Pentecost Day

May 19, 2013; Pentecost Day; Texts; Genesis 11:1-9; Acts 2:1-21; John 14:23-31;
Title: The Purpose of Pentecost Power; Rev. Tim Beck

Grace, mercy, and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ

Today we celebrate Pentecost, a marvelous day, an extraordinary day. And what
is so wonderful about it? Many Christians miss the wonder of Pentecost when our
fallen nature fastens on the wrong things. We get caught up in the signs. For
example, when you were a child, did you remember best Abraham’s intercession for
Sodomor the fire and brimstone that rained down? Parents and teachers, did you
give children hyper-dramatic “Bible” cartoons to catch their attention,
despite the message getting lost in scenes akin to superman? We’re attracted to
the extraordinary, be it bigger ice cream cones, 9th inning plays, extravagant
shows, tongues of fire. This naturally unnatural tendency causes people of all
ages to miss the ordinary work of God, and to miss the point when God acts out
of the ordinary. We easily forget that miraculous signs are not signs to
themselves but point to something greater, something bigger and better.

Signs and wonders are for faith. They lead us to the miracle that is
not seen, but believed. What God worked through Pentecost was not simply wind,
fire, and miraculous utterance. There was a message spoken in those unlearned
languages. And if we read on in Acts to the conclusion of Peter’s Pentecost
sermon, many Christians are surprised by what Peter proclaims as the goal of
Pentecost. So let’s identify what the goal of Pentecost’s miraculous signs is
not. First, let’s point out the obvious. Miraculous signs are not given to
justify false doctrine. Even if something out of the ordinary happens, we don’t
leap up and say, that must be God! And then define God by our interpretation of
the experience. Pentecost’s experience was well defined by Scripture, so that
the miraculous signs didn’t become the thing in themselves, unlike someone I
know made them. He grew up with some Pentecostals who over the years gained
national prominence. His friends filled rallies by being filled with “signs,”
and claiming a new Pentecost. Over the years, their experiences defined what
they called God. One preacher rejected justification by grace. Two others
rejected the Trinity. One said “with a special anointing you are god, equal to
Jesus.” Their friend couldn’t believe these men deserted the Christian faith…
because they were so humble when you talked with them, and look what they did!
Gal 1:8 But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach to you a gospel
contrary to the one we preached to you, let him be accursed. The real Pentecost
has nothing to do with accursed teachings.

Besides, that first Pentecost the signs pointed to the message. That’s
the second correction: signs are not an end in themselves. God did not give them
to fascinate us, but for faith in Christ. Scripture is about Christ, and Christ
is received by Holy-Spirit-worked faith, not by emotional zeal, clever
reasoning, or a sinner’s willful decision. And if our faith is in signs, it
won’t last long. For example, when God did the extraordinary in the miracles of
the Exodus, sight could not sustain faith. Although the miracles proved God’s
word was true, most of Israelrefused to believe. The third correction:
Pentecost’s goal is not to create first-class and second-class Christians,
measured by a personal experience of tongues. If you read the book of Acts, are
all believers commanded to speak in tongues?

To summarize, what purpose do miracles not have? They are never for
false doctrine, an end in themselves, or for spiritual pride. As for the
miraculous signs of Pentecost the Old Testament tells us why they were given.
The signs of Pentecost did not happen in a vacuum, as if God did a new thing
without any reference to the thing He’d been doing new for centuries. Throughout
Scripture, God’s signs point to Christ, and often connect to previous signs. For
example, Passover’s lamb foreshadowed the Lamb of God. The signs of the Exodus
and wilderness wanderings, such as the rock struck that poured out the water of
life, pointed to Christ too. So when Jesus came, he replaced the Passover with
His own Supper, since the sign gave way to the substance. As for Pentecost, it
had signs that preceded it and pointed to its day. Pentecost occurred on the day
of the Jewish harvest festival. What did the harvest festival point to? The
harvest festival was a day of thanksgiving for harvest. The annual celebration
for the crops said “God was faithful again!” Besides that, it symbolized the
Lord will be faithful to fulfill the promise He made to Abraham. Abraham was
promised a seed that would bless all peoples. That seed, like wheat would die
and then live to be the blessing of the nations. David too was promised a seed
who would be both king and deliverer, the seed who would harvest a great crop of
souls. Then the blessed Seed came, suffered, died, rose and ascended, and sent
the Spirit.

The harvest festival was fulfilled and replaced by Pentecost, which
declared the gathering of all peoples to Christ. On Pentecost the Holy Spirit
was poured out on all nations, all tongues, fulfilling what Joel predicted so
long before, which included the darkness surrounding Jesus’ crucifixion. Jesus’
salvation is manifest in power. The very signs of Pentecost had Biblical
precedent. The sound of a mighty rushing wind symbolized the Holy Spirit’s
presence from time immemorial. Genesis 1:2 calls the Spirit: “the breath or
wind” of God. The Spirit was represented by wind in the time of Elijah too, so
it was no surprise when Jesus said the wind blows where it wills as does the
Spirit (Jn 3). Second, flames of fire symbolized the divine presence. It
hearkened to the burning bush and pillar of fire over God’s people. John the
Baptist referred to Jesus coming in the Holy Spirit and in fire (Mt. 3:11) (God
with us, Immanuel!) This fire poured out upon God’s people has always resulted
in confession, prayer, praise and witness to the divine presence. Third, the
utterance of tongues was a sign of divine inspiration. Not only does God give
language, He speaks through His church. Tongues fell on every gathered disciple
to indicate all believers have the same Holy Spirit. The gift of tongues undid
the towerof Babel, and fulfilled the promise made to Abraham. The blessed
Saviour is declared to all nations in all languages.

And notice what Peter called the mighty works of God, since it wasn’t
these signs. What did He, inspired by the Holy Spirit say? Peter’s sermon calls
the mighty works of God this: Christ crucified and risen. The miraculous signs
point to Christ, for the sake of faith. So when it comes down to it, the purpose
of Pentecost is the proclamation of the Christ. The Holy Spirit is given so that
the message goes to all peoples, through the church. As Jesus said, you will
receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my
witnesses in Jerusalemand in all Judeaand Samaria, and to the end of the
earthActs 1:8. The church is commissioned to declare the Word to all peoples,
and the signs of Pentecost affirm it. The signs of Pentecost are not about sheer
power, or chiefly about the Holy Spirit. They focus on Christ; for the “other
advocate” empowers the church for witness. And to put away one last
misconception: Pentecost is not the first time the Holy Spirit came upon the
church to create faith. The church began with Adam’s repentance and His faith in
the promised Saviour. Where there is faith in the Word there is the Holy
Spirit. There is the same faith and the same Holy Spirit present in each
believer from time immemorial. As you recall from John 17, Jesus said before he
died that each believer has and will continue to have the Holy Spirit in them.

Today’s text, saying that the Holy Spirit had not yet been given,
refers to another aspect of the Spirit’s work. What Pentecost affirms is the
Holy Spirit empowers the church to witness to Christ so that all nations will
hear; and by the Holy Spirit’s advocacy may believe. This is the purpose of the
signs, that the Word of Christ is declared to all peoples for faith. This
surprises many Christians. And what is even more surprising is how Peter
applies the miracle of Pentecost. How are all people to receive the faith that
saves? Peter doesn’t go where Pentecostal theology goes, making the signs the
goal of a believer, to measure truth by Scripture but by experience. Peter takes
Pentecost’s miraculous doings and leads his hearers to…Holy Baptism! The purpose
of Pentecost takes us to baptism. Is baptism a mightier work than fire, tongues
and rushing wind? Is all the excitement of that first Pentecost so that the
peoples would submit to baptism? Is it all so that an unseen faith would be born
of water with the Word?

Consider a summary of the Apostle’s entire Pentecost sermon: First,
the Holy Spirit seen as wind gives witness to Christ through the church; the
flames indicate the presence of the divine name, Jesus is LORD; and the many
languages declare Abraham’s promise to all nations is fulfilled. Then Peter
declares Christ’s crucifixion, resurrection and the sending of the Spirit,
quoting the prophets and concludes: Repent and be baptized every on of you in
the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive
the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promise is for you and for your children
and for all who are far off, everyone whom the Lord our God calls to himself
(Acts 2:38, 39).

Repent and be baptized in the name of Jesus is Peter’s conclusion.
There are some points to consider in his conclusion. First, God calls. He is the
one who saves by means of His promise. Second, His promise is for you, for your
children, and all who are far off. Third, repent your sins. Finally, the
contrite are commended to Baptism for the forgiveness of sins and the gift of
the Holy Spirit. Baptism promises to those near and far, for you and for your
children, forgiveness of sin and eternal life through Jesus Christ. Unbelievers
who saw and heard the events of that first Pentecost are directed to repentance
and baptism. That’s the wonder of Pentecost. In water with the Word sinners are
absolved, receive an outpouring of grace, membership in Kingdomof God, and the
gift of the Holy Spirit. There is no command to seek some other experience, some
substitute sacrament to get more of the Holy Spirit. Peter preaches baptism, and
that message remains to this day. The purposeful goal of Pentecost’s miraculous
signs is Baptism into Christ. For in Baptism, God grants the Holy Spirit, the
kingdomof God, forgiveness of sins, the sanctified life, and the power to
witness.

In simple water with the Word God grants faith, and all things
pertaining to life. This promise He has given you, your children, and those who
are far off. That makes Pentecost a most marvelous day, a wonderful day. He who
believes and is baptized shall be saved (Amen).

The peace of God which passes all understanding keep your hearts and minds in
Christ Jesus our Lord. (Amen)