Remember and Be Filled!

May 24, 2015

Stetson Memorial United Methodist Church

Pentecost Sunday

Acts 2:1-11 NIV Bible

Remember and Be Filled!

A reading from the Acts of the Apostles chapter 2 verses 1-11. Listen to and for a word from God for us the people of God…

Let us pray…

Creator God in heaven, you who set your children on fire on the day of Pentecost…we pray for that same spirit to fall upon us this day on those gathered here in this church and in all of your churches around the world. Speak to those gathered in your house today so that we may know your will for our lives. We thank you for your ancient words that still guide us today. I ask that Your Word be heard through me or in spite of me…Speak Lord… we are ablaze for You and Your kingdom. Amen

I think I have seen almost all of the Star Trek Movies that have been produced. But I think that my favorite one is the one where as the ship was going to be destroyed, Spock knew what had to be done. In order to save the ship he had to go in to the room that was filled with all this radioactive stuff in the air and he knew he was not going to be able to make it but the ship would not be destroyed. The needs of the many outweigh the needs of the one… And just before he went in McCoy tried to stop him. Well of course he used one of his Vulcan neck pinches and knocked McCoy out. But as McCoy laid there Spock used the Vulcan Mind Meld on him and said “Remember…”…remember.

Today we are celebrating Memorial Day. . . A day when we remember loved ones and those who gave their lives for our freedom. It can be a day of sadness for some as they remember those who have gone before us. . . those who touched our lives in a special way. Even though there is sadness, we also have those memories of them that give us joy still.

When I think of those who have gone before me, there is one who really stands out in my mind. . . our Risen Lord Jesus. Jesus came to teach you and to teach us a new way of living, a radical way of living and even though we are saddened by His death. . . there was and is great joy in His resurrection. I am sure the first disciples were saddened by His death and had great joy in His resurrection and His coming back but when He came back it was only for a short time. When He left again He promised He would always be with them and as well as with us through the Spirit that was given on that first Pentecost morn. Pentecost was the completion of Jesus’ ministry on earth.

Today we also celebrate Pentecost Sunday!!!!! It is one of my favorite celebrations in the Christian calendar. It is the birthday of the church! Without it…we would not have the church as we know it today. It is a day that we celebrate the gift of the Counselor…the Holy Spirit…the promise made to us…the followers of Christ when He ascended into heaven. It is the fire that burns within our hearts that keeps the church growing. It is that unquenchable fire that enables us to do extraordinary things in our ordinary lives for the kingdom of God here on earth. I was telling Ray this morning that if he sees me starting to float to the ceiling to get out the tethers.

This wonderful gift of Pentecost, the Spirit within us, is the Spirit of God. It enables us to hear God’s voice and guidance. By the power of that same Spirit we can walk on water and not be afraid. We can cry out to the Lord in the midst of our fear for help and step out in faith. You see…we are given the Spirit of power and might. We have that hunger within us to

1.       Learn more about God…

2.       To study God’s Word...

3.       To serve God…

4.       To right wrongs…

5.       To bring more people into the presence of God

We can come like a child, by the Spirit, into the throne room of grace and not be afraid. (Children aren’t intimidated by limits or risks) We will have the fruits of the Spirit that Paul talks about in Galatians 5:22-26…love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, truthfulness, gentleness, and self control (This is one that helps us fight against the temptations of the world). (Are you feeling it...that fire within you...Just waiting to be released.) Fruitiness…when the Spirit is alive in our hearts, the character of God comes into us as the Spirit works to conform us ever more closely to the image and character of Christ.(remember and be filled with the fire of Pentecost)

Now in those times when I have come before God not knowing how or what to pray (and I’m sure that some of you have too) those times when I am in such a state that I can’t utter a word and it is this gift of Pentecost that has helped me in my weakness. But…the Spirit not only helps us as we pray in our weakness but in all of our weaknesses. That Spirit…that fire of Pentecost…helps us when…

1.       We need words of hope…

2.       We need to step out in faith…

3.       We need to follow God’s plan for our lives…

4.       We need to reach out to those who are “unlovable”…

The list goes on. Remember and be filled with the Fire of Pentecost

OK…since we have this Pentecost fire within us…how can we use it for God’s glory you ask? Well…let’s look at what the Apostles did on that glorious day of Pentecost. The scripture tells us that they spoke in people’s native tongue about the greatness of God. This made me stop and think for a moment…How do we speak in others language, in their native tongue so that they can understand about God’s saving grace and love for all? Well one way God speaks to us is in the different translations of the bible. I can’t believe how many there are. But the way that I see it…God speaks to each of us in a different way, by reading a certain translation of the Bible, the Word is broken down in a way that we understand what it is telling us better. By reading this version, that we can understand, we are equipped to share that message to others.

One way we can reach others is to meet them when and where they are. We need to speak plainly, in ways that they will understand. Jesus spoke in parables to the people. These parables were for (for the lack of a better analogy) certain types of people. They worked for those whom He was talking to at the time but if he used only one type, there would have been people left out…people who wouldn’t understand the meaning of the parable. He came for the lost and confused sheep not the ones who understood. In order to bring people to an understanding and be saved we must meet them where they are as Jesus did. You see…the Pentecost fire within…enables us to become God’s servants, Christ’s friends, in order to carry on Christ’s ministry to the world. We meet others where they are…in their “native language”…not shunning them because they are different but embracing them for our diversity is a way we speak other languages. Remember and be filled with the fire of Pentecost

We need to, no, we have to, reignite that Pentecostal fire within Christ’s Church as well as in the life of every single believer. We need to begin by looking within ourselves. . . within our own mirror to begin the change. Then and only then, we can go forth in Jesus name with that fire in the hole of our own lives to spread the hills ablaze with a fire that cannot be quenched. We will be emboldened to go forth, in the name of our Risen Lord, Jesus Christ, and preach the gospel to ALL nations baptizing them in the name of the Father, the Son and yes. . . the Spirit. Then and only then we will be able to help fill the hole in humanity with the fire that burns bright. Remember and be filled with the fire of Pentecost

Let me give you an example for this. This is a life without the Spirit within it…and here is a life full of the Holy Spirit…the fire of Pentecost. As the song from Kathy Tricoli states…Take your candle (that fire within you)…go light your world.

Amen!