Second Presbyterian Church

"The Church Is Born Of the Holy Spirit
Preaching From the Book of Acts"
January 15, 2006

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Sermons Homepage » Sermons for 2006 » Sermons for January 2006 » Sermons from the Series from the Book of Acts

#3 in the Series from the Book of Acts
The Rev. Daniel E. Hale, D. Min.

• Joel 2: 28-32
• Acts 2: 1-47

This chapter in Acts describes the beginnings of the Church, the body of Christians. They were all together in prayer and suddenly the sound of a mighty wind filled the room and tongues, as of fire, alighted upon each person present. John the Baptist was right, Jesus would indeed baptize with the Holy Spirit and fire. Immediately the followers began proclaiming the might works of God, speaking about these mighty works in all the different languages known to be in Jerusalem for the festival.

The crowds gathered around this ruckus and were astonished to hear God's message in their native tongues, especially since the ones speaking were all Galileans. Galileans were not known for their cosmopolitan ways. And many of these guys were just fishermen.

Yet, like all new things and change, not everyone is going to respond in a positive manner. Some mocked what they heard and accused the Christians of being drunk; that this was all the result of too much wine.

Peter begins to preach, "Brothers we are not drunk, it is only 9 O'clock in the morning!" Now, what kind of explanation is that! Peter, do you mean to imply that if all this had happened in the afternoon, or evening, then there would be no way to deny alcohol as an excuse? I don't know. But Luke does inject humor here and there and this feels like an example to me.

On the other hand, Peter's sermon is very serious, in that it is important, not a joke. He interpreted the words of Joel as being fulfilled through the coming of Jesus Christ, his death and resurrection and the out-pouring of the Holy Spirit that happened at that moment, as described by this chapter. Peter went on to describe how Jesus of Nazareth was God's Messiah, who had now sent the Holy Spirit to the Apostles to witness to the people about Jesus' resurrection. And I don't mean witness in the strict sense that we use the word, witness. These 120 followers of Jesus were actual witnesses of the resurrected Lord, who had been with Jesus during the forty days after God raised him from the dead.

When the people heard Peter, they were convicted. They realized that Jesus really was the Messiah and that they (and we) had participated in his crucifixion. They asked what to do and Peter told them to repent (that is change their life's direction), believe in Jesus Christ, and be baptized in His name.

Finally, we read how they enjoyed the fellowship and the teaching of the Apostles and they worshiped together, broke bread in their homes together, and shared their possessions as needed in the fellowship.

So, with that being said, what can we discern for our congregation and selves that perhaps the Lord might be saying to us now? I believe that we can benefit from the following.

1. It is the Spirit of Christ that breathes life into the church, whether by a mighty wind with tongues of fire or by a still small voice. There is no church. There is no proclamation of the Gospel without the presence of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit witness through the church that Jesus of Nazareth is God's Messiah and that God raised Him from the Dead. We can exist as an organization, or as a human fellowship, but that does not make us a church. The presence of God's Holy Spirit is required for us to be part of the Church of Jesus Christ.
   
   
2. If we are to be a viable congregation, we must continue to proclaim Jesus of Nazareth as the resurrected Messiah and that it is he, alone, who has redeemed us. It is the Spirit of God that gives us the power of proclamation. Jesus, the resurrected one is the Messiah. This must be the proclamation of the Church. He is the One who came and redeemed the world from sin. In Him is where life began. In him our lives become complete, beginning now. Our purpose in life is nothing without the Lord Jesus Christ. All our other attempts for meaning and salvation are flimsy failures. They cannot redeem us and give us eternal life. Jesus of Nazareth, the Resurrected Messiah of God, He is the One that the true church proclaims and worships. Part of the way this gospel must be proclaimed is through the preaching of the Gospel of Jesus Christ and the Sacraments of Baptism and the Lord's Supper.
   
   
3. It is important that we trust the Lord to provide the different gifts that it takes to be a viable congregation. The Holy Spirit provides for the church, or the congregation by gifts of the Spirit. At baptism we receive the Holy Spirit. As Christians we trust that the Lord has given us gifts from the Holy Spirit FOR THE BUILDING UP OF THE CONGREGATION. These are not just gifts for our personal use; they are gifts that God has given us to use for the sake of the congregation. These gifts include the power to proclaim the Gospel, to teach the Gospel, to prophesy, to heal, to be pastoral to those in need, and so on. These gifts include the gifts of gentleness, kindness, love, faith, hope, and so on.
   
   

The message is for us: that with our dependence and trust upon God, through Jesus Christ, we shall do well here. It may mean change. It might even feel a little scary. But the Lord's future for our congregation is the only real future we have. It will not be the recovering of the glory of the past. It will be even greater. Israel fervently hoped for the glory of the past as was remembered in King David. But that was not real glory. The glory of Jesus Christ was not the Kingdom of ancient Israel; it was the Kingdom of God in which al people can come for the forgiveness of sins and the redemption of their lives. Amen.

The Rev. Daniel E. Hale, D. Min.