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Pentecost 2023
Immanuel Lutheran Church, Hamilton, Ohio
Pastor Kevin Jud
May 28, 2023
Numbers 11:24-30,
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Text: pastorjud.org
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itunes: bit.ly/pastorjud
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Why is there no umbrella stand in the shower? We recently updated our bathtub and it was amazing all the different options that you could choose from with grab bars, and shelves, and soap dishes and curtain rods, but no option for an umbrella stand. What if I want to take a shower, but I don’t want to get wet? Where can I store my umbrella?
Today is the Festival of Pentecost, 50 days after Jesus’ resurrection from the dead. At Jesus’ ascension, 40 days after His resurrection, He promises His followers that they will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon them. Ten days later, on Pentecost, the promise is fulfilled with a sound like a rushing wind and tongues of fire coming down on Jesus’ disciples. They receive the power to speak in other languages so all the people can hear the Good News of Jesus’ resurrection and the call to, Acts 2:38–39 (ESV) 38 … “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 For the promise is for you and for your children and for all who are far off, everyone whom the Lord our God calls to himself.”
The Holy Spirit is sent to all. All are invited to repent and be baptized for the forgiveness of sins. Peter then warns Acts 2:40 (ESV) 40 …“Save yourselves from this crooked generation.”
That Pentecost was an amazing day. Acts 2:41 (ESV) 41 So those who received his word were baptized, and there were added that day about three thousand souls.” That is a lot of people who received his word, but there are many, many more people standing around with their umbrellas up, so to speak, in order to stop the living water of the Spirit from raining down on them. They embrace their crooked generation and block the Holy Spirit; they reject Jesus, and the forgiveness of sins.
But why? Why would anyone resist the Holy Spirit and put themselves outside of saving faith? There is a clue in James’ warning to the Jews scattered throughout the Mediterranean world. James 4:4 (ESV) 4 You adulterous people! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.” James 4:6–7 (ESV) 6 …. “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.” 7 Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.”
To submit is to yield to the power or authority of another. Human nature is to rebel against submission -- to anyone, including God, and so folks put up their umbrellas to stop the Holy Spirit from raining down on them. There is a word on that umbrella. A five letter word. What five letter word summarizes why people resist the Holy Spirit? P…R…I…D…E. Pride. Pride causes people to stop their ears so as to not hear what God has to say. We see this in action in Acts 7 before the crowd stones Stephen to death. Stephen, full of the Holy Spirit, accuses the crowds, Acts 7:51 (ESV) 51 “You stiff-necked people, uncircumcised in heart and ears, you always resist the Holy Spirit. As your fathers did, so do you.” Acts 7:57–58 (ESV) 57 But they cried out with a loud voice and stopped their ears and rushed together at him. 58 Then they cast him out of the city and stoned him. ...” So many do not want to hear what God has to say. Hearing the Word of God hurts their pride.
Pride stops so many from hearing the Word of God because it means having to admit the truth about yourself and that truth stings. The truth means that you are doing something wrong and need to stop. The truth means you need to say you are sorry and mean it.
Hearing the Word of God is convicting. Hearing the Word of God is humbling. Hearing the Word of God means knowing you are not good enough. Hearing the Word of God means knowing you are a sinner. Hearing the Word of God means knowing that you need to be saved from the punishment you deserve. Hearing the Word of God is knowing that Jesus suffered and died on the cross to pay for your sins. Hearing the Word of God hurts your pride.
Pride stops so many from hearing the Word of God because it means having to admit the truth about yourself and that truth stings. The truth means that you are doing something wrong and need to stop. The truth means you need to say you are sorry and mean it. The truth means you are not in control of your own body and your own life. The truth hurts. So while the Holy Spirit rains down from heaven for all people, far too many stand under umbrellas of pride, refusing to be convicted by the Spirit.
Hearing the Word of God is convicting but it is also saving. The truth hurts, but it also heals. The Word of God not only condemns, it saves, and that is its main goal. Hearing the Word of God is knowing that Jesus died for you and rose from the dead for you. Hearing the Word of God is knowing that you are in Christ and Christ is in you. Hearing the Word of God means knowing that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit. Hearing the Word of God means knowing that your sins have been forgiven. Hearing the Word of God means that you have been set free from guilt and shame. Hearing the Word of God empowers you to live in the freedom of Christ. Galatians 5:13 (ESV) 13 For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another.”
Hearing the Word of God makes you a conduit for the living water of the Holy Spirit flowing into you and out of you to others through your love of neighbor. Hearing the Word of God means drinking the living waters of Jesus. Hearing the Word of God means knowing you will rise from the dead and live forever with Jesus.
The Holy Spirit rained down in abundance on that first New Testament Pentecost flowing into the followers of Jesus and then flowing out from them to the others gathered there. Those who heard the Word were convicted and they humbly repented and were baptized. Others proudly resisted the Holy Spirit and remained outside of salvation.
How powerful it is that you gather here together in the presence of God each Sunday, remembering your baptism, in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and then forsaking your pride you humbly kneel before the Lord and confess that you are a sinner who deserves to be punished now and forever. Kneeling before the Lord, you fold up and throw away that umbrella of pride that stops the rain of the Holy Spirit, and instead you immerse yourself in the Spirit by hearing, speaking and singing the Word of God, and receiving the Body and Blood of Christ for the forgiveness of sins. The Spirit rains down on you with the living water of God and you receive that Spirit and then throughout the week the Spirit flows from you out to others as you speak the truth in love, and as you love your neighbor, and even love your enemy, and pray for those who persecute you. You drink in the living water of the Holy Spirit and the Holy Spirit flows out of your heart to a thirsty world.
There is no umbrella stand in the shower because it would be stupid to put up an umbrella in the shower. It is even more stupid to put up an umbrella of pride to resist the Holy Spirit and reject Jesus in order to worship yourself. Self-worship is still the default religion in this crooked generation. Reject the ways of the world. Throw away that umbrella of pride. James 4:10 (ESV) 10 Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will exalt you.” Jesus says, John 7:38 (ESV) 38 Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, ‘Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.’ ” Amen.