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Acts 2v1-21 Holy Spirit comes at Pentecost

Romans 8v14-17 Led by the Spirit as Sons of God.

John 14v8-17, (25-27) Jesus promises the Holy Spirit.

GOD HAS GIVEN US THE SPIRIT OF SONSHIP!

v15 “For you did not receive a spirit that makes you a slave again to fear, but you received the Spirit of sonship. And by him we cry “Abba Father.””

The ‘fear’ I believe Paul is talking about is, not knowing if you have ever been good enough, constantly unsure, not certain, not confident, not able to relax into God’s presence, like those who constantly make sacrifices at the temple.

Many people (including church folk) try to earn their way into God’s presence by doing stuff, or making personal sacrifices, sometimes small and sometimes big. (There is a big difference between ‘offering our gifts in acts of worship’ to him who we love, out of love, and ‘offering our gifts as a sacrifice in order to try and placate god’ who we think is displeased with us. This is an OT sacrificial offering for sin). See Hebrews 9 and 10.

Paul says that we “have received the Spirit of sonship,” and then he goes on to make this very personal and intimate expression. “And by him we cry “ABBA, Father.””

In other words, our relationship with God is completely loving, the sacrifice has been completely met in his Son Jesus Christ (once and for all), and we are completely free to enjoy God without fear. God has not just closed the account of debt, he has thrown it away because it will never be opened again, we are his children, free from debt, not his clients or slaves owing debt.

Paul describes how this new relationship and experience works. v16 “The Holy Spirit speaks or testifies with our spirit, that we are God’s children”. He brings assurance of the Fathers love, of the sufficiency of Christ’s sacrificial death, of the promise of the inheritance, of our right in Christ to freely dwell in that lovely place of God’s presence, resting in perfect security and peace in him.

So the relationship has completely changed from fear and sacrifice, to love and worship. And God has empowered this new relationship through putting His Spirit within us.

This is true for every person who comes to know Christ in their hearts today. That is why we experience a sense of excitement, cleaning, acceptance, love and peace when we come to know Jesus.

This is a spiritual and supernatural experience for every person who knows God through Jesus.

We have received the Spirit of Sonship in Christ!

We are God’s intended harvest!

The children of faith! The Children of Abraham!

Also Sermon by Antonin Moore.

Click here to listen to the sermon. 12mins

The Completion of Passover.

We have heard wonders today with these readings. Paul tells in no-nonsense terms of the power of the resurrection-life of God’s spirit we’ve received from Jesus—an adventurously expectant one, with an almost unbelievable inheritance to come. Peter, in his turn, speaks up in Acts from the prophet Joel of God’s outpouring of spirit, which leads to the consummation in the Day of the Lord. And Jesus tells us in our John reading of the “other comforter” the Holy Spirit, who will come to enrich, embolden, and even, sustain them—an “enabler,” to keep them going on.

But it is through the Acts reading I wish to bring out a closer focus on what the meaning was that day for Peter & co.; and what continues on for us today.

There is an almost casual but specific notice, in v.5 of God Fearing Jews who have gathered in Jerusalem “from every people under Heaven.” The only reason for Jews & God-fearers to gather in Jerusalem, is on one of the great Pilgrimage feasts—and there are only 3 of those. This is Pentecost, some 50 days after the 2^nd day of Passover. And indeed, we do count 40 days, from Easter (our “Passover”), which takes us to the Day of Ascension. And we heard about that last Sunday from David. Then the disciples have 10 nervous days to Pentecost. Is it to prepare them for the Holy Spirit? Yes; but they also know that Pentecost is the customary anniversary of when Israel received the Gift of Instruction [Matan Torah]—including the 10 commandments—at Mt Sinai from God.

Inward Gift of Sinai; outward Gift to world at Pentecost

We hear an echo of this from Luke. He says tongues of fire came down as it were over each person’s head. Angels are supposed to have stood with each Israelite at Sinai, to protect them; but also to interpret the instructions they were hearing from Moses, to each one’s understanding. Now we have a beautifully fulfilled reverse, outward flow of this, through the Holy Spirit, when the disciples speak out to others, I’ve no doubt, of God’s new covenant through Jesus. To others who have come from the rest of the outside, greater world. The giving of the Spirit at Jerusalem, confirms Joel, one prophet, among many of a new covenant.

But Pentecost was also called the Completion of Passover, Atzeret shel Pesach. This is a harvest festival: [if you look it up in yr 1^st Testament, you’ll find 5 main references for it: Ex 23,16; and 34,22. Leviticus 23,15—21; Num. 28,26; & Deut. 16,9—12.]

But from God’s perspective, [or time-line I should say], the time of great “harvest,” when large nrs of Jews, and then Gentles come into a personal relationship w/him, was initiated at that Pentecost. [Read further in Acts 2,40—43.]

Two Loaves

There are also 2 loaves of bread offered in the temple on this day. They are offered from the community of Israel, [w/whole-offerings.]

It is the only bread offering that is baked w/raising-agent i.e. Yeast! And brought to God. Are these 2 parts symbolic of Jew & Gentile, “presented” to God, and now part of his “family?”

Because, technically, the work of atonement is not complete until our sin-nature is dealt w/and power over it is granted. The coming of the Holy Spirit that Pentecost, served as the [symbol of the] completion of Passover, that is, the Completion of Easter.

Jesus, indicates this, when he says: “Unless I go, the Ruakh haKodesh, Holy Spirit, will not come. But when I go (i.e. at Firstfruits, his resurrection, &. Ascension), I will send the Spirit to you,” (at Pentecost, 50 days from Ff).

Of course, God spoke of a time when he would write his laws/instructions in our hearts, and associated it with the giving of his spirit “I will put my law in their minds, & write it on their hearts.” And: “I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean… and I will put my spirit in you…”

From Passover to Pentecost

The Unraised Bread at Passover, represents the start of a new Covenant or agreement between partners, which Jesus made for us on Maundy Thursday evening---“commandment” Thursday of the last supper; but we are also leaving Egypt, with the timing of that memorial meal/we are leaving sin’s flesh-life as Paul also tells us; and, on the further end—just as the fully risen bread with yeast in the 2 loaves, represents a completion/ receiving the gift of the Holy Spirit overcoming our flesh-life (Paul), and pointing us all the while to the life to come (i.e. Promised Land). Just as the 2 loaves mark the culmination of the wheat harvest, the staple of our physical existence; the spiritual journey that began with Jesus’ Exodus (Luke) at Passover reaches its culmination with a new start to our spiritual existence—the Gift of the Holy Spirit. J’s exodus has been done once; but Pentecost must be constantly re-lived!, not just remembered, for it is the essence of our daily existence & renewal!

Coda

Pentecost is not a historically bound event, because every day we have the echo of Holy Spirit Pentecost before us. Because the words in the first verse in Chap. 19 of Exodus, when Israel is standing to receive the Law from God, are not “on that day”; but “on this day” to show us that the Gift of Words and Spirit is ever before us, as though they are given today!! As though given today.