A sermon for Pentecost
Text: Gathering them together, He commanded them not to leave Jerusalem, but to wait for what the Father had promised, "Which," He said, "you heard of from Me; for John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now." (Acts 1:4-5)
Intro: Jewish Calendar
First month: Spring feasts
Day 10: choose a lamb (Exodus 12:3)
Day 14: kill the lamb; put blood on door frames (Exodus 12:6)
Day 15 - 21: Feast of Unleavened bread (Exodus 12:15)
Day 16 + 50 days = Feast of Weeks (Leviticus 23:16)
I. Pentecost in Prophecy
Moses - Numbers 11:29
Isaiah - Isaiah 32:15
Ezekiel - Ezekiel 36:26
John the Baptizer - Matthew 3:11
Jesus - John 14:26; 15:26; 16:14; Acts 1:4, 5
II. The Jewish Baptism
Acts 2:10
Result? One new body
Eph 2:18
At that point [Pentecost], the church of Christ was in principle detached from Israel’s national existence, from the priests and the law, the temple and the altar. It became an independent religious assembly in its own right. It now acts in the place of ancient Israel as the people, indeed the church of God. --Bavinck
Eph 4:3
1Cor 12:13
Acts 2:42ff
III. The Gentile Baptism
Acts 10
Application #1: The Holy Spirit Unites
Two races of people
Application #2: The Holy Spirit Empowers
“And you shall be My witnesses…”