Become Joyful in the Power of God's Spirit

Brethren, God in His Word tells us that we are all to become like little children if we are to receive entrance into the glorious Kingdom of God. What do you think God meant by that? Well, certainly humility is one of the lessons God wants us to learn from little children. We are to be humble people. Certainly realizing our dependence upon God and looking to Him is one of the vital lessons He wants us to learn by considering little children. Infants and toddlers are completely dependent upon their parents. We depend upon God and Christ for our very lives each day. As Christians, we look to God the Father and Jesus Christ to sustain us, to give us what we need. But what about joyfulness, sheer excitement, and enthusiasm? Have you ever thought about the importance of being joyful and excited about life, excited about your calling, and thrilled to know God and His Son Jesus Christ as a reason that we are to become like little children? Don't little children really get excited about little things? For example, when I showed up at church in Lawton yesterday, I had just about every child in Lawton very excited to see me. I was very excited to see them. Their enthusiasm wore off. It does seem that adults tend to lose lots of their youthful enthusiasm. What about being single-minded and keeping our eyes on the goal? Little children are like us, aren't they? They can be absolutely tenacious in accomplishing something that they have put their little hearts and minds on. I'm sure you've noticed that. I submit to you today that we adults should be more joyful and more single-minded in our approach to our lives. And if we are, we will learn to utilize God's Spirit in our lives much more effectively. We will truly learn to walk in the joy and in the power of the Spirit of the Most High. I'm going to show you a video in just a moment. Let me describe to you what you'll be seeing. This is a very short video of a young child's first steps. They were captured on video, so that was exciting. Usually, you don't get to see those first steps over and over and over again. But this little child happened to be captured on video for the first time. Now, as you view this video, ask yourself, why did this little boy pick this time to walk? Ask yourself, why was this time so special and different from all the other times his parents had tried to get him to take a step? Why was this time different from the other times that he no doubt thought about and considered walking, but didn't? You'll see two first cousins in this short video clip over here to my left. Let's go ahead and play the video at this time.

Did it look like they were having a good time? Did it look like they were pretty excited? The older boy was my grandson's cousin. That was my grandson who took his first steps. That was little Xander Roth. So, of course, this is a very special video to me, to my wife, and anyone in our family. To me, it was just really exciting. This was the first time Xander walked. Of course, his parents, my daughter, and her husband certainly tried to get him to walk a little bit before that, but he just wouldn't take a step. He was a little bit afraid, a little scared to take a walk. So, why do you think he decided to walk this time? His cousin was there, and his cousin was having a big time, wasn't he? His cousin jumped off of that couch, onto those cushions. Did you notice what he said? Ice cream! He said, I'm not sure exactly why. Maybe they had ice cream, or maybe he just loves ice cream. He was excited about that, and jumped off and said ice cream. Then little Xander, you heard the expression he had. He was pretty excited. He put his hands up like this, and he took his first steps. He was so joyful that he forgot everything else. He forgot to be afraid. On the first day of Unleavened Bread in Tulsa, I talked about no fear. I had the sign, and I think I brought that on maybe the last day of Unleavened Bread, and had the sign and showed you the no fear sign. This was a time when my little grandson had no fear. He didn't even think about it. He just started walking. He had a goal in his mind. He saw his cousin having a really big time, excited, and having a great time with the cushions. He squealed, and he headed right for his cousin. He was single-minded about joining his cousin in all the fun that his cousin was having. He was joyful. He was single-minded. So, again, he forgot his fears. And he walked for the first time. Now, he hasn't walked since that I know of. It's been two weeks since that occurred. And, by the way, he walked on my birthday. He was supposed to be born on my birthday, but he was born on April 27. My birthday is April 30th. That's the day he walked. Not that that makes any big deal, but I thought you'd really like to know that.

Now, we are joyful when we are grateful about certain things in our lives, are we not? I know I get pretty joyful when I'm grateful about things. I feel really good. If I feel very appreciative toward God, then it's hard to keep the joy down. It just bubbles up and you feel really good. And we forget our fears for a while when we are joyful and when we're also thankful and grateful for all that God is doing in our lives. And I believe that gratefulness and thankfulness for our calling is really the starting point for using God's Spirit to grow and to overcome and to learn to walk in the power and in the joy of God's Holy Spirit. So, are you filled with joy because of your calling? Just how filled with joy are you? I know life gets difficult at times and sometimes it's more difficult than others to be filled with joy, but even our trials are to bring joy in our lives, as the Scripture says in the book of James. Count it all joy when you fall into various trials because God is testing you and he's working with you and he's developing character in you. He wants you to become like him. So, when we have the right perspective and when we look at things the way God does, we can even be joyful during our trials. So, that's difficult, but it's something we can do with God's help. So, we need to remember that the next time we're going through a trial that God says, count it all joy. Make the very best of it and be grateful that you're alive and that you are able to suffer.

So, let's be more joyful about our calling. If you're not so joyful, why not? Why aren't you more joyful about your calling? There really is nothing as exciting as a calling that leads to an eternal life of fulfillment and happiness in God's glorious kingdom. It really doesn't get any better than that. That's as good as it's going to get and that's plenty good enough. And it will last us through all eternity. So, brethren, we all need to forget ourselves and we need to become joyful in the power of God's Spirit. Then we will really begin to walk in the Spirit of God. We will be able to apply all the things that we heard today in the messages, the three messages that we've already heard and in this one as well. Now, what I'd like to do is go through seven meanings of the Feast of Pentecost. And as I go through them, you'll see the joy in each and every one of these particular points. There is great joy in this day and we certainly should be lit up high on this high day. So, the first point, the first meaning regarding the Feast of Weeks or the Feast of Pentecost, is that in the Old Testament the Feast of Weeks was a joyous celebration of the greater spring wheat harvest that occurred seven weeks roughly after Passover. Of course, counting 50 days from the day after the Sabbath during the days of the 11 bread. By offering the first fruits of the harvest, the Israelites expressed their thanksgiving to God for His bountiful, His abundant provisions in their lives. God does provide abundantly for His people. We are a blessed people above all people on earth. Here in the United States of America, to have all that we have, it's a shame if we take it for granted and if we don't remember where it comes from. I'm afraid that so many people in this society of ours, this country, have forgotten the source of all of our blessings. It was our Father Abraham. That's why we've been so richly blessed because of His faithfulness and His obedience. So, we should give God thanks because ultimately God is the one that has richly blessed this country. By offering these first fruits of the harvest, they expressed their thanksgiving to God for all that He was doing in their lives. We need to do this on this day of Pentecost. We need to truly be grateful and thankful because God is abundantly providing for you and me. He's giving us so much and we should be very grateful for the gift of God's Holy Spirit. There is no more precious gift than the gift of God's Holy Spirit. Let's go to Acts 2.38. The three speakers before me were quite gracious and didn't go to this one. Let's go to Acts 2.38. Of course, this occurred on the day of Pentecost. A man who had denied Christ three times in the very evening that Christ was taken to be crucified, this man had made a tremendous transformation. He had repented of his betrayal of his Savior, Jesus Christ. He spoke very boldly on this day, this day of Pentecost, when God's Spirit was poured out upon him and the other disciples that were gathered together.

In verse 38, after the people were cut to their heart because Peter told them exactly what they had done, they had murdered the Son of God. They had murdered their own Savior. They asked men and brethren, what shall we do? Those who were repentant that were there and were cut to the heart. They asked, what shall we do? Peter said to them, repent and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ with a remission of sins. You shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is indeed a very precious gift. It's the most special and precious gift that we could ever have. So why would we neglect such a marvelous gift? Let us all repent today of neglecting the gift of God's Spirit. I would say that we've all been guilty of neglecting this gift. We haven't stirred it up enough. We've gotten sidetracked. Some of our joy has been stolen by Satan the Devil who would like to steal everything from us. But we need to be joyful and so grateful for this wonderful gift. We need to thank God daily. As Mr. Hopper mentioned in his message, we should pray for more of God's Spirit. God would pour out His Spirit and fill us with His Spirit. So, brethren, that is the very first principle, the first point or meaning. It was a joyous celebration of the greatest, greater spring harvest. The first fruits that were being poured out. It was a tremendous gift. It was a blessing. And God's Spirit is the greatest gift of all. Secondly, another meaning regarding the Day of Pentecost. As I believe was already mentioned, I think Mr. Burke mentioned this, it is very likely that the Ten Commandments were actually given by God on the Day of Pentecost. Although the Bible doesn't specifically say this, Jewish tradition is that the law was given on Pentecost. The Bible does support this likelihood by the chronology that is given after the first Passover, the Exodus, and the giving of the law on Mount Sinai. God said, let my people go, that they might worship me. One very important aspect of worshiping God is keeping His law. We believe in keeping God's law. In fact, probably a song that inspires you as much as it does me is, How Love I Thy Law. There are a couple of different renditions, and they all inspire me because I do love God's law. I'm planning on keeping it and trying to keep it, striving to keep it until the day I die.

Perhaps Christ will return, and I may not have to die. We'll have to wait and see about that.

The Israelites were let out of Egypt so they might worship God. The Midrash, which is a rabbinical commentary on the Scripture, says that God thundered out the law in 70 languages on the day of Pentecost.

That's interesting. The reason given is that all nations would come to know in the future that these laws would also apply to them. It came out in 70 different languages, according to the Midrash. Presently, Israel was God's chosen nation to show His way to all peoples. They were a peculiar people, sanctified and set apart for a special purpose, a special reason. Of course, they didn't love God's law, and unfortunately, you know the rest of the story. They went into captivity. They suffered greatly because of their unfaithfulness to God. Brethren, we are in a different category because we have God's Spirit now. Today, this is our day of salvation. It was not their day of salvation, only a few that were in the Old Testament. When I say a few, it could be a few thousand. It was relatively small, though, of those who were being called during the Old Testament times. We don't know exactly how many, of course, but today God's Spirit is poured out in His Church in a greater way. So, we don't have to be like them. We don't need to be disobedient. We can learn obedience and faithfulness. So, we should learn this. Let's go to Leviticus 23. Let's read just a few verses here. I think Mr. Burke went here briefly, but I'm going to go to a few other verses that were not covered. Leviticus 3.11 You shall wave the sheath before the Lord, to be accepted on your behalf, on the day after the Sabbath, the priest shall wave it. Now, if we drop down to verse 15, and you shall count for yourselves from the day after the Sabbath, from the day that you brought the sheep of the wave offering, seven Sabbaths shall be completed. Count fifty days to the day after the seventh Sabbath, then you shall offer a new grain offering to the Eternal. That's why we're here today. We've counted those days, and this is the fiftieth day. In verse 17, the last part says, in regard to the loaves that were baked with leaven, as Mr. Burke mentioned, we're not yet like Christ. Christ is the unleavened bread that came down from heaven. We are still leaven, but we need to become unleavened. We need to become like Christ. We need to allow Christ to live in us by the power of His Holy Spirit. And God will surely do that for us if we have faith and believe that.

It says, they are the first fruits to the Lord. These things were the first fruits, and brethren, we are the first fruits to the Eternal. We are the ones who are called now to be in the first resurrection, the better resurrection, as it's said in the Scripture. Not because we're better, but because God has chosen us, for whatever reasons He has, to be a part. You know, the Bible says He's called the weak and the foolish of the world. So we shouldn't become puffed up if we happen to be the first fruits, right? We should be grateful again for God's calling in our lives. So the Ten Commandments were likely given on the day of Pentecost. How love I, thy law! There are blessings for obedience, and that is something to be joyful about, isn't it? To have God's law, to have His truth, to understand it, to realize the truth. Sometimes, I think, it's easy to take it for granted, but we really do believe things a lot differently than mainstream Christianity. Yesterday, I gave a sermon in Lawton about heaven and hell, and the Eight of Bible study about what the Bible really says about heaven and hell. But so many people are so blind when it comes to the truth about what the Bible really says about heaven and hell, and what happens when a person dies. A very fundamental subject, and a very clear subject when you read the clear Scriptures that are given in God's Word. So, that is the second meaning of this day of Pentecost, that God's commandments were given, most likely on this day. Let's go on to the third meaning of this wonderful day. In the New Testament, on the day of Pentecost, the Holy Spirit was poured out on the disciples of Jesus Christ. Now, I already mentioned that, and some of these points will overlap to some degree. But that's a very important point, that God's Spirit was poured out on the disciples of Jesus Christ, those who accepted Christ as their Savior, those who recognized Christ as their Shepherd. The Bible says we will hear His voice, that we are His sheep, and we will hear the Great Shepherd's voice. So, we need to be listening to Christ's voice in our lives. Many thousands of disciples were baptized within a very short time in the early church.

On that birthday, the beginning of the New Testament church, there were, what, 3,000 that were baptized in short order, quite an amazing feat. Those disciples being called of God then and now will be the spiritual first-roots of God's spiritual early harvest. God is truly harvesting His people. Christ's disciples are to fulfill the commission of preaching the Gospel of Jesus Christ and the Kingdom of God to the whole world. They are also to be instrumental in making disciples of all nations. I read in the Offertory message earlier today about people from various countries around the world that are responding, that are becoming a part of God's true church. That is certainly exciting to see, that we are indeed making disciples of all nations. It is very likely that God's Spirit will once again be poured out upon His servants in great power as we draw closer to the return of the Messiah to establish the Kingdom of God and to usher in the Millennial Rule of Jesus Christ here on this earth. The spiritual first-roots will rule with Christ as kings and as priests. Now, is that something to get excited about? To be joyful about? That we will rule with Christ. That we will become like Him at the resurrection. That we will see Him as He is, that we will be changed to Spirit, and we will become like Christ, and we will then sin no more. I'm looking for that time. I'm very, very grateful looking forward to that day. May God speed that day. Let's go back to Acts 2. It does say very clearly that they were filled with the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost. Acts 2. We'll just go back there and rehearse this briefly.

Acts 2. We'll read verses 1-4 on this very first day of Pentecost when the New Testament Church was raised up. Acts 2.1 When the day of Pentecost had fully come, they were all with one accord in one place, and suddenly there came a sound from heaven. As of a rushing, mighty wind, and it filled the whole house wherein they were sitting, and there appeared to them divided tongues as a fire.

And one sat upon each of them, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and they began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance, and miraculous things were beginning to happen in their lives. And I already mentioned that Peter was completely transformed into someone with great courage and faith. And it wasn't long before Peter and John were healing, the man crippled from birth. Rise up and walk! Take your bed! Stand up and walk! And he did!

So there was great power in the early church. I believe that God's Spirit will be poured out in greater ways upon his church. Upon the firstfruits of the New Testament Church of God, as we draw closer to the return of our Savior, Jesus Christ. Now, in Acts 10, it shows that the Holy Spirit was also poured out on the Gentiles. Acts 10, verse 45. And those of the circumcision who believed were astonished, as many as came with Peter, because the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out on the Gentiles also.

It was no longer just for the children of Israel or those who were traveling with Israel, the strangers that were with them. This was anyone that would call upon the name of the Lord and have faith and respond to the call by being faithful and obedient. Remember, many are called that you are chosen because only a few believe the truth. Only a few respond to the truth. Most people, frankly, go back into the world.

They're being called, but the cares of this world get the best of them, and Satan the Devil gets the best of them. Many are called that you are chosen. In 2 Corinthians 6, verse 16, it shows that we are the temple of the living God, that you are the temple of the living God, that this body of ours, this physical flash of ours, is the temple of the living God. 2 Corinthians 6, verse 16, And what agreement has the temple of God with idols?

For you are the temple of the living God. As God has said, I will dwell in them, and I will walk among them, and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. We are indeed called by God. We are His children. As we saw a couple of little children so excited about being able to play together, that's the way we need to be.

When we come together, we fellowship together. We're excited to see each other. We're grateful. This is where we want to be. We wouldn't want to miss the Sabbath service, unless we were ill, or something very extenuating would get in the way. We would want to be here together because we are excited about our calling. We're excited about sharing this one with another. We're joyful. We're turned on. We're fired up.

That's the way we need to be. So, let us become like little children. Let us rejoice in this day of Pentecost. You are the temple of the living God. Now, let's go on to a fourth meaning of this great day. And that is, each and every day, brethren, Christ's true followers should seek the empowering of the Holy Spirit. Every single day, we should seek the empowering of the Holy Spirit to prepare us to rule and to reign with Christ at His return.

There should not be a day that goes by that we forget about our calling, that we forget about our goal. Again, like a little child who is focused and has his heart intent on something that is exciting and wonderful. That's how we should feel about God's calling. That's how we should feel about His kingdom. We must be careful because Satan is powerful. The pulls of this world are powerful.

Satan wants to distract you. He wants to get you off the right track, the track that leads to the kingdom of God. So, don't allow it, brethren. Fight back and be faithful and be strong. Have no fear because God is with you and will give you all that you need if you'll rely on Him and look to Him for that help and that strength. So, this is another awesome reason to celebrate and rejoice on this day of Pentecost. We can seek His Spirit every single day of our lives.

From this day forward, we can pray for more of His Spirit and we can have faith that God will grant us the gift of His Spirit. Perhaps God wants us to do something. Perhaps He wants you to do something. Perhaps He wants me to do something. Perhaps He wants us to pull that chainsaw.

Remember poor Mort? You remember, right? Now, some of you weren't here, so let me just go through this again. Mort went down to the hardware store. Mort was a lumberjack and he bought this fantastic chainsaw, guaranteed to cut down five huge trees in one day. He was all excited. He took it out, but he came back a day later. He was very disappointed. He was discouraged. He said, you sold me a bill of goods.

This chainsaw, I could only cut down one tree with this thing. Mort worked really hard. One tree. The owner of the hardware store, the salesman there, he took the chainsaw and pulled it and it roared to life. Mort said, what's that sound? It's pretty hard to cut down a tree unless you pull the power cord. How are you going to do anything with God's Spirit if you're not pulling the power cord? That means you have to be humble and surrender to God's will in your life. So be ready, brethren, to pull the power cord. Hear the Spirit of God speaking to you and begin to act in a way that would be very, very pleasing to God and to our Savior, Jesus Christ.

Pull the power cord from now on, each and every day of your life. Mr. Hopper turned to Romans 8, verse 16, so we don't need to do that. I'll just quote it. The Spirit itself bears witness with our spirit, that is, the Spirit in man, that we are the children of God. You and I, we're the children of God. We have a spirit in man that makes us different from animals, but we also have God's Holy Spirit. So the Spirit bears witness with our spirit that we are indeed the children of God. We can understand our calling, and we can seek God every day of our lives.

We are God's children because His Spirit now dwells in us. It is transforming us, and it is changing us into true children of God. In Acts 5, verse 32, it says that God gives His Spirit to those who obey Him. Yes, we believe in keeping God's law. We don't believe God's law will save us. We don't believe keeping the Sabbath or keeping God's annual Holy Days is going to save us.

Because it's only the sacrifice of our Savior, Jesus Christ, it's only His shed blood, and our acceptance of that sacrifice that will save us. But nevertheless, we believe that we are called to keep God's law, and that sin is the transgression of God's law.

And we must repent of our sins if we are to enter God's kingdom. That's very plain and it's very clear from God's Word. Now, brethren, let's go to John 4, verses 13 and 14. John 4, verses 13 and 14. There was a woman at a well, a Samaritan woman, and she offered Christ a drink. And notice in verse 13, Christ answered and said to her, Whoever drinks of this water will thirst again. It's just water. They will thirst again. But whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him will never thirst, but the water that I shall give him will become in him a fountain of water springing up into everlasting life.

A fountain of water that springs up into everlasting life. This is symbolic of the Holy Spirit. Water is symbolic of the Holy Spirit, a never-ending source in this world. We may have droughts in parts of the country at times that God always sends the rain. It's a never-ending source. And God is very, very gracious to send us the rain. And there will be water springing up into everlasting life if we will just tap in to God's Holy Spirit.

Revelation 7 speaks of the fountains of the waters of life. We're talking about eternal life today, brethren. This is the most important topic. This is the best place you could spend this day of Pentecost, right here, hearing God's Word. It's founded. Revelation 7, verse 14, And I said to him, Sir, you know, so he said, These are the ones who come out of the great tribulation. And they washed their robes, and they made them white in the blood of the Lamb.

These are people who repented of their sins. Earlier it talks about the 144,000, and it talks about the great multitude. And he says, These are people who have washed their robes, and they made them white in the blood of the Lamb. They've accepted Christ as their Savior. Therefore, they are before the throne of God, and they serve Him day and night in His temple. And He who sits on the throne will dwell among them. They shall neither hunger any more, nor they will no longer thirst. The sun shall not strike them, nor any heat. The Lamb who is in the midst of the throne will shepherd them, and He will lead them to living fountains of waters.

My margin says fountains of the waters of life. Those who can see the fountain back over that way, go ahead and look over there at the fountain. This is just a puny fountain. But, you know, it's been going ever since we got here. It's never stopped. God's Spirit is so much more than that little fountain out there. This is a fountain that leads to eternal life.

And speaking of God's Spirit, that God poured out on the day of Pentecost. God's Spirit does want to flow. That water continues to flow, and God's Spirit does want to flow, and it wants to flow in you, and it wants to flow in me, and it wants to flow in us. So, let us surrender and submit to God and allow it to flow fully into eternal life. Now, let's go on to a fifth meaning of this wonderful day of Pentecost.

And that is, as the New Testament Church of God, we ought to observe Pentecost as a joyful celebration of the resurrected Jesus Christ, who ascended to heaven as the very first of the first fruits. Christ is indeed the head of this church. Christ is indeed the one who is leading this church. He is the one that we look to. We don't look to any man. We look past men to our Savior Jesus Christ, and we only follow men as they follow Christ. So, brethren, let us be faithful in this. Christ is the very firstborn among many brethren.

This is just the beginning. God is going to call all people. And that's what the wonderful Holy Days picture, the Feast of Tabernacles, the Last Great Day, the Feast of Trumpets, all these days come together, showing us the wonderful plan of salvation that God has for all of mankind. Christ sent the Holy Spirit on Pentecost to empower His people with spiritual gifts, enabling them to do the work that He had given them to do. God did not leave us without power. God has given us power. And there was great power in the early New Testament church in the first century as the church was being established.

The Book of Acts bears testimony to many miraculous healings, reminiscent of the healings of Jesus Christ Himself during His earthly ministry. And brethren, we will see this again before Christ returns. We will see it in His church. We will see it among His people as He will fulfill that prophecy of Joel, that His Spirit will be poured out. People will see visions and dreams, and there will be mighty signs and wonders in the last days. In Romans 8, verse 29, it talks about Christ as the firstborn among many brethren.

It's Romans chapter 8, verse 29. I don't think I'll take the time to go there. The firstborn among many brethren. Christ is the firstborn, the one who is resurrected to life. He is the firstborn among many brethren to follow. Let us go to Colossians chapter 1, verse 18.

Colossians chapter 1, verse 18. Here it shows that Christ is indeed the head of the church. He is the head of the body. Colossians chapter 1, verse 18. Speaking of Christ, it says in verse 15 that He is the firstborn over all creation. He is the image of the invisible God. He is the firstborn over all creation. Verse 16.

For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him, and He is before all things, and in Him all things consist. That is how powerful Christ is. God the Father and Christ are all powerful. They are all mighty. Verse 18. And He is the head of the body, the church, who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in all things He may have the preeminence.

We look to Christ for deliverance. We look to Christ for all things. We are totally dependent upon Him and upon His Father working in our lives. In 1 Corinthians 15, it shows that Christ was indeed risen from the dead, and He has become the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. That's 1 Corinthians chapter 15. 1 Corinthians chapter 15, verses 22-23. Let's read that together. 1 Corinthians chapter 15, beginning in verse 20. 1 Corinthians 15 verse 20.

But now Christ has risen from the dead and has become the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep, those who have died. For since by man came death, by Adam and Eve came death, God told them that they would surely die, and indeed they did die.

2 But by man also, that is, by Christ, came the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ, all shall be made alive. But each one in his own order, Christ the firstfruits, and afterward those who are Christ at his coming. So Christ is the first of the firstfruits, and then all of us, whom God is calling now, who have repented of our sins and received the gift of the Holy Spirit, who have the Spirit of God dwelling in us.

Revelation 14 shows that we are redeemed by our Savior Jesus Christ. We have been redeemed. We have been given redemption through our Savior Jesus Christ. Revelation 14. Verse 1. Then I looked, and behold, a lamb standing on Mount Zion, and with him 144,000, having his father's name written on their foreheads. And I heard a voice from heaven like the voice of many waters, like the voice of loud thunder, and I heard the sound of harpists playing their harps. I guess I thought this note could wait until later, but it says we may need to be evacuated to the basement. I was kind of into my sermon.

They'll signal us. I'm sure we won't have to go. Let's not worry about that. If they tell us to go, we will go. In the meantime, back to Revelation 14. Verse 2. I heard a voice from heaven like the voice of many waters, and like the voice of loud thunder, and I heard the sound of harpists playing their harps. They sang as if it were a new song before the throne, before the four living creatures and the elders, and no one could learn that song except the 144,000 who were redeemed from the earth.

These are the ones who were not defiled with women, for they are virgins, spiritual virgins. These are the ones who follow the Lamb wherever He goes. These were redeemed from among men, being firstfruits to God and to the Lamb. And in their mouth was found no deceit, for they are without fault before the throne of God.

One day I would like to be without fault, without deceit. I'm looking forward to that day when this corruption shall put on incorruption. This mortal shall put on immortality. For the glorious day that is going to be. The fifth point, once again, is that Christ was resurrected to life, and we are to follow Him and be changed as well to the very children of God becoming like Christ. This is something to be joyful about.

It is something to celebrate. A sixth meaning regarding this glorious day of Pentecost is that the Holy Spirit is doing a mighty work today in the lives of those God is calling. Now, you may not think so. You may not think God is doing a mighty work in you. But God is truly doing a miraculous work in you. Because you are here, because you've humbled yourself before God. You've surrendered yourself before God. You've made a choice to be here on this day. That's a wonderful thing to be obedient, to be faithful to God.

Lives are changing dramatically for the better in God's Church. You are all witnesses of the power of the Holy Spirit in your lives in many, many different ways. As puny as we are, just think where we would be without the work of the Holy Spirit in our lives. The Holy Spirit has revealed God's truth to us. It has opened up the Scriptures to us, and it has enlightened us with the truth of God's wonderful plan of salvation that is revealed in God's annual Holy Days.

The Holy Spirit has empowered us to put sins out of our lives and to be overcomers. In 2 Timothy 1, verse 7, it says that God has not given us the spirit of fear, but He has given us the spirit of power, of love, and of a sound mind. No, it might not be a bad idea to just go ahead and pray together. Let's do that at this time. Eternal Father in Heaven, we come before You here as we are assembled on the day of Pentecost.

We do pray, Father, that You set Your angels about us. We pray that You will rebuke Satan the devil, who might want to disrupt this service. We pray that You will allow no harm to come upon us, our vehicles, or anything that we have. We pray that You be gracious to us and to those who are hosting us here in this building. We pray, Father, through the power of Your Spirit that You will protect us and look after us and watch over us as we look to You in faith, knowing that You will hear and answer this prayer.

We give You thanks in Christ's name. Amen.

Let's go to Romans chapter 5. Romans chapter 5. Romans chapter 5, verse 3. And not only that, but we also glory in tribulations. There will be tribulations. God has not made it easy for us. There will be tribulations. There will be deaths of loved ones that occur in our lives. We've all been tested in a variety of ways. But we glory in our tribulations knowing that tribulation produces perseverance. Perseverance produces character. And character produces hope in us. Now, hope does not disappoint because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit that was given to us. God has given us His Spirit. And we glory in those tribulations as we learn to become like Christ, who enduring our trials and rejoicing in our trials and tribulations. In Ephesians chapter 3, let's go to Ephesians chapter 3 verses 17-20. Ephesians chapter 3 verses 17-20. Let's go back to verse 14 and read this in context.

The Lord, who is seated in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and height, to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God. Now, to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we may ask or think according to the power that works in us. There is great power in God's Spirit that works in us. To Him be glory in the church, by Jesus Christ to all generations, forever and ever, amen. Yes, there is power that works in us, the power of God's Spirit. So that is the sixth point. Let us celebrate and rejoice that God's Spirit is changing us, that God's Spirit is building character in us, that He is doing a mighty work in our lives. And then, the final point in regard to this joyous day of Pentecost, the Feast of Pentecost celebrates the beginning of Christ's ministry as our High Priest in Heaven. Christ is at the right hand of the Father, He is at the very throne of God, at the right hand of the Father, and He makes intercession for us. He makes intercession for His people on a consistent moment-to-moment basis as He is needed. And of course, He is always needed because we are yet sinners. We are coming out of sin. We are putting leaven out of our lives. We kept the days of 11 bread by putting leaven out of our homes, by not eating leaven during those days because it's symbolic of what God is doing in our lives. We are to become unleavened. We are to put sin out. We are not to take sin lightly. But we must realize that if we say we have no sin, we are liars. And the truth is not in us. We must repent of our sins. And through Jesus Christ, who intercedes on our behalf that our sins are forgiven. He is our High Priest. He was tempted in every point as we are tempted. Yet He was without sin. He is the perfect sacrifice. But we all need a sacrifice. And Christ is indeed our sacrifice. In Hebrews 7, verse 25, it shows that He ever lives to make intercession for you and for me. Hebrews 7, verse 25.

Therefore He is also able to save to the uttermost those who come to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them. Isn't that exciting that He ever lives to make intercession for us? He is excited to be the firstborn among many brothers. He is excited to be our elder brother. He is excited to have you. He laid His life down for you. And greater love has no man in this that He lay down His life for His friends. And His Father, God in Heaven, God Almighty, loved you so much that He gave His only begotten Son for you. Christ ever lives to make intercession for you, to feed your case, to grant you repentance. So let's thank God and let's rejoice in that. 2 Corinthians chapter 5. I believe this is our last scripture today. 2 Corinthians chapter 5, verse 7. 2 Corinthians chapter 5, verse 7. Brethren, for we walk by faith and not by sight. Like little Xander walked by faith. He forgot about everything and He just went for it. He just took off. Now that's the way we need to be. We just need to go for it. Don't let anyone hold you back. Don't let Satan hold you back. Don't let your own selfishness hold you back. Don't let your neighbor hold you back. Let it allow God to work in you through the power of His Spirit. You must learn to walk by faith, not by sight. So let us follow the lead of the Head of the True Church of God. Let us follow the lead of the Holy Spirit as well. The Spirit that dwells in our Savior Jesus Christ and dwells in God the Father. And also dwells in us. Let us never forget. It's the same Spirit. One Spirit. One Holy Spirit. Let us forget the self and let's allow Christ to live in us by the power of His Spirit. Let God and Christ, by the power of the Holy Spirit, do the walking in you. Let's walk forward in faith, brethren. Let's go forward. Let this day of Pentecost be a springboard for greater spiritual growth, for greater faith, for greater rejoicing, for greater celebration in your life. Brethren, let us rejoice. Let us truly rejoice in this day of Pentecost. This Feast of Firstfruits for Christ is truly the firstborn among many brethren. We too are called to be a part of the very Firstfruits of God. We are called to be in the First Resurrection. We are called to the Better Resurrection. So let us forever be faithful to our calling. Let us walk joyfully in the power of the Spirit of God Almighty. Let us walk joyfully as little children.

Let's take a look at that video.