Pentecost Sunday May 23, 2021
Acts 2:1-21
Calling on the Name of the Lord
v.21 And it shall come to pass that everyone who calls upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.
Dear friends in Christ, a blessed Pentecost to you all! This day marks the 50th day after our Lord Jesus' resurrection from the dead—and 10 days following His Ascension into glory. On this day we see the in-breaking of the power of God to restore His broken creation. We also see the promise and blessing of the Holy Spirit who has come, just as Christ promised He would.
There the disciples were—gathered in a house together—awaiting the promised blessing of the Holy Spirit as Jesus had directed them. The Spirit came from heaven in a sound like a mighty rushing wind—in tongues of fire resting on them—and He gave the apostles the ability to speak in other languages that they did not know. Why? The purpose is quickly revealed as we can see from our text. Indeed, for many Jews from all over the world had come to Jerusalem to celebrate this holy festival of Pentecost. They were astonished at what the apostles of Jesus were able to do—these Galileean men with thick accents were able to speak to these assorted visitors in their own home languages! As they themselves remarked, "we hear them telling in our own tongues the mighty works of God."
This gift of tongues by the Holy Spirit was not given for the personal edification and glory of the apostles—but rather for the benefit of their neighbours—those who were not fluent in Aramaic. At this blessed event, all those gathered were able to hear the Gospel message of Jesus Christ crucified and risen—the great and mighty work of God—in their own language! What joy! What amazing grace of God!
Some in the crowd assumed the disciples of Jesus were simply drunk—this was special holy day, after all—and even we are wont to consume too much wine at special occasions like Christmas and Easter. But Peter quickly denies this, and instead directs them back to the Scriptures—the prophet Joel—wherein he prophesied this very event hundreds of years before. Peter begins his great Pentecost sermon with this very text—showing how God has fulfilled His Word. The Spirit was being poured out upon the people—concluding with how "it shall come to pass that everyone who calls upon the name of the Lord shall be saved."
Hear that again, beloved. Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord—Jesus—will be saved! What amazing good news! What glorious promise! No matter who you are—what you have done—what you look like—where you are from—EVERYONE who calls on Christ Jesus in faith for rescue and forgiveness of sins shall not be disappointed—but will indeed be saved.
Oh, dear friends, how desperately we need to hear this sweet message of the Gospel of Jesus in these grey and latter days. For our sinfulness and rebellion seems to know no end. Indeed, it has brought nothing but division, separation, pain, and suffering and death. Remember the story of the Tower of Babel from our O.T. reading of Genesis 11. Therein the people of the earth in their great pride and arrogance sought to make a name for themselves—prove themselves as great—by building a great and magnificent tower all the way to heaven. It was as if they were saying, "We don't need God. We've got this. Look at what we can do. We are so strong—so powerful—so incredible—we can be like gods ourselves."
Sound familiar? That same prideful arrogance is very much alive and well today in our country—in our community—in our families—in our own hearts. Yet what was the fruit of this sinful rebellion against God (for He had indeed instructed them to go forth and spread across the earth to fill it, but they had decided to come together in one place and build this tall tower to heaven—a direct challenge to God's Word and authority). God looked down from heaven to see what they were doing—and He confused their language and scattered them across the earth.
Our sin bears much wicked fruit of division—separation—hatred—and anger. We see this in Critical Theory that wants to divide everyone into various groups and set them in opposition to one another: whether it be gender, sexual orientation, skin color, ethnic heritage, wealth, etc. This sin wreaks much havoc in the world today—in our own hearts and lives. For it is symptomatic of our much deeper problem of our sin and separation from God. Ever since the Fall into sin in the Garden of Eden, mankind has acted in rebellion against God's good word to us. Left to our own devices, we would be forever lost and condemned to eternal judgment in the fires of hell.
But God's Word has come to us in mercy. His Word has taken on human flesh in the Jesus Christ. God has become incarnate so that He could shower His mercy and love upon us through faith in Jesus. It is the Name of Jesus that unites people—heals divisions—brings about peace through the forgiveness of sins. For first God restores that broken relationship with us. By suffering and dying on the cross for the sins of the whole world—your sins and mine. This forgiveness through faith in the Son of God who bled and died for us is what restores us to the Father—brings us into close communion with Him.
Now, once again, Christ working through His Spirit, which is at the same time at work through His people—offers and brings this forgiveness, peace, and joy between men. The Name of Jesus ushers this peace in through the forgiveness that comes only by His name—the Name of the God-Man who bled and died to bring reconciliation to all.
How can this be? Well, the Lord's name actually bears His being and power to save—because of who He is and what He has done. Jesus—whose name literally means "the Lord saves" is truly, in the flesh, the God who saves! In mercy He has sent the Holy Spirit to bring His presence and peace to His people through the Word and the Sacraments—what we call the means of grace. For by the cross Jesus won and earned the complete forgiveness of sins of the whole world—but this gift of life and joy is delivered to His people—personally and individually—through the Word and Sacraments.
In Baptism, the very name of the Holy Triune God—the God who Creates—the God who Redeems—the God who Sanctifies—is literally placed upon each Christian through water and the Word. This Name of God—Father Son and Holy Spirit—is the Name by which we are washed clean of our sin and granted the gift of faith and the Holy Spirit. His name pronounces us absolved when we confess our sins. The Name of Jesus and His Word blesses simple bread and wine to be His body and blood—united for us Christians to eat and to drink for the forgiveness of our sins.
This blessed and joyful Good News is the precise reason behind the miracle of the speaking in tongues at Pentecost. So that all people may hear this Good News, repent and believe the Gospel of Christ, and so call upon His name and be saved.
Note, God speaks very precisely through His prophet Joel, as He did through the Apostle Peter and others. You can't just call on any name and be saved—no matter how sincere you may be. The depth and sincerity of your faith is not what saves you. A devout Jew or Muslim or Hindu or anyone else who prays and calls upon the name of their god will NOT be saved. For it is only by calling on the Name of the Lord—Jesus—that people are saved. For it is the Object of our faith that saves—not the act of our faith. Calling on the Name of Jesus saves because Jesus is the only God who suffered, died, and rose again. Jesus is the only true God in the flesh.
With this understanding of how we are saved there is no place for pride or arrogance. No thinking that we are saved by how great and good we are—we recognize that it is only the work of Christ on the cross that redeems us and sets us free from sin, death, and the power of hell. Nor is there any room for despair over our sins. For a single drop of blood from God would have been enough to pay for the sins of all people for all time—such is the precious nature of His blood—and yet in love for us Christ shed it all—giving it all up into death for you and me. What great comfort and consolation that soothes our troubled hearts and minds when our consciences are afflicted with the many sins we commit every day.
Yet into our troubled hearts and lives comes the clear Word of God—Everyone who calls upon the Name of the Lord shall be saved. Everyone means everyone! So that means you. Hear that blessed Word and promise of God—call upon His name—believe His promises—and you will be saved! For Christ Jesus has bled and died for you. Thanks be to God in Christ Jesus. Amen.
Acts 2:1-21
Calling on the Name of the Lord
v.21 And it shall come to pass that everyone who calls upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.
Dear friends in Christ, a blessed Pentecost to you all! This day marks the 50th day after our Lord Jesus' resurrection from the dead—and 10 days following His Ascension into glory. On this day we see the in-breaking of the power of God to restore His broken creation. We also see the promise and blessing of the Holy Spirit who has come, just as Christ promised He would.
There the disciples were—gathered in a house together—awaiting the promised blessing of the Holy Spirit as Jesus had directed them. The Spirit came from heaven in a sound like a mighty rushing wind—in tongues of fire resting on them—and He gave the apostles the ability to speak in other languages that they did not know. Why? The purpose is quickly revealed as we can see from our text. Indeed, for many Jews from all over the world had come to Jerusalem to celebrate this holy festival of Pentecost. They were astonished at what the apostles of Jesus were able to do—these Galileean men with thick accents were able to speak to these assorted visitors in their own home languages! As they themselves remarked, "we hear them telling in our own tongues the mighty works of God."
This gift of tongues by the Holy Spirit was not given for the personal edification and glory of the apostles—but rather for the benefit of their neighbours—those who were not fluent in Aramaic. At this blessed event, all those gathered were able to hear the Gospel message of Jesus Christ crucified and risen—the great and mighty work of God—in their own language! What joy! What amazing grace of God!
Some in the crowd assumed the disciples of Jesus were simply drunk—this was special holy day, after all—and even we are wont to consume too much wine at special occasions like Christmas and Easter. But Peter quickly denies this, and instead directs them back to the Scriptures—the prophet Joel—wherein he prophesied this very event hundreds of years before. Peter begins his great Pentecost sermon with this very text—showing how God has fulfilled His Word. The Spirit was being poured out upon the people—concluding with how "it shall come to pass that everyone who calls upon the name of the Lord shall be saved."
Hear that again, beloved. Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord—Jesus—will be saved! What amazing good news! What glorious promise! No matter who you are—what you have done—what you look like—where you are from—EVERYONE who calls on Christ Jesus in faith for rescue and forgiveness of sins shall not be disappointed—but will indeed be saved.
Oh, dear friends, how desperately we need to hear this sweet message of the Gospel of Jesus in these grey and latter days. For our sinfulness and rebellion seems to know no end. Indeed, it has brought nothing but division, separation, pain, and suffering and death. Remember the story of the Tower of Babel from our O.T. reading of Genesis 11. Therein the people of the earth in their great pride and arrogance sought to make a name for themselves—prove themselves as great—by building a great and magnificent tower all the way to heaven. It was as if they were saying, "We don't need God. We've got this. Look at what we can do. We are so strong—so powerful—so incredible—we can be like gods ourselves."
Sound familiar? That same prideful arrogance is very much alive and well today in our country—in our community—in our families—in our own hearts. Yet what was the fruit of this sinful rebellion against God (for He had indeed instructed them to go forth and spread across the earth to fill it, but they had decided to come together in one place and build this tall tower to heaven—a direct challenge to God's Word and authority). God looked down from heaven to see what they were doing—and He confused their language and scattered them across the earth.
Our sin bears much wicked fruit of division—separation—hatred—and anger. We see this in Critical Theory that wants to divide everyone into various groups and set them in opposition to one another: whether it be gender, sexual orientation, skin color, ethnic heritage, wealth, etc. This sin wreaks much havoc in the world today—in our own hearts and lives. For it is symptomatic of our much deeper problem of our sin and separation from God. Ever since the Fall into sin in the Garden of Eden, mankind has acted in rebellion against God's good word to us. Left to our own devices, we would be forever lost and condemned to eternal judgment in the fires of hell.
But God's Word has come to us in mercy. His Word has taken on human flesh in the Jesus Christ. God has become incarnate so that He could shower His mercy and love upon us through faith in Jesus. It is the Name of Jesus that unites people—heals divisions—brings about peace through the forgiveness of sins. For first God restores that broken relationship with us. By suffering and dying on the cross for the sins of the whole world—your sins and mine. This forgiveness through faith in the Son of God who bled and died for us is what restores us to the Father—brings us into close communion with Him.
Now, once again, Christ working through His Spirit, which is at the same time at work through His people—offers and brings this forgiveness, peace, and joy between men. The Name of Jesus ushers this peace in through the forgiveness that comes only by His name—the Name of the God-Man who bled and died to bring reconciliation to all.
How can this be? Well, the Lord's name actually bears His being and power to save—because of who He is and what He has done. Jesus—whose name literally means "the Lord saves" is truly, in the flesh, the God who saves! In mercy He has sent the Holy Spirit to bring His presence and peace to His people through the Word and the Sacraments—what we call the means of grace. For by the cross Jesus won and earned the complete forgiveness of sins of the whole world—but this gift of life and joy is delivered to His people—personally and individually—through the Word and Sacraments.
In Baptism, the very name of the Holy Triune God—the God who Creates—the God who Redeems—the God who Sanctifies—is literally placed upon each Christian through water and the Word. This Name of God—Father Son and Holy Spirit—is the Name by which we are washed clean of our sin and granted the gift of faith and the Holy Spirit. His name pronounces us absolved when we confess our sins. The Name of Jesus and His Word blesses simple bread and wine to be His body and blood—united for us Christians to eat and to drink for the forgiveness of our sins.
This blessed and joyful Good News is the precise reason behind the miracle of the speaking in tongues at Pentecost. So that all people may hear this Good News, repent and believe the Gospel of Christ, and so call upon His name and be saved.
Note, God speaks very precisely through His prophet Joel, as He did through the Apostle Peter and others. You can't just call on any name and be saved—no matter how sincere you may be. The depth and sincerity of your faith is not what saves you. A devout Jew or Muslim or Hindu or anyone else who prays and calls upon the name of their god will NOT be saved. For it is only by calling on the Name of the Lord—Jesus—that people are saved. For it is the Object of our faith that saves—not the act of our faith. Calling on the Name of Jesus saves because Jesus is the only God who suffered, died, and rose again. Jesus is the only true God in the flesh.
With this understanding of how we are saved there is no place for pride or arrogance. No thinking that we are saved by how great and good we are—we recognize that it is only the work of Christ on the cross that redeems us and sets us free from sin, death, and the power of hell. Nor is there any room for despair over our sins. For a single drop of blood from God would have been enough to pay for the sins of all people for all time—such is the precious nature of His blood—and yet in love for us Christ shed it all—giving it all up into death for you and me. What great comfort and consolation that soothes our troubled hearts and minds when our consciences are afflicted with the many sins we commit every day.
Yet into our troubled hearts and lives comes the clear Word of God—Everyone who calls upon the Name of the Lord shall be saved. Everyone means everyone! So that means you. Hear that blessed Word and promise of God—call upon His name—believe His promises—and you will be saved! For Christ Jesus has bled and died for you. Thanks be to God in Christ Jesus. Amen.