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Road to Pentecost

Road to Pentecost

John 20:19 “Then the same day at evening, being the first day of the week, when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled for fear of the Jews, came Jesus and stood in the midst, and saith unto them, Peace be unto you.”

Hosea 6:1-3 “Come, and let us return unto the Lord: for he hath torn, and he will heal us; he hath smitten, and he will bind us up. 2 After two days will he revive us: in the third day he will raise us up, and we shall live in his sight. 3 Then shall we know, if we follow on to know the Lord: his going forth is prepared as the morning; and he shall come unto us as the rain, as the latter and former rain unto the earth.”

Heb 12:2 “Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.”

Jesus’ purpose was complete with Pentecost. The cross is not complete without Pentecost and the giving of the Holy Ghost, the new birth experience. This is to teach us what we have in Jesus Christ.

The annual calendar of the Jews in springtime is the beginning of the Jewish year. This was when Jesus came into the city on a donkey, coming as King of kings and as the Lamb of God. 

Lev 23, the seven feasts have so much. 

Passover is the first of the annual feasts. This was looking forward to Pentecost. They began cleaning their homes, spring cleaning, just as the people grabbed their things in preparation to leave Egypt. Just as then, now, we need to do a spiritual spring cleaning. 

Seven Feasts: 

  1. Passover—remembering the lamb being slain in place of the first born, Jesus dying for our sins, repentance 
  2. Unleavened Bread—representing Jesus’ body broken for us, seven days eating unleavened bread remembering their journey out of Egypt, purge out the old leaven and become new in Jesus. 
  3. First Fruits—remember their coming out of the Red Sea (finally out of Egypt) on the other side with their enemies buried under the water. Technically, the Israelites were still in Egypt until they went through the Red Sea. They came out victorious over Pharaoh’s army. Always begins after the Sabbath after Passover, Sunday, (when Jesus came out of the tomb). We are included with His resurrection and the hope and the promise to follow. We are the continuation of the church of the 1st century. 
  4. Pentecost—4th Feast in the spring of the year, remembering the giving of the Law, on Mt. Sinai, approximately 50 days after the First Fruits, they count 7 Sabbaths plus one day. So, on the Day of Pentecost, the fire descended and instead of writing the Law on tables of stone, Jesus wrote His law on our hearts. It’s not the letter of the law, it’s the Spirit of God in us. We obey out of joy and excitement. 
  5. Trumpets—this takes place in the fall, this is another call to repentance. Trumpets look ahead to the Atonement. These are yet to be fulfilled. This represents the rapture. 
  6. Atonement—remembering what it took to save us from our sins. This is a purging of the sin and a complete cleansing of the world. 
  7. Tabernacles—remembering their wandering in the wilderness for 40 years, God’s Kingdom finally established. 

We are on the road to Pentecost. Sunday, the first day of the week, God chose to pour out His Spirit. Jesus showed up out of the tomb on Sunday. The first Sunday Jesus showed up to the apostles. It was on Sunday that Jesus showed up to Thomas, then on another Sunday, His Spirit was poured out. 

The menorah is hollow, filled with oil, we’ve got to be filled with Jesus’ Spirit (symbolized by oil). This is for us. 

Don’t miss the plan of God for your life. Starting with faith in the blood, repentance of your heart, and letting that blood be applied to your life. Jesus has already shed His blood for you. Don’t stop there, walk out in repentance and follow Jesus to the Red Sea and get to the waters of baptism in Jesus’ Name and let that authority of ‘Egypt’ be drowned in your life. Through baptism, we have those sins buried, the enemy of our soul buried. 

Rom 6:14 “For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace.” 

Don’t stop there, keep going on to Pentecost. Don’t be sorrowful, enjoy the personal presence of God. Enjoy God’s time that He gave you. 

More Questions for Personal or Group Study:

  1. What struck you most about the sermon and why? 
  2. How can you apply this sermon to your life?
  3. Read John 14:6 and Acts 2:38. Are you following Jesus’ way? Do you walk in His truth? Is He your life? What do you need to challenge in yourself to change and/or go deeper/further in your relationship with Jesus?
  4. During this COVID19 pandemic, based on the sermon how can you encourage yourself and others with the hope of Jesus?

Excerpted from a sermon preached by Missionary Evangelist Monty Showalter. 

For the full YouTube audio/video, click here.