Pentecost - 05/24/2020

Good Sunday morning to all.

Sister Faith had eye surgery earlier today and should not be straining her eyes with computer work for at least one week. We therefore must present today's sermon in written form as no editing will be required. Please keep both sisters Faith and Carissa in prayer for speedy and perfect recovery from their lasik surgeries. Thank you.

I have always held that proper understanding of the New Testament is possible only with a working knowledge of the Old. I have often heard of "New Testament" church groups that de-emphasize the importance of the writings of Moses and the other OT prophets. This is so very sad as such an approach deprives one of gaining a deeper appreciation of God's word. Remember that no NT character including the apostles Paul, Peter and John ever preached even one message from the NT. Neither Jesus nor Luke, nor Jude nor for that matter, anyone else ever preached or taught a lesson from the NT. In fact, they all preached from the OT. So why is there an indifference to the importance of the first 39 books of the bible?

That said, today we will be examining the theme of Pentecost. This teaching of course has its roots in the OT and its fulfillment in the New. Next week Sunday will mark the celebration of the feast of Pentecost. It has significance for both Jews and Christians, and as you would imagine, it cannot be fully comprehended by today's Christians unless we understand its Jewish beginnings.

First, let me remind you that God established 7 feast days for the nation of Israel. Note that these were NOT Israel's feasts - they were the LORD'S feasts for Israel.(Leviticus 23:44) and were all given to the Israelites while on their journey through the wilderness. Of these 7 feasts, 4 have already had their fulfillment. The spring feasts: Unleavened bread, Passover, First-Fruits, and Pentecost all had their fulfillment during the earthly life of Christ - that is, at His first coming. The remaining 3 feasts: Trumpets, Atonement and Tabernacles will be completely fulfilled at His 2nd advent.. As the Lord allows, we may be able to consider all of these important feasts in the same way as we explored the feast of First-Fruits when we recently studied the Lord's resurrection. If you have forgotten that study, you can revisit it at this website.

"And you shall count unto you from the morrow after the sabbath, from the day that you brought the sheaf of the wave offering; seven sabbaths shall be complete. Even unto the morrow after the seven sabbaths shall you number fifty days, and you shall offer a new meat offering unto the Lord....And you shall proclaim on the selfsame day, that it may be an holy convocation unto you: you shall do no servile work therein: it shall be a statute forever in all your dwellings throughout your generation" - Leviticus 23: 15 - 16, 21

The above passage describes the directions for the feast of Pentecost which took place exactly 50 days after the feast of First-Fruits. (Penta in Greek means 50). Known also as the feast of weeks, the Jews call it Shavuot, and many in Europe refer to it as Wit-Sunday because of the white clothing worn by those who are baptized on this day. Pentecost was one of the three great feasts that all male Jews were required to celebrate at the temple in Jerusalem every year. Jesus therefore would be present in Jerusalem for these annual celebrations.

What is the significance of Shavuot to the Jews? 50 days after leaving the ancient city of Rameses in Egypt, Israel finds herself at the foot of Mount Sinai. It is here that the Lord will require Moses to meet with Him on the mountain after he has warned the Jews to distance themselves from it. Please read the account in Exodus 19. (Reminds me of social-distancing today) Shavuot then, celebrates God's giving of the Torah to His people. I hope you realize how significant of an event this is. Had that event not taken place, we would have no bible!

What is the significance of this feast for the Christian community? Well, precisely, 50-days after the resurrection of our blessed Lord on the feast of First - Fruits, 120 disciples gathered together in one place called the 'Upper Room' to await the promise of the Savior. While Jesus had commanded His followers to "....go into all the world and preach the gospel....", He had also commanded that they do so only after they receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. (Acts 1: 8). In Acts, chapter 2, verses 1 through 4, we read the account of the stupendous miracle that happened to these 120 believers in Jerusalem. Remember also, that Jesus had told His disciples in the gospel of John that He would leave to go to the Father and then the Holy Spirit would be sent to teach, guide and energize them for ministry. Therefore, Jesus having now gone to the Father, is in a sense replaced by another comforter - the Holy Spirit. So, chaverim she'li (my friends) it was on the first Pentecost in the wilderness of Sinai that God revealed to man, a new relationship based on His sacred Law and on the last Pentecost that God revealed to man a new relationship based on the Holy Spirit. The mystical union of God and Israel then is mirrored by the mystical union of God's Holy Spirit with the church of Jesus Christ.

The Christian church can therefore trace its formal beginnings to the feast of Pentecost on the day of Pentecost in Jerusalem. No wonder many of us are called Pentecostal believers.

Thank you for reading this sermon. I trust that it has been a blessing to you and that you have learned something from it. Kindly let me know whether this is true by responding via this website.

May the Lord bless you and keep you.

Pastor Chandroo