The Festival of Pentecost – Pr. Anderson sermon
Acts 2:1-13 “The Mighty Works of God”
May 24, 2026 | Christ Lutheran Church
In Nomine Iesu
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The Exhordium
When you are told some good news, there is usually a build up for this good news to come about. The Good News, the greatest news of all, had that kind of buildup. Not only has the buildup been since the beginning of the world, but there would be someone to prepare the way for the Good News. John would tell the people, “I baptize you with water for repentance, but he who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire” (Matthew 3:11). Does this mean the Holy Spirit hasn’t been around at all? For our hearts to even be prepared, to be prepared with repentance and then to be refined and renewed by the Holy Spirit, the Holy Spirit has been active in this entire process.
This process publicly begins at the riverbank, reveals the joy of the cross and resurrection, witnessing the Ascension to the right hand of the Father, and lastly witnessing the miraculous sign of what John prophesied, this day of Pentecost. And with the Holy Spirit comes fire. Fire that could be of impending judgment, and fire that could be a fire that cleanses and makes new. Both are done because of the gracious work of God to share the Good News with all. In the work to change hearts, Jesus baptizes His disciples with the Holy Spirit at Pentecost and continues to pour out the Spirit on believers through Word and Sacrament. With the Spirit who sustains us, we rise and sing stanza one of hymn # 27. O Holy Spirit, Enter In.
O Holy Spirit, enter in and in our hearts Thy work begin,
Thy temple deign to make us.
Sun of the soul, Thou Light divine, around and in us brightly shine,
to joy and gladness wake us.
That we to Thee Truly living, to Thee giving Prayer unceasing,
Still may be in love increasing.
The sermon text for today is taken from the 2nd chapter of St. Lukes book of Acts. We read some verses once more in Jesus’ name:
When the day of Pentecost arrived, they were all together in one place. And suddenly there came from heaven a sound like a mighty rushing wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. And divided tongues as of fire appeared to them and rested on each one of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance.
Now there were dwelling in Jerusalem Jews, devout men from every nation under heaven. And at this sound the multitude came together, and they were bewildered, because each one was hearing them speak in his own language. And they were amazed and astonished, saying, “Are not all these who are speaking Galileans? And how is it that we hear, each of us in his own native language? —we hear them telling in our own tongues the mighty works of God.”
We Pray: God of all peace and consolation, who gloriously fulfilled the great promise of the Gospel by sending down Your Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost to establish the Church as the home of His continual presence and power among men, mercifully grant unto us, we humbly ask You, this same gift of Your Spirit, to renew, enlighten, refresh, and sanctify us, to be over us and around us like the light and the dew of heaven, and to be in us evermore as a well of water springing up into everlasting life; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, to whom, with You and the Holy Spirit, ever one God, be honor and glory, now and forever. Amen. (The Lutheran Liturgy, companion altar book for The Lutheran Hymnal, p. 129)
The Holy Spirit enters in just as Jesus said He would when He ascended into Heaven. When the day of Pentecost arrived, they were all together in one place. And suddenly there came from heaven a sound like a mighty rushing wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. And divided tongues as of fire appeared to them and rested on each one of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance. The wait was finally over. The bridegroom had left, but now had returned with the comfort that echoes throughout time, that He is here with us always. With this knowledge that people could physically see because of the tongues of fire, God prepares the teaching and learning of the people with Pentecost happening on this holiday. You shall observe the Feast of Weeks, the firstfruits of wheat harvest, and the Feast of Ingathering at the year’s end (Exodus 34:22). Pentecost was celebrated in late spring, and was the best time for Jews scattered through the nations to travel to Jerusalem. It marked the completion of the grain harvest and the beginning of the dry season. The Holy Spirit was going to make sure this was a season of growing.
This is how God lines it up history so all may be right. In His divine planning, He prepared the world for His divine plan to save it. The world is prepared with the Pax Romana or Roman Peace, Hellenization bringing in a universal language, and the pagan religions have not worked. After thorough preparation, the plan was revealed as the great solution, and His solution must be distributed to all who will hear it. Even this is primed, as what was thought as the strength of Jesus’ enemies fades and all of these Jews are revealed, who have come to observe what the Lord commanded. Now there were dwelling in Jerusalem Jews, devout men from every nation under heaven. And at this sound the multitude came together, and they were bewildered, because each one was hearing them speak in his own language. And they were amazed and astonished, saying, “Are not all these who are speaking Galileans? And how is it that we hear, each of us in his own native language?… But others mocking said, “They are filled with new wine.” The renewed knowledge brought by the Holy Spirit prepares the disciples for this push back.
And we are prepared for this same push back. The same Spirit is here to guide us. As the mocking comes to our ears, like hearing, “They are filled with new wine,” the feeling of renewal might not feel so strong inside of us. With the day of Pentecost reminding us about the gracious work of the Holy Spirit, the expansion of the church after many witnessed the disciples speaking in their language, and preaching about the mighty works of God, our own zealous work can only go so far if the Holy Spirit isn’t guiding this same zeal. To teach the mighty works of God is to take all of His works, the works that the world isn’t going to like to hear along with the great work of salvation and preach them all together. Our own sinfulness pushes back on the mighty works of God that contradict our lifestyle and way of thinking. Even when our lives are sorted out by the grace of God, even when we cling to the Gospel, the Good News, Jesus assures us, “and you will be hated by all for my name’s sake. But the one who endures to the end will be saved” (Matthew 10:22). To endure is to know the truth won’t fit the world’s narrative. To endure is to stand firm even when the ridicule comes from those close to you.
To endure means to admit that you are enduring not because of your own strength as it always falls short. To endure is to witness the knowledge you have because of a great miracle. Pentecost is where the world witnessed miraculous signs from heaven, because this is where the Holy Spirit comes from with the Savior being in heaven. Not only does God keep His promise with the festival of Pentecost, but God reverses the great sin committed at a great tower. Society though they could take the place of God and with the correction of forcing them to not know what their neighbor was saying, neighbors are now brought back together from all walks of life with the universal Good Message. The gathering of devout men heard all at once the mighty work of God to save them all. Along with the miracle of speaking their language, the miracle of renewing the face of the earth was beginning. The church was born as the Lord lays the beams of his chambers on the waters; he makes the clouds his chariot; he rides on the wings of the wind; he makes his messengers winds his ministers a flaming fire (Psalm 104:3-4). A perfect cleansing fire to engulf the world in truth.
The same truth that was confessed by the people as they said, “we hear them telling in our own tongues the mighty works of God.” And this task will be a task at times that will seem too big to be done. The ridicule can turn quickly into threats. As Jesus was ridiculed and threatened, His Spirit didn’t hang in shame, but hung for redemption and renewal. With Jesus not giving up and persevering over His enemies, this strength to stand is in this church. The miracle of Pentecost passed down, the continual teaching of the cross and the giving of forgiveness of sins, life, and salvation, handed out as a gift. Humility before the Holy Spirit is in order, and you witness it in your confession, your praise, and your adoration of His gracious work bestowed to you. The world can’t grasp what you are a part of, and you are only a part of it because of the miracle of Pentecost, the miracle of the Holy Spirit working saving and life-giving faith in your hearts. While the world seeks your judgment like it pronounced it on the disciples, like the disciples you won’t pronounce judgment on them because the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, good news, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. (Galatians 5:22-23).
With this delicious and life sustaining fruit plucked off of the cross for you to eat and share, to taste this relief from your enemies means you will constantly need to eat it. For Jesus reminds you, “If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. Remember the word that I said to you: ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you. If they kept my word, they will also keep yours” (John 15:18-20). This will be difficult but even in those moments where it feels as though the fruit has lost its taste, the Holy Spirit is actively working, and actively revealing to you the mighty works of God. Not only does He bring you to His mighty work to save you with His death on the cross that you continually hear in His church through the preaching of the Word and administering of the sacraments, but you also see His mighty work of the people around you who hear the Word you have to tell them and they keep it. Because of the work of the Holy Spirit you can pray, Oh give thanks to the LORD; call upon his name; make known his deeds among the peoples! Sing to him, sing praises to him; tell of all his wondrous works! Glory in his holy name; let the hearts of those who seek the LORD rejoice! Seek the LORD and his strength; seek his presence continually! (Psalm 105:1-4) The presence you are in because you belong to His church. The presence of His love through the receiving of His Word and sacraments. Amen.
Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Ghost; as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, forevermore. Amen.
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