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INJ
Acts 2:1-21
'They Each Heard the Wonderful Works of God'
Divine Service
Pentecost 2007 | 27 May 2007
Dear Saints,
God delivered His people from Egypt. You remember the history, Moses and Pharaoh and the plagues, one worse than the next (rivers turned to blood, frogs, lice, flies, cattle, boils, hail, locusts and darkness) until finally the unspeakable must be done: the death of the first born. So much blood on the hands of Pharaoh. In the first plague the Nile turned to blood, now the streets themselves flood with the blood of the eldest and the wail of mourners.
But the Lord does not have death for His people, but deliverance, and they are to shed the blood of a lamb, paint it on their door posts, and the angel of death will passover their home. So we have the very first Passover.
Pharaoh relents for a while, sends the Lord's people away, and they make for the promised land. They pass through the Red Sea on dry land, leaving Pharaoh and his army floating. Then, in peace and safety, fifty days later, they reach the base of Mt Sinai.
Pentecost means 'fifty', for fifty days after Passover. Here at the base of Mt Sinai we have the first Pentecost. The people are gathers, the LORD has spoken to Moses, and now the LORD comes to the people: And God spoke all these words, saying, "I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery. "You shall have no other gods before me.” [Exodus 20:1-3]
And there's nine more where that came from. You shall not misuse the name of the LORD your God. Remember the Sabbath Day to keep it holy. Honor your father and your mother. You shall not murder. You shall not commit adultery. You shall not steal. You shall not bear false witness. You shall not covet your neighbor's house. You shall not covet your neighbor's wife, or his manservant or his maid servant, or his ox or his donkey, or anything else that belongs to your neighbor.
And do you know what the people do when they see the fire on the mountain and hear this noise? Now when all the people saw the thunder and the flashes of lightning and the sound of the trumpet and the mountain smoking, the people were afraid and trembled, and they stood far off and said to Moses, "You speak to us, and we will listen; but do not let God speak to us, lest we die." [Exodus 20:18-19]
“Not like this, Moses. We can't handle it. It's too much, it's going to kill us. Do not let God speak to us, lest we die.” And they have it right, the law kills. St Paul preaches, “The very commandment that promised life proved to be death to me.” [Romans 7:10, see also 2 Corinthians 3:7, 'the ministry of death'] That's what the law does to us, it comes like a mirror and shows us all our failures, defects, sins, our idolatrous flesh and our wretched self-serving hearts.
The Law shows us for who we are, not who people think we are, not even how we think of ourselves, who we really are. The Israelites knew that what was coming from the mountain was frightful, dreadful, full of death and destruction. “They were afraid and trembled, and stood far off.” So the first Pentecost.
But this morning we hear of a new Pentecost, a new “fifty days” after the Passover, and again the LORD comes to speak. Not on the mountain, but in Jerusalem, and not with lightening but tongues of fire, and not (and here's the biggest difference), not with commands but with promises, marvelous promises, and now instead of fear and trembling there is great boldness.
The disciples were in the upper room waiting, as Jesus told them, for the gift of the Spirit, which would come with the gift of power to preach and proclaim the name of Jesus. When the day of Pentecost arrived, they were all together in one place. And suddenly there came from heaven a sound like a mighty rushing wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. And divided tongues as of fire appeared to them and rested on each one of them. [Acts 2:1-3]
And with the Holy Spirit resting on them, they rush out into the street to tell everyone about Jesus. There were, at that time, thousands of people visiting Jerusalem to celebrate the feast, from all around the globe. “Parthians and Medes and Elamites and residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya belonging to Cyrene, and visitors from Rome, both Jews and proselytes, Cretans and Arabians--we hear them telling in our own tongues the mighty works of God." [Acts 2:9-11] The Holy Spirit couldn't wait for the apostles to learn these languages, not on this day, Jesus must be preached, and heard, and believed and were baptized, about three thousand that day [Acts 2:41].
You see, this is the work of the Holy Spirit, to see that Jesus is preached and heard and believed and confessed. That's what Jesus is talking about in the Gospel text we've just heard, “But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you.” [John 14:26] Jesus brings Jesus to us, into our ears and hearts and mouths. No one can say "Jesus is Lord" except in the Holy Spirit. [1 Corinthians 12:3]
Jesus does not take the Sunday of Pentecost off, as if it's the Spirit's Sunday, and we'll hear about Jesus next week. No, the whole point of the Holy Spirit's work is that we hear about Jesus.
In the Pentecost reading from Acts 2 we heard the first part of St Peter's sermon, explaining that they were not drunk, but rather the promise of God from the prophet Joel was being fulfilled in their midst. “In the last days it shall be, God declares, that I will pour out My Spirit on all flesh...” [Acts 2:17; Joel 2:28] But there is a second half of Peter's sermon. Here are the first and last lines:
"Men of Israel, hear these words: Jesus of Nazareth, a man attested to you by God with mighty works and wonders and signs that God did through him in your midst, as you yourselves know-- this Jesus, delivered up according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God, you crucified and killed by the hands of lawless men. God raised him up, loosing the pangs of death, because it was not possible for him to be held by it. [Acts 2:22-24]
Let all the house of Israel therefore know for certain that God has made him both Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom you crucified." [Acts 2:36]
Jesus, start to finish, Jesus. This is what the Holy Spirit wants preached, and causes to be preached and heard and believed. Why? Because there is salvation in no one else, for there is no name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved. [Acts 4:12]
The Law thunders out its fearful commands and threats of judgment and wrath; the first Pentecost brings fear and trembling, but the new Pentecost is marked by the coming of the Holy Spirit, the Comforter.
No longer is there terror, fear, trembling, standing far off. No longer does the threat of destruction and the wrath deserved by sin hang over our heads. No longer.
Now Jesus is crucified, dead, buried, descended to hell and ascended to the right hand of God the Father Almighty, now He has sent His Holy Spirit, the Comforter. Now we are called, gathered, enlightened, and sanctified and made holy by the by the Holy Spirit and His promise that our sins are forgiven. Now in Christ Jesus you who were once far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. [Ephesians 2:13]
Now the Father Has sent forth His Son to redeem us from the curse of the law and the wrath of God revealed against sin; Now the Son has died in our place, taking away the law that stood against us; now the Holy Spirit is poured into our hearts in baptism, and there He comforts us with the marvelous promise that all sin is forgiven and all things are made new. Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Ghost. Amen.
And the peace of God which passes all understanding, guard your hearts and minds through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
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Pastor Bryan Wolfmueller
Hope Lutheran Church | Aurora, CO