sorry this is late- "Scripture and Mission"
Pentecost 2006
Some of you may have left discouraged after last week’s sermon.
We talked about some of the world’s big problems- with all kinds of statistics
And I was encouraging us to be people with big prayers
As we pray To God and hear His Heartbeat for His world- we are called to action-
And that’s where frustration comes in- prayer is leading us to concern- how do we act on our concern- how do we love God’s world- how do we get power to confront the huge problems of starvation, violence, disease and billions not having a relationship with Christ- what can we do- whatever age we may be- what can we do here in the greater Palouse community? Today we celebrate the power of the Church - the Holy Spirit of God
Let’s Pray
Acts 2:1-21
When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. 2 Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. 3 They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. (Fire is a universal reality) 4 All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them.
5 Now there were staying in Jerusalem God-fearing Jews from every nation under heaven. 6 When they heard this sound, a crowd came together in bewilderment, because each one heard them speaking in his own language. 7 Utterly amazed, they asked: "Are not all these men who are speaking Galileans? 8 Then how is it that each of us hears them in his own native language? 9 Parthians, Medes and Elamites; residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, 10 Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya near Cyrene; visitors from Rome 11(both Jews and converts to Judaism); Cretans and Arabs-we hear them declaring the wonders of God in our own tongues!" 12 Amazed and perplexed, they asked one another, "What does this mean?"
13 Some, however, made fun of them and said, "They have had too much wine."
14 Then Peter stood up with the Eleven, raised his voice and addressed the crowd: "Fellow Jews and all of you who live in Jerusalem, let me explain this to you; listen carefully to what I say. 15 These men are not drunk, as you suppose. It's only nine in the morning! 16 No, this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel:
17 "'In the last days, God says, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your young men will see visions, your old men will dream dreams. 18 Even on my servants, both men and women, I will pour out my Spirit in those days, and they will prophesy. 19 I will show wonders in the heaven above and signs on the earth below, blood and fire and billows of smoke. 20 The sun will be turned to darkness and the moon to blood before the coming of the great and glorious day of the Lord. 21 And everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.'
[men, women, young, old, every nation, poor and rich- EVERYONE- that is who God is trying to reach. Reach them with what?- with Good News (evangelism) and with Justice
The foundational belief of biblical justice and evangelism- is that God loves everyone- and wants to be made known in all nations- image of God- this was a most radical belief for the time (still is)- a Jewish sect claiming their God wanted to be worshiped by all people (coming back for ALL of creation)- even gentiles- A God who wanted his teaching and ethos to be in the hearts of all people- Love God and Love People
Radical Truth of Pentecost: The Spirt of God comes to dwell in people. People are the Temples of God. God has invested in us. We are the body of Christ. Wherever we go we are able to carry the Spirit of God.
Bruner says we should only have a mustard seed of faith so that there is room for the Holy Spirit to fill up the rest of us.
Daily we have a battle of self versus Spirit- we focus on self and become inward, less loving- more self - centered- but the good news is each day we can confess this reality and make room for the Holy Spirit to be in charge. When the Spirit is in charge and we are praying continually and discerning life- we are sensitive to the needs of others, we will want to be people who share our faith, who show love to others- because that is the nature of God’s Spirity
The Mission of the church is only partly human- show “Me Church Video”
Illustration (for communion): We need the power of God’s spirit- we need the direction of God- we need the forgiveness of God- Lawn mower being clogged up with grass. Doing what it is supposed to do. Just like we are living life and doing what we are supposed to do. But the other day my mower just stopped. I thought I hit something big. I turned it off and tipped it over to discover that I had grass built up- and it was clogged.
In just using the mower to do what it was built to do, it got shut down. The owner has to clean out the mower daily- So God’s powerful Spirit can flow through our lives. Everything seemed fine until that moment when I mowed just too much. God is always taking care of us- through the best and worst of times- weeds, drought and all
Mechanical metaphors- break down- because we are living and not machines with real feelings and struggles
I believer we are called to be a Great Community of faith. According to Christ- a the way to be great is obeying the Great Commission and the Great Commandment. Great commission is rooted in the Great Commandment- Relationship with God and love of people leads us into obedience of the Great commission.
John 14:12- Jesus said we will do even greater things than He has done- Jesus left us and gave us the Spirit of God- we don’t have Jesus in just one place- everywhere believers go- they can take the power and presence of God- this is a deep and often disbelieved truth. Do we believe it- though we are Jars of Clay as the Apostle Paul says- we are the containers of a precious treasure- the Spirit of God- If you are coming to this belief recently I encourage you to embrace it and talk to me or a Christian friend-
Church we are loved- we are empowered by God- I am excited and having dreams of what Great things God has for us
Some of you may have left discouraged after last week’s sermon.
We talked about some of the world’s big problems- with all kinds of statistics
And I was encouraging us to be people with big prayers
As we pray To God and hear His Heartbeat for His world- we are called to action-
And that’s where frustration comes in- prayer is leading us to concern- how do we act on our concern- how do we love God’s world- how do we get power to confront the huge problems of starvation, violence, disease and billions not having a relationship with Christ- what can we do- whatever age we may be- what can we do here in the greater Palouse community? Today we celebrate the power of the Church - the Holy Spirit of God
Let’s Pray
Acts 2:1-21
When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. 2 Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. 3 They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. (Fire is a universal reality) 4 All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them.
5 Now there were staying in Jerusalem God-fearing Jews from every nation under heaven. 6 When they heard this sound, a crowd came together in bewilderment, because each one heard them speaking in his own language. 7 Utterly amazed, they asked: "Are not all these men who are speaking Galileans? 8 Then how is it that each of us hears them in his own native language? 9 Parthians, Medes and Elamites; residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, 10 Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya near Cyrene; visitors from Rome 11(both Jews and converts to Judaism); Cretans and Arabs-we hear them declaring the wonders of God in our own tongues!" 12 Amazed and perplexed, they asked one another, "What does this mean?"
13 Some, however, made fun of them and said, "They have had too much wine."
14 Then Peter stood up with the Eleven, raised his voice and addressed the crowd: "Fellow Jews and all of you who live in Jerusalem, let me explain this to you; listen carefully to what I say. 15 These men are not drunk, as you suppose. It's only nine in the morning! 16 No, this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel:
17 "'In the last days, God says, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your young men will see visions, your old men will dream dreams. 18 Even on my servants, both men and women, I will pour out my Spirit in those days, and they will prophesy. 19 I will show wonders in the heaven above and signs on the earth below, blood and fire and billows of smoke. 20 The sun will be turned to darkness and the moon to blood before the coming of the great and glorious day of the Lord. 21 And everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.'
[men, women, young, old, every nation, poor and rich- EVERYONE- that is who God is trying to reach. Reach them with what?- with Good News (evangelism) and with Justice
The foundational belief of biblical justice and evangelism- is that God loves everyone- and wants to be made known in all nations- image of God- this was a most radical belief for the time (still is)- a Jewish sect claiming their God wanted to be worshiped by all people (coming back for ALL of creation)- even gentiles- A God who wanted his teaching and ethos to be in the hearts of all people- Love God and Love People
Radical Truth of Pentecost: The Spirt of God comes to dwell in people. People are the Temples of God. God has invested in us. We are the body of Christ. Wherever we go we are able to carry the Spirit of God.
Bruner says we should only have a mustard seed of faith so that there is room for the Holy Spirit to fill up the rest of us.
Daily we have a battle of self versus Spirit- we focus on self and become inward, less loving- more self - centered- but the good news is each day we can confess this reality and make room for the Holy Spirit to be in charge. When the Spirit is in charge and we are praying continually and discerning life- we are sensitive to the needs of others, we will want to be people who share our faith, who show love to others- because that is the nature of God’s Spirity
The Mission of the church is only partly human- show “Me Church Video”
Illustration (for communion): We need the power of God’s spirit- we need the direction of God- we need the forgiveness of God- Lawn mower being clogged up with grass. Doing what it is supposed to do. Just like we are living life and doing what we are supposed to do. But the other day my mower just stopped. I thought I hit something big. I turned it off and tipped it over to discover that I had grass built up- and it was clogged.
In just using the mower to do what it was built to do, it got shut down. The owner has to clean out the mower daily- So God’s powerful Spirit can flow through our lives. Everything seemed fine until that moment when I mowed just too much. God is always taking care of us- through the best and worst of times- weeds, drought and all
Mechanical metaphors- break down- because we are living and not machines with real feelings and struggles
I believer we are called to be a Great Community of faith. According to Christ- a the way to be great is obeying the Great Commission and the Great Commandment. Great commission is rooted in the Great Commandment- Relationship with God and love of people leads us into obedience of the Great commission.
John 14:12- Jesus said we will do even greater things than He has done- Jesus left us and gave us the Spirit of God- we don’t have Jesus in just one place- everywhere believers go- they can take the power and presence of God- this is a deep and often disbelieved truth. Do we believe it- though we are Jars of Clay as the Apostle Paul says- we are the containers of a precious treasure- the Spirit of God- If you are coming to this belief recently I encourage you to embrace it and talk to me or a Christian friend-
Church we are loved- we are empowered by God- I am excited and having dreams of what Great things God has for us
posted by Palouse Fed. Church at 11:26 AM
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