Last week, with your prayers of support, I went to a church near Kobe to give a special sermon for the people there. My wife also had a chance to give you a special sermon. The place that I visited last week was very special to me; there were so many Hirotas in that area. I think my ancestors must have come from this district! Anyways, the people in that church had prepared for this special gathering with zealous prayers. About ten people came to the gathering, and one of them was an elderly mother. Her son is a Christian, whose back has been bent by some disease. On that first night, that woman, who had been brought to me by her son, came to believe in Christ as her Saviour. I really appreciate your prayers and God's work and strength through it.

There were other people who accepted Jesus as their Lord. Each gathering and sermon was supported by your prayers, I believe. The work that brings the people's acceptance of Jesus is not the work of humans! It's the work of the Holy Spirit. Without His power, it is impossible for us to believe in Him. And this is the day when the Spirit descended upon His people!

In the time of the Old Testament, people were bound straight to the Father. Special people only could talk to God. They could hear God's voice itself. Like Moses. Later, in the time of Christ, God came to be with us in the flesh, and people lived with a human God. Finally, it became the time of the Spirit.

This time started fifty days after 'the Festival of the First Harvest', in which the Jews would offer up their first crop of wheat to God; with their wheat they made bread and this bread was given to God. From that day of 'Pentecost', Jesus' disciples were transformed. Before this miraculous event, they were still very much living in the flesh. They were competing with one another in various ways. But, when God's Spirit came down upon them, they were not what they had been. They were strengthened. See verse 14. With the Spirit, they were made strong.

On the tenth day, since the 120 began to pray, they received the Spirit. They had met the risen Jesus! But, even after that meeting, they were not strong enough. They were still self-centered and feared people. Even though you are regularly attending church, if you are not indwelled by the Spirit of God, you can't do anything. Though you know that you are expected to go out and be a witness, without the Spirit, you can't do it. Only with the Spirit, can you stand up with power.

Verse 14 again, with the Spirit, Peter stood up and spoke clearly with strength. See John 14:17,26; John 15:26; and John 16:13. Without the Spirit, it is impossible to speak clearly. Peter had faith in Christ, but he did not always have the Spirit inside. That's why he and other disciples left Jesus before the cross. However, when Peter was filled with the Holy Spirit, he strongly stood up and spoke!

Acts 2:25. With the Spirit, that tells us the truth, Peter also spoke. He confessed King David's faith, claiming it the same as his own. People are wandering and floating in this world. They are not solid; they are easily influenced by earthly things. They care about fashion, fame, and wealth; the gods of this world. Such people are blind to the deeper reality of life. It is this truth we speak of.

Even Christians try to do things with human strength. Our physical strength is limited, but we tend to keep doing a hard job in our own strength, and the result is that we feel so tired and worn out afterwards. However, all we need is the strength of the Spirit. Zechariah reported, '..by the strength of the Spirit.' [Zec.4:6c]

This is the day of Pentecost! Let us ask for the Spirit to fill us, so that we can live with Him throughout our lives.

Translated by Junko Okamoto - Edited for the Net by Shido
For another sermon see: Oita Evangelical Christ Church
For all sermon indicies see: cHaPeL nOaH sErMoN iNdEx