Sermon - Pentecost 2023 - Acts 2:1-21

St. Peter Preaching in the Presence of St. Mark, Fra Angelico, 1433

Hearing the mighty works of God

1. The Holy Spirit brings us God’s word

2. We keep God’s word when we speak it to others

When you think about Pentecost and the Holy Spirit working, what kinds of things do you think about? Perhaps you think about Pentecostals and them “speaking in tongues” or publicly weeping. Maybe you think about revivals, like Billy Graham’s crusades or that revival that was taking place down in Kentucky. Maybe you think about mass conversions, as is happening in some places in Africa. But the work of the Holy Spirit typically isn’t as showy as all of that and the Holy Spirit Himself is rarely ever even visible, since the Holy Spirit’s job is to point to Christ, that all might hear the mighty works of God.

To be fair, the Holy Spirit was quite showy on that first Pentecost, 50 days after Easter. “And suddenly there came from heaven a sound like a mighty rushing wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. And divided tongues as of fire appeared to them and rested on each one of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance.” That sounds quite fantastical and showy, to be sure, but the focus wasn’t so much the sound of the wind nor the tongues of fire, but that the Spirit filled them such that they could speak about God in languages other than their own.

Rest assured, this was a miracle that they could speak in other languages that they previously didn’t know. Additionally, people speaking probably dozens of different languages and dialects, could all hear them speaking in their own language. That’s impressive and incredible, but the important part is that they heard “them telling in [their] own tongues the mighty works of God.” It’s not enough that the disciples could speak in other languages, because what ultimately matters is that the mighty works of God were proclaimed. That is the primary work of the Holy Spirit.

Jesus had explained at some length that this would happen: “The Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, He will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you.” Not only Jesus foretold that this would happen, but the prophet Joel did as well. “And in the last days it shall be, God declares, that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh, and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams; even on my male servants and female servants in those days I will pour out my Spirit, and they shall prophesy.”

Thus, the sending of the Holy Spirit, after Jesus had accomplished what was necessary to redeem the world, brought about the preaching of the Gospel throughout the world. Now, to be clear, the Apostles received a particular gift not given to all Christians, namely, the Holy Spirit brought to their remembrance all that Jesus had said to them. So while I might struggle to remember the details of a conversation I had a week ago, the apostles could plainly remember what Jesus had done and said over the course of a few years. Thus, the scriptures have apostolic authority, and because Jesus said the Holy Spirit would through them, the scriptures are the Word of God.

Nevertheless, even though the apostles had a particular gift not given to all Christians, the Holy Spirit has still been poured out upon all Christians, as the prophet Joel declared. It’s not just the apostles who prophecy, but sons and daughters, young men and old men, male slaves and female slaves. Whether young or old, man or woman, slave or free, all Christians have received the Spirit and thus declare the mighty works of God. This doesn’t mean that all have the same vocations and stations in life, as if everyone were a pastor or a foreign missionary, rather it means that wherever God has placed you in life, there you are to declare the mighty works of God.

Remember the past couple of weeks I’ve said that theology has consequences, namely that we must live like Christians and that persecution will come. But another consequence of theology is that God’s word, theology, is heard. Jesus said: “If anyone loves me, he will keep My word, and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our home with him. Whoever does not love Me does not keep My words. And the word that you hear is not Mine but the Father’s who sent Me.” To keep God’s word has broad applications. It certainly means that you order your footsteps by it and that you guard it against corruption. But most simply it means that you hear His word and that you speak His word.

Jesus teaches us to hear His word quite regularly in the Gospels, and the primary focus of today’s texts are that we speak His word, regardless, we must keep in mind that we can only speak His Word if we first hear His word. So the first step here is to read the Bible. Coming to church and Bible study helps with this, but unless we’re going to make the Bible readings an hour long each week, there’s just no way to read through the Bible in church. You have to do it at home. Devotional booklets are fine, but more importantly you need to read the Bible. Consider how much time we give to scrolling the internet, watching tv, reading books, or engaging in other forms of recreation, then compare that to time spent reading the Bible. Remember, all of this world and its pleasures will pass away, but the word of the Lord endures forever. So let’s fill our lives with something that lasts, not something that passes away.

Not only is God’s word something that endures, but it’s good. “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.” God’s word gives us peace and courage because it shows us the mighty works of God, and all that God does to preserve, protect, and provide for us. There is nothing greater than to know that God loves me, shed His blood for me, teaches me how to live,  and wants to bring me to paradise with Him. 

Knowing all that God does for us, we must tell others with great vigor! Peter was so zealous in his speech that people mocked him, saying he was drunk. Apparently the people couldn’t discern the spirits, since he wasn’t filled with alcohol, but with the Holy Spirit. Alcohol usually makes a person's lips loose and foolish, however the Holy Spirit makes our lips loose but filled with wisdom. But the main point is that being filled with the Spirit and keeping the Word of God, means that you open your lips and speak the mighty works of God.

Of course this means that pastors and foreign missionaries have to speak about the mighty works of God, and that’s good and we should support it. We have a door offering today for the Synod convention to support translating theological books into more languages, so that the speaking in tongues on Pentecost might continue. The Gospel is for all people, regardless of the color of your skin, your language, your ethnicity, or your culture.

However, the Gospel is also for us and for our people who live among us today. Peter’s first sermon was preached in Jerusalem! He didn’t go on a missionary journey immediately, he just spoke to the people in front of him. Likewise, the Gospel is for the people right here in our own country, state, county, town, and household! You’re not foreign missionaries or pastors, but you are Christians who live here, and the people around you are those who need to hear the mighty works of God.

Only about ⅓ of Iowans claim to go to church every week. This means that we all have neighbors who need to hear the Gospel. Not only that, but how many of your family members don’t go to church regularly? This means that your own household, your family, needs to hear the Gospel. We need to stop thinking of this as a Christian nation, and we need to start thinking of ourselves as “missionaries” in a sense. God has placed us here, among these people, within our households, and He has poured out His Holy Spirit upon us to hear and speak His mighty works.

If you’re discouraged because so few people live like Christians today, or that your family has stopped going to church, and everything looks so bleak, look at it from a different perspective. See all of this and the people around you as opportunities to zealously speak the mighty works of God. And if they mock you, so what? They mocked Peter and that didn’t stop him, neither should it stop us. Remember, the great and magnificent day of the Lord is coming, judgment is coming soon, and those who don’t believe will be consigned to hell. “And it shall come to pass that everyone who calls upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.” We have the greatest news, the strongest hope, the message of peace, and courageous hearts because the Holy Spirit has been poured out upon us.