Pentecost Sunday has come and gone. For some this is a recognized Sunday and part of the liturgical calendar and others will treat Pentecost Sunday as any other Sunday and not give it much thought. One writer said, “Depending on the church tradition you embrace, Pentecost Sunday may have significant value to you, or it may have none at all.” Most churches participate in Christmas and Easter, but for the rest of the calendar dates including Pentecost, many feel that following the liturgical calendar is ritualistic. Pentecost is considered the birth of the church but in reality, the church started when Jesus began His ministry. The gospels are a prelude to show what the church was supposed to continue to do once empowered at Pentecost. The power that we see in the Gospels and that was also given to the disciples was the power the church would also receive. Then at Pentecost, when the power and authority we saw in the gospels was given to the church, the church would go and do as Jesus did, albeit briefly. It was briefly because the church quickly turned away from God’s word.
When we look at the Christian calendar, these special Sundays like Christmas, Lent (6 Sundays), Easter and Pentecost are supposed to be happening every day in the life of the church, not, just a few days marked on the calendar. We celebrate John 1:14 “The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us.” John 3:16 “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” Mark 1:14 “Jesus went into Galilee, proclaiming the good news of God. 15 “The time has come,” he said. “The kingdom of God has come near. Repent and believe the good news!” 1 Corinthians 15:3 “For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, 4 that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures.” Luke 24:48 “You are witnesses of these things. 49 I am going to send you what my Father has promised; but stay in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high.” Acts 1:8 “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” Acts 2:1 “When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. 2 Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. 3 They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them.” These Holy days are not just one date on the calendar but every day. Christmas and Easter have become major events in the church, although the meaning has been lost.
Christmas and Easter has been secularized but Pentecost basically remains untouched. At Pentecost there are no presents or chocolate to give or big meals to gather around and celebrate. Christmas, Easter and even Lent are easy to fake. You can say I believe Jesus came to us a baby in a manger then died on the cross and rose again. You can even say you have repented, whether or not you actually have. While most people say they believe Jesus rose from the dead, they do not act like Jesus lives. Pentecost represents the power that was given to the church because Jesus lives. You can’t fake what Pentecost truly represents which is the power to do as Jesus did. You can put on a show at Christmas and Easter but not Pentecost. Yes, you can go through the ritual and liturgy and talk about it, but as Paul said, 1 Corinthians 4:20 “the kingdom of God is not a matter of talk but of power.” And yes, satan can masquerade as an angel of light. 2 Corinthians 11:13 “For such people are false apostles, deceitful workers, masquerading as apostles of Christ. 14 And no wonder, for satan himself masquerades as an angel of light. 15 It is not surprising, then, if his servants also masquerade as servants of righteousness. Their end will be what their actions deserve.” Matthew 24:24 “For false messiahs and false prophets will appear and perform great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect.” And many have been deceived by false manifestation supposedly by the Holy Spirit but the spirits were not tested and they were deceived. You might be tempted to think there is power but what you do not see is the power and authority Jesus had and would later give the church. The power manifested looks nothing like the Gospels and Acts. This celebration of Pentecost is really more of a celebration of powerlessness.
When the power was given to the church, this is what the church was supposed to continue to do. Matthew 4:23 “Jesus went throughout Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom, and healing every disease and sickness among the people. 24 News about him spread all over Syria, and people brought to him all who were ill with various diseases, those suffering severe pain, the demon-possessed, those having seizures, and the paralyzed; and he healed them.” Paul was told, Acts 26:17 “I will rescue you from your own people and from the Gentiles. I am sending you to them 18 to open their eyes and turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of satan to God, so that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me.’” This was to continue in the church. After Pentecost took place, we saw that this power and authority did continue in the church but only for a short time. Acts 5:12 “The apostles performed many signs and wonders among the people. And all the believers used to meet together in Solomon’s Colonnade. 13 No one else dared join them, even though they were highly regarded by the people. 14 Nevertheless, more and more men and women believed in the Lord and were added to their number. 15 As a result, people brought the sick into the streets and laid them on beds and mats so that at least Peter’s shadow might fall on some of them as he passed by. 16 Crowds gathered also from the towns around Jerusalem, bringing their sick and those tormented by impure spirits, and all of them were healed.” Acts 8:5 “Philip went down to a city in Samaria and proclaimed the Messiah there. 6 When the crowds heard Philip and saw the signs he performed, they all paid close attention to what he said. 7 For with shrieks, impure spirits came out of many, and many who were paralyzed or lame were healed. 8 So there was great joy in that city.” This was supposed to continue but the church almost immediately turned away from God’s word and follow as Paul said “other gospels and a different jesus. The church turned away from His word and power to follow their own words and create their own power, of which is useless against the forces of evil. This rebellion caused satan’s to power to increase and the church to become powerless.
Whether a church celebrates the liturgy of Pentecost Sunday or not, both are missing the power of Pentecost, the power and authority that you just read about in the verses above. Many churches who celebrate Pentecost are basically dead and there is no power whatsoever other than the ability to follow a liturgy. There are also churches who do not participate in the liturgy and some these churches even say out loud that there is no power and that power stopped with Paul. The cessationists actually proclaim that being powerless is how the church is supposed to be, but scripture makes it clear that is not how it is supposed to be, thus cessationism is a doctrine of demons. Obviously satan understands that he can only be defeated with power from on High. Powerlessness comes from rebellion, which is a rejection of God’s word. Many say they have the Holy Spirit, but they too are dead and powerless. If they had the Holy Spirit as they say they do, they would not be powerless. Both groups, charismatic and non-charismatic, all say they are filled with the Holy Spirit, yet there is no power.
The lack of power in the church is not how it was supposed to be. John 7:37 “Jesus stood and said in a loud voice, “Let anyone who is thirsty come to me and drink. 38 Whoever believes in me, as Scripture has said, rivers of living water will flow from within them.” 39 By this he meant the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were later to receive. Up to that time the Spirit had not been given, since Jesus had not yet been glorified.” But like Israel and Judah that water has been rejected. Jeremiah 2:13 “My people have committed two sins: They have forsaken me, the spring of living water, and have dug their own cisterns, broken cisterns that cannot hold water.” Obviously, that is rebellion and not how it was supposed be. The disciples were told Luke 24:46 “This is what is written: The Messiah will suffer and rise from the dead on the third day, 47 and repentance for the forgiveness of sins will be preached in his name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. 48 You are witnesses of these things. 49 I am going to send you what my Father has promised; but stay in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high.” Charismatics say they are filled with the Holy Spirit because they speak in tongues, but there is no power. Since there is no power, most are running around naked and should be ashamed, but like the emperor who paraded his nakedness thinking that he was wearing luxurious clothing, the church continues as if nothing is wrong and parades their nakedness. Revelation 3:15 “I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! 16 So, because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I am about to spit you out of my mouth. 17 You say, ‘I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing.’ But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked. 18 I counsel you to buy from me gold refined in the fire, so you can become rich; and white clothes to wear, so you can cover your shameful nakedness; and salve to put on your eyes, so you can see. 19 Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline. So be earnest and repent. 20 Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with that person, and they with me.”
If the Holy Spirit was as present as most churches, charismatic and non-charismatic say, then the churches who say the Holy Spirit is present would be doing as Jesus did, but they are not. Some churches say they received the Holy Spirit when saved so you have churches filled with people who say they have been saved, yet there is no power. Other churches say the filling of the Holy Spirit comes later and speaking in tongues is a sign of the Holy Spirit’s presence, but again, there is no power. In both cases, churches are filled with talk and no power. Celebrating Pentecost or even saying they are filled with the Holy Spirit is basically hypocrisy. For most Pentecost represents something that does not exist. The power of Pentecost is supposed to exist because as Peter said, Acts 2:38 “Peter replied, “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. 39 The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off—for all whom the Lord our God will call.” 40 With many other words he warned them; and he pleaded with them, “Save yourselves from this corrupt generation.” John the Baptist has said, Matthew 3:10 “The ax is already at the root of the trees, and every tree that does not produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire. 11 “I baptize you with water for repentance. But after me comes one who is more powerful than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. 12 His winnowing fork is in his hand, and he will clear his threshing floor, gathering his wheat into the barn and burning up the chaff with unquenchable fire.” The generations that followed continued to be corrupt and are not producing good fruit. As we talked about last time, there are two fires. The first is the presence of God, the Holy Spirit and the second is the fire of His wrath. The church chose the fire of His wrath, so God turned His face from the church and the power and authority made available at Pentecost was removed. Ezekiel 39:23 “And the nations will know that the people of Israel went into exile for their sin, because they were unfaithful to me. So I hid my face from them and handed them over to their enemies, and they all fell by the sword. 24 I dealt with them according to their uncleanness and their offenses, and I hid my face from them.” The sword now is the abomination that causes desolation as Daniel talked about.
It really is amazing how as the years go by, the church continues on as if there is nothing wrong, with each group saying they are filled with the Holy Spirit but there is no power. Yes, there are powerful churches operating like a fortune 500 company, but there is no power. There are small churches that struggle to keep their doors open and there is no power. There are churches that talk about the Holy Spirit but there is no power. There are churches that even see manifestations (not from God) but there is no power. The lack of power in the church big and small and everything in-between is the sign that the church has been decimated by our enemies (abomination that causes desolation) and like Israel and Judah, the only way that could have happened is God turning His face away. God has turned His face from the church, yet the church carries on as if the work of their own hands is a blessing from God. Many hold on to this verse very tightly, that Isaiah 43:13 “No one can deliver out of my hand. When I act, who can reverse it?” John 10:28 “I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of my hand. 29 My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father’s hand.” They hold on to these verses but ignore verses like 2 Peter 3:15 “Bear in mind that our Lord’s patience means salvation, just as our dear brother Paul also wrote you with the wisdom that God gave him. 16 He writes the same way in all his letters, speaking in them of these matters. His letters contain some things that are hard to understand, which ignorant and unstable people distort, as they do the other Scriptures, to their own destruction. 17 Therefore, dear friends, since you have been forewarned, be on your guard so that you may not be carried away by the error of the lawless and fall from your secure position. 18 But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and forever! Amen.” Security only takes place when God’s children follow Him wholeheartedly. You cannot follow the distorted words of man, as most do, and say you are being held securely by the hand of God. Scripture makes it very clear what happens when God’s children rebel against Him.
Just before this Isaiah said, Isaiah 42:19 “Who is blind like the one in covenant with me, blind like the servant of the Lord? 20 You have seen many things, but you pay no attention; your ears are open, but you do not listen. 3 Which of you will listen to this or pay close attention in time to come? 24 Who handed Jacob over to become loot, and Israel to the plunderers? Was it not the Lord, against whom we have sinned? For they would not follow his ways; they did not obey his law. 25 So he poured out on them his burning anger, the violence of war. It enveloped them in flames, yet they did not understand; it consumed them, but they did not take it to heart.” Many in the church live out their lives thinking no one can touch them because they go to church. What they do not understand is that they have already been snatched because they have followed other gospels and a different jesus. For many they will find out too late that they have been deceived. Ezekiel was told Ezekiel 12:1 “The word of the Lord came to me: 2 “Son of man, you are living among a rebellious people. They have eyes to see but do not see and ears to hear but do not hear, for they are a rebellious people.” Jesus said Matthew 13:13 “This is why I speak to them in parables: “Though seeing, they do not see; though hearing, they do not hear or understand. 14 In them is fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah: “‘You will be ever hearing but never understanding; you will be ever seeing but never perceiving. 15 For this people’s heart has become calloused; they hardly hear with their ears, and they have closed their eyes. Otherwise they might see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their hearts and turn, and I would heal them.’” Romans 11:8 “God gave them a spirit of stupor, eyes that could not see and ears that could not hear, to this very day.” 2 Corinthians 3:14 “But their minds were made dull, for to this day the same veil remains when the old covenant is read. It has not been removed, because only in Christ is it taken away. 15 Even to this day when Moses is read, a veil covers their hearts. 16 But whenever anyone turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away.” To this day the Jews cannot see and hear and now the church cannot see and hear and refuse to turn from their wicked ways and be healed.
Sadly, the book of Jeremiah sums up the church. Jeremiah 4:22 “My people are fools; they do not know me. They are senseless children; they have no understanding. They are skilled in doing evil; they know not how to do good.” Jeremiah 5:12 “They have lied about the Lord; they said, “He will do nothing! No harm will come to us; we will never see sword or famine. 13 The prophets are but wind and the word is not in them; so let what they say be done to them. 20 “Announce this to the descendants of Jacob and proclaim it in Judah: 21 Hear this, you foolish and senseless people, who have eyes but do not see, who have ears but do not hear: 22 Should you not fear me?” declares the Lord. “Should you not tremble in my presence? I made the sand a boundary for the sea, an everlasting barrier it cannot cross. The waves may roll, but they cannot prevail; they may roar, but they cannot cross it. 23 But these people have stubborn and rebellious hearts; they have turned aside and gone away. 24 They do not say to themselves, ‘Let us fear the Lord our God, who gives autumn and spring rains in season, who assures us of the regular weeks of harvest.’ 25 Your wrongdoings have kept these away; your sins have deprived you of good. 30 A horrible and shocking thing has happened in the land: 31 The prophets prophesy lies, the priests rule by their own authority, and my people love it this way. But what will you do in the end?” Jeremiah 2:8 “The priests did not ask, ‘Where is the Lord?’ Those who deal with the law did not know me; the leaders rebelled against me. The prophets prophesied by Baal, following worthless idols. 9 “Therefore I bring charges against you again,” declares the Lord. “And I will bring charges against your children’s children. 11 Has a nation ever changed its gods? (Yet they are not gods at all.) But my people have exchanged their glorious God for worthless idols. 12 Be appalled at this, you heavens, and shudder with great horror,” declares the Lord. 13 “My people have committed two sins: They have forsaken me, the spring of living water, and have dug their own cisterns, broken cisterns that cannot hold water. 17 Have you not brought this on yourselves by forsaking the Lord your God when he led you in the way? 18 Now why go to Egypt to drink water from the Nile? And why go to Assyria to drink water from the Euphrates? 19 Your wickedness will punish you; your backsliding will rebuke you. Consider then and realize how evil and bitter it is for you when you forsake the Lord your God and have no awe of me,” declares the Lord, the Lord Almighty. 20 “Long ago you broke off your yoke and tore off your bonds; you said, ‘I will not serve you!’ 34 Yet in spite of all this 35 you say, ‘I am innocent; he is not angry with me.’ But I will pass judgment on you because you say, ‘I have not sinned.’” Zephaniah 3:1 “Woe to the city of oppressors, rebellious and defiled! 2 She obeys no one, she accepts no correction. She does not trust in the Lord, she does not draw near to her God. 3 Her officials within her are roaring lions; her rulers are evening wolves, who leave nothing for the morning. 4 Her prophets are unprincipled; they are treacherous people. Her priests profane the sanctuary and do violence to the law. 7 Of Jerusalem I thought, ‘Surely you will fear me and accept correction!’ Then her place of refuge would not be destroyed, nor all my punishments come upon her. But they were still eager to act corruptly in all they did. 8 Therefore wait for me,” declares the Lord, “for the day I will stand up to testify. I have decided to assemble the nations, to gather the kingdoms and to pour out my wrath on them— all my fierce anger. The whole world will be consumed by the fire of my jealous anger.”
Pentecost was not supposed to be just a Sunday on the calendar. Pentecost represents the power and authority given to the church to do as Jesus did and that means every day. Ezekiel 37:27 “My dwelling place will be with them; I will be their God, and they will be my people. 28 Then the nations will know that I the Lord make Israel holy, when my sanctuary is among them forever.’” Ephesians 2:19 “Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and strangers, but fellow citizens with God’s people and also members of his household, 20 built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone. 21 In him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord. 22 And in him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit.” The power that created the universe would be available to His people. God dwelling among us meant there would be power to continue to defeat the work of satan. 1 John 3:8 “The one who does what is sinful is of the devil, because the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the devil’s work.”
The power given at Pentecost changed and empowered people like when Peter went from putting his foot in his mouth and cowering when asked if he knew Jesus to being a powerful man of God who fearlessly preached the gospel with power and authority. Acts 3:6 “Then Peter said, “Silver or gold I do not have, but what I do have I give you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk.” 7 Taking him by the right hand, he helped him up, and instantly the man’s feet and ankles became strong. 8 He jumped to his feet and began to walk. Then he went with them into the temple courts, walking and jumping, and praising God. 9 When all the people saw him walking and praising God, 10 they recognized him as the same man who used to sit begging at the temple gate called Beautiful, and they were filled with wonder and amazement at what had happened to him. 11 While the man held on to Peter and John, all the people were astonished and came running to them in the place called Solomon’s Colonnade. 12 When Peter saw this, he said to them: “Fellow Israelites, why does this surprise you? Why do you stare at us as if by our own power or godliness we had made this man walk? 13 The God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, the God of our fathers, has glorified his servant Jesus. You handed him over to be killed, and you disowned him before Pilate, though he had decided to let him go. 14 You disowned the Holy and Righteous One and asked that a murderer be released to you. 15 You killed the author of life, but God raised him from the dead. We are witnesses of this. 16 By faith in the name of Jesus, this man whom you see and know was made strong. It is Jesus’ name and the faith that comes through him that has completely healed him, as you can all see.” Acts 4:12 “Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved.” 13 When they saw the courage of Peter and John and realized that they were unschooled, ordinary men, they were astonished and they took note that these men had been with Jesus. 14 But since they could see the man who had been healed standing there with them, there was nothing they could say. 15 So they ordered them to withdraw from the Sanhedrin and then conferred together. 16 “What are we going to do with these men?” they asked. “Everyone living in Jerusalem knows they have performed a notable sign, and we cannot deny it. 17 But to stop this thing from spreading any further among the people, we must warn them to speak no longer to anyone in this name.” 18 Then they called them in again and commanded them not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus. 19 But Peter and John replied, “Which is right in God’s eyes: to listen to you, or to him? You be the judges! 20 As for us, we cannot help speaking about what we have seen and heard.” 21 After further threats they let them go. They could not decide how to punish them, because all the people were praising God for what had happened. 22 For the man who was miraculously healed was over forty years old.”
That verse “unschooled, ordinary men, they were astonished and they took note that these men had been with Jesus” says it all. Pentecost represents the power and authority that Jesus had made available to the church, His disciples, but the church rejected the very power that created the universe and used their own hands to build on the sand. Galatians 3:1 “You foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you? Before your very eyes Jesus Christ was clearly portrayed as crucified. 2 I would like to learn just one thing from you: Did you receive the Spirit by the works of the law, or by believing what you heard? 3 Are you so foolish? After beginning by means of the Spirit, are you now trying to finish by means of the flesh? 4 Have you experienced so much in vain—if it really was in vain? 5 So again I ask, does God give you his Spirit and work miracles among you by the works of the law, or by your believing what you heard? 6 So also Abraham “believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness.” The church foolishly chose the flesh and continues choosing the flesh and continues to be defeated by satan. This happens every time the word of God is rejected for the words of the latest teacher / guru. Even though they distort the word of God, teach a different jesus, other gospels and are completely powerless, people chase after them. Sunday after Sunday, the church carries on powerless and defeated, all the while giving praise to God and celebrating dates on the calendar and the presence of the Holy Spirit when nothing could be further from the truth.
The promise of the Holy Spirit that Peter talked about is still available, but the church must return to the word of God. Zechariah 1:3 “Therefore tell the people: This is what the Lord Almighty says: ‘Return to me,’ declares the Lord Almighty, ‘and I will return to you,’ says the Lord Almighty.” When God turns His face back to the church, power and authority will also return. This is the hope the church has. Amos 9:11 “In that day “I will restore David’s fallen shelter—I will repair its broken walls and restore its ruins— and will rebuild it as it used to be.” Malachi 3:17 “On the day when I act,” says the Lord Almighty, “they will be my treasured possession. I will spare them, just as a father has compassion and spares his son who serves him. 18 And you will again see the distinction between the righteous and the wicked, between those who serve God and those who do not.” God has given us a choice. Jeremiah 11:4 “I said, ‘Obey me and do everything I command you, and you will be my people, and I will be your God. 5 Then I will fulfill the oath I swore to your ancestors, to give them a land flowing with milk and honey’—the land you possess today.” I answered, “Amen, Lord.” We can obey or refuse like Israel and Judah did. God said, Jeremiah 11:6 “Proclaim all these words in the towns of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem: ‘Listen to the terms of this covenant and follow them. 7 From the time I brought your ancestors up from Egypt until today, I warned them again and again, saying, “Obey me.” 8 But they did not listen or pay attention; instead, they followed the stubbornness of their evil hearts. So I brought on them all the curses of the covenant I had commanded them to follow but that they did not keep.’” Joshua said Joshua 24:15 “if serving the Lord seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your ancestors served beyond the Euphrates, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord.” Deuteronomy 30:11 “Now what I am commanding you today is not too difficult for you or beyond your reach. 12 It is not up in heaven, so that you have to ask, “Who will ascend into heaven to get it and proclaim it to us so we may obey it?” 13 Nor is it beyond the sea, so that you have to ask, “Who will cross the sea to get it and proclaim it to us so we may obey it?” 14 No, the word is very near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart so you may obey it. 15 See, I set before you today life and prosperity, death and destruction. 16 For I command you today to love the Lord your God, to walk in obedience to him, and to keep his commands, decrees and laws; then you will live and increase, and the Lord your God will bless you in the land you are entering to possess. 17 But if your heart turns away and you are not obedient, and if you are drawn away to bow down to other gods and worship them, 18 I declare to you this day that you will certainly be destroyed. You will not live long in the land you are crossing the Jordan to enter and possess. 19 This day I call the heavens and the earth as witnesses against you that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life, so that you and your children may live 20 and that you may love the Lord your God, listen to his voice, and hold fast to him. For the Lord is your life, and he will give you many years in the land he swore to give to your fathers, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.” Ezekiel 18:30 “Therefore, you Israelites / church, I will judge each of you according to your own ways, declares the Sovereign Lord. Repent! Turn away from all your offenses; then sin will not be your downfall. 31 Rid yourselves of all the offenses you have committed, and get a new heart and a new spirit. Why will you die, people of Israel / church? 32 For I take no pleasure in the death of anyone, declares the Sovereign Lord. Repent and live!”
