When you become Unstoppable (Leviticus 23:15-22; Acts 2) God’s Unstoppable People

Introduction Remember the Shabbat: Shalom Aleichem | Aleichem Shalom Remember the Passover (G- - - F-----) Remember Bikkurim / Firstfruits (E----- S-----) Today: Shavuot / Weeks (Pentecost Sunday)

There is Prophecy in the Festivals Introduction There is Prophecy in the Festivals

1. The Prophecy in Leviticus 23 15 “‘From the day after the Sabbath, the day you brought the sheaf of the wave offering, count off seven full weeks. Sabbath = Saturday Day after Sabbath = Sunday

1. The Prophecy in Leviticus 23 15 “‘From the day after the Sabbath, the day you brought the sheaf of the wave offering, count off seven full weeks. 7 days x 7 weeks = 49 days

1. The Prophecy in Leviticus 23 16 Count off fifty days up to the day after the seventh Sabbath, and then present an offering of new grain to the Lord. Day after Sabbath = 1 day 7 weeks more = 49 more days Total = 50 days from the Sabbath  Pentecost (Greek) Shavuot (Hebrew for “Weeks”)

1. The Prophecy in Leviticus 23 16 Count off fifty days up to the day after the seventh Sabbath, and then present an offering of new grain to the Lord. The wheat harvest is the main harvest.

1. The Prophecy in Leviticus 23 17 From wherever you live, bring two loaves made of two- tenths of an ephah of the finest flour, baked with yeast, as a wave offering of firstfruits to the Lord. Each loaf is 1/10 of an ephah. 1/10 of an ephah is around 9 cups

1. The Prophecy in Leviticus 23 17 From wherever you live, bring two loaves made of two- tenths of an ephah of the finest flour, baked with yeast, as a wave offering of firstfruits to the Lord. The puzzle. Why with yeast?

1. The Prophecy in Leviticus 23 18 Present with this bread seven male lambs, each a year old and without defect, one young bull and two rams. Bread the main offering. The animals were accompanying offering.

1. The Prophecy in Leviticus 23 The Wave: Baruch atah adonai eloheinu, melech ha'olam ... Blessed are you O Lord our God, King of the universe… for this harvest from your loving hands

2. jesus’ explanation concerning yeast Used to illustration the spread of sin / sinfulness

2. jesus’ explanation concerning yeast Matthew 16 5 When they went across the lake, the disciples forgot to take bread.6 “Be careful,” Jesus said to them. “Be on your guard against the yeast of the Pharisees and Sadducees.”  … 12 Then they understood that he was not telling them to guard against the yeast used in bread, but against the teaching of the Pharisees and Sadducees.

2. jesus’ explanation concerning yeast Human sinful tendency towards legalism and libertinism Legalism – making up our own rules Libertinism – making away with God’s rules

2. jesus’ explanation concerning yeast Jesus also uses yeast in a good light

2. jesus’ explanation concerning yeast Matthew 13 31 He told them another parable: ‘The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed, which a man took and planted in his field. 32 Though it is the smallest of all seeds, yet when it grows, it is the largest of garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds come and perch in its branches.’ 33 He told them still another parable: ‘The kingdom of heaven is like yeast that a woman took and mixed into about thirty kilograms of flour until it worked all through the dough.’

2. jesus’ explanation concerning yeast Meaning in yeast: Small beginnings Imperceptible growth Big final impact (30 kgs of flour) Yeast pushes out other influences The Great Reversal

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

3. What happened at pentecost? 5 Now there were staying in Jerusalem God- fearing Jews from every nation under heaven. 6 When they heard this sound, a crowd came together in bewilderment, because each one heard their own language being spoken. 7 Utterly amazed, they asked: “Aren’t all these who are speaking Galileans?  8 Then how is it that each of us hears them in our native language?

3. What happened at pentecost? 9 Parthians, Medes and Elamites; residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, 10 Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya near Cyrene; visitors from Rome 11 (both Jews and converts to Judaism); Cretans and Arabs—we hear them declaring the wonders of God in our own tongues!” 12 Amazed and perplexed, they asked one another, “What does this mean?”

3. What happened at pentecost? “Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting.” “3 They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them.”

3. What happened at pentecost? Wind and fire  unstoppable fire storm

3. What happened at pentecost? Video of forest fire

3. What happened at pentecost? The Holy Spirit as untamable power

3. What happened at pentecost? Pentecost is the start of the church The True Kingdom of God True Israel Not my shedding the blood of people but by the shedding the blood of the lamb of God – Jesus.

3. What happened at pentecost? The symbol and the reality Without the Holy Spirit we have no power

3. What happened at pentecost? The Holy Spirit is God’s Gift of Himself Acts 1 4 On one occasion, while he was eating with them, he gave them this command: “Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about. 5 For John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.”

3. What happened at pentecost? God’s method is a call in different tongues “1 When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place”

3. What happened at pentecost? Revelation 7 9 After this I looked, and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and before the Lamb. They were wearing white robes and were holding palm branches in their hands.

3. What happened at pentecost? The result of the work of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost

3. What happened at pentecost? Acts 2 37 When the people heard this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and the other apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?”

3. What happened at pentecost? 38 Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.39 The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off—for all whom the Lord our God will call.” … 41 Those who accepted his message were baptized, and about three thousand were added to their number that day.

Conclusion The Holy Spirit will disrupt your life and disrupt the world – from bad to good, small to big, self to others. The Holy Spirit empowers your life to fulfill our life calling (Calling ≠ ambition) The Holy Spirit is God’s gift to all who believe and confess Jesus in adult baptism / adult reaffirmation of faith.