The Power of Pentecost: God’s Spirit for All People

Sermon: “The Power of Pentecost: God’s Spirit for All People”

Scripture Reading: Acts 2:1-4, 14-21

Secondary Texts: Leviticus 23:15-21; Joel 2:28-32

In the Old Testament, Pentecost was called the Feast of Weeks, a time to celebrate God’s provision in the harvest.

A celebratory scene depicting individuals joyfully gathered during the Feast of Weeks, a time of harvest thanksgiving in the Old Testament.

In the New Testament, it became the moment when God poured out His Spirit, harvesting souls for His kingdom.

Two Points I want to Go Over Today

1. The Alignment of Gods People: They were all on one accord.

2. Can You Hear the Sound: Identifying the movements and operation of the Holy Spirit

Let’s dive in, trusting the Spirit to speak to us today.

The Alignment of God’s People

God commanded Israel to celebrate the Feast of Weeks, or Shavuot, fifty days after Passover (Leviticus 23:15-16). Strong’s Concordance tells us that Shavuot (H7620) means “weeks,” marking seven weeks of counting, leading to the fiftieth day pentēkostē in Greek (G4005), meaning “fiftieth.” This was a time to offer the first fruits of the wheat harvest, a joyful festival of gratitude for God’s provision (Exodus 34:22).

The Zondervan Bible Dictionary notes that Shavuot was one of three pilgrimage festivals, drawing Jews to Jerusalem to worship together.

Once God’s people from diverse places came in a room, gathered together and they were in one accord then God can get ready to move. Sometimes the reason why today the stifled is because we are not in alignment.

The alignment of God happens because of the posturing of one’s soul. When we look at Wheat’s upward growth that upward and upright growth is critical for its survival and productivity, ensuring leaves and heads receive sunlight for photosynthesis.

The Bible says when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they had to be in one accord. For the sound to come we have to be with one accord. Can’t be with one accord and you hate your brother, can’t be with one accord and you arbor unforgiveness, you can’t be with one accord and lying on your tax papers, leave thy gift at the altar and go make right.

A diverse group of people, of various ages and ethnicities, praying together in a circle

When we look back in the book of 1st Chronicles 12:38 we see that the men of Israel, men of war could first keep rank, coming with a perfect heart and all the rest also of Israel were of one heart to make David king.

One may ask what do you mean I can’t come to God as I am. You can come as you are but you can’t stay as you are. When the Holy Spirit gets a whole of you, and you surrender you are not staying as you are. No one has to force you, no one has to pump you but when you are in an atmosphere of His presence and glory, things begin to shift in your life.

In Isaiah 6 Woe is me! for I am undone; because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips: for mine eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts.”

This prophet was an established prophet in the land of Israel but when he saw the King and the celestial beings he had to stop and say wait a minute I am undone and this is a prophet of God who lived in service to God.

One of the seraphims took one of the coals from off the altar and purified his lips acknowledge his uncleanliness in the presence of the Lord.

Can you recognize the operations and movements of God?

The word for Spirit is Pneuma is a Greek word meaning “breath,” “wind,” “spirit,” or “life force.” It derives from the verb pneō (to blow or breathe). In classical Greek, it referred to air, breath, or the vital force animating living beings.

• In the Septuagint (Greek translation of the Hebrew Old Testament), pneuma often translates the Hebrew ruach, which similarly means “breath,” “wind,” or “spirit” (e.g., God’s Spirit in Genesis 1:2).

The word pneuma refers to the Holy Spirit, which not only animates in a physical sense but also spiritually empowers and transforms believers. The imagery of the Spirit as a “rushing mighty wind” (Acts 2:2) ties directly to pneuma’s root meaning, symbolizing God’s life-giving, animating presence that fills the disciples, enabling them to speak and act with divine power.

The Bible is full of symbolism that has a revelatory meaning to be decoded by the Holy Spirit. For instance

Wind represents the Spirit’s life-giving power, like in Ezekiel 37. (The valley of dry bones)

Tongues signify God’s reach to all nation of people. We see this as a reversal from what happen at the Tower of Babel in the book of Genesis 11.

This event that happens when Pentecost was fully come can be attributed to the fulfillment of the prophecy which was spoken by the prophet Joel where it said: “I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh” (Joel 2:28).

When God does something fresh and new he going to show out. I am sure there were spectators there that day to witness the power of God. This supernatural event caused 3,000 people who believed and were baptized (Acts 2:41). This was the birth of the church, fueled by the Spirit’s power.