Messiah
Lutheran Church
Keller,
Texas
The
Day of Pentecost
May
24th,
2015
Grace
mercy and peace....
A
blessed feast of Pentecost to you, dear Christians.
What
a wonderful day to preach my first sermon among you, the people of
Messiah. It was on the first Day of Pentecost, 50 days after Easter,
that Christ poured out his Holy Spirit on the fledgling church. It
was on that first Day of Pentecost that the Spirit empowered the
disciples to preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ to the many pilgrims
gathered there in Jerusalem – and to do it miraculously, so that
each heard it in his own language.
It
was on that first Day of Pentecost that Peter preached his first
sermon, and the people were cut to the heart, and said, “what
then shall we do?”
“Repent and be
baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for
the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of
the Holy Spirit.”
And some 3000 believed and were baptized that day.
While
we certainly don't want to downplay the blessed events of that first
Pentecost, neither should we think that it was an event so much
unlike anything else God does. Some call it the “birthday of the
Christian church”, but perhaps it's better to see it as just
another step in the ongoing unfolding of God's plan for salvation in
Jesus Christ. For now that good news of Christ would travel back
with these pilgrims, from Jerusalem to their homelands. The Lord of
the Church knows exactly what he's doing here.
Now
the Spirit would work through the words they had heard, received, and
believed... and the same Spirit would continue to convict in regards
to sin, and righteousness, and judgment. The same Spirit would point
to Christ. The same Spirit would call, gather, enlighten and
sanctify. The same Spirit would bring life from the dead. Just like
the Spirit always did, just like he always does.
The
Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters. He had a
hand in the creation, along with Father and Son. It was the Spirit
that was breathed into the nostrils of Adam to bring him life.
Indeed, the word “Spirit” in Hebrew – Ruach – means wind or
breath. So the Spirit of God is the very breath of God. It's also
why Jesus breathed on his disciples in John 20 as he said, “receive
the Holy Spirit”.
Now
take a walk for a moment back with me through Ezekiel 37, our Old
Testament reading, and the Valley of the Dry Bones. There, Ezekiel
saw a vision: he was brought by the spirit to this valley where a
great battle had been fought, and the casualties were many. Imagine
what Ezekiel saw as he pondered the skulls and femurs and ribs
scattered about. The scene was terribly hopeless. There were no
survivors to be found. None who were only wounded, but might just
need some doctoring. None who were only mostly dead. No, there was
none left alive. They were so dead, there was not even any rotting
flesh left. It had been picked clean by the birds and left to bake
in the hot sun. The bones were dry. They were not only merely dead,
these bones were most sincerely dead.
But
the Lord asked Ezekiel, “Son
of man, can these bones live?”
What a question! Surely any sane person would say, “not a chance!”
But Ezekiel also knows the Lord. He knows this is the Lord and
Giver of Life. He knows there's more to the story here, so he leaves
the question open: “Lord,
you know”.
And then Ezekiel is commanded to prophesy, to speak, to preach if
you will to these dead bones – the word of the Lord. And well, you
know how the song goes and how the story ends. The bones connect,
the flesh is restored. And when he preaches again, the Spirit
breathes life and they stand on their feet – a mighty army.
“These
bones are the house of Israel”, the Lord explains. It is a great
lesson Ezekiel, and for Israel, and for us. Though the people were
as good as dead and worse, God would restore them. His prophetic
word, and his Spirit, would bring life. And this whole account is
also a not-so-subtle pointer toward another “Son of Man” who
would one day give his life and bring life to the world.
One
of my favorite bands, the Counting Crows, has a song lyric that goes
something like this: “I
got bones beneath my skin, mister. There's a skeleton in every man's
house. Beneath the dust and sweat and love that hang on everyone,
there's a dead man trying to get out.”
It's a poetic reminder of something scripture teaches so clearly.
We
are all dead in our sin. Inside of everyone is a dead man trying to
get out. You may have a pulse and breathe and walk and talk. But in
your natural state, your sinful nature is as dead as a doornail. The
wages of sin is death, and you and I sin a lot, and death comes to us
in droves. Apart from Christ you and I are just as hopeless and
lifeless as a valley of dry bones. Even worse.
And
a dead man can't help himself. He can't sit up and take nourishment.
He can't scream or even whisper for help. A dead man can't do part
of the work of bringing himself back to life. Only a miracle can do
it. Only a resurrection.
But
the Spirit of God is the Lord and Giver of Life. He works through
the word of Christ who overcame death once and for all. The Spirit
works to counteract and overcome death for you and me and for all -
and to bring life where there was no hope – because the Spirit
brings you Christ.
Whatever
skeletons are in your closet. Whatever dead man lurks on the inside
of you. However death has manifested in your life. There is hope in
Christ, and that hope is proclaimed and promised and effected by His
Holy Spirit. The same Spirit that brought Ezekiel to the valley.
The same Spirit that was poured out on Pentecost. The Spirit of
Christ, who comes to you today.
Yes,
today, some may be surprised to hear, the outpouring of the Holy
Spirit continues. The same God, Father, Son, and Spirit, works in
the same ways he always has to call sinners to faith, and to bring
life from the dead, yes even for you.
He
did it, notably, at your baptism. When the Spirit hovered over the
water and brought life to you who were born into sin and death. But
buried with Christ and now raised to life again, your baptism is a
daily comfort, not simply a one time event. You not only have been
baptized, but you ARE baptized. The Spirit is upon you, in you, his
living temple.
The
Spirit gives you life, today, through God's word. Jesus lays out the
work of the Spirit as three-fold:
“he will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and
judgment.”
First,
he convicts
the world with regard to sin.
Like the hearer's of Peter's sermon who were cut to the heart. We,
too, need the Spirit to convict us by sticking our noses in the
mirror of God's law. Have you loved God with your whole heart? Have
you loved your neighbor as yourself? Do you rebel, hurt and harm,
lust and covet, gossip and complain? Do you put your neighbor ahead
of yourself? Do you keep God's word, love his kingdom, obey his
will? If the word of God's law doesn't convict you, if you think you
can stand up under it, if you think you're a good person who deserves
God's favor – then you need to look a little closer.
But
if you've seen that image of a dead man, and you've been cut to the
heart, and your spirit cries out, “what shall I do?” Then take
comfort in the comforter, who would have you see Jesus. Take counsel
from the Spirit, who would counsel you to trust in Christ. Be
encouraged by the one who breathes again and again the promises of
God in Jesus Christ, in whom we have life and have it abundantly. He
will not leave you as a corpse or a pile of bones. He's already
raised you once in your baptism. And you will rise again, and live
with Christ forever.
For
the Spirit also convicts us concerning
righteousness.
That is, he calls us to faith in Christ and keeps us in that faith.
He calls us to believe that for the sake of Christ we have been made
righteous and holy before God, blameless in his sight. Declared so
by the one who declared “it is finished”.
And
the Spirit convicts in
regard to judgment,
for the prince of this world stands condemned. Satan, our adversary,
is the real loser in the cosmic courtroom. We've been judged
innocent on account of Christ. But the devil and all his forces of
evil – they are judged. The deed is done. One little word can
fell them – for that Word is the word of God and it is Spirit
filled and it is living and active and sharper than any sword.
Finally,
Jesus tells us, the spirit he sends is the Spirit
of Truth.
He guides us into all truth. He takes what belongs to Christ, and
gives it to Christ's people. The forgiveness of sins on account of
Christ crucified. The Spirit declares it to you. He declares it to
all nations, sinners of all tribes and languages. Thus he takes the
dead and makes them alive in Christ, alive to live forever.
On
this Pentecost Sunday, give thanks for the Helper, the Advocate, the
Counselor, the Spirit whom Christ sends. For though he has gone
away, he has not left us alone. Though we are dead in our
trespasses, he does not leave us to the grave. But the Lord and
Giver of life declares Christ to you – and you, dry bones, live
again. Hear the word of the Lord. Receive the Holy Spirit. Believe
it for Jesus' sake. Amen.