Sermon Synopsis for May 11, 2008

“Our Pentecost” Deuteronomy 16:9-12; Acts 2:1-21

God is Good … all the time
God is Love … all the time
God is with us … all the time

It’s Mother’s Day. Mother’s put up with a lot – they deserve one day.

The following came from an anonymous Mother in Austin, Texas: "Things I've learned from my boys (honest and not kidding)":
1. A king size waterbed holds enough water to fill a 2000 sq. ft. house 4 inches deep.
2. If you spray hair spray on dust bunnies and run over them with roller blades, they can ignite.
3. A 3-year old boy's voice is louder than 200 adults in a crowded restaurant.
4. If you hook a dog leash over a ceiling fan, the motor is not strong enough to rotate a 42 pound Boy wearing Batman underwear and a Superman cape. It is strong enough, however, if tied to a paint can, to spread paint on all four walls of a 20x20 ft. room.
5. You should not throw baseballs up when the ceiling fan is on. When using a ceiling fan as a bat, you have to throw the ball up a few times before you get a hit. A ceiling fan can hit a baseball a long way.
6. The glass in windows (even double-pane) doesn't stop a baseball hit by a ceiling fan.
7. When you hear the toilet flush and the words "uh oh", it's already too late.
8. Brake fluid mixed with Clorox makes smoke -- lots of it.
9. A six-year old boy can start a fire with a flint rock even though a 36-year old man says they can only do it in the movies.
10. Certain Lego's will pass through the digestive tract of a 4-year old boy.
11. Play dough and microwave should not be used in the same sentence.
12. Super glue is forever.
13. No matter how much Jell-O you put in a swimming pool you still can't walk on water.
14. Pool filters do not like Jell-O.
15. VCR's do not eject "PB & J" sandwiches even though TV commercials show they do.
16. Garbage bags do not make good parachutes.
17. Marbles in gas tanks make lots of noise when driving.
18. You probably DO NOT want to know what that odor is.
19. Always look in the oven before you turn it on; plastic toys do not like ovens.
20. The fire department in Austin, TX has a 5-minute response time.
21. The spin cycle on the washing machine does not make earthworms dizzy.
22. The spin cycle on the washing machine will, however, make cats dizzy.
23. Cats throw up twice their body weight when dizzy.
24. 80% of men who read this will try mixing the Clorox and brake fluid.
25. 80% of women will pass this on to almost all of their friends, with or without kid.

Pentecost is known as the birthday of the church
The church is a group of God’s children (our heavenly parent).
We become God’s children through faith in Jesus.
I wonder what God’s list of “things I’ve learned from my children” looks like?

PENTECOST
Today the church calendar tells us it is Pentecost.
Pentecost is a reminder that God is with us.

Pentecost has its roots in the Old Testament. It’s a Jewish celebration.
It’s a word from the Greek – meaning the 50th day, 50 days after Passover.

There are various descriptions of Pentecost in the Old Testament, each with their own emphasis on how the holiday was celebrated.

THE ORIGINAL PENTECOST
Deuteronomy 16:9-12

Verse 9 – the first cutting of the grain is Abib 16 on the Jewish calendar, the 2nd day of the Passover feast. (hence 7 weeks = 49 days, plus 1 = 50 days after the passover)

Verse 10 – Every celebration on the Jewish calendar is marked by an offering, above and beyond the regular tithe.

For the Hebrews, you can’t think about God with out giving.

How much? “in proportion to the blessings the Lord your God has given you”

Little blessing – little offering / big blessing – big offering (simple to figure)

Blessings back then were generally measured in material things; we have so many more types of blessings these days.

Verse 11 – Rejoice! It is a happy, festive celebration, not a solemn service.

Where? “At the place God lives.” That would be the Tabernacle – smoke filled when God showed up, and later the Temple. When the temple was destroyed, it was a terrible crisis for Israel – they had no place to celebrate (or offer sacrifices for the forgiveness of sins – no forgiveness). God didn’t have a place to live in their midst. A crisis.

Who does it say should celebrate? It looks like just about everyone.
Men and women
Their descendents
Employees / workers
Levites – religious workers (pastors joined in the celebration)
Aliens? Not extraterrestrials, but immigrants who live among them.
Orphans
Widows

Verse12 – remember where you came from. Don’t get proud and haughty with all the blessings you have. God set you free from slavery in Egypt. God did this for you; you didn’t do it yourself.

The Jews celebrated this holiday faithfully throughout history, except when there was no Temple, when they were in exile in Babylon.

About 2000 years ago, the Jews in Jerusalem celebrated in the customary way, but with a small group of about 120 men and women, in an upper room, in Jerusalem, things were about to change forever.

A NEW WAY TO CELEBRATE PENTECOST

All of the sudden, Pentecost became a Christian celebration. (Acts Chapter 2)

Pentecost is often referred to as the birth of the church. That’s when a group of individual believers in Christ became united into a common body – the church.

There are parallels between the Jewish celebration and the early Christian celebration.

It is a time to Rejoice!

This group included everyone: men, women, common folk, government workers, orphans and widows. And was being spread to the aliens (the foreigners in their midst)

It’s a time to remember where you come from – Israel was saved from slavery in Egypt, they were saved from the slavery of their sins through faith in Jesus.

The offering was their lives, because the Lord had blessed them in a special way.

Where does God dwell? Pentecost marks the coming of the Spirit of God into the lives of the believers. Before God showed up now and then, but that day, he showed up to stay.

Pentecost is still to be celebrated “in the place where God dwells,” which is in our lives,

Who is included? Acts 2:21 tells us, “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord Hill be saved.”

OUR PENTECOST – INVITES THE HOLY SPIRIT INTO OUR LIVES

Pentecost puts the presence of God right in the lives of believers.
When we accept Jesus to come into our hearts, we accept God (Jesus said I and the father are one). God isn’t divided; there is one God – when we invite Jesus into our hearts, we invite God (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit) to dwell in us.

OUR PENTECOST – DEMONSTRATES THE PRESENCE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT IN OUR CHURCH

The church embodies the presence of God in this world. The Apostle Paul told the church, “You (all of you believers) are God’s Temple.” (1 Corinthians 3:16)

Our Pentecost comes when we invite God into our lives.
(Again, don’t try to divide God)

OUR PENTECOST – WE REJOICE
It is a time to Rejoice! (Phil 4:4 – Rejoice in the Lord always!)

Remember, in the Old Testament the Holy Spirit came and went. In the New Testament the Holy Spirit came to stay (permanent) – this is a real cause to rejoice – always.

OUR PENTECOST – IS FOR EVERYONE
That first Christian Pentecost – the church shared God’s love to all who came to Jerusalem, in their own language.

They showed that God’s message, the Gospel was for everyone – “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved,” said the Apostle Peter. (2:21). It doesn’t matter who you are – Jesus came and died for you. You don’t need to become Jewish to become a follower of Jesus and celebrate Pentecost.

OUR PENTECOST – CALLS US TO REMEMBER YOUR PAST
Having God’s H. S. in our lives is cause for celebration. But we must remember where we came from – we were all unforgiven sinners – saved from the bondage of sin. There’s no room for pride – we were all saved by the “grace” of God. Not by anything we did.

OUR PENTECOST – CALLS FOR AN OFFERING
Because of our salvation - We offer our lives to God (finances, home, work, hobbies, etc. – all our lives).

In as much as we are blessed (with life / salvation), we make our offerings to God.

OUR PENTECOST – REMINDS US THAT GOD DWELLS IN OUR LIVES
Deut 16:11 “Rejoice before the Lord your God at the place he will choose as a dwelling place for his Name” – that’s us – God dwells in us. God’s presence must be evident in our lives. God “chose” to live in our lives; we didn’t chose God.

EVEN THE “ALIENS” ARE INVITED
My Pop-pop, Andras Bolf – was one of those aliens (immigrants). He came to the USA (through Ellis Island) looking for a better life. The Bolsheviks were destroying his world (in Bohemia, later Czechoslovakia). His older brother (Ludevic) had already left.

Andras eventually got in touch with his brother, in Northern Philadelphia. My great uncle Ludevic had become a Christian through the ministry of a church in North Phlly. My Pop-pop went to see his brother – they could eat the food from the “old country,” talk in their native language, and most importantly, hear the gospel in their native language.

He came looking for a better life, and he found Jesus.

That church was being a New Testament church – inviting everyone, even the alien in their midst, to have Jesus come into their lives. That was my Pop-pop’s Pentecost.

Is God’s presence (ie. God’s Holy Spirit) evident in your life by those you come into contact with?

Does our church show evidence of the presence of the Holy Spirit in all we do?

God is Good … all the time
God is Love … all the time
God is with us … all the time