THE DAY OF PENTECOST
1. One of the great chapters in the book of Acts is Acts 2.
2. This chapter is so packed with information that at least one man wrote an entire book on this single ch.
3. This book is entitled “The Hub Of The Bible.”
4. In studying this chapter we may be tempted to skip over the first few verses.
5. Tonight I want to direct most of our attention to only one verse—the first verse.
6. From this verse I want to look at only one word—the word Pentecost.
THE JEWISH PEOPLE WERE ACCUSTOMED TO OBSERVING THREE DIFFERENT FEASTS.
A. One of the required feasts was the Feast of Tabernacles.
B. This feast was also known as the feast of Ingathering or the feast of “Booths.”
C. Before
entering into the
D. The Hebrew people had been tent dwellers who lived in the desert.
E. It seems that the Feast of the Tabernacles reminded them about this part of their history.
F. A second feast was the Passover.
G. Before
leaving Egypt God sent the death angel through the
H. The Hebrew people who did what God commanded were exempted from the loss of their 1st born.
I. The “passing over” of judgment and punishment was remembered by the Passover festival.
J. The New Testament says that Christ is our “Passover” (1 Cor. 5:7).
2. The feast in Acts 2:1 is not the feast of Tabernacles.
3. Neither is it the Passover.
4. This festival was the feast of Pentecost.
5. Pentecost was a time of harvest.
6. This was the time of year when people gathered in their crops.
7. This feast was observed during the month that we call May.
8. This festival was a feast that lasted one day.
9. This is why the text says, “when the day of Pentecost was now come.”
10. Some have suggested that the church was started on this day because of the symbolism.
11. Pentecost was a time to celebrate and be involved with the gathering in of crops.
A. This feast came at the end of the barley harvest and was at the start of the wheat harvest.
B. If we are familiar with Acts 2 we know what happened.
C. About 3,000 people became Christians.
D. Thousands of people were, in a sense, “harvested.”
E. Thus, it may very well be the case that this Pentecost was not an arbitrary day.
F. It was fitting that the church begin on this feast day.
G. For the Hebrews the start of the church on this day would have been pretty significant.
12. In looking at the day of Pentecost there is another little detail that some don’t know.
13. To appreciate this little known fact we need to think about what happened in Acts 2.
14. We need to be conversant with the details in the first few verses in Acts 2.
15. According to Luke’s record on this day of Pentecost the Holy Spirit descended.
16. Jesus had told His
disciples to wait for the Spirit (Acts 1:4, 8)
A. The Hdoly Spirit did descend.
B. Let’s look at the description of His coming in verses 2-7 – READ
C. The sound that was made came from “heaven” (verse 2).
D. It was a “sudden” experience.
E. It sounded like the rushing of a mighty wind.
F. This sound filled the house.
G. Tongues that looked like fire appeared and split apart.
H. These tongues sat on people’s heads.
I. People were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in tongues (foreign languages).
17. To us this may seem to be a very strange event.
18. For the people who were familiar with the Old Testament this may not have seemed to be too odd.
19. I want to read from Ex. 19:16-18.
A. This passage describes what was the first Pentecost under the Old Testament.
B. There is an interesting parallel between the day of P. that started the church & the first one in the old.
C. It is possible to prove that Ex. 19 was the introduction of Pentecost.
D. For our purposes this proof is not going to be examined.
E. If you have turned back to Ex. 19 let’s start with verse 16 – READ
F. Notice some of the parallels.
I). Acts 2:1 – everyone was gathered in one place.
II). Ex. 19:16 – All the people were in the camp.
III). Acts 2:2 – There was a sound from heaven that was like the rushing of a mighty wind.
IV). Ex. 19:16 – Thunder and lighting. There was also a very trumpet like sound.
V). Acts 2:3 – Tongues appeared as fire.
VI). Ex. 19:18 – “Jehovah descended upon it in fire.”
VII). Acts 2:15 says it was the third hour of the day (9 a.m.).
VIII). Ex. 19:16 says this event happened when it was “morning.”
IX). Acts 2:6 says the “multitude came together.”
X). Ex. 19:17 says the people came together to “meet God.”
20. THE FIRST PENTECOST IN THE OLD TESTAMENT AND THE PENTECOST THAT INTRODUCED THE CHURCH HAVE MANY SIMILARITIES.
A. I have given you some similarities but there is also something that hasn’t been listed.
B. Where do we find the Ten Commandments in the book of Exodus?
C. The answer is Exodus 20.
D. Where does the book of Exodus tell us about the day of Pentecost? Ex. 19.
E. In the Old Testament the introduction of Pentecost and the giving of the law went together.
F. When the first Pentecost was instituted it was associated (joined) with the giving of the law.
G. Thus, it is no surprise that when the law was changed God used the Day of Pentecost.
H. Under the Old Testament Pentecost was the marker that identified the giving of the Law.
I. The same is concerning the day of Pentecost in Acts 2.
21. WHEN WE STUDY THE FEAST OF PENTECOST WE FIND THAT THERE ARE SOME THINGS WE CAN LEARN.
A. For example, this feast was used to introduce God’s law in both Testaments.
B. Today there are some who scoff at the laws of God.
C. The word of God is sometimes trodden underfoot.
D. Other mock it and view it is outdated material.
E. I want to go back with you to Ex. 19 and look at some of the things that were said.
F. As you are turning to Ex. 19 let me share with you my thinking.
G. The Bible says that the New Testament is a “better” testament.
H. We live under a superior system.
I. If one system is better than another one of two things must be true.
J. Either we treat each system with equal respect, or we treat the better system with more respect.
K. If the New Testament is a better system it cannot deserve less respect that the Old Testament.
L. What did God say about the Old Testament law?
M. Let’s read versed 10-11 – READ
N. These people were getting to receive a law that is less desirable than the New Testament.
O. Even though these people received the lesser law God told Moses, “Sanctify the people.”
P. “Tell them to wash their clothes.”
Q. “Give them two days to prepare for this matter.”
22. On the designated day there was thunder and lighting (verse 16).
23. A thick cloud appeared on the mountain and there was the sound like a loud trumpet (16b).
24. Mount Sinai smoked (18a) and God descended upon the mountain in fire (also verse 18).
25. The Old Testament Law was presented in a way that said it was significant and magnificent.
26. This was so important that it was put in the same time frame as one of the three required feasts.
27. This law was only given to the Jews & only for a limited period of time, but it was very important.
28. What do we have in the New Testament?
29. We have a law that has been bought by and brought about by blood.
30. In Mt. 26:28 Jesus said this is my “blood” of the new covenant.
31. The New Testament was not bought with just any blood.
32. It was brought about by and purchased with blood from the Son of God.
33. A member of the Godhead died on the tree to bring in this new law.
34. What does this imply about the New Testament?
35. This means that the documents we know as the New Testament are the most important papers w/ever see.
36. The New Testament is a law that we are to learn (know), learn well, and follow.
37. This is a law to love and cherish in our hearts.
38. This is a law that God wants us to respect.
A. We live in a time when many have little disregard for laws.
B. Some want to be ignorant about certain laws.
C. Others ignore part of a law or the entirety of a law.
D. Ex. 19 and Acts 2 says to the world, “God has given 2 laws.”
E. In each instance these laws were not given in secret.
F. In the first instance there was fire, lighting, thunder, and a mountain shook.
G. This was designed to get people’s attention.
H. Other types of attention getting methods are used in Acts 2.
39. When we look at the Day of Pentecost we find that God says to us, “Listen to my law.”
40. “Hear my words.”
41. We need to listen.
42. If we believe that people needed to heed the first law this point is even more emphatic with the NT.
43. There is a second lesson in the day of Pentecost.
44. This was a time of ingathering.
45. Under the Old Testament this was a time of harvesting.
46. The day of Pentecost should be a constant reminder to use that we are trying to harvest souls.
47. We had a house to house party last Sunday. To all those who helped, thank you.
48. We still need some more names.
49. I want to challenge us this week to sit down and come up with a list of 5 people.
50. Our visitation program has been in existence since the last few months of last year.
51. This is another tool to help harvest souls.
52. If you are participating in this good work, keep at it.
53. We still have some Bible videos that are not always checked out.
54. The day of Pentecost reminds us about the importance of God’s law and the need to evangelize.