A MESSAGE ON PENTECOST - By PASTOR DAVID J. LEET

Before we get into the meat of our study, let's do a quick comparison of Christ's triumphant entry into Jerusalem, before his Last Supper with His Disciples.

In Zechariah chap 9 v9, we see a future directive via a prophetic word, telling the daughters of Zion and Jerusalem to rejoice greatly.

This is like a poetic personal reference to Jerusalem's inhabitants and the Jewish nations as a whole.

This is in historic memory to the Triumphant Return of a King or Warrior, on his warhorse having brought the people's salvation from enemy forces.

Yet notice it also says the King will be riding a lowly donkey or an ass, or a colt, depending on your bible version, meaning peace and humility, with all righteousness.

This triumphant entry was like the waving of the sheaf of harvest of first fruits, meaning an act foreshadowing the coming of Christ, and the greater harvest to come.

This was done at the begining of spring, before the Passover, which was 50 days before Penticost, which in the Jewish faith is known as Shavuot (pronounced like "shove - what").

This shavuoth was a harvest festival, and is now also commemorating the giving of the law, or the Torah.

Now in Romans 6 vs 4, we are :-

1 ) Buried with Christ, meaning baptised into his death.

2 ) Raised with Christ, raised up in resurrection power with Christ.

We see in Romans 8 vs 29, where Jesus is first born among many, we who believe and have faith in him are these many, being conformed into His likeness, that of a son or daughter of God.

3 ) Walking in Spiritual Resurrection and Authority now !

In John 2 v 19, Jesus was having a discorse with the Jewish leaders concerning this temple, but they were only thinking of a building, and not His body.

Now here is a statement for you :

In John 8 vs 57 and 58, the Jewish people questioned His age, to which Jesus answered : " Before Abraham was, I Am ".

In other words He was telling them that He is the Pre-existing and Eternal I Am, who spoke to Moses from the burning bush !

Now let us go into our study..

INTRODUCTION

Today we will be looking at a promise of God's fulfilment to His people.

When Jesus and his disciples came to Jerusalem for the last time, He celebrated the last supper, or Passover Meal with them.

The Passover is remembering when God saved the Israelites out of Egypt, by the Spirit of Death passing over their homes, which had lamb's blood on the doors.

This was the shadow of the crucifixion sacrifice of Jesus on the cross for our sins.

His blood covers our sins, so that God's righteous anger passes over us, who are the church.

We who believe :-

John 3 vs 16:

16 "For God so loved the world, He gave His only begotten Son , that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life."

We will instinctively know what is right and wrong in our spirits and minds.

Jesus was the perfect sinless sacrifice for us.

Now we as new born Christians / Believers / Followers, need to learn to wait on God and have faith and belief as well, so as to press into Him all the more.

Yet we are not alone in our walk, Jesus said

In: Matthew 28 vs 20b:

( 2nd half of the verse ) "I will be with you always , even to the end of this world ".

This was not a promise so much as it was a statement of fact.

This time also begins the harvest production, this brings hope, new life, and the chance to start afresh.

Now, on the 50th day from Passover, the Lord's promise of power comes into being.

In: Luke 24 vs 49:

49 And, behold, I send the promise of my Father upon you: but tarry ye ( tarry is an old english word for wait ) in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued ( or given ) with power from on high.

Jesus tells the disciples to wait until they receive power from on high. (The Holy Spirit of God ).

Further more, in John 14 verse 16 Jesus said He would pray to the Father and He shall give you another comforter, that He may abide with you forever. Even the Spirit of Truth ; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth Him not, neither knoweth Him : but ye know Him ; for He dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.

I would encourage you the reader to read all of John 14.

We see in Acts 1 vs 14:

14 These all continued with one accord in prayer and supplication, with the women, and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brethren.

(The word SUPPLICATION means an action of asking earnestly or humbly).

Acts 1 vs 15:

15 And in those days Peter stood up in the midst of the disciples, and said, (the number of names together were about an hundred and twenty ).

Peter stood up in the midst of 120 disciples.

Acts 2 vs 1-4:

Verse 1 : And when the day of Pentecost had fully come, they were all in one accord (or agreement ), in one place .

Verse 2 : And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. They were filled with His presence and power to speak and preach  in other tongues.

Verse 3 : And there appeared unto them cloven tongue like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them.

VERSE 4 :And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance. ( Note here that the Holy Ghost and the Holy Spirit, are both names for God's Spirit ).

This caused 3,000 people to join the disciples in Jesus Christ that very day.

(I would impress on you to read John Chapter 14 and Acts Chapter 2).

Now lets talk a little about the Holy Spirit.

Jesus said in: John 4 vs 13-14:(part of Jesus discourse with the Samaritan woman at the well).

13 Jesus answered and said unto her, Whosoever drinketh of this water shall thirst again: ( water drawn from Jacobs' well ).

14 But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life. ( The river of life / or the Holy Spirit ).

"The water I give you is a spring welling up to eternal life ".(I believe that the Holy Spirit is the river of life).

Now when we become baptised into Jesus, we are fully immersed in water, in this way we die to the old life, then we come up again to a new life. As Jesus died and was buried, then rose up to everlasting life, so in Him, we die to this life, and are born again into life with Jesus.

This is emphasised in John 3 vs 5 :- where Jesus tells Nicodemus, "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God."

This verse is part of a larger context where Jesus explains the necessity of being "born again" to see or enter the kingdom of God.

I suggest that you the reader of this message, read the gospel of John, chapter 3, and verses 1 through to 21, for the entire conversation between Jesus and Nicodemus.

The baptism of the Holy Spirit is similar to this.

As we die to our old life of sin, to live a new life in Jesus.

So too, we ask for and surrender all to receive in the baptism of the Holy Ghost, to be guided by him, and speak in a new prayer language, and to have more understanding of God's word in the bible.

1 Corinthians 6 vs 19-20:

19 What? Know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?

20 For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's.

This is telling us that we are Temples of the Holy Spirit, and that we are not our own, but we with were bought with a price. The Son of God, who became cursed with our sins, so that we in him, become blessed with life eternal, and brought back into right standing with God.

So now we have God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Ghost or Spirit living inside us. 

I recommend that you read John 14 Verses 15 through 31.

We worship God in truth and in spirit:

John 4 vs 24:

24 God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.

To help understand this, there is a demonstration :-

Take a clear jug of water to symbolise the Holy Spirit, and an empty glass, to symbolise you and me as new believers.

Fill the glass with water, to show being filled with the Holy Spirit, just like the 120 in Acts 2.

Now we want more of God in our lives, so now we put the glass filled with water, into the clear water filled jug, the glass is now fully immersed in the jug of water, so now, we are fully immersed in the Holy Spirit of God.

PRAYER FOR REDEMPTION:

"Dear heavenly Father, I know that I have sinned, and fallen short of the life that you desired for me to live.

With all my heart I want to turn my back on my old life, and walk in newness of life with you through Jesus.

I thank you Lord for your grace and mercy, and your love, thank you for sending your only Son to die on the cross of Calvary, in my place, to forgive my sins and my wicked ways.

Lord Jesus Christ, please forgive me and come into my heart, that I can have new life in and through you, with God the Father, and be sealed with your Holy Spirit, through you my Lord, Jesus Christ, Amen."

WATER BAPTISM:

After a while learning about your new found faith, you will need to be WATER BAPTISED into God.

The scripture for this is found in John 3 verse 5 : Where Jesus spoke with Nicodemus, a Synagogue Leader of the day, who was curious about Jesus teachings. Further reading is found in John Chapter 3 verses 1 to 21.

From this point on, you need to read God's word the bible, every day taking time to pray to Him in Jesus name.

Now you will need to find a Spirit Filled, Bible teaching church to go to, and be taught to live as God designed for you to live.

Join a LIFE GROUP or CELL GROUP within the church, to further learning about the lifestyle that God wants for you.

The Life Group will teach you more about the Christian life and about the BAPTISM IN THE HOLY SPIRIT.

What we are talking about now, is being DISCIPLED in God by the Church.

The Life Group may even be able to introduce you to a MENTOR, to take you further in your spiritual walk.

Now a mentorship is like doing an apprenticeship as a new disciple, as you study and live the lifestyle led by your mentor.

You will be taught how to pray, study the bible, and learn about who you are in Jesus Christ.

Later, you will learn about being filled with God's Holy Spirit, so as to be baptised into Him.

Then later in your walk with God, you may want to ask God to FULLY IMMERSE you into His Holy Spirit by Jesus Christ.

PRAYER FOR FULL IMMERSION INTO TO THE SPIRIT OF GOD:

"Dear heavenly Father, I come before you in Jesus name, asking to go deeper into your Holy Spirit, who is the river of life, flowing from His throne into us.

Please take me deeper into the River of Life,

I want to be fully immersed in your Holy Spirit, Lord.

I thank you, and worship you and I receive in Jesus name, Amen."