Book of Acts Sermon Starters Week 2

Background

In the second chapter of Acts we find the arrival of the Holy Spirit promised by the Resurrected Jesus in Acts 1:4-5. God pours the Holy Spirit on a community of believers. The Holy Spirit is not given to be co-opted for one's personal, privatized use. Instead, God gives the Spirit as a distinguishing mark of a people who belong to God, people who will be sent to bear witness to Christ throughout the world.

Some scholars note the church's tendency toward bitarianism, worshiping God the Father and God the Son, while regarding the Holy Spirit as a marginal member of the Holy Trinity. Think of the ease with which we utter the Lord's Prayer that begins its focus on the first person in the godhead: "Our Father." We frequently punctuate our prayers with the second person in the godhead: "In the name of Jesus." But how much prayer time, meditation, and Bible study do we devote to the third person in the godhead: the Holy Spirit? If our tendency is to keep the Holy Spirit cloistered in the smallest spaces of our devotional lives, only allowed to make public appearances once a year during Pentecost, then we are ignoring the tremendous promise of comfort, guidance, and empowerment Jesus offers us

The sermon title "When Pentecost Ends Too Soon" by the Rev. Barbara Lundblad should serve as a prophetic reminder to pay more attention to the Holy Spirit.

Notes for Acts 2:1-131*

The Day of Pentecost took place on the same day as the Jewish feast day known as Shavuot.

The Holy Spirit came on the day of Pentecost, accompanied by the sound of wind and the sight of tongues of fire. In the Old Testament, fire often appeared as a sign of God's presence. (See, for example, Exodus 3:2; Leviticus 9:24; 1 Kings 18:38; 1 Chronicles 21:26; or 2 Chronicles 7:1ff.)
The Holy Spirit's activity caused each person present to speak in other languages (verse 4). Those languages were heard and understood by the devout Jews from sixteen different places (verses 9-11) in the crowd outside of the upper room (verse 6). This chapter is often studied alongside Genesis 11:1-9, which provides an explanation for the original confusion of languages.
The crowd had difficulty interpreting the meaning of this unheard of phenomenon (verse 12-13). Peter, speaking for the group, explained that the events of that day were the fulfillment of Joel's prophecy (Joel 2:28-31) and that salvation comes from calling on the name of the Lord (verse 21).
This was the first time that those who believed in Jesus' resurrection had spoken so openly about their beliefs or the way of salvation.
Visit www.textweek.com for a wealth of additional online resources.
The Painted Prayerbook -- Offering a unique combination of her original artwork and writing, Jan Richardson's blog includes reflections on the lectionary readings.
Estudios Exegético: Homiléticos -- Spanish-language Revised Common Lectionary resources from Instituto Universitario ISEDET in Buenos Aires, Argentina. (It may be necessary to search the articles for resources for May.)

Sermon Notes*

Putting the Sermon Together

Considerations:

How will you use traditional images for Pentecost? They include the flame (Acts 2:3), wind (Acts 2:2), and the Holy Spirit in the form of a dove, which actually comes from Jesus' baptism (John 1:32 and synoptic parallels). And of course, the color red reminds us of fire!
A traditional question for some -- What should we do about the tongues? The larger question is where will your focus be on Pentecost: the unstudied languages spoken by the disciples, the empowerment to leave the upper room and spill out into the streets with an unconventional message, the fulfillment of Jesus' promise from John 14, or the God-given ability to be heard by people we previously were unable to reach? One of the sermon starters below focuses on the miracle of being able to hear the gospel -- although we come from diverse settings.

Tying Acts and John Together: The Acts passage is considered the focal point of the Pentecost story. People who had seen Jesus and heard his teaching were waiting -- for heaven knows what -- in an upper room in Jerusalem. On the day of Pentecost, an established Jewish feast day, their wait ended. The Holy Spirit came, attended by wind, fire, and strange happenings! Although this was a new experience for them, the eleven disciples undoubtedly connected the dots in retrospect -- for in one of those final conversations, Jesus spoke of an Advocate, a Spirit of Truth, who would come (John 14:16-17).

Sermon Starters:

(Acts)
Each in his or her own language. The Jews in the crowds came from sixteen different geographical regions. They were probably descendants of those who had been exiled but had never returned to reside in Israel after it was rebuilt. When the decree was issued making it possible for exiled Jews to return home, only a fraction of those eligible to do so returned. Others, who had become settled or successful where they were, remained in the places where their families had been scattered. They were Jewish in every way; thus their observance of the feast of Pentecost. Time and distance, however, gradually hampered or impeded their ability to understand the language spoken in the Temple. When each heard the followers of Christ speaking about God's deeds of power in their native language, it was indeed a miracle and a blessing.

It continues to be a miracle when people actually hear and understand the works of God in a language they can understand. Perhaps there are people in your community who think differently, live differently, and speak differently who are waiting to hear the gospel in ways that speak to them.

The power to proclaim. Note the radical changes in the community of believers. Before, they had been cowering behind closed doors and living in fear; their leader had been killed and they felt the pressure of being part of an unpopular movement. On the day of Pentecost however, they were spilling into the streets, proclaiming the works of God without shame and without fear. What made the difference? The power of God that is resident in every believer. Perhaps we, too, need convincing that we have the power to proclaim.

Questions to Wrestle With

Why was it so important for these first-century Christians to wait for the promised Holy Spirit?
The Holy Spirit's appearing among those gathered in the upper room was a distinguishing mark of a people belonging to God. In what ways has the Holy Spirit marked your life and distinguished you as a follower of Christ?
What does the Holy Spirit empower us to be and do that we are incapable of being and doing ourselves?
Traditionally, the church interpreted Acts 2 as a miracle of the tongue. One Bible commentary suggests that miracle provides an occasion for proclamation, which is central to the church community's vocation of witness to the Risen Christ. How has the Holy Spirit empowered your church to witness to Christ?
Today many believe Acts 2 was a miracle of the ear, or both. In light of those interpretations, consider these questions:
1. What would the tradition of the church be like today if Acts 2 had been historically interpreted as a miracle of the ear only? For example, what would preaching, teaching, and bearing witness look like?
2. What would the ministries of our church be like if we emphasized listening more than talking?
3. How would an emphasis on listening influence our spiritual life? Whose voices would we listen to? Would spiritual discernment play a larger role in personal and corporate decision making?
4. What would we emphasize most in worship and spiritual formation? (For a fuller treatment of Acts 2 in the context of a multicultural perspective, read The Wolf Shall Dwell with the Lamb: A Spirituality for Leadership in a Multicultural Community by Eric H. F. Law, particularly chapter 5.)
Bible commentators note the role of the Spirit and charismata (spiritual gifts) as both to summon new believers and strengthen current believers in Christ. How has the Spirit helped your church draw new believers into relationship with Jesus Christ?
If your local church adopted as its motto, "Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit, says the Lord of hosts" (Zechariah 4:6), where might you go and what might you do as a witness to Christ?