“Pentecost Sunday”
Acts 2:1-21: Philip Jennifer Adkins
In just these past few months we all have celebrated Jesus’s Birthday at Christmas. We celebrated the resurrection of Jesus on Easter and today the 50th day after the resurrection (the seventh Sunday from Easter Sunday) we now celebrate Pentecost Sunday, the birthday of the church.
Pentecost celebrates the descent of the Holy Spirit upon the Apostles and other followers of Jesus while they were in Jerusalem celebrating the Feast of Weeks, as described in the Acts of the Apostles.
Acts 2, narrates this outpouring of the Holy Spirit and fills the disciples and the other followers of Jesus Christ in special ways. One of these ways were for them to communicate so they can speak different languages. And a second was the Holy Spirit given Peter the courage to give a sermon.
Let us listen as we hear from Acts 2:1-21.
1 When the day of Pentecost had come, they were all together in one place. 2 And suddenly from heaven there came a sound like the rush of a violent wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. 3 Divided tongues, as of fire, appeared among them, and a tongue rested on each of them. 4 All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other languages, as the Spirit gave them ability. 5 Now there were devout Jews from every nation under heaven living in Jerusalem. 6 And at this sound the crowd gathered and was bewildered, because each one heard them speaking in the native language of each. 7 Amazed and astonished, they asked, “Are not all these who are speaking Galileans? 8 And how is it that we hear, each of us, in our own native language? 9 Parthians, Medes, Elamites, and residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, 10 Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya belonging to Cyrene, and visitors from Rome, both Jews and proselytes, 11 Cretans and Arabs—in our own languages we hear them speaking about God’s deeds of power.” 12 All were amazed and perplexed, saying to one another, “What does this mean?” 13 But others sneered and said, “They are filled with new wine.” 14 But Peter, standing with the eleven, raised his voice and addressed them, “Men of Judea and all who live in Jerusalem, let this be known to you, and listen to what I say. 15 Indeed, these are not drunk, as you suppose, for it is only nine o’clock in the morning. 16 No, this is what was spoken through the prophet Joel: 17 “In the last days it will be, God declares, that I will pour out my Spirit upon all flesh, and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams. 18 Even upon my slaves, both men and women, in those days I will pour out my Spirit; and they shall prophesy. 19 And I will show portents in the heaven above and signs on the earth below, blood, and fire, and smoky mist. 20 The sun shall be turned to darkness and the moon to blood, before the coming of the Lord’s great and glorious day. 21 Then everyone who calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.’

verse 1 read, that day of Pentecost had come, they (the Apostles and other followers of Jesus) were all together in one place. Just as they were told to do and to wait for the promise of the Father.

(This one place is called the upper room, the same place where they had gathered many times when they all were in Jerusalem. The same place of the Last supper and now the place where they were wondering what is next for them. What is going to happen to them? Fearful if they are going to have the same fate as Jesus.

When I think of the “upper room”, I keep hearing in my head the Hamilton song “The Room Where it Happens” the “The Room Where it Happens” and the song ends with “Oh, I’ve got to be in The room where it happens, I’ve gotta be In the room. Wouldn’t that been amazing to have been in the “upper room”. Seeing the Holy Spirit and come from Heaven, or maybe not.

verse 2 -3 continues with there was a sound from heaven like the rush of a mighty wind. And there appeared to them tongues as of fire, scattered and resting on each one of them.

We know from the scriptures “Fire” is not uncommon with the Holy Spirit. One example is when The Lord appeared to Moses in a flame of fire out of the midst of a bush (Exodus 3:2)

At that time “they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues, as the Spirit gave them a gift of communication. Now they could hear, each other in their own native language. So, one might say the Holy Spirit is the ultimate translator.

Many there that witnessed this event were disbelieving describing as if they were drunk.

Then Peter, then stood with the Apostles, lifted up his voice (I can visualize Peter yelling over commotion) and addressed them, listen to what I have to say! they are not drunk it’s too early in the morning 9AM. For me that is interesting that the time is in the scriptures.

And reminded them all this happening was foretold. That in the last days it shall be, God declares, that I will pour out my Spirit upon all flesh, and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams.

Think about this for a moment.

When Jesus was here on Earth, he walked among us and was a teacher. Now at Pentecost he came inside us as the Holy Spirit.

We do not talk much about the Holy Spirit today. We read, teach and are being taught about God and Jesus and the Holy Spirit not so much. We should though.

The Holy Spirit is in us. She talks to us, She guide us. The main problem is we also have free will, so we ignore the guidance.

The Holy Spirit makes things happen, I spoke about few weeks ago that our Faith grows only with learning and knowledge of God and this comes from the Holy Spirit, that dwells within us.
I find that interesting that Faith, Knowledge, Providence is centered by God and the Holy Spirit.
A few weeks ago, I was speaking to a colleague of mine, after the passing of one of our coworkers, who was a great, caring person.
(on a side note, we later learned he was a Christian and his mission work was repairing cars for unwed Mothers, who knew I didn’t. I also heard he was concerned who was going to take care of the Mothers after his passing. He made a difference; I am sure the Holy Spirit was guiding him.)
We continued to discuss how we see how our own lives and at times it feels like an uncertain mess. Like the back of a needle point project.
When we are born, we are a blank canvas, which God holding the pattern. So, when the Holy Spirit comes with-in us she is guiding our lives. Not to sound to stereotypical, but like our Grandmothers, and in my case my Wife making needle point project, with the tools of needle, thread, canvas, and the pattern.
Have you ever looked at of a needle point project in progress?
(show the needle point project example)
Can you tell what the front side is going looks like? (may depend on how well the strings are tied off)
Think of our lives being the back of the canvas, with the strings going every which way, knots being tied off.
These knots and redirections are representing our life. If we don’t experience these redirections and difficulties our thread is the same. And some may say boring.
I think we all ask at times, at least I do.
What is our purpose?
What does done look like?
Do, did I make a difference?
As we grow in Spirit, and we observe the front of our canvas we will see where we have been and the differences, we have made.
Once the pattern is complete see the product of our life, I also see the canvas continuing growing in size, meaning we are never finished, and we can always change. (One last point, have you ever made a mistake and, when you look back can’t see it, it just blends in, just don’t point it out. Move on)
So, I’m ending today with a question that only you and the lord and the Holy Spirit can answer. What does my canvas look like, is the needle being guided by the Holy Spirit or are we interfering?

Let us Pray.
Dear God, thank you for your abundance of grace and peace we receive though the Holy Spirit. Knowing you have provided everything needed for life and goodness, by allowing you to guide us though our life with your love. We ask for your continued guidance and watching over us. Thank you and in Jesus Name Amen