[Machine transcription]
In the name of Jesus, amen.
Dear saints, Jesus says to the disciples, it is to your advantage that I would go away.
Again, we wouldn’t believe it unless the Lord had said it and it was written down, inspired
by God the Holy Spirit, but how could it possibly be?
To our advantage that Jesus has gone away.
Wouldn’t it be better if Jesus would have remained in Jerusalem or maybe he could go
want to track around the world and come and visit us now and then, wouldn’t that be better?
Jesus says to us, no.
And why?
Because if I don’t ascend, if I don’t go away, then the Spirit, the Comforter wouldn’t come.
But if I go away, then I will send the Holy Spirit.
Jesus says that this is the better arrangement, that He’s hidden from our sight, seated at
the right hand of the Father and that the Holy Spirit is here with us.
Now we see that confirmed in the text.
Pentecost remember is 50 days after the Passover, so if you could take Pentecost and then go
back 52 days before the events of Pentecost, that first Pentecost, you would find the disciples
disciples being sent by Jesus down into Jerusalem, it’s Maundy Thursday, and He says that you’ll
find an upper room prepared.
That room they found, the disciples went and found it, and it was in Jerusalem, and it
was a big upper room where they could go and eat the Passover together.
That’s the same room where they are 52 days later on Pentecost, and they were in that
room quite a bit.
But I want you to imagine it this way.
If you could imagine those 52 days, and that every now and again you just sort of pause
the camera or the video and say, well, what’s going on now?
A lot’s changing.
Fifty-two days before Pentecost, the disciples were pretty sure that Jesus was there to conquer
Jerusalem, to be the military ruler.
Peter was armed with a sword, so that when they came to arrest Jesus in the garden, He
was ready to fight.
He cut off the servant’s ear.
There Jesus healed it and told them to put the sword away.
But if you go one more day, 51 days before Pentecost, you’ll notice that the disciples
had all scattered.
A couple of them had crept back up to the cross to look at it kind of in secret, to
see what’s going on.
But all the disciples had abandoned their Lord.
The next day, 50 days before Pentecost, Holy Saturday, when Jesus was resting in the tomb,
room.
They were back in the upper room and they had locked the door because they were afraid.
They were afraid that the same thing that happened to Jesus would happen to them, that
they too would be arrested and bound and thrown in prison and spat in the face and their beard
pulled out and they would end up crucified.
Their door was locked for fear of the Jews.
And then the next day, 49 days before Pentecost, Jesus found them.
Now, 10 of them at least, Thomas was out, Judas had already died, and it starts to change.
But still they’re afraid.
Even if you go to 42 days before Pentecost, you find the disciples still locked in the
upper room for fear, even after they had seen the resurrected Lord Jesus.
You think that if anything would change them, would change their hearts and their minds
and the way that they were thinking and acting, maybe seeing the empty tomb would do it, maybe
Maybe seeing an angel, maybe seeing Jesus risen from the dead, maybe Jesus saying to
them, peace to you, and breathing on them, saying, receive the Holy Spirit, you go out
and forgive sins.
Their fear is starting to diminish a little bit, but still there’s that timidity.
They go to Galilee, Jesus eats with them, He blesses them, He commissions them to go
and make disciples of all nations by baptizing and teaching everything that He’s commanded.
Some fall down, they fall down and worship Him, but some are still afraid.
Some are still unbelieving.
Even if you go ten days before Pentecost, when Jesus comes and finds the disciples in
Jerusalem and walks with them over to Bethany and ascends up into heaven, raising His hands
and blessing them, and the angel comes and says, get busy, don’t stand here looking
at the heavens, Jesus is going to come back in the same way.
They were, and this is how the text describes them, they were in the upper room, and they
They were in the temple every day.
They were rejoicing and praising God.
In fact, Peter, they’re studying the Bible and praying, Peter determines from the prophecies
that they should find another disciple to replace Judas.
So they elect Matthias to that office.
But still, if you come at last to Pentecost morning, if you just pause at 8 a.m. on the
morning of the first Pentecost, you’ll find the disciples there.
They’re not afraid, necessarily.
They’re able to go in and out.
They’re going to the temple.
They’re praying.
They’re in public and doing these things in public.
So they’re not necessarily afraid.
But all of those disciples that were there were disciples that Jesus had made, people
that Jesus had called.
The church was the same, in other words, on the day that Jesus died, the day that Jesus
rose from the dead, the day that Jesus ascended, even on Pentecost.
It was all the same people.
But the thing that makes the difference is what happens at nine in the morning on Pentecost,
when Jesus sends the Holy Spirit.
It’s the sound of a mighty rushing wind, and the people from all over town hear it, like
a hurricane or something like that, and they gather there.
And there, in the upper room, the disciples each have a flame, a tongue of fire, above
their heads, and they begin to preach.
To preach the mighty works and deeds of God.
In fact, they spill over into the streets, and this is probably what Pentecost is.
The main thing to think about.
The church spills over into the streets, and they’re preaching, and all the people are
gathered.
Remember, Pentecost was the Jewish festival, it was one of the pilgrimage feasts where
There are all the people who could, were required to come there to Jerusalem.
So there’s people from all different parts of the world, speaking all different languages,
and they all hear in their own language the marvelous works of God being preached.
And they say, these guys must be drunk.
Peter, I’ve always thought this is kind of funny, Peter says, no, they’re not drunk because
after all it’s only nine in the morning.
Like I don’t know, like check back in a couple of hours.
Now, I don’t think that’s the point, but in other words, look, this is not in fact drunkenness.
What you’re seeing here is what the prophet Joel promised in Joel chapter 2, where God
says, I will pour out My Spirit on all flesh.
My sons and daughters will prophesy, the old men will dream dreams, that the Holy Spirit
will be restored to humanity, the Holy Spirit lost in the fall, will be restored to humanity
by the death and resurrection and ascension of Jesus, and now the Word of God is preached.
It’s an amazing thing to hear this sermon from Peter.
It’s such a beautiful sermon, but how much more beautiful if we contrast it to how Peter
had preached before, to what Peter had said before.
It always seems like Peter was just making mistakes, taking â I heard one guy say that
Peter would always take his foot out of his mouth to make room for his other foot.
He was always having his foot in his mouth.
He always didn’t know what he was saying, but now he preaches this beautiful law gospel
sermon that culminates in the preaching that you killed the Christ.
And they’re cut to the heart, and they say, what must we do to be saved?
And Peter says, repent, every one of you, and be baptized in the name of Jesus for the
forgiveness of all of your sins, and you’ll receive the promise of the Holy Spirit.
And this is not just for you, it’s for your children and for all those who are far off.
And on that day, 3,000 people were baptized, 3,000.
And here’s the significance.
These new disciples of Jesus were those not called by Jesus Himself, but called through
the preaching of the apostles, called through the preaching of the apostles.
And this is how Jesus will establish His church.
Jesus says to the apostles, it’s an amazing thing.
He says that when I’m gone, you will do greater things than I.
And what possibly could that be?
How could we possibly do anything greater than the Lord Jesus?
Well Pentecost shows us what it is, and that is that the Word of God will spread and more
and more and more people will become followers of Jesus, will trust in Christ, and will belong
to His name and His kingdom.
Pentecost is the answer to the prayer of Jesus when He says, I’m not just praying for these
disciples, but I’m praying for those who will believe through their word, which was
those 3,000 on Pentecost and everywhere, everyone, in every place between then and now, including
dear saints, you and I.
We are the beneficiaries of the gift of the Holy Spirit.
I have people ask this question all the time.
I don’t know if you wonder about this, I think you might, some of you have asked me
about it.
You say, Pastor, well I’m worried that if I was alive at the time of Jesus that I might
have not believed him.
I might have heard his preaching and seen his works and I might have doubted if they
were true.
I might have been like the unbelieving crowd or the Pharisees or something like this.
How do I know that I would have believed then like I believe now?
After all, my family is a Christian family.
I lived in a Christian neighborhood.
I grew up going to Sunday school.
My parents brought me to be baptized when I was a baby.
Maybe I’m probably a Christian because of all of these things.
No, no, listen.
You are a Christian because God the Holy Spirit has worked this miracle in your sinful heart
through the Word of God and given you faith.
The same miracle that God the Holy Spirit worked in the heart of Peter and James and
John and Paul and all of those apostles, He has worked in your heart as well.
And the Holy Spirit has worked in your heart to keep you in the faith.
If you believe in Jesus now, it’s because God the Holy Spirit has given you that faith.
That’s what the Holy Spirit does, and He’s still doing it.
You see, that on Pentecost morning, the Christians were happy to be going to church and praising
God and rejoicing in the gifts of Jesus and going home and eating together and praying
together and studying together.
But, but when the Holy Spirit comes, the Lord says, I’m not content with this.
The gospel is going out, and I’m going to claim more and more and more, like a wildfire
that is never finished burning.
It’s always grabbing more and more.
So the Holy Spirit, in the Lord’s church, is always grabbing more and more people, calling
them by His name, giving them faith, opening their hearts, showing them their own sin and
the kindness of the Lord Jesus Christ.
When the Holy Spirit comes, the church is no longer afraid, locked behind the door,
but now the church is on offensive.
As Jesus promised, I will build my church, and the gates of hell will not prevail against
it.
In other words, the Lord’s church, by the power of the Holy Spirit, is after the gates
of hell, and they will tumble, and they will fall, they will cry, they’re shaking now.
the Lord continues His business of rescuing people, and you, dear saints, are the fruit
of that work.
God be praised.
Now, we made this point a couple of weeks ago, that the Lutherans might not preach as
much as we ought to preach about the Holy Spirit, so it’s a good chance to remember
that.
And this is the thing to remember, you, you Christian, are the temple of the Holy Spirit.
God, the Holy Spirit, dwells in your heart.
That’s His promise.
And He is not taking a nap, or taking the week off.
God, the Holy Spirit, is busy.
He’s busy strengthening your faith, and He’s busy comforting you, teaching you, helping
you.
He’s not left you alone.
I was thinking about it this way this week as I was meditating on how the Holy Spirit
is with us, and I said, now what are the problems that we face?
Because the Holy Spirit is present to help us with those problems.
So what are those problems?
I started making a list, and it got kind of long.
I don’t know how your list of problems is, but what are the problems?
Are you tired?
Well, the Holy Spirit has promised to be with us to be our strength.
Should we pray?
May Lord help us to have the strength that we need to do the works that You’ve given
us.
Or, are you sad and mourning?
The Holy Spirit has promised to be our comforter.
Remember how David prays, restore unto me the joy of your salvation.
That’s the prayer for the Holy Spirit.
Are you lonely?
The Lord has promised, I’m not leaving you as orphans, I’m going to be with you always,
even to the end of the age.
Holy Spirit, comfort me with Your presence and with Your promises.
Are you afraid?
Are we afraid?
The Holy Spirit is our strength and our song.
Lord, take away my fear.
Are we worried?
The Holy Spirit comforts us.
Do we not know the depth of our own sinfulness?
The Holy Spirit teaches us repentance.
Are we afraid that our sins aren’t forgiven?
The Holy Spirit assures us of the Lord’s salvation.
Holy Spirit, remind me.
Holy Spirit, teach me.
Holy Spirit, comfort me.
Holy Spirit, guide me.
This is the prayer, the daily prayer of the Christian.
In fact, when Jesus is teaching the Lord’s prayer to His disciples, you can check this
out in Luke chapter 11, He teaches them the prayer to pray, our Father who art in heaven,
hallowed be thy name, and then Jesus ends it with this promise, so God the Father will
give the Holy Spirit to all who ask.
So the Lord is giving you the Holy Spirit, and the Holy Spirit is helping you.
You are not alone.
You are filled with the Holy Spirit.
In fact, you are the bearers of the Spirit into the world.
And by this, the great work of Pentecost continues.
The Lord continues to bring His gift of baptism, like Matthew who was baptized here this morning.
He continues to bring His gift of faith.
He continues to call people to His own kingdom.
So we rejoice that Jesus was right.
We should have known all along.
It is to our advantage that He has gone away, because the Holy Spirit has been sent.
And we have received Him.
He dwells in and with each one of us.
And God the Holy Spirit will keep us and will keep His church until we see Jesus face-to-face.
God be praised.
Amen.
In the peace of God, which passes all understanding, guard your hearts and minds through Jesus
Christ our Lord.
Amen.
Amen.
