Three Amazing Facts About Pentecost

                                     THREE AMAZING FACTS ABOUT PENTECOST

Since moving to Sharon, I have been more aware of the various Jewish festivals mentioned in the Bible. God ordained three annual festivals to be observed by all Jewish people from generation to generation. King Solomon was observant of these festivals, including "the Feast of Unleavened Bread (Pesach/Passover), the Feast of Weeks (Shavuot/Pentecost), and the Feast of Booths (Sukkoth)." II Chron 8:13.

Interestingly, this week has been the Feast of Weeks (Shavuot) which began on May 25 and ended on May 27 for the Jewish people. For Christians, this week's significance is Pentecost Sunday. God has placed Hope Church in a unique place where we can celebrate our spiritual connectedness with Jewish traditions and festivals while appreciating our uniqueness as Christians that belong to God's eternal and enduring Kingdom.

Part of Kingdom living today includes building bridges with people of various religions so that we can lead them to the one and only one who said, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me." John 14:6.

Building bridges include our Jewish brothers and sisters in Sharon. So, we must understand what Shavuot means to the Jews today. I will share three amazing facts about Pentecost that every Christian should know and how those facts impact our Kingdom living.

What is the significance of Shavuot or Feast of the Weeks?

 Shavuot, or Feast of the Weeks, coincides with the grain harvest of early summer and is one of three pilgrimage festivals mentioned in the Torah. The grain harvest "was one of the three pilgrimage festivals of ancient Israel, when Israelite males were commanded to appear before God in Jerusalem, bringing offerings of the first fruits of their harvest." Feast of the Weeks was described in Leviticus 23. It starts seven full weeks, or 50 days, after the Feast of First Fruits.

Since it takes place exactly 50 days after the last feast, it is also known as "Pentecost" (Acts 2:1), which means "fifty." Why is this significant for Christians? Let's see what was offered on that day. The Jews were commanded, in Leviticus 23:17, "From wherever you live, bring two loaves of bread to be lifted up before the Lord as a special offering. Make these loaves from four quarts of choice flour, and bake them with yeast. They will be an offering to the Lord from the first of your crops." The spiritual significances of the Feast of the Weeks are many.

The two loaves of leavened bread that were to be a wave offering foreshadow the time when the Messiah would make both Jew and Gentile one in Him. Ephesians 2:14-15, For Christ himself, has brought peace to us. He united Jews and Gentiles into one people when, in his own body on the cross, he broke down the wall of hostility that separated us. He did this by ending the system of law with its commandments and regulations. He made peace between Jews and Gentiles by creating in himself one new people from the two groups."

What is the significance of the Pentecost Sunday? Pentecost is one of the great feasts in the Eastern Orthodox Church, a Solemnity in the Roman Rite of the Catholic Church, a Festival in the Lutheran Churches, and a Principal Feast in the Anglican Communion.

In the Netherlands, Pentecost Sunday and Monday are public holidays. Since several other holidays usually fall close together, many spend Pentecost on vacation. Several music festivals are held over the weekend. It doesn't matter where you are from or what denomination you affiliate with; you should know Three Amazing facts about Pentecost. Acts 2:1-21.

I. Pentecost Day fulfills the ancient prophecies of Scripture.

About 120 disciples kept meeting in a house, praying and waiting to receive the promised gift of the Holy Spirit. On the day of Pentecost (the fiftieth day), God's promised Holy Spirit descended upon the eagerly awaiting believers in an upper room of a house in Jerusalem.

All the believers were meeting in one place. Suddenly, the house where they were gathering was hit by a heavenly hurricane filling the house with a sound like the roaring of a mighty windstorm. The flames of fire settled on each of them, and everyone in that room was filled with the Holy Spirit. What happened afterward amazed everyone in Jerusalem.

Those filled with the Holy Spirit began to speak a language other than their native Galilean, proclaiming the beautiful things that God has done. The devout Jews living in Jerusalem and several visitors from fifteen countries understood the wonderful things the disciples spoke. They were amazed and asked one another what this could mean. While others scoffed at the disciples saying they were just drunk—that was all.

The Apostle Peter stood up and rebuked those who wrongly assumed the disciple's actions. He boldly reminded the Jews of this ancient prophecy by Joel 2:28-32, "And afterward,

I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your old men will dream dreams, your young men will see visions. Even on my servants, both men, and women, I will pour out my Spirit in those days... Before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord. And everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved."

II. The Power of the Pentecost.

            Pentecost Day was a powerful encounter. It transformed a fearful group of believers into powerful proclaimers of God's marvelous works as empowered by the Holy Spirit. Peter, once denied Jesus three times, now became a powerful witness of the salvation message. Peter's words pierced the listeners' heart who asked him what we should do? Peter said, "Each of you must repent of your sins and turn to God and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. Then you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit." Those who believed what Peter said were baptized and added to the Church that day, about 3,000 in all.

III. Pentecost Day is the birthday of Jesus' Worldwide church.

            Remember, upon Simon Peter's declaration of Jesus being the Messiah, the son of the living God, Jesus said, "Now I say to you that you are Peter (which means 'rock'), and upon this rock, I will build my Church, and all the powers of hell will not conquer it." Matthew 16:16-18.

            On the Day of Pentecost, Peter declared, "Let everyone in Israel know for certain that God had made this Jesus, whom you crucified, to be both Lord and Messiah!" Acts 2:36 eventually led 3,000 people to be saved, giving birth to Jesus' Worldwide Church.

            Unfortunately, once in a while, Pentecost Sunday is overshadowed by Memorial Day celebrations. I spoke with a Presbyterian pastor friend of mine from Indianapolis about Pentecost Sunday, and he said many in Indianapolis would go to watch the Indy 500 Car race than to Church on Sunday. For Christians, Pentecost Day should be a significant celebration because it is the birthday of Jesus' Church which began in Jerusalem, spreading its influence Worldwide.

            What is the message of Pentecost for us today? The wheat harvest filled the Israelites with joy because they had bread to it. On this Pentecost, Sunday, Jesus, the bread of life, is here to fill your hearts with eternal Joy. Peter's words cut the hearts of his listeners, leading them to repent and be baptized so they could receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.

Similarly, as you listen to this message, if you have not yet believed in Jesus, repent of your sins and be baptized so that you, too, will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. Every Christian needs the infilling of the Holy Spirit to share the Good News of Jesus with others.

We need the power of the indwelling Holy Spirit to break free from debilitating habitual sins and never to feel lonely and abandoned. As promised, God wants to pour out his Holy Spirit on all people, the young and the old, men and women. All you need is to open up your heart and, by faith, receive the Holy Spirit. He will come in and abide with you all the days of your life.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Kingdom Investment ( Kingdom Life Series V)

                                                      KINGDOM INVESTMENT

Wilma and I cherish our evening tea time, where we reconnect after our workday. One evening, after tea, I was reading Christianity Today magazine, and a particular advertisement caught my attention. The Ad read, “Coming Summer 2023, Individual Investments that Build Churches.” I liked the idea of investing some money at the same time to help build churches.

The bottom line in small letters read, “Introducing Kingdom  Investments: Income-producing investment opportunities for individuals that multiply your resources and maximize Kingdom impact.” That sounded even better, in line with what I have been preaching recently.

I thought God might be speaking to me, so I explored the Website to find out how to start investing. I was shocked to know the minimum amount I should invest was $1000. When I read that amount out loud, my daughter and Wilma shot it down, saying, “You are not going to invest that large amount (for me, it is a huge amount)! Who knows, it may be a scam.”

I thank God for their wisdom; they know that making a profit or investing money is not one of my greatest strengths. That made me think about how many profit-making companies use Christian words like “Kingdom Investments” to attract Christians to invest their money.

Talking about money and investment is not a bad thing. The Bible contains over 2,000 scriptures about money, tithing, and possessions. That’s twice as many bible verses about money than faith and prayer combined. Jesus typically taught in parables-and 11 of His 40 parables were about money or used the money to teach us spiritual truths. For instance, the parables of the hidden treasure and the pearl compare the Kingdom of Heaven to riches.

The story in Luke 12:13-21 & 32-34 will explain how we can make real Kingdom Investments. By the way, it wouldn’t cost you much, to begin with, but yields eternal riches. We will discover how to break the grip of finances on our lives, why to give generously for the Kingdom’s work, and the benefits of Kingdom Investment. Luke 12:13-21 & 32-34.

During one of his teaching sessions, Jesus taught his disciples about prayer. He rebuked the hypocrisy of the religious leaders because they were so meticulous in observance of the law and the ceremonial cleansing while ignoring the essential things of eternal value. He encouraged his disciples to look to God and trust Him for their needs, who loves and cares for them.

Someone from the crowd called out to Jesus to help him solve a family dispute, saying, “Teacher, please tell my brother to divide our father’s estate with me.” Jesus didn’t want to be dragged into such matters. Instead, he warned everyone to guard themselves against every kind of greed. He shared a counter-cultural truth, “Life is not measured by how much you own.”

 

I. Life is not measured by how much you own.

            To get his point across, he told them a story. “The farm of a certain rich man produced a terrific crop. He talked to himself: ‘What can I do? My barn isn’t big enough for this harvest.’ Then he said, ‘Here’s what I’ll do: I’ll tear down my barns and build bigger ones.

Then I’ll gather in all my grain and goods, and I’ll say to myself, Self, you’ve done well! You’ve got it made and can now retire. Take it easy and have the time of your life!’ Just then, God showed up and said, ‘Fool! Tonight, you die. And your barnful of goods, who gets it?’ (MSG). This man in the story represents a hard-working person pursuing the “American Dream.”

We work hard doing one or two jobs to earn well, buy a house, accumulate things for a comfortable life, and want to retire to enjoy the rest of our life. Is that all for life? If that is all there is for life, then our life is meaningless. Our life is not measured by how much we own.

 

 

God is not opposed to us getting rich and wealthy. God has a plan to prosper us and give us hope and a future. God gives us riches for us to enjoy but also to invest in His Kingdom. If we only store up wealth for ourselves, we would be just as foolish as the man in the story. But investing our money in God’s Kingdom leads us to have a deeper relationship with God.

 C.S Lewis said, “The only things we can keep are the things we freely give to God.” When we leave this Earth, we must leave everything behind; what should be our attitude toward earthly riches? How can we use our earthly resources to benefit others?

 

II. How can we break the powerful grip of riches in our lives?

Like the rich man in the story, many are unsatisfied with what or how much they have. They want more, which leads them to discontentment. This phenomenon is also called greed. Solomon rightly explained what greed does, “Greed has two daughters named ‘Give’ and ‘Give.” Proverbs 30:15 (New Century Version). Do you know the root of all evil in the world?

I Timothy 6:10, “For the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil. And some people, craving money, have wandered from the true faith and pierced themselves with many sorrows.”  The love of money is a sin because it gets in the way of worshiping God. Biblical commentator John Ritenbaugh describes greed as a “ruthless self–seeking and an arrogant assumption that others and things exist for one’s own benefit.”It demonstrates a lack of trusting God; it looks for security rather than depending on God to meet our needs.

Knowing the dangers of greed, Jesus warned us to “Beware! Guard against every kind of greed.” Lk 12:15. Ephesians 5:5, “You can be sure that no immoral, impure, or greedy person will inherit the Kingdom of Christ and of God. For a greedy person is an idolater, worshiping the things of this world.” Here are a few ways to break the powerful grip of money:

To repent of our sin of greed. “Don’t love money; be satisfied with what you have. For God has said, “I will never fail you. I will never abandon you.” Hebrews 13:5. By following our God who is love. John 3:16, “For this is how God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.” God’s love is not selfish but self-giving and others-centered and wants the best for us all.

 

III. Kingdom Investment.

            What do I mean by Kingdom investment? Kingdom investment is not investing our money in risky worldly investments but instead wisely spending our God-given assets to further God’s Kingdom. It is to obey the two great commandments of “loving God and loving others.”

To emphasize that God wants nothing less than our total devotion, Jesus said in his Sermon on the Mount,  Matthew 6: 24, “No one can serve two masters. For you will hate one and love the other; you will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and be enslaved to money.” We want only God to lead us and not money to drive us slavishly.

Our generous giving best expresses our love for God and others. I John 3:16-18, “We know what real love is because Jesus gave up his life for us. So we also ought to give up our lives for our brothers and sisters. If someone has enough money to live well and sees a brother or sister in need but shows no compassion—how can God’s love be in that person? Dear children, let’s not merely say that we love each other; let us show the truth by our actions. Our actions will show that we belong to the truth, so we will be confident when we stand before God.”

 

 

Amy Beatrice Carmichael, an Irish Christian missionary in India who opened an orphanage and founded a mission in Dohnavur, said, “You can always give without loving, but you can never love without giving.” Giving to the poor and the needy is a Kingdom investment. Proverbs 19:17, “If you help the poor, you are lending to the Lord—and he will repay you!

Not only money, but we can invest our gifts (skills), time, and energies in serving God in the Church and society. We have several Kingdom investors among us who honor God with their God-given resources. When investing money, quantity is not what matters, but the attitude. We are to give freely, not out of compulsion or guilt, for God loves a cheerful giver. When we invest our money and resources in God’s Kingdom, we and many others will be blessed. Let's become Kingdom Investors.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

King Jesus ( Kingdom Life Series-IV)

 

KING JESUS

Like several of you, Wilma and I had watched the Coronation of King Charles III from our hotel room in Philadelphia. What a beautiful and richly meaningful ceremony. I read the Coronation Liturgy afterward and was fascinated by the two prayers in the ceremony. One was by the Arch-Bishop of Canterbury, who prayed before he placed the Crown on King Charles:

"King of kings and Lord of lords, bless, we beseech thee, this Crown, and so sanctify thy servant Charles upon whose head this day thou dost place it for a sign of royal majesty, that he may be crowned with thy gracious favor and filled with abundant grace and all princely virtues; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who with thee and the Holy Spirit liveth and reigneth, supreme over all things, one God, world without end."

The second prayer was by King Charles himself, "God of compassion and mercy whose son was sent not to be served but to serve, give grace that I may find in thy service perfect freedom and in that freedom knowledge of thy truth. Grant that I may be a blessing to all thy children, of every faith and conviction, that together we may discover the ways of gentleness and be led into the paths of peace. Through Jesus Christ our Lord."

Whatever my thoughts might have been for the rest of the ceremony, I could wholeheartedly say, Amen, to these two powerful prayers. As I watched the ceremony, the Lord reminded me who truly is the King of the world and whom only we must trust.

Psalm 146:3-5, "Don't put your confidence in powerful people; there is no help for you there. When they breathe their last, they return to the earth, and all their plans die with them. But joyful are those who have the God of Israel as their helper, whose hope is in the Lord their God,"

In our Kingdom Life series, we want to look at who our King truly is and how He will rule, His Kingdom. Today we want to learn about King Jesus, of whom there were no predecessors and will be no successors, and He is the one and only one. Isaiah 9:1-7.

I. The beginning of God's Kingdom

Vs.1, "Nevertheless, that time of darkness and despair will not go on forever. The land of Zebulun and Naphtali will be humbled, but there will be a time in the future when Galilee of the Gentiles, which lies along the road that runs between the Jordan and the sea, will be filled with glory." Who were these two tribes of Zebulun and Naphtali, and why were they humbled?

Before entering the promised land, the twelve tribes of Israel were gathered on Mount Ebal. Moses assigned six tribes to pronounce blessings of obedience and six to pronounce curses of disobedience to God's commandments. Zebulun and Naphtali were among the six that pronounced curses of disobedience. Upon entering the Promised Land, Zebulun and Naphtali failed to drive out the Canaanites living in the land (Judges 1:30-33).

This was in complete disobedience to God's clear command to drive out all the inhabitants of the land (Numbers 33:51-52). The land of Zebulun and Naphtali later became known as Galilee in Northern Israel. Moses' blessing on the tribes was that they would one day prosper in their overseas dealings with Gentile nations (Deuteronomy 33:18-19, 23).

Isaiah prophesied, "In the past [God] humbled the land of Zebulun . . . but in the future, he will honor Galilee" (Isaiah 9:1). Isaiah's prediction is Messianic: Galilee (including Zebulun and Naphtali) would be honored as the first to hear Christ's preaching, and this would more than compensate for their humiliation at the hands of the Assyrians centuries before.

This prophecy was fulfilled centuries later when Jesus preached in Galilee. Matthew 4:14-17. "From then on, Jesus began to preach, "Repent of your sins and turn to God, for the Kingdom of Heaven is near." This was the beginning of God's Kingdom. In our gloom and despair, we fear our sorrows will never end. But we can take comfort in this certainty, like how God restored the fortunes of Zebulun and Naphtali; he will rescue us when we return to Him.  

II. Who is the King of God's Kingdom?

Vs. 2-6 "The people who walk in darkness will see a great light. For those who live in a land of deep darkness (a land where death casts its shadow), a light will shine." Vs.6, "For a child is born to us, a son is given to us. The government will rest on his shoulders. And he will be called: Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace."

Let's see who is this child that the prophet Isaiah prophesied about. He was the miraculous son of Mary and Joseph. The angel Gabriel said to Mary, "You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you will name him Jesus. He will be very great and will be called the son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his ancestor David. And He will reign over Israel forever; his Kingdom will never end." Luke 1:26-33.

Who was the great light? Mary's son, Jesus grew up to be a man and ministered in the territories of Zebulun and Naphtali; this is why they would see a "great light." The apostle John referred to Jesus as the light." John 1:9, "The one who is the true light, who gives light to everyone, was coming into the world." Jesus referred to himself as the light of the world.

John 8:12, "I am the light of the world. If you follow me, you won't have to walk in darkness because you will have the light that leads to life." In a time of great darkness, God promised to send a light who would shine on everyone living in the shadow of death."

That light is Jesus, also known as Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, and Prince of Peace. Jesus came to establish God's eternal Kingdom and deliver all people from their slavery to sin and Satan, "the ruler of the kingdom of the air." Once, we lived in the Kingdom of darkness, but when we repented of our sins, God "rescued us from the Kingdom of darkness and transferred us into the Kingdom of his dear Son, who purchased our freedom and forgave our sins." Col 1:13-14. Now we belong to King Jesus and His Kingdom of Light.

III. King Jesus and His eternal Reign.

Vs. 7, "His government and its peace will never end. He will rule with fairness and justice from the throne of his ancestor David for all eternity." This scripture points to the eternal and peaceful Kingdom that Jesus will establish upon His return. He will sit on the throne of his ancestor David as King and rule the world with fairness and justice. Under Jesus' Kingship, all wars, trouble, pain, suffering, oppression, inequality, and even death will come to an end.

On the final day of judgment, "the world becomes the Kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ, and he will reign forever and ever." (Rev 11:15). "At the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue declare that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father." Phil 2:10-11.

The words "kings" and "lords" are mentioned over 10,000 times in the Bible. But "King of kings and Lord of lords" is revealed only three times. Who is this King of kings and Lord of lords? Jesus Christ. I Timothy 6:15, "For, at just the right time, Christ will be revealed from heaven by the blessed and only almighty God, the King of all kings and Lord of all lords."

Rev 17:14, Together they will go to war against the Lamb, but the Lamb will defeat them because he is Lord of all lords and King of all kings. And his called and chosen and faithful ones will be with him." "On his robe at his thigh was written this title: King of all kings and Lord of all lords." Rev 19:16. It's important to note the ESV, NIV, and other translations use "King" and "Lord" for Jesus but "kings" and lords" for earthly leaders. This difference distinguishes Jesus as supreme King and Lord over all creation (Colossians 1:15-20).

Our King Jesus is indescribable, incomprehensible, and absolutely incomparable. Yet he is humble and gentle and will not despise a broken and contrite spirit. He reigns in the hearts that are open and repentant. May God open our eyes so that we will love and worship our King Jesus.