May 31, 2009

Christianity’s Family Tree: Pentecostalism

Working with Hand Saws

Acts 2:1-4

Opening Words: There are six billion people in the world today. Two billion profess to be Christians. What links all these believers together is the very first creed of the church. We find it in Romans 10:9. It says, “That if you confess with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord,’ and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.” From the very beginning the early church knew the importance of the resurrection. It separates us from the rest of the world. Over two thousand years later, the only thing that still really matters is your belief in the resurrection, everything thing else is secondary.

Today, on this Pentecost Sunday, we look at the youngest branch on Christianity’s family tree, the Pentecostal Church. They draw their name from the Jewish feast of the harvest. They most famous is the one recorded in the second chapter of Acts, where the Holy Spirit is sent into the world for all true believers to experience. Sometimes they are called “Charismatic,” the New Testament word for spiritual gifts, charismata. There are approximately 600 million Pentecostals or Charismatic in the world today. In your most recent edition of the AT&T yellow pages there are 20 congregations listed. Today, we look at the traditional text for Pentecost Sunday, Acts 2:1-4. Let me call this message Working with Hand Saws.

Acts 2:1-4 1When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. 2Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. 3They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. 4All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them.

It had been fifty days since Jesus has been resurrected. It had been ten days since he had ascended into heaven. They had their marching orders. The Master told them to go and make disciples, baptizing them in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. (Matthew 28:19) The question that filled each one of their minds was “how?” Their little band seemed so unprepared and unqualified for such a mighty task. If they were going to win the world for Jesus then they were going to need some help. The disciples must have been filled with questions. They got their answers during their annual celebration of the harvest. They called it and we call it Pentecost.

According to the text, the disciples stayed in Jerusalem, as Jesus had instructed. Why not? Where else did they have to go? The day began like every Pentecost. There is no hint in the scriptures that the disciples had a single clue that how much their lives and their world were about to change. Luke, the author of Acts describes the coming of the Holy Spirit in two ways. One is audible, the other is visual. First, the Holy Spirit comes like a mighty wind. This is not surprising. Jesus, himself, told us in John 3:8 that the Holy Spirit is like the wind, blowing where ever it pleases. Second, the Holy Spirit is described like fire. In the Bible fire was often used to describe divine presence (Exodus 3:2) and judgment (Matthew 3:12). Those who were presence were suddenly able to do things that that moments earlier seemed impossible. They were suddenly able to speak in others languages to win the world for Jesus. And all of God’s people said, “Amen!“

Fast forward your clocks about 1900 years. In 1901, Charles Fox Parham, who had a Methodist background, was teaching Bethel Bible College in Topeka, Kansas. He was studying the book of Acts. His sincere question; was the Holy Spirit available in his time, like it was on that very first Pentecost? Through his studies he concluded there was a distinct difference between the gift of the Holy Spirit and the Baptism of the Holy Spirit. In his opinion, the second chapter of Acts recorded the first appearance of the baptism of the Holy Spirit, where people were able to speak in unnatural tongues. Parham began to invite students to pray for the manifestation of the Holy Spirit. Their prayers were answered when a young woman named Agnes Ozman spoke. That one event sparked a raging fire. Soon reports of others speaking in tongues were reported in Los Angeles, Texas and Missouri. The Pentecostal Church was born and the church was changed forever.

Today, I want to challenge your understanding of the Holy Spirit. Usually, we speak of the Holy Spirit in general terms, he is the life giving agent in the church. Today I want to be a little more detailed. I am going to talking about three understandings of the Pentecostal Church about the Holy Spirit. I will highlight the first two. I will really explore the last one. I believe when we are all done you will discover we are not as different as you think. When I am all done I would love to talk to you about your experience and understanding of the Holy Spirit. So if you are ready to learn from the Pentecostal Church on this Pentecost Sunday say, “Amen!”

The Presence of the Holy Spirit

The Pentecostal Church emphases the presence of the Holy Spirit. We believe in the presence of the Holy Spirit. There was a time when the Holy Spirit was limited to religious or political leaders. On Pentecost everything changed. The Holy Spirit became available to all believers all the time. The Pentecostal Church challenges us to take the role of the Holy Spirit seriously in your daily life.

Have you ever invited the Holy Spirit to work with you? The Holy Spirit is like every other gift. It must be accepted. The Pentecost Church challenges us to take the role of the Holy Spirit seriously. And all of God’s people said, “Amen!”

The Gifts of the Holy Spirit

The Pentecostal Church emphases the gifts of the Holy Spirit. We believe in the gifts of the Holy Spirit. Within the pages of your New Testament there are lists of various gifts of the Holy Spirit. For example, I Corinthians 12:7-11 says:

To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good. To one is given through the gift of the Spirit the utterance of wisdom, and to another the utterance of knowledge in accordance of the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by the same Spirit, to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another the discernment of spirits, to another various kinds of tongues, All these are activated by one and the same Spirit, who allots to each one individually just as the Spirit chooses.

That is some list but the list is not complete. Scattered throughout your New Testament are others gifts. Some have the gift of leadership or administration. Pastors are given the gift to lead the church. I 1 Peter 4:10-11, he says that we should use our gift to serve one another. God’s gifts were never meant to be hoarded for personal gain. They were meant to be shared with the world.

Part of my job is to help you identify your spiritual gift and to give you an opportunity to use it. During the summer months I am going to give you an opportunity to discover your spiritual gift by taking a spiritual gift inventory. Do you know what gift God has given you? Are you ready to share your gift with someone else? The Pentecostal Church emphases the gifts of the Holy Spirit. If you believe in the gifts of the Holy Spirit say, “Amen!”

The Baptism of the Holy Spirit

The Pentecostal Church emphases the Baptism of the Holy Spirit. Sometimes it is called the second blessing. The Baptism of the Holy Spirit is necessary because it makes ministry easier. It is like when a large tree blows down in your backyard. You could use a hand saw to cut it up into little manageable pieces but the work would be hard and time consuming. On the other hand, you could use a chain saw. The work would go faster and would be more fun. If you can understand that simple concept then you can understand the baptism of the Holy Spirit.

If there is any group that should understand the baptism of the Holy Spirit then it should be us good Methodists. Many believe the first recorded event of the baptism of the Holy Spirit was May 28, 1738. The recipient of that gift was John Wesley, the founder of the great Methodist movement. I will talk about his life in more detail in a few weeks but it is safe to say he was a miserable failure for the first thirty-five years of his life. Those stinging failures left him defeated so he went on a great spiritual quest. He prayed that God would touch him and change his future. On May 28, 1738 God changed everything about John Wesley. He was on Aldersgate Street in England when the Holy Spirit washed through his heart. In his journals he simply wrote, “My heart was strangely warmed.” We are not exactly sure what happened that day. We called it his sanctification experience. Sanctification means “set apart.“ Wesley never mentioned it again but something profound happened. He found a new authority or power that enabled him to do ministry. He was consumed by the Holy Spirit and won his world for Jesus. So to speak, on May 28, 1738 John Wesley put down his hand saw and picked up his chain saw.

I understand Wesley’s sanctification experience because I had my own on a much smaller scale. I have never spoken of this because for many years I didn’t really understand what happened to me. My story doesn’t sound like much but it is my story. I was in college and I was wrestling with what God wanted me to do with my life. I was walking down a side street near the Mount Union campus to be alone. I was praying to myself softly when suddenly I had this Pentecostal experience. I was consumed by the Holy Spirit and my spirit came alive. Everything I saw became vivid, everything I dreamed became possible. I was excited and I couldn’t wait to begin my future. In many ways my life began on that side street in Alliance, Ohio. I know it sounds a little crazy but it is true. People ask me about being in the ministry. They say it must be hard. The truth is I have never worked that hard. I have always been surrounded by good people. I find the ministry fun. The sermons just come and positive things just seem to happen. It isn’t because I am so gifted or intelligent. It is because the Holy Spirit is doing the work for me. I didn’t know it that night on that back street in Alliance but I was picking up a chain saw.

In just a few weeks our District Superintendent and my friend Orlando Chaffee will be leaving the Youngstown area. He will become the District Superintendent of the North Coast District in the Cleveland area. In his four years as our District Superintendent he will have only worshipped at Western Reserve one time. He came unannounced. He sat quietly in the sanctuary during one of the 11:00 worship services. A few days after his visit he saw me in the hallway by his office. We talked about his experience here. After a few minutes he looked at me and said, “Russ, I don’t get it. Why isn’t your church growing faster. The congregation is located in a safe community. The church building is wonderful. Your people are friendly. Your choir is outstanding. Your organist is the best I have ever heard. Your message was solid. I know you and your people are working hard. Why isn’t your church growing faster?” I didn’t know what to say then but I do now. The reason we are not growing faster is that we are still trying to cut up trees with hand saws. The chain saw is still sitting by the side. Let me ask you the question.

What do we need to make the church really grow and really do something special for Jesus? Does anyone here believe all we need to grow is a better administrative style? Does anyone here today believe all we need to grow is a updated website or a “face book” account? Does anyone here today believe all we need to grow is more dedicated hard working people? Does anyone here believe all we need to grow is another worship service or a different style of worship? Does anyone here believe all we need to grow is a slick advertising campaign or a new church name. (No we are not on Western Reserve Road! That is the Western Reserve Baptist Church at the corner of Western Reserve and Hitchcock Road!) Does anyone here believe all we need to grow is a bus to pick up all the children in the area. Does anyone here believe all we need to grow is more money or a new roof? How would you answer the question? What do we need to make the church really grow and really do something special for Jesus?

Maybe what is haunting us as a local congregation is haunting the our entire denomination? Maybe what is haunting us is haunting many branches on Christianity’s family tree. What we need to grow and be a force for Jesus in this world is something we can not buy. What we need must come directly from God, the baptism of the Holy Spirit. What we need to do is put down out hand saw and pick up our chain saw. You have worked hard enough! The baptism of the Holy Spirit makes ministry easier. The baptism of the Holy Spirit makes ministry fun. If you are ready for a little help in ministry say, “Amen!”

I am so convinced the Holy Spirit is the key to our future success I changed my preaching schedule for the next few months. Joshua is now out. The Holy Spirit is in. I will look at Joshua’s life at another time. I am going to ask you to pray for me as I develop this sermon series on the Holy Spirit. I start working on it on Monday morning. I want to teach you what God wants you to learn. If you can remember to pray for me on Monday morning say, “Amen!“ Let me end with this story.

Years ago Dwight L. Moody was holding a crusade in England. Everyone was not excited about him coming. One member of the local clergy said, “Who is this Mr. Moody? Does he think he has a monopoly on the Holy Spirit?” Another member of the group said, “No! But the Holy Spirit has a monopoly on him!” May the same thing be said about us!

The Pentecostal Church is preoccupied with Jesus and the Holy Spirit. They tell us the Holy Spirit is with us. They tell us the Holy Spirit gifts us. They tell us the Holy Spirit empowers us to do real ministry. It is time to put down your hand saw and pick up your chain saw. We have some work to do. And all of God’s people said, “Amen!”