Pentecost – a Time of New Beginnings Bend – 6-11-11 Medford – 6-12-11 (Pentecost)

Introduction – In thinking about lessons we can glean from the Day of Pentecost, it occurred to me that Pentecost and when it is observed in the western world is a time of new beginnings.

· Spring marks many beginnings—baseball season, yard work, spring cleaning, planting gardens to name a few.

· This weekend, multiple thousands of young men and women will be graduating from high school.

· Graduation ceremonies are called “commencement”—why?

· The word commencement means “beginning.”

· These young men and women have now ended their elementary and high school years and will be beginning a new life in the “real world.”

SPS – Let’s consider some of the important events that begin this time of year in the plan of God pictured by the Day of Pentecost.

· “In the process of revealing His plan of salvation for mankind, God established His annual Holy Days around the harvest seasons in the Middle East…. Just as His people harvested their crops around these three festival seasons, God's Holy Days show us how He is harvesting people for eternal life in His Kingdom.” The Holy Days have meanings that build upon each other. Together they progressively reveal how God works with humanity (UCG bklt. God’s Holy Day Plan: the Promise of Hope for All Mankind). NKJ Exodus 23:14 ¶ " Three times you shall keep a feast to Me in the year: 15 "You shall keep the Feast of Unleavened Bread (you shall eat unleavened bread seven days, as I commanded you, at the time appointed in the month of Abib, for in it you came out of Egypt; none shall appear before Me empty); 16 "and the Feast of Harvest, the firstfruits of your labors which you have sown in the field (when you bring me the first crops of your harvest”—NLT); and the Feast of Ingathering at the end of the year, when you have gathered in the fruit of your labors from the field (at the end of the harvest season, when you have harvested all the crops from your fields—NLT).

· So this Holy Day season was a time of new beginnings agriculturally in OT Israel, when Israelites were to offer the first picking of their crops as a “wave offering” to God. NKJ Leviticus 23:9-11 ¶ And the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, 10 "Speak to the children of Israel, and say to them: 'When you come into the land which I give to you, and reap its harvest, then you shall bring a sheaf of the firstfruits of your harvest to the priest. 11 'He shall wave the sheaf before the LORD, to be accepted on your behalf; on the day after the Sabbath the priest shall wave it. NLT Leviticus 23:9-11 ¶ Then the LORD said to Moses, 10 "Give the following instructions to the people of Israel. When you enter the land I am giving you and you harvest its first crops, bring the priest a bundle of grain from the first cutting of your grain harvest. 11 On the day after the Sabbath, the priest will lift it up before the LORD so it may be accepted on your behalf.

· This ceremony resulted in God’s official acceptance and approval and blessing of the new harvest season—again, a time of new beginnings. 15 ¶ "From the day after the Sabbath -- the day you bring the bundle of grain to be lifted up as a special offering -- count off seven full weeks. 16 Keep counting until the day after the seventh Sabbath, fifty days later. Then present an offering of new grain to the LORD. NKJ Exodus 34:22 "And you shall observe the Feast of Weeks, of the firstfruits of wheat harvest, and the Feast of Ingathering at the year's end. NKJ Numbers 28:26 ¶ ' Also on the day of the firstfruits, when you bring a new grain offering to the LORD at your Feast of Weeks, you shall have a holy convocation. You shall do no customary work.

· “Firstfruits are the first agricultural products to mature and ripen. Throughout the Bible, God uses the analogy of the harvest—and, particularly on Pentecost, firstfruits—to illustrate aspects of His plan of salvation. Israel observed this day in the late spring after the barley and wheat harvests. A special offering of the first ripe grain during the Days of Unleavened Bread, called the wave-sheaf offering, marked the beginning of these harvests, which continued during the next 50 days and led up to Pentecost (Leviticus:23:11). This spring harvest was the firstfruits of the yearly agricultural cycle” (God’s Holy Day Plan).

· There are 3 OT names for this Holy Day, all with historical significance and spiritual meaning · Feast of Harvest – because it coincides with the official beginning of the early barley harvest · Day of Firstfruits – named after the special wave sheaf offering · Feast of Weeks – because the time of celebrating it is by counting · NT – Pentecost = “fiftieth” [day] The spiritual meanings of this day also relate to new beginnings.

· Just as there were two harvest seasons in OT Israel (the early harvest of barley in the spring and the main grain harvest in the fall), God’s main spiritual harvest takes place after a smaller harvest in this life, beginning with one man—Jesus Christ. NKJ 1 Corinthians 15:20 ¶ But now Christ is risen from the dead, and has become the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. NLT 1 Corinthians 15:20 ¶ But in fact, Christ has been raised from the dead. He is the first of a great harvest of all who have died. NKJ Colossians 1:15 ¶ He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. NKJ Colossians 1:18 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.

· “He is the first in everything” (NLT). NKJ Revelation 1:8 ¶ "I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End," says the Lord, "who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty." · The plan of God for mankind begins and ends with Jesus Christ.

· His sacrifice for sin commemorated by Passover is the beginning point in our relationship with God. Spiritual significance of the wave sheaf offering · “The wave-sheaf ceremony God gave to ancient Israel … represents Jesus Christ's acceptance by His Father as "the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep" (1 Corinthians:15:20) · He presented Himself to God the Father on the Sunday after His resurrection, the same day during the Days of Unleavened Bread on which the first sheaf of grain of the spring harvest was to be waved before God” (God’s Holy Day Plan). God’s people down through the ages are the “firstfruits” of God’s spiritual harvest. NKJ James 1:18 Of His own will He brought us forth by the word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of His creatures. The NT Day of Pentecost commemorates several new beginnings.

1. The fact that we are the “firstfruits” of God’s spiritual harvest

· “Few people understand that God follows a systematic plan, symbolized by His Holy Days, to save all of humanity by offering all people eternal life in His Kingdom. In this world we are simply at the beginning of the harvest for the Kingdom of God” (God’s Holy Day Plan).

2. The first time that the Holy Spirit was made available to God’s people NKJ Romans 8:23 “…we … have the firstfruits of the Spirit…. NLT Acts 2:1-21 ¶ On the day of Pentecost1 all the believers were meeting together in one place. 2 Suddenly, there was a sound from heaven like the roaring of a mighty windstorm, and it filled the house where they were sitting. 3 Then, what looked like flames or tongues of fire appeared and settled on each of them. 4 And everyone present was filled with the Holy Spirit and began speaking in other languages,1 as the Holy Spirit gave them this ability. 5 ¶ At that time there were devout Jews from every nation living in Jerusalem. 6 When they heard the loud noise, everyone came running, and they were bewildered to hear their own languages being spoken by the believers. 7 They were completely amazed. "How can this be?" they exclaimed. "These people are all from Galilee, 8 and yet we hear them speaking in our own native languages! 12 They stood there amazed and perplexed. "What can this mean?" they asked each other. 13 But others in the crowd ridiculed them, saying, "They're just drunk, that's all!" 14 ¶ Then Peter stepped forward with the eleven other apostles and shouted to the crowd, "Listen carefully, all of you, fellow Jews and residents of Jerusalem! Make no mistake about this. 15 These people are not drunk, as some of you are assuming. Nine o'clock in the morning is much too early for that. 16 No, what you see was predicted long ago by the prophet Joel: [Joel 2:28-32]17 'In the last days,' God says, 'I will pour out my Spirit upon all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy. Your young men will see visions, and your old men will dream dreams. 18 In those days I will pour out my Spirit even on my servants -- men and women alike -- and they will prophesy. 19 And I will cause wonders in the heavens above and signs on the earth below -- blood and fire and clouds of smoke. 20 The sun will become dark, and the moon will turn blood red before that great and glorious day of the LORD arrives. 21 But everyone who calls on the name of the LORD will be saved.'

· This was just a relatively small new beginning fulfillment of a prophecy that is destined to be fulfilled on a much greater scale at the time of the end (during the day of the LORD, which is preceded by the heavenly signs described in this prophecy).

3. The beginning of the NT Church Acts 2:38-41 38 Peter replied, "Each of you must repent of your sins, turn to God, and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ to show that you have received forgiveness for your sins. Then you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. 39 This promise is to you, and to your children, and even to the Gentiles1 -- all who have been called by the Lord our God." 40 Then Peter continued preaching for a long time, strongly urging all his listeners, "Save yourselves from this crooked generation!" 41 Those who believed what Peter said were baptized and added to the church that day -- about 3,000 in all.

· The Church is composed of those who have been given the Holy Spirit. NKJ 1 Corinthians 12:13 For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body -- whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free -- and have all been made to drink into one Spirit. This is also a time of new beginnings for the United Church of God.

· We are in a time of transition, seeking to recover and rebuild after the recent events that resulted in large scale attrition of ministers and members.

· The registration figures for the Feast reflect this sobering reality.

· At the Feast coordinators conference, this year’s Feast of Tabernacles was referred to as a transitional time for this reason.

· This calls for a commitment and cooperation of all of us.

· The bad news is that we are a smaller organization, but the good news is that we have unity and peace.

· We all must do our part to guard and preserve these precious qualities. So this should be a time of spiritual new beginnings for all of us individually. NKJ Ephesians 4:1-6 ¶ I, therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you to walk worthy of the calling with which you were called, 2 with all lowliness and gentleness, with longsuffering, bearing with one another in love, 3 endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. 4 There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called in one hope of your calling; 5 one Lord, one faith, one baptism; 6 one God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all. This is also a time of new beginnings for United’s efforts in doing the work of preaching the gospel.

· Last time I discussed the new UCG website and how we can help to spread the word of truth.

· Soon you will be hearing more about special Kingdom of God seminars to be held simultaneously in congregations around the world on September 10.

Conclusion – On the day of Pentecost when the NT Church began, 3,000 people were added to the church. NKJ Acts 2:47 praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily those who were being saved. NKJ Acts 6:7 ¶ Then the word of God spread, and the number of the disciples multiplied greatly in Jerusalem, and a great many of the priests were obedient to the faith. NKJ Acts 9:31 ¶ Then [after Paul was converted]the churches throughout all Judea, Galilee, and Samaria had peace and were edified. And walking in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit, they were multiplied. NKJ Acts 12:24 ¶ But the word of God grew and multiplied.

· Can we expect similar results today?

· Theoretically, yes.

· But the church will never multiply until we quit dividing.

· So please take Paul’s admonition to be “endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.”

· One of our main contributions to the work of God is to provide a loving, nurturing atmosphere of love and peace that new people will want to become a part of.

· We must also have the zeal and excitement for the plan of God.

· As Paul told Timothy, in 2 Timothy 1:6, “Therefore I remind you to stir up the gift of God which is in you through the laying on of my hands.”

· Of course we also need to be praying for the success of our evangelistic efforts, because as it has been said, “The church of God moves forward on its knees.” Yes, Pentecost is indeed a time of new beginnings in many ways.

· Let’s all determine to make this a time of new beginnings for us—individually and collectively.