PENTECOST (2)
Text: Acts 2:1-13
Source from Back to Luther with German archive reference. Back to Walther's Epistle Sermons.
Lord God, Holy Ghost, who on this day boundlessly poured out upon the twelve disciples your gifts of grace and miracles, thus equipping them to go into all the world and preach the Gospel to every creature, oh, open to us the deep fountains of your goodness and pour yourself out upon us also! We do not ask for the great gift of performing miracles; we beseech you only for the one thing needful. Without you darkness covers our souls; oh, enlighten and kindle with in us the light of faith. Without you our hearts are dead and cold; oh, awaken and fill us with the ardor of love. Without you our power is nothing but weakness; oh, strengthen and make us victors over flesh, the world, and Satan! Without you we must despair in life and in the anguish of death; oh, fill us, Breath of God, and let us taste in life and death the eternal comfort of your Word! Praises be to you, Spirit of the Father and the Son, praised today on this day of your festival forever and ever. Amen.
Dear friends in the Lord.
"This is the day which the Lord hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it. Bind the sacrifice with cords, even unto the horns of the altar."
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Thus we must exclaim today with the Psalmist. For a great, glorious festival has again dawned today, the Festival of Pentecost, the Festival of the Holy Spirit.
Of the many important meanings which this festival has, one of the most important is that Christ’s disciples were on this day most gloriously equipped by the miraculous outpouring of the Holy Spirit to be God's messengers to the entire redeemed world.
When Christ had chosen them, they were completely unable to do the great work which they were to carry out. They were to teach all nations of the earth, and not only did they lack eloquence in their own mother tongue, but; how weak was also their knowledge ! When Christ on one occasion foretold his reconciling suffering and death, we read: "And they understood none of these things; and this saying was hid from them, neither knew they the things which were spoken." Lk 18,34. when the Lord made a similar announcement, Peter said: "Be it far from thee, Lord; this shall not be unto thee." Mt 16,22. And even after Christ had risen victoriously from the dead and was about to ascend into heaven, we still see them in the grips of the error that Christ came to found a visible, earthly kingdom; for they ask Christ: "Lord, wilt thou at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel?" Acts 1,6.
And as weak as they were in knowledge, so imperfect was also their sanctification. Repeatedly they quarreled with one another over who would be the greatest in Christ's kingdom. How weak in faith, how fearful we see them! When they were on the Sea of Galilee and a mighty storm descended upon them, even though they could see Christ, they immediately cried out faint-heartedly and fearfully: "Lord, save us; we perish!" Yes, when Christ was led away captive, they all fled and forsook him; Peter followed Christ from afar; but when a girl in the palace of the high priest betrayed him, when she said: "Thou also wast with Jesus of Galilee," even he who had the name of the Rock-man immediately from fear of death denied his Lord three times, lienee, none seemed more lacking in ability for the office of the apostle than these disciples.
But what happened on the first Pentecost day ? By the outpouring of the Holy Ghost upon them, a great, most miraculous change suddenly came over the disciples. These men, who before had little command of their mother tongue, received in a moment the gift of telling the great deeds of God in all the languages of the world with eloquent tongue and put it into writing for all time. These men, who formerly had been weak in knowledge, were in a moment the only infallible teachers of all men. These men, who before had been afflicted with so many failing in life, were in one second sanctified so greatly that from now on no temptation of the flesh, the world, nor the devil could make them unfaithful in their office. These men, who formerly had been so faint-hearted and fearful, were all in one moment such great, matchless, daring, and bold heroes of faith that they could all exclaim in triumph with Paul: "Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord." Rom 8,35.a.38.39. So, who can describe the greatness of this Pentecost miracle?
Though the miraculous equipping of the apostles to be God's messengers was and is important for the entire redeemed world, the miracle of Pentecost has a most important meaning for every individual Christian today. And it is this which we today with the assistance of God the Holy Spirit with to ponder.
Permit me to present to you:
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THE IMPORTANCE WHICH THE MIRACLE OF PENTECOST HAS FOR THOSE WHO ARE OR WANT TO BE CHRISTIANS
It reveals two points:
1. The Essence of True Christianity, and,
2· The Only Way in Which It is Worked in a Person.
I.
When Christ began to teach publicly, the theme of his preaching was, as is reported in Matthew A: "Repent; for the kingdom of heaven is at hand." When Christ sent his disciples out amongst the Jews for the first time, Matthew tells us that he commanded them to preach simply: "The kingdom of heaven is at hand." Mt 10,7. But after the outpouring of the Holy Ghost upon the disciples we read that "they went forth and preached." Mk 16,20. AS long as Christ walked on earth visibly, his kingdom was only about to come; not until the Holy Spirit had poured himself out upon the apostles was Christ's new kingdom, that is, the holy Christian Church, the kingdom of the New Testament Christians, no longer in the coming stage; it had finally appeared.
Through the fact that Christ's kingdom was begun with the outpouring of the Holy Ghost, God has revealed for all time the essence of true Christianity; it is not man's own work but a work of God the Holy Spirit.
That we do not err in making this conclusion, Scripture shows in many passages. Paul writes: "The natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God; for they are foolishness unto him; neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned." 1 Cor 2,14, No person can create true Christian knowledge in himself; it comes alone by the enlightenment of the Holy Spirit. Again Paul says: "No man can say that Jesus is the Lord, but by the Holy Ghost." 1 Cor 12,3. No person can by his own reason or strength believe in Jesus Christ his Lord or come to him; but the Holy Ghost must call him by the Gospel, enlighten him with his gifts, sanctify and keep him in the true faith. Again he said: "It is God which worketh in you both to will and to do if his good pleasure." Phil 2,13. Hence no person can give himself a holy will, to say nothing of completing this holy will by his own powers; God the Holy Ghost must do it.
My friends, perceive from this: Though a person may have had ever so great knowledge of Christian doctrine, if he does not have this knowledge by the enlightenment of the Holy Ghost by gathered it from God's Word with the help of his reason, this knowledge is not really Christian knowledge. If a person has a certain type of faith in Christ, if he does not have it by the working of the Holy Spirit but by his own efforts, his faith is not the true Christian faith. If a person has begun to live outwardly the Christian life, but if this life is not a fruit of the Holy Spirit dwelling within him, if it is his own work, his entire life, even though it may outwardly surpass that of all true Christians, is not a true Christian life. As God the Father alone has created us human beings, as God the Son alone has bought us to be his possession, so only the Holy Spirit gives us the rebirth and makes us true Christians.
Perhaps you will say: How can I know whether my Christianity is my own work, or a work of the Holy Ghost? I reply: This is not easily perceived. Whatever a person can give himself, he can also retain by himself and vice versa. If you do not need the power of the Holy Spirit to preserve your Christianity,
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if you do not have to hear and read God's Word zealously; if you do not have to watch, pray, and struggle every day; if you do not need daily admonition, awakening, warning, reprimand, and comfort; if you do not need this so that your knowledge is and remains alive, your light of faith bright, your love ardent, and your humility and patience upright, your Christianity is undoubtedly the work of your own power.
But if you perceive that you can keep what you have only through daily repentance; if you experience that every time you become lazy in reading the Word, in watching and praying and struggling against sin your light of knowledge becomes dim, your life of faith weakens, and the fire of love begins to die, then undoubtedly your Christianity is not your own work but the gracious work of the Spirit of Pentecost; for the Lord says most clearly to his Christians: "Strive to enter in at the strait gate; for many, I say unto you, will seek to enter in, and shall not be able." Lk 13,24. Only he who must constantly struggle not to lose the treasure of true Christianity has it.
The miracle of Pentecost reveals not only that true Christianity is not a work of human powers but only a work of the Holy Spirit; it also reveals that true Christianity is not something outward, but something inward, a matter of the heart and experience.
That we do not err in this conclusion, Scripture again testifies in many clear passages. Christ himself says: "The kingdom of God cometh not with observation; neither shall they say, Lo here! or, lo there! for, behold, the kingdom of God is within you." Lk 17,20. St. Paul writes as follows: "The kingdom of God is not meat and drink," that is, it does not consist in outwardly keeping certain of Moses' prohibitions in regard to food and drink, "but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost." Rom 14,17.
This is indeed true: When a person becomes a true Christian, a certain change also in externals takes place; he behaves differently than before; he speaks and acts differently; he does different works; but the real essence of Christianity does not consist in these things. Such an external change could have taken place in any person; a drunkard could have ceased getting drunk, a thief stealing, a greedy person practising usury, an irreconcilable person seeking vengeance, and it is possible that he is not a true Christian. When Simon the sorcerer had let himself be baptized, he at first acted just like all other Christians. Though he was considered a true Christian, he was not but a hypocrite. Why? Outwardly he was changed, yes, but not inwardly.
As certainly as the Christian Church was solemnly dedicated, as we may say, by the outpouring of the Holy Spirit, so certain it is that the essence of true Christianity consists in the Holy Spirit himself coming upon a person, driving out his natural spiritual darkness and death, and kindling in its place a new heavenly light and life. He removed the dominion of a slavish fear of God, the Law, death, and hell, filling the person with peace and joy in the Holy Ghost and love toward God and men. In short, his body becomes the temple of the Holy Ghost and his heart a sanctuary in which the Triune God works and walks, lives and is enthroned with his' gifts of grace. Oh blessed, and twice blessed is he who has become such a Pentecost Christian, such a true Christian!
II.
And blessed are all who would gladly be or become such Pentecost Christians! The great meaning, which the miracle of Pentecost has for all who are or want to be Christians, consists also in the fact that it reveals to us whereby true Christianity alone is worked in a person. I speak of this now.
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The miraculous outpouring of the Holy Ghost upon the apostles did not have the sole purpose of converting the apostles, bringing them to faith, and making them true Christians; for this had taken place even though they were weak. Rather, as we have heard, they were to be equipped to make the whole world Christian. What did the apostles do in order to attain their goal after the Holy Spirit had poured himself out upon them? We read: " They began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance." V.4. And what did they preach? "W e do hear them speak," the hearers called out in amazement, " in our tongues THE WONDERFUL WORKS OF GOD." V.11. What wonderful works of God were meant we see from Peter's Pentecostal sermon, which Luke reports immediately following our text, namely God's great works of redemption, that is, Christ's life, suffering, death, resurrection, and ascension. And behold, when Peter had finished preaching about this, no less than 3,000 were actually converted to Christ, were brought to faith in Christ, and thus became true Christians.
You see, the means whereby alone true Christianity is worked in a person is simply the preaching of the wonderful works of God for the redemption of the world.
True, not everyone immediately becomes a true Christian when the wonderful works of God for the redemption of the world are preached to him. Even after the preaching of the apostles, many according to our text ridiculed everything they had heard and said; " These men are full of new wine." How come? These wretched people had not yet known from God's Law, that they were poor, wretched, lost, and condemned sinners; they were still self-righteous, satisfied; they still did not hunger for grace; they did not yet thirst for righteousness; they were not yet terrified at the abyss of damnation before which they stood with blindfolded eyes. That is why the sermon of the wonderful works of God for their redemption brought only offence. But when Peter preached the Law in its severity to his hearers and shows them that they were all murderers of God's Son, and when this entered the hearts of these 3,000 like a sword, so that in great terror over their sins they cried: "Men and brethren, what shall we do? then they all became true Christians through the preaching of the wonderful works of God.
Bear this in mind, all of you who today have come into this church in order to celebrate Pentecost with us, you who in your hearts are not yet poor sinners, but without a care for your salvation live on with the idea that people such as you cannot fail to enter heaven. The preaching of God's wonderful works for the redemption of the world has not helped you at all. If I were to summon you to take comfort in this great work of God I would strengthen you only the more in your security and comfort you right into hell. No, before you can experience God's grace, you must first learn to feel God's wrath; before you can joyfully consider yourselves righteous before God by grace through Christ, you must in sorrow learn to know that you are unrighteous before God without Christ; before you can rejoice over the heavens opened to you and all men by Christ, you must learn to become terrified at hell open at your feet because of your sins; before the soothing balm of comfort can be spread upon the boils caused by sin, the sharp knife of the Law must first lance them until they bleed and pain you. In short, before you can celebrate the joyous Pentecost of the New Testament you must celebrate the first Pentecost of the Old Covenant, the giving of the Law upon Sinai.
But you who have been smitten by the Law, who have come with burdened and sorrow heart today into our Pentecost service with the silent question in your hearts: What must we do? who still consider yourselves either as sinners lying under God's wrath or such Christians who must by all means become better,
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you are the ones to whom the sermon of Pentecost of the wonderful works of God chiefly belong.
Perhaps you think: I deserve a severe lecture; but since the Law has already reprimanded and smitten you, you have the preaching of your redemption due you. Perhaps you think: I need merely be shown how I am to exert myself in a different way in order to become a true Christian; but since you have already put forth enough labor in vain, you are to hear what is written in that hymn verse:
The Law reveals the guilt of sin
And makes men conscience-stricken;
The Gospel then doth enter in
The sinful soul to quicken.
Come to the cross, trust Christ, and live;
The Law no peace can ever give,
No comfort and no blessing. (377,8)
Perhaps you will say: Oh, we are indeed frightened over our sins, but we still do not truly repent, for alas, we do not sorrow over our sins out of love to God but only out of fear of hell. But my friends, just because you are such poor and naked sinners who can bring nothing to God but your sins, you are the proper hearers of the sermon of God's wonderful deeds for your redemption. This sermon is the surging of a mighty wind from heaven which continues until judgment day by means of which the Holy Spirit wants to fill your hearts with the flames of his heavenly fire.
Come, then, all of you who not only call yourselves sinners with your mouth, but who also anxiously feel that you are poor lost sinners. Come! Lift yourselves from the dust, for God has intended a great Pentecostal blessing for you. Cast away all your own works and instead seize in faith God's wonderful works for the redemption of the whole world and for you as well, and God will perform a great miracle of grace in you. Though your heart would be as cold as ice, believe that you are redeemed and it will be thawed and set on fire; and though it be as hard as a stone, believe that you are redeemed and it will be come as soft as wax; and though it be full of nothing but thoughts of despair, believe that you are redeemed, and you will be filled with peace and joy in the Holy Ghost. If you remain in this faith in God's wonderful works of redemption, your whole life will be a lift in love to your God and your brethren and even to your foes; your death will be a triumphal procession from the kingdom of death into the land of eternal life. May God the Father grant that to us all by the power and working of his Holy Spirit for the sake of the wonderful works of the redemption by Jesus Christ. A men.