Read it, enjoy. Stuffs.
John 14:8-17; Romans 8:14-17; Psalm 104:24-35; Acts 2:1-21
Well today is the day of Pentecost, or as the apostles would have thought it as, the Feast of Weeks. If you remember from last week’s gospel, the apostles were at the Temple every day praising God. And so when Pentecost came, they were all at or near the Temple, and then what sounded like a tornado blew through the house and it looked like the apostle’s hair was on fire! So they started to talk. Now they didn’t just start to talk, they started talking in at least 15 different languages.
So what ended up happening, as is fairly common with groups of people, most of the people were amazed at what was happening, though a few just decided the disciples were drunk. So Peter stood up before everyone and said: “It’s nine in the morning. We’re not drunk, but this is stuff we’ve expected because of the prophet Joel. Remember that Jesus guy; you know, the one you crucified? God raised him from the dead and sat Jesus at his right hand. And now, just like he said would happen, the Holy Spirit has been poured out to us.” At this point, Peter basically has the world’s first altar call, because the people ask, “What shall we do?” And Peter responds, “Repent and be baptized and you will receive the Holy Spirit.” And three thousand became believers that day.
Now Peter took a big risk on Pentecost. He stood up before a somewhat hostile crowd and preached a message that they likely didn’t fully want to hear. But he was open to the work of the Holy Spirit in him, and shared the gospel with a crowd of at least three thousand people. He wasn’t worried about what they thought, but was worried about what God thought.
Because today is Pentecost, we’re also celebrating confirmation. Our young people will stand before you shortly and profess their faith in God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. I’m sure you guys aren’t near as intimidating as three thousand people, but it’s still a big step to say before a group of people, “I believe”.
Now, as Lutheran Christians, we believe that in Baptism the Holy Spirit is poured out upon us. It’s because of this same Spirit, present at Pentecost, that we all have the courage to stand and admit that we follow Jesus Christ. As Paul wrote in Romans, “you did not receive a spirit that makes you a slave again to fear, but you received the Spirit of sonship… heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ.” God calls us his children through the gift of the Holy Spirit.
It’s in that adoption that God gives us the gift of eternal life. I mean just think, Christ is the heir of God – and we share in that inheritance. And all we have to do is “confess with our mouths that Jesus is Lord and believe in our hearts that God raised him from the dead.” And then, empowered by the Holy Spirit, we can all stand before others and say. “Jesus Christ, who was crucified, has been raised to new life and forgiveness of sin and eternal life can be found in Him”