On Pentecost Sunday, London Immanuel Church welcomes Pastor Andrew to deliver the sermon. Based on Acts 2:17, Pastor Andrew talked about the coming of the Holy Spirit from the historical aspect and its work in our lives.
Pentecost marks the coming of the Holy Spirit. As one of the persons of the Trinity, it is equally important as the other two persons. Father God is almighty; Jesus, son of God redeemed us. But then why do we need the Holy Spirit and who is it? Pastor brought listeners to Genesis 1: 1-3, which shows that the triune God was there at the beginning of creation. There’s God the Father, and He speaks the Word that is the son who became flesh, as it says in John 1:1-2 and John 1:14. There’s also the spirit of God hovering over the formless Earth, which is protective and life-giving. The Trinity God work together to bring forth the whole creation.
The original creation is beautiful, but it fell. Men who are supposed to love God back sinned and abandoned God, as clearly shown in Romans 1:21. However, God didn’t abandon man, He intervened by sending His son for us because of love. God Himself is love, and He is the source of every good thing. This love is fully revealed through Jesus Christ and His whole life. As Christians, there are two core things we need to hold onto: Jesus Christ is Lord and the Kingdom of God (Acts 28:31). The convergence point in the Old Testament is about the coming of Jesus Christ. Everything in the New Testament points to the Kingdom of God. In Revelations 4:6-8, a vision was given to Apostle John; the four creatures represent all living things praising God. This is the image of the King of God. There’s personal salvation, but there’s also universal salvation, the restoration of all creation and all eyes will also be fixed on Jesus Christ. After being saved, we have a calling for a holy commission, to live for universal salvation. The Bible describe it as a new earth and heaven in Revelation 21:1.
We’re already saved, but there’s work that is still being fulfilled. The new heaven and new earth are yet to come. So we’re in between, already but not yet. Every sinner can be saved by Jesus Christ; the victory has already been won but we and the rest of the world are not yet in its final form. So how will this new world come about? Jesus promised a helper before His departure in John 14:16-18. The Lord promised the Holy Spirit who will sanctify us and this world. The coming of the Holy Spirit opens a new era. Just as Christmas changed the era, Pentecost changed the era as well and a qualitative difference happens. Through the Holy Spirit who opens the eyes of our hearts and reveals the truth, we can know God directly, as Jesus said in John 14:26. Isaiah 11:2 is how the Holy Spirit is described.
Before Jesus came, how could fallen man meet God? The people of Israel were told to meet God in the temple, a temporary and mobile tent called the Tabernacle. In the temple was the ark of the covenant which contained the stone tablets where the Ten Commandments, the written Word of God were placed. This temple was considered where God’s presence was, and only selected people who had undergone long and arduous training could enter. As mobile people, they kept the temple in the centre. Through uniting with the temple, people unite with God. After being trained in this understanding, God sent Jesus who is the real temple, the actual Word of God made into flesh. The Lord fulfilled the work of salvation, and He is the temple at the centre forever and ever.
“Justification is completed through Jesus Christ, but many things inside of us are not suitable for the citizenship of the Kingdom of God. Thus we need to go through the process of sanctification, and we must wash our clothes with wine, as we can see in Revelation 22:14. How should we do? Just as justification is not done by our own power, sanctification is not done by our actions or deeds, this can only happen through the grace and power of the Holy Spirit. That’s why we rejoice on the day of the Pentecost. Day by day, we must wash our robes by relying on the Holy Spirit, to be transformed into the likeness of Christ. As we do this, this world can be sanctified too,” said Pastor Andrew.
“We have a purpose that points towards universal salvation. The power of the Holy Spirit is renewing this world and us. This is the era that began on Pentecost. So what must we do? Luke 11:11-13 tells us to ask for the Holy Spirit in our life. We must seek earnestly. And the Holy Spirit comes down on all without discrimination to all who ask, as it says in Acts 2:17-18. Only through the power of the Holy Spirit, can we be the witness of the Lord. When the power of God intervenes in our lives, the amazing history of life can be opened up, like what happened in Act 2:41.”
To conclude the sermon, Pastor Andrew inspired listeners to allow the Holy Spirit to work in us, to mould us into more and more Christ-like, to sanctify us and sanctify this world.