Luke 24:44-53

Acts 2:1-4

Joel 2:28-32

 

Have you ever noticed that all the ‘superheroes’ we create are somehow transformed into superheroes from ordinary people. Superman is just a reporter on a newspaper, The Incredible Hulk is just like you and I until he gets angry, The Mask transforms Jim Carey, Banana man is Eric from Acacia Walk but when he eats a banana…. And so it goes on. We have a desire to change, to be something different. These days we think that happens by winning the Lottery or becoming a celebrity. It’s the lie so many TV programmes give. Changing Rooms, changing Gardens, Makeovers, Facelifts, cosmetic surgery all lead us to think that if we doctor our environment, we will feel better so that’s OK, regardless of cost or consequences.

C.S. Lewis, in the great Divorce, describes Hell like London. Everyone is moving out of the centre to get away from the neighbours, to find peace. But there is no peace. And there is no change, whether we are rich or poor, live in South Ruislip or the Bahamas. Changing the environment does not change me.

 

Our gospel is that God has entered this world to change people. Today we celebrate the coming of the Holy Spirit into the church. And what we read is that God changed a bunch of hidden away people into preachers, evangelists, prophets, healers, apostles. They covered the known world spreading the good news of salvation by grace, through faith. Today in every country in the world, this generation of those followers are still changed by that same Holy Spirit to become evangelists, prophets, healers and so on.

 

So what needs to happen to South Ruislip? Quite simply, I believe we need that same transforming power to descend, not only on God’s people, the Christians but also on the people around.  

 

Do you?

 

So let’s examine the steps that led to the first out-pouring of the Holy Spirit and learn from it.

 

1. JESUS TELLS THEM WHAT TO DO. I want to be quite clear here. The Holy Spirit is not some power that can be trapped to do our will. He is Almighty God. So there is no formula for getting a revival. Revival or the pouring out of God’s Spirit on South Ruislip will happen when God chooses not us. We were taught to pray “Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.”  That means accepting our destiny in Christ. But also it means obeying Jesus. They were commanded to travel back from Galilee to Jerusalem, for many of them, leaving home yet again to wait until the promise of the Father. They probably had little idea what that meant. Just as you and I have little idea of what will happen when the Holy Spirit sweeps through this suburb in power. But they did what he told them. And that is lesson number one. God has done a great work of salvation in your life. Jesus completed your salvation by dying on a cross for your sins and rising again for your justification. Your part in this is to turn away from your sins, to abhor the way you are forever thinking evil thoughts and saying things you should not and failing to do the things you ought to do and doing the very things you know are wrong. This is a work of the Holy Spirit in your life. Is he at work making you desperate for his transforming power?

 

Your part is to receive forgiveness as a free gift and be thankful.     

 

2. THE DISCIPLES STAY UNTIL CLOTHED  - they stayed with joy in the temple praising God. In fact many of them left their homes in Galilee and were probably living either Bed and Breakfast style or sleeping on the floor of friends in Jerusalem. The Bible does not say what sacrifices their families had to make  to enable these breadwinners to follow their Lord.

 

Now here is a question to challenge us. How long did Jesus say they had to wait? I know it works out as 9 days- Passover 40 days to Ascension and then Pentecost – 50 days from Passover but Did Jesus ever say the Promise of the Father was to come at Pentecost?

 

No!

 

So what do you learn from that? Obedience is not conditional on a contract date. If we want the Holy Spirit to transform this church, the message is ‘stay until clothed’. They were not inactive, they probably were not sure what they were meant to be doing. But they stayed. Learn from God that our obedience is unconditional and inconvenient. It may be weeks or months or even years before the Holy Spirit comes in power to this church but if God calls you, stay! Put up with the difficulties that being a Christian makes. Struggle with making time for God in your day.

 

3. GOD HAS A PLAN  - in this case at Pentecost 7 weeks after the first fruits –  this is the Harvest Festival of the Church. But the fact that he didn’t tell the church is not a political dodge by God while he worked out a plan. He knew what he was doing but he also chose to keep it from his disciples for good reasons. I am not going to speculate why. We are too prone to expecting explanations of why God does things the way he does. Sometimes we have to learn to trust him. He does know best. The question then becomes – Do you believe he knows best?

 

4. THE DISCIPLES WERE ALL TOGETHER IN ONE PLACE. While this may not be too difficult to organise, it was remarkable. They did not know that that God was going to pour out his Holy Spirit that day, but they responded to the inner promptings of that same Holy Spirit, which they had already received ( See John 20:22) They responded to practical responses to sharing their common faith in Jesus; they were all together in one place. That is a challenge to us. As a fellowship in suburbia in 2004, we tend to be fragmented, trapped in work patterns that prevent us from meeting all together. The Church meeting the other Thursday was a remarkable event in that 75% of this fellowship met together in one place. What came out of that meeting has occupied the elders and as you can see we are exploring ways of moving on as a church. I believe God called us together that evening to encourage us and ignite an new enthusiasm for his work. And we need to move on from that, together. That will cost us. I believe we need to be together to pray. Pray that the Hoy Spirit will be poured out on this church and on the surrounding area.

 

5. THE HOLY SPIRIT FILLED THEM. The effect of the Holy Spirit was heard and seen. The Holy Spirit rings the changes. He does not fill his people and nobody notice. You can’t have the Holy Spirit all to yourself in a quiet corner. He is not interested in making you feel good. He comes bringing conviction of sin, bringing righteousness and judgement.

 

6. THE DISCIPLES WERE ENABLED TO SPEAK by the Holy Spirit. Too often we think that the Holy Spirit is a matter of tongues and miracles and healings. He does all those things but he also unties our tongues to speak to our friends and neighbours and relations in simple clear English , the wonderful message of salvation by grace, through faith.

 

So the message of the day of Pentecost for us is to do what Jesus tells us to do. To be actively waiting for the pouring out of the Holy Spirit in what ever way he chooses to reveal himself in South Ruislip. To remember that God has a plan and that our obedience brings us into that plan. To be together in one place seeking him. That the Holy Spirit will transform his people and that transformation will lead to us speaking out the message of salvation to others.

 

Return to top