Wordsurfers is 10 this month!
It was set up in 2014 to encourage people to read the Bible and consider its central character Jesus Christ. Those aims remain unchanged.
The message that follows was preached in Cairncastle Presbyterian Church on 28th April 2024. The Scripture readings to go with it are Acts 1 v 1-8 and Acts 2 v 1-18. Enjoy!
Holy Spirit – Pentecost
In the days and weeks before this, Jesus’ disciples had been worried, confused and still taken up at times with their own worldly agendas. As we read on in the Book of Acts we meet a group of people who seem fearless, confident, completely focussed and committed to serving Jesus, whatever the cost.
What made the difference? Let me suggest two things.
For one, the resurrection! These people had met and spent time with their Master risen triumphant over death! They’d seen Him crucified, dead and buried, now they’d seen Him risen - tangible evidence that death is not the end for believers but a doorway to new and greater life. Our present suffering is limited and temporary, our reward will be infinite and unending.
Here was motivation and encouragement if ever we needed it. Christians are given hope and assurance through Jesus’ atoning death for our sins and His resurrection and ascension to open heaven to all who repent and believe. Forgiveness is available. Reconciliation is possible. Everlasting life is guaranteed.
This is a message the world needs to hear and Peter and the others were not slow to take the opportunity of sharing it with the crowds gathered for Pentecost.
And that was the second thing. On this symbolic occasion, the Jewish harvest celebration of ‘first fruits’, God fulfilled the promises made by Jesus and OT prophets and generously ‘pours out’ the Holy Spirit on the Apostles and other followers. They are described as being ‘filled’ with God’s Spirit and ‘enabled’ to declare the good news of Jesus with compelling power which appropriately on this international occasion included a miraculous ability to speak in various languages.
The basic point is this, the Lord gave His willing, praying Church all the help they needed to share His grace with others with immediate, dramatic effect. We’re told that 3000 people were convicted by the Spirit through their preaching and put their trust in Jesus that very first day!
If the resurrection of Christ gives Christians hope to share with the world, the gift of the Holy Spirit gives us empowerment to spread the Gospel with confidence and build His Church with joy!
In the Old Testament the Holy Spirit was spoken of as coming on and helping a limited number of special individuals like kings and prophets but Joel, writing centuries before Christ predicted that in the future there would be a much wider and more generous outpouring on men and women of all ages. He pictured it as being a decisive time bringing challenge and judgement but also the possibility of salvation and renewal.
This is that time, declares Peter at Pentecost. Messiah has come, provided atonement through His sacrificial death, risen and ascended to majestic authority in heaven. The climax of the ages has begun. The kingdom of God has started among us. The Spirit has been given to put God’s rule into effect.
Ok, so if the Spirit lives, as Jesus promised, in and among Christians to empower us, how might we expect that to look? What kind of change does He bring?
Let me suggest three.
The clue is in the name. The Holy Spirit lives in and among us to make us holy, like Jesus. He prompts us to obey the teaching of our Saviour. Peter urges His listeners to ‘repent’, to turn, to cease from all wrongdoing, and be baptised as a public demonstration of their intention to live life differently.
We Christians will not simply allow ourselves to be carried along by the flow of popular culture for often culture is idolatrous, immoral and displeasing to God. We will seek the Spirit’s help daily to please God in every way. We will begin each day praying, ‘May Your will be done on earth, including my life, as it is among the perfectly obedient angels and saints in heaven’!
Empowered by the Spirit we can live obediently.
Secondly let’s note the Spirit enables us to share the message of Jesus boldly. We’ve already mentioned the transformation in these first followers from hiding, anxious and scared to preaching courageously in the street. And Peter didn’t mince his words. He challenged his listeners about the part some of them played in the crucifixion.
The Apostles’ message included uncomfortable truths which would get them resented, threatened, imprisoned, beaten, even executed, just as Jesus had warned. And yet despite vicious opposition, the Spirit continued to use their message to bring many more people to saving faith.
Now these first evangelists were not naturally eloquent public speakers. Peter was a fisherman. Most of these men and women had limited education. They just spoke plainly but with conviction about Jesus to anyone who would listen and the Spirit used their witness to draw others to Jesus. Wouldn’t we love to see that here!
Evangelist Billy Graham famously said that many who attended his crusades did not come initially because of his reputation but because of the simple, compelling conversation of Christians in their work or social circles. The Spirit uses friends and workmates to convince non-Christians to come to church to find out what our Jesus is all about!
So the Spirit enables us to live obediently and witness to our Lord, He also empowers us to care deeply and generously for others.
The Spirit within prompts us to share our Master’s compassion for the crowds we encounter in the world around us. He cares for the lost and lonely, those hungry, sick or in trouble. Through the Spirit His concerns become ours. Acts 2 ends with the infant Church practising radical generosity towards those in need and 2000 years of charity initiated by Christians bear witness to the Spirit’s ongoing influence.
I want to finish today with three words – MORE THAN EVER.
More than ever in 2024 the Church needs members who are filled and empowered by the Holy Spirit!
More than ever in our day as world culture seems in reverse, goings backwards to the kind of violent perversion and abuse that were common in the Roman world, we need people empowered to obey Jesus, to demonstrate a higher standard and a better way.
More than ever in a world lost in uncertainty and confusion we need people empowered by the Spirit to declare with courage the Truth, the challenge and encouragement in the Good News of Jesus.
More than ever in a broken, hurting world we need people empowered to share the love and compassion of Christ in acts of kindness to those in need.
Will we find those people here?
It was set up in 2014 to encourage people to read the Bible and consider its central character Jesus Christ. Those aims remain unchanged.
The message that follows was preached in Cairncastle Presbyterian Church on 28th April 2024. The Scripture readings to go with it are Acts 1 v 1-8 and Acts 2 v 1-18. Enjoy!
Holy Spirit – Pentecost
In the days and weeks before this, Jesus’ disciples had been worried, confused and still taken up at times with their own worldly agendas. As we read on in the Book of Acts we meet a group of people who seem fearless, confident, completely focussed and committed to serving Jesus, whatever the cost.
What made the difference? Let me suggest two things.
For one, the resurrection! These people had met and spent time with their Master risen triumphant over death! They’d seen Him crucified, dead and buried, now they’d seen Him risen - tangible evidence that death is not the end for believers but a doorway to new and greater life. Our present suffering is limited and temporary, our reward will be infinite and unending.
Here was motivation and encouragement if ever we needed it. Christians are given hope and assurance through Jesus’ atoning death for our sins and His resurrection and ascension to open heaven to all who repent and believe. Forgiveness is available. Reconciliation is possible. Everlasting life is guaranteed.
This is a message the world needs to hear and Peter and the others were not slow to take the opportunity of sharing it with the crowds gathered for Pentecost.
And that was the second thing. On this symbolic occasion, the Jewish harvest celebration of ‘first fruits’, God fulfilled the promises made by Jesus and OT prophets and generously ‘pours out’ the Holy Spirit on the Apostles and other followers. They are described as being ‘filled’ with God’s Spirit and ‘enabled’ to declare the good news of Jesus with compelling power which appropriately on this international occasion included a miraculous ability to speak in various languages.
The basic point is this, the Lord gave His willing, praying Church all the help they needed to share His grace with others with immediate, dramatic effect. We’re told that 3000 people were convicted by the Spirit through their preaching and put their trust in Jesus that very first day!
If the resurrection of Christ gives Christians hope to share with the world, the gift of the Holy Spirit gives us empowerment to spread the Gospel with confidence and build His Church with joy!
In the Old Testament the Holy Spirit was spoken of as coming on and helping a limited number of special individuals like kings and prophets but Joel, writing centuries before Christ predicted that in the future there would be a much wider and more generous outpouring on men and women of all ages. He pictured it as being a decisive time bringing challenge and judgement but also the possibility of salvation and renewal.
This is that time, declares Peter at Pentecost. Messiah has come, provided atonement through His sacrificial death, risen and ascended to majestic authority in heaven. The climax of the ages has begun. The kingdom of God has started among us. The Spirit has been given to put God’s rule into effect.
Ok, so if the Spirit lives, as Jesus promised, in and among Christians to empower us, how might we expect that to look? What kind of change does He bring?
Let me suggest three.
The clue is in the name. The Holy Spirit lives in and among us to make us holy, like Jesus. He prompts us to obey the teaching of our Saviour. Peter urges His listeners to ‘repent’, to turn, to cease from all wrongdoing, and be baptised as a public demonstration of their intention to live life differently.
We Christians will not simply allow ourselves to be carried along by the flow of popular culture for often culture is idolatrous, immoral and displeasing to God. We will seek the Spirit’s help daily to please God in every way. We will begin each day praying, ‘May Your will be done on earth, including my life, as it is among the perfectly obedient angels and saints in heaven’!
Empowered by the Spirit we can live obediently.
Secondly let’s note the Spirit enables us to share the message of Jesus boldly. We’ve already mentioned the transformation in these first followers from hiding, anxious and scared to preaching courageously in the street. And Peter didn’t mince his words. He challenged his listeners about the part some of them played in the crucifixion.
The Apostles’ message included uncomfortable truths which would get them resented, threatened, imprisoned, beaten, even executed, just as Jesus had warned. And yet despite vicious opposition, the Spirit continued to use their message to bring many more people to saving faith.
Now these first evangelists were not naturally eloquent public speakers. Peter was a fisherman. Most of these men and women had limited education. They just spoke plainly but with conviction about Jesus to anyone who would listen and the Spirit used their witness to draw others to Jesus. Wouldn’t we love to see that here!
Evangelist Billy Graham famously said that many who attended his crusades did not come initially because of his reputation but because of the simple, compelling conversation of Christians in their work or social circles. The Spirit uses friends and workmates to convince non-Christians to come to church to find out what our Jesus is all about!
So the Spirit enables us to live obediently and witness to our Lord, He also empowers us to care deeply and generously for others.
The Spirit within prompts us to share our Master’s compassion for the crowds we encounter in the world around us. He cares for the lost and lonely, those hungry, sick or in trouble. Through the Spirit His concerns become ours. Acts 2 ends with the infant Church practising radical generosity towards those in need and 2000 years of charity initiated by Christians bear witness to the Spirit’s ongoing influence.
I want to finish today with three words – MORE THAN EVER.
More than ever in 2024 the Church needs members who are filled and empowered by the Holy Spirit!
More than ever in our day as world culture seems in reverse, goings backwards to the kind of violent perversion and abuse that were common in the Roman world, we need people empowered to obey Jesus, to demonstrate a higher standard and a better way.
More than ever in a world lost in uncertainty and confusion we need people empowered by the Spirit to declare with courage the Truth, the challenge and encouragement in the Good News of Jesus.
More than ever in a broken, hurting world we need people empowered to share the love and compassion of Christ in acts of kindness to those in need.
Will we find those people here?
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