Gloria Dei Lutheran Church | Urbandale, Iowa

Pentecost: God's Power, God's Message, God's Church
Pastor Burcham’s Sermon

Sunday, May 18, 2008

Grace, mercy and peace to you from God our Father and our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Amen.

A couple of months ago, I was at a conference in Phoenix and I was staying at one of the downtown hotels and I remember one afternoon, I was up in my room and, all of a sudden, I heard this kind of screeching noise coming from some place. It sounded like somebody was yelling or screaming or something but it wasn’t coming from the hotel. It was coming from outside. And I’m up on like the 9 th or 10 th Floor and all the windows are closed so I’m curious. I go over to the window and I look out and I can faintly see there’s a guy on the street corner with a portable public address system and he’s yelling into the microphone about how we have a corrupt generation and we have to repent and God isn’t happy with anyone and he’s going on and on and on about all these things about God and repentance and heaven and hell and all the rest. And it was at that moment that I thought to myself, “Thank God I have a full-time job at Gloria Dei.”

I just can’t imagine standing on the street corner trying to preach God’s word. In fact, I don’t think I could do that. I just think that’s way outside of the realm of something I would do. Maybe to help you understand that, I wonder how you would feel if right now I said, “You know what, we’re going to call it quits for the worship service for this morning,” now don’t get too excited here, “because our mission is we’re going to be deployed to the western side of Des Moines.” That means as you walk out of here, you’re each going to get an assignment. Some of you are going to go to Hy-Vee, some of you are going to go to Dahl’s. Others of you maybe are going to head over to the golf course, those of you who don’t golf, that is, are headed to the golf course. And what I want you to do is every person you see, I want you to talk to them about Jesus. I want you to talk to them about your faith. I want you to talk to them about how you want to see them in heaven. I want you to ask them the question, “If you were to die tonight and you were standing before God, what would you say to Him of why He should let you into heaven.” I want you to do it. How many do you think would do that? Don’t raise your hand. I don’t want to embarrass you. I’m guessing that most of us simply would not do it. We say, “That’s just not in me to just walk up to perfect strangers and start talking about Jesus. That’s impossible.”

Well, if that’s true for us today, it really makes me wonder what was going through the minds of the apostles. What was going through the minds of the apostles because moments before Jesus goes up into heaven and He ascends before they can ask too many questions, Jesus says these words to them, “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and all Judea and Samaria and to the ends of the earth.” I wonder what was going through their head when Jesus starts describing to them that they’re going to go out into the streets and they’re going to give witness that Jesus is the Messiah, that He is the Christ and salvation is found only in His name. I wonder what would go through their heads if Jesus were to tell them, “You know, in about ten days, boys, you’re going to be standing on the street corners of Jerusalem and you’re going to be declaring to everyone there, in multiple languages I might add, that Jesus is the Christ, He’s the Son of God.”

I have to believe they’re saying that’s impossible. No way. This hostile crowd? They put Jesus to death. I’m going to go out in the public highways and start declaring my faith in Jesus and declaring Him as the Messiah? Not going to happen. And yet we all know, ten days later, there they are, on the street corners declaring Jesus as Lord and Savior. So much so that we as a church look back to that day and look back to that Pentecost celebration in Jerusalem as the birthplace of the Christian Church, that we can point back to that day, if you will, where the church went public and the apostles started preaching Jesus and 3,000 people come to faith that day and then throughout the whole book of Acts, it says, “The Lord added to their numbers daily.” From that moment on, the church grew and flourished. It went worldwide until you and I are gathered here this morning. It all comes back to this Pentecost celebration.

There are three things we can pull out of that Pentecost day. The first one is this: God’s power accomplishes the impossible. When God empowers something, the impossible becomes possible. The second thing is God’s Word penetrates the heart. And finally, God’s people make an impact on the world. And here’s the astounding news. Nothing’s changed. Nothing’s changed about those three things. God’s power still accomplishes the impossible. It did back then and it still does today.

I mean, talk about the impossible. Let’s talk about the apostles. It started out by saying when the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. Now Pentecost was 50 days after Passover. So that means if a group of people made the trek to Jerusalem to celebrate Passover, usually they would stay for Pentecost as well. If they made a long trip, an arduous journey to be there for Passover in Jerusalem, they’d wait the 50 days and they’d celebrate the Pentecost celebration as well. What that means is the same crowd that called for Jesus’ arrest, the same crowd that cried for His crucifixion, the same crowd that was there and watched Him die, most of them are still in Jerusalem. So when it says they were all together, although it doesn’t say it explicitly in scripture, in my mind, they’re still in the upper room with the doors locked for fear of the Jews. They’re huddled together. There’s strength in numbers because, at this point in time, let’s let the whole thing blow over. Let’s let the crowd dissipate a little bit and let some of these people go home. So they’re trying their best to keep a low profile during Pentecost.

The next thing that happens: Suddenly, a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven, filled the whole house where they were sitting. They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. So much for the low profile. It’s not going to happen. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in the languages of all the people who were gathered there. God’s power came upon the apostles. His Holy Spirit came upon them and empowered them to do the impossible. They go out into the streets. They start speaking the languages of all the people who are gathered there but even more than that, even more than the miraculous speech that’s given to them is the fact that they’re declaring Jesus as Lord and Savior. Going out to a hostile crowd, going out and declaring that a convicted, crucified criminal is the Son of God and that salvation is found in no one else, it’s only God’s power that would give them the boldness and the courage to do such a thing. And nothing’s changed.

Nothing’s changed. God’s spirit remains the same. So often, we read through scripture and we read an event like this, tongues of fire, speaking in other languages, going out and boldly proclaiming, we think, “Wow, that was great. That must have been something. I wish I’d have been there. I wish I could see that. It’d be neat if things like that happened today.” The same spirit back then is the same spirit that lives here today. The same spirit that was given to the apostles is the same spirit that was given to you, my friends, and was given to me. We’re told by scripture that we’re baptized into Christ’s name. We receive the gift of the Holy Spirit, that He lives in us, that He dwells in us, that same powerful spirit still lives in the lives of God’s people today and there’s no reason that we cannot expect to see the impossible become a reality. There’s no reason that we cannot expect to see things that we thought could never happen, happen. Because if God wants to accomplish it, it’s going to become a reality because God will empower His people to do it.

If you have someone on your heart who doesn’t have a relationship with God or they’ve fallen away from God and somewhere down inside you say, “I need to speak to that person. I need to reach out to them,” but you don’t think you can, you don’t think you’re qualified, you don’t think you have the words, my friends, God will empower you. You have the spirit living within you. God says He will give you the words. He will give you the opportunity. If God wants it accomplished, it will happen no matter how impossible it might seem.

You know, just a couple of months ago, we as a body of believers, we approved a strategic plan. We said we believe this is where God is leading us. We looked at that and we said, “My goodness, it’s bold. It’s challenging.” Even some of us said, “That’s impossible.” And the fact is if we try to do it ourselves, it is impossible. But if God empowers us, if God wants to see it happen, it’s going to become a reality. Not by our strength, not by our might, not by our knowledge but by God’s power, by His spirit living in us and living in this congregation, it can become a reality because the power of Pentecost is still here today. And the message of Pentecost is still here today. God’s Word is still here today. And God’s message has a way of penetrating the heart. It cuts to the heart.

Listen to Peter’s message: So after they get all calmed down about all these different languages being spoken, the people are gathered around the apostles. Peter stands up. He gives the greatest sermon ever given. He concludes the sermon by saying this, “Therefore, let all Israel be assured of this. God has made this Jesus whom you crucified both Lord and Christ.” Now would you just think on that with me for just a moment. Think of the context and the people Peter is talking to here. He’s talking to a Jewish crowd, a people who have been waiting for the Messiah, God’s promised one for generations. Hundreds of years they’ve been waiting for God to fulfill His promise to send and deliver, to send the Messiah into their midst. Peter stands up and he says, “Let you all know this that God has made Jesus, you might recall you crucified Him, made Him Lord and Christ.” He just got up and told a group of people who have been waiting for generations for the Messiah, the Messiah came, you missed it, even more than that, you killed Him. That’s a pretty bold move. In fact, one might even say that’s a suicidal move. About the best I can say that would be like walking into a biker bar in a three-piece suit and announcing that you think motorcycles are for weenies. There are some things you don’t do. You don’t stand up in a group of people who have been waiting for generations for the Messiah and tell them that they crucified Him.

By all rights, the crowd should have cried out, “Blasphemy,” picked up stones and, on the spot, stoned them to death and walked away feeling justified in what they did because of the blasphemy that Peter and the apostles were speaking but that’s not what happened, is it? Because as soon as he said that, when the people heard this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and the other apostles, “Brothers, what should we do?” That’s the power of God’s word. That is God’s word penetrating to the heart to hear such a message and to be cut to the heart and they said, “What do we do?” In other words, that crowd stood there guilty and they knew it. The Messiah had come and they crucified Him. And although they didn’t want to admit it, they admitted the fact it was true. God’s word had penetrated their heart so Peter could come in and say, “Be baptized in the name of Christ every one of you. Repent of your sins. You’ll receive forgiveness in His name and you too will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.” God’s word penetrated the heart, convicted them of their sin so His word of love and forgiveness could be received. That’s the power of God’s word. And nothing’s changed. It’s the same word. God’s word has not changed and God’s message has not changed. It remains the same.

God’s word still penetrates the heart. Has it not penetrated your heart? At times, has not God’s word penetrated your heart and you’ve said that you’ve been cut to the heart. That is, you’ve been convicted of your sin and you stand before God knowing your guilt, knowing your shame so then God can come in and say, “Repent. Remember your baptism. Remember the gift of the Holy Spirit that lives in you. Know that your sins have been forgiven.” So you can hear the words of Jesus when He says, “I have not come to condemn the world but I’ve come to save the world, to give my life as a ransom for many.” Is it not God’s word that has called each and every one of us to faith as He’s reached out to us so we can have a relationship with Jesus Christ, we could call upon Him as our Lord and Savior? It’s that word, His word that has penetrated your heart, it’s penetrated my heart. Nothing has changed in 2,000 years. God’s word is still just as powerful and that powerful word can still penetrate the hearts of the world around us.

You see, it’s God word, it’s God’s spirit, it’s God’s power. He may use us. He may use our language. He may use our personalities. He may use our relationships but it’s God’s word and God’s power that calls people to faith. And that, my friends, is how God’s people make an impact on the world. Think about the impact that these eleven guys made on the world. Eleven guys joined together in Jerusalem. By all rights, they should have been put to death or arrested with Jesus but they were not. By all rights, on Pentecost Sunday, they should have been charged with blasphemy and stoned to death, but they were not. And because these eleven guys empowered by God, given His spirit, speaking His words that penetrated the heart, they changed the history of the world.

From these meager beginnings, the entire Christian church began. It says on this very date, 3,000 people came to faith. I can’t imagine that. 3,000 people came to faith and were baptized in Jesus’ name. We read about the early church and we find out that it says, “And the Lord added to their numbers daily those who were being saved.” Read through the book of Acts sometime. See how many times there are references like that where the Lord added to their numbers daily those who were being saved. The early church was growing by leaps and bounds as God’s people being His instruments were making an impact on the world. And nothing has changed. God’s power is the same. God’s word is the same. God’s people are the same. Nothing’s changed. God still uses His people which means He uses you and me to make an impact on the world.

And just as much as those apostles had to get up and leave that house and get out to the streets of Jerusalem to be God’s instrument, my friends, we have to get up out of our pews and leave this sanctuary and be out in the streets and be His instruments. It’s still His power, it’s still His word, it’s still His spirit but we are His people and God uses His people to make an impact on the world.

Consider this with me: What would happen if every person who attended worship this weekend, from the youngest to the oldest, if every person who attended worship over the next three months invited just one person to maybe a bible study, small group, summer camp, youth event, worship service, over three months, everyone gathered here invited one person? And let’s say, for the sake of argument, half of the people rejected the invitation, they had a scheduling conflict, couldn’t do it, any number of excuses but half of them said, “No way,” but half of them accepted, we would have a chance to impact well over 500 lives. Think about that. We’d have an opportunity to impact well over 500 lives. If you consider that on any given weekend, somewhere between 1,000 and 1,100 people gather here to worship God, if each one of us over three months issues just one invitation, half of them accepted, we’d have the opportunity to impact 500 to 600 lives. That’s incredible. God has gifted this congregation and God has given us such great opportunities, so many opportunities where people can become involved and just by the sheer number of us, we can have an impact in our community, in Urbandale, West Des Moines, Grimes, Johnston, Clive, Waukee, Des Moines Proper, Altoona, you name it. Because God uses His people. It’s still His word, it’s still His power, it’s still His Holy Spirit. But we are His people and He uses His people to impact the world.

Now I don’t know about you, but I’m not going to be standing on a street corner with a bullhorn calling people to repentance. It’s not my gig. I seriously doubt that most of you are going to head to Hy-Vee or Dahl’s and start talking to perfect strangers about Jesus. But I suspect if you think about it for just a moment, every one of you knows at least one individual that either doesn’t have a relationship with Jesus at all or has fallen away from the church and is desperately in need of a place where they can grow and mature in that faith. Nothing’s changed from Pentecost. God’s power can accomplish the impossible. God’s word will penetrate the heart. And God’s people, you and I, will have an impact on our world. Amen.