may the peace of God which passes all understanding keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Amen.