5/23/2021 Sermon Only | Pentecost Worship Service | Rev. Dr. Otis Moss III

11:56 as we approach the Word of God on this Pentecost Sunday. Let us bow our heads in prayer. Search me, O God, and know my heart. Try me and see if there is any destructive way in me. May your spirit rest upon us on this day. Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in thy sight. O Lord, you are my strength, and without a doubt, you are my redeemer. Holy Spirit, do thy will, do thy will, Holy Spirit, In the mighty, magnificent, awesome, majestic, powerful, and saving name of Jesus, who is the Christ, we pray, and the people of God, all across the village of Trinity United Church of Christ, those who love God may say amen. I want to draw your attention to chapter 2 in the book of Acts beginning with verse 1 through 13.

12:56 I'll be looking at the New International Version but also the OM3 translation. As you all know, I like to translate scripture with contemporary language. And so we'll be looking at Acts chapter 2 verses 1 through 13. It'll be coming up on the screen for you and I would invite you to mark it down in your Bible or place a marker in your Bible app, however you are reading the Word of God and if you want to go back and study. Let's begin with Acts chapter 2 beginning with verse 1 and it reads as follows. When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit, the divine breath, the pure breath of God, and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them. Now there were staying in Jerusalem, God-fearing Jews from every nation under heaven.

14:32 When they heard this sound, a crowd came together in bewilderment because each one heard their own language being spoken. Utterly amazed, they asked, aren't all these who are speaking Galileans? then how is it that each of us hears them in our native language? Parthians, people from Medea, Elamites, residents of Mesopotamia, Judea, Cappadocia, Pontus, Asia, Phrygia, Paphilia, Egypt, Africa, Ethiopia, and parts of Libya near Cyrene. Visitors from Rome, both Jews and converts to Judaism, Cretans and Arabs, we hear them declaring the wonders of God in our own tongues.

15:33 Amazed and perplexed, they asked one another, What does this mean? Some, however, made fun of them and said they've had too much wine. Another translation says some of them hated on them and said these folk have to be drunk. some said they've had too much wine they were all together in one place and the spirit of god rested on them may the lord add a blessing to the reading and hearing of god's holy word on this pentecost sunday we want to continue in this series that we have been in and we'll continue for the next several weeks about the truth about the church but we want to look at this subheading of the power of Pentecost.

16:29 The power of Pentecost. If you're near somebody, just say to them the power of Pentecost or you can place in the chat right now the power of Pentecost. And I would invite you to flank me with your prayers at this moment as we enter into this word.

16:51 Beloved, it's called rule or the roux or the roux. No person creating the culinary delicacy found in the beautiful city of music and myth known as New Orleans would dare create gumbo without the roux. The roux is a mix of flour, spices and fat, which chemically enhances and alters the flavor of gumbo. Hmm. A good roux chef will tell you it's the secret to the gumbo. Properly created, it will enhance the flavor. What seems to be non-complementary elements will be able to come together and literally create a new dish. You can bring your okra, your rice, tomatoes, your shrimp, your sausage, your crabs, and a variety of spices.

17:49 tomatoes and and other things that you want to place within that gumbo the roux when integrated creates an aroma and flavor that binds the flavors within the gumbo together it is possible understand this to eat all of the ingredients in the food presented without the roux You'll find nutrition there, but it's not gumbo without the roux, the base, the linkage to all of the ingredients. It will simply just be some rice, some vegetables and some seafood. Not until it is possessed by the roux. As I was studying and praying for this Pentecost Sunday, I realized that the Holy Spirit is the roux. to our spiritual engagement and development the spirit enhances the flavor binds elements that on the surface seem to be unconnected the aroma spiritual aroma created in one and created by the spiritual power of the holy spirit puts forth beauty and also power when the spiritual rule is present our worship is altered y'all true pentecostal worship is is where the spirit is not only present but the spirit is not relegated to outward signs of kinetic movement or auditory experience it is not about your shout that's not pentecost or Pentecostalism. It's not about your dance that indicates whether or not the Holy Spirit is present. That's just an outward sign. Ah, but real Pentecost is something that has greater depth.

19:48 Pentecost, as we have studied, means 50 days following Passover. In the Jewish tradition, the celebration of the harvest. That's where the Pentecost idea, the Pentecost celebration begins. the celebration of the harvest. It was associated with Pentecost. And then later, it was associated with Moses offering the law to the people of God. This was connected to Pentecost. It was connected to Passover. The idea that the spirit of death passed over the people of God. and 50 days after that celebration, Pentecost, all of them recognizing God's authority and power. All of these celebrations, Pentecost, speaking of God's creation, speaking of the fact that God gives parameters, speaking of the fact that God holds and keeps us in moments when we are not sure what will happen next Pentecost has always always been connected to these ideas and to an idea of a God of liberation and law giving Pentecost I tell you I want you to know this is the most important day upon the church calendar after Christmas and Easter. This is the day we celebrate the empowering of God's people to create a movement rooted in the love of God as practiced by Christ. A moment, I'm sorry, a movement rooted in love practiced by Christ. We as followers of Christ are to be practitioners of Christ's love. Jesus is our chief rabbi. Jesus is the savior, messiah, and liberator.

21:52 The church, the body of believers becomes the vehicle to practice and spread this practice of revolutionary love. Pentecost is the day a moment becomes a movement. This is no ordinary movement, but the supernatural action of God dwelling in the people of God for the explicit purpose to empower God's people to participate in and practice the building of God's kingdom or doing kingdom work. This is Pentecost. I make the claim today that everybody who claims to hold Christ at the center of their heart is called to be Pentecostal. Now, that may be messing with somebody's theology, that you were raised in a particular Protestant or maybe even a Catholic tradition or none of the traditions, and you think Pentecost or Pentecostal is a denomination, but it is a signal.

23:02 It is a movement. It is a part of the Christian heritage. To understand this teaching, beloved, this is not about tongue speaking. Speaking in tongues doesn't make you Pentecostal. But this is about spirit led practice and living our lives. Once we are touched by the spirit, our foot is forever altered. The flavor changes because we had an encounter with the rule of the spirit. This means this does not mean perfection, but it is a deep commitment and conviction. Let's look at the word of God. It says they were all together in one place, waiting and praying. They were under pressure. The followers of Christ were under pressure and suspicion by the government and by people who questioned the resurrection of Jesus. the followers of Christ were were working and were now retreating not sure of what tomorrow would bring they were all gathered together here they were in Jerusalem in the same place praying and also worried at the same time of what the future might hold now that the pressure of Rome was upon them. People in their own community were questioning whether their Savior, the Messiah, was actually even real. Then something happened. As they were praying with all of their worries, as they were praying with all of their commitment, as they were praying with all of their humanness, they also had an encounter with the holy then something happened a sound but notice the words that is used in the scripture like meaning that they could not quite describe what was going on

25:12 something was happening a sound like a violent wind a violent wind a sound shows up and that sound fills the entire house and a fire like tongues begins to separate and rest. A light, something that they cannot quite describe, but there was a sound and there was a light and it begins to rest on each of them and it changes them forever because they were able to understand each other. From this moment, no one would ever be the same. They were convicted. Their prayers were finally answered. The moment of conviction through the action of the Holy Spirit was transformative to them. They had been praying. They had been waiting. They were worrying.

26:16 and now the spirit shows up and begins to empower them. And I do not want you to forget this. As we speak about the power of Pentecost, the power of Pentecost creates a conviction that demands we become courageous. Conviction simply means that you have a deep set of beliefs. But know this, the people were convicted and humbled and compelled to do Christ-centered work. what was this work that when you are compelled to do Christ-centered work if we look in acts you will see read the entire book but let me break it down they were doing the work of healing they were doing the work of feeding they were doing the work of serving they were doing the work of caring they were doing the work of encouraging they were doing the work of forgiving they were doing the work of loving that they were doing Christ-centered work that they were so convicted that their beliefs were rooted in this practice and this living that they were going to heal, they were going to feed, they were going to serve, they were going to care, they were going to encourage, they were going to forgive, they were going to love. The church was being born and we could see it in the actions of the people. They were convicted and their conviction was connected to compassion. Don't miss this. A lot of us have conviction, but our conviction is not related nor connected to compassion. Conviction without compassion is dangerous. But when you believe something so deeply, but you have no compassion in your heart, because ultimately even when God speaks to you. Because of our human frailty, we end up contaminating what is holy and many times we can get wrong what is right. So your conviction must always be connected to compassion.

28:21 Compassion not only for others, but you need to have compassion for yourself when you fail, And when you fall, these women and men, yes, it was 120, according to scripture, that were gathered together and they were women and men were convicted. Their beliefs were of such that they could not turn away and had to live out these convictions through compassion, speaking courageously with authority across the Roman Empire. An entire government did not want to see them flourish, but they were courageous because they were convicted, connected to compassion, and therefore they had courage. Let me help you out. What is this idea of courage?

29:17 It is Brene Brown who says that courage is based upon the root word of core, which is Latin, which means heart. That courage, real courage, is heart language. It means that you are able to speak your whole heart when you are convicted with beliefs. And when you have a heart of compassion, then you can be courageous and speak your whole heart. When Pentecost shows up, you should have conviction. When Pentecost shows up, you should be courageous by speaking your whole heart. When Pentecost shows up, you've got to also function with compassion. And there are those who have conviction, but they have no compassion. And there are those who have compassion who absolutely have no conviction. But put conviction and compassion together and watch courage take control of where you will speak your entire heart.

30:22 Pentecost shows up. The power of Pentecost is that it makes this demand upon us. It pushes us that we become convicted and that we end up speaking courageously. When you are possessed by the spirit, you are convicted to practice compassion. And when you have compassion, you then have a heart that now breaks for what breaks God's heart.

30:50 Conviction, compassion, and courage. And so they are all together. They are in one place. 120 people. In chapter one of Acts, it speaks of, they are together women and men and the spirit lands upon them. But here is the thing that you must see. Do not miss this. I'm speaking a word for somebody right now is that you must know that the power of Pentecost uses ordinary people to live extraordinary lives. Women and men look at this from Africa, Asia, Rome, Greece, and Jerusalem. They were not the privileged. If you begin to do an examination of the individuals who were gathered together. You had some fishermen and artisans and farmers. You had someone like Luke who was a doctor. But for the most part, they were just ordinary people who did not have any resources whatsoever.

31:46 They were the first generation to go off to school and to be educated. Some could read, but most of them could not. But here is the thing that Pentecost is attempting to do when the Holy Spirit rests on you. God is waiting to use you in an extravagant and extraordinary way. When the spirit shows up, it's not just for you to keep it quiet, but to be used for the glory of God. God sent me to tell you, you are good enough for God. Stop speaking death to your own soul. You are all God needs. Stop saying that when you get to this place, that is when you can serve God. If I have this, then I'll have everything I need in order to function.

32:44 No, you have everything you need. Let me help you out. If you are able to wake up this morning and breathe, if you are in your right mind, If you are able to function, then you are all that God needs and you can begin the journey and the path right now. Stop speaking death to your own soul. At Pentecost, when the spirit arrives, that ordinary people are being used. It was not the people with big name recognition. It was not the individuals that had large social media followings. It was individuals who people had never heard of would be used in this movement to glorify God. God wants you to know you are good enough. You are good enough for God.

33:36 I don't care what you were told. It does not matter the tapes you have been playing in your mind psychically. You were put upon this earth for a reason. It is now your opportunity to discover it and know when you open yourself up to the spirit and the spirit rests upon your soul. Something shall birth forth that shall bless generations that are yet to be born upon this planet. The power of Pentecost is it uses ordinary people to live extraordinary lives. that's what I love about Pentecost but but I have to move on on this day of Pentecost I've got to tell you something is that you've got to see the biggest thing here is that when Pentecost happens when the Spirit shows up when the Holy Spirit rests upon the people that you will notice that every human barrier that had been constructed is now brought down people are from Africa from Ethiopia, Libya, Cyrene, people from what we call the northern portion of Turkey, what we'd call, what we call the Arab lands, people who are from the portions of Asia, people from Crete and Rome, Jew and also Gentile, people of different ethnicities, women and men, and the barriers are broken down because the spirit shows up. When the spirit truly shows up, then barriers are broken down because God is no respecter of persons and human walls and barriers.

35:31 I'm reminded of the story of the one who started the Pentecostal movement in the United States by the name of William Seymour. In 1906 in Los Angeles, California, he was led by the Spirit of God to start a revival. But this would be no ordinary revival. This would be a revival that would bring together people who are Latino and Asian and white and black in one space worshiping God. But they say that at that moment in 1906 when they had this revival at the Azusa Street, the Sousa Street Church, that all of a sudden every barrier was broken. That those who spoke Spanish could understand those who had a southern accent. Those who had a southern accent could understand those who spoke with an Asian language. That those who'd come in with a racist perspective, all of a sudden that idea of racism went out the window when the spirit convicted them.

36:33 But I'm here to let you know that the spirit of God can break down any human barrier unless we place that barrier as an idol above God. And that is often what happens in America, why the spirit cannot break through. Because we place certain things upon an altar as an idol that is bigger and larger than God. It becomes our self-indulging predatory actions, better known as capitalism. It becomes our racial caste classifications. It becomes those human designed barriers that are designed to exploit instead of build up. But when the spirit shows up, spirit breaks down barriers. the spirit is at work it will break down barriers and all of a sudden that you will see the god in someone else you will see jesus working in someone else they were all of different ethnic backgrounds but of the same spirit and i am so annoyed often when i hear some of my brethren and I say particularly brethren who come from an evangelical framework and they will say, Moss, we need to get beyond all of these differences. We're all one in Christ. I say, yes, that is true.

38:06 But I have to let you know that God made the difference. And when we learned how to celebrate and accept the difference, we are able to witness the mosaic of God's action. It is not that we should cast aside the difference, but learn how to embrace the difference so that we can create a mosaic, not something that is homogeneous in the presence of God. Because God did not make every flower the same. God did not design every tree the same. God did not design every animal the same, but God created a mosaic and a diversity within God's economy. And when they all work together, then God is glorified in the process. It is Pentecost that breaks down, breaks down barriers. It was yesterday that I was on a call with Howard University.

39:03 They had an interfaith call. I was on there with the chaplain, Chaplain Nisa Muhammad, who was leading the conversation, along with our friend Rami Nashashibi, who runs the Amman organization here in Chicago. And then a wonderful artist, Drea, who created a song of better wind that our choir is on. Now, understand this. Our choir, members of our choir, singing on a song that was produced by some Muslims, singing with a sister who is within our tradition, that you have an inner faith working in the process of that song. And God gets the glory because we recognize as we were working with a Palestinian organizer who was also producer and playing the guitar, A hip hop artist by the name of Phenom who works right over on 69th sharing with young people right on the corner that God has something great to do in their lives.

40:11 that we can work together. When the spirit shows up, we recognize that we fight not against flesh and blood, but there are principalities that not only try to keep us separated, but try to extinguish the light that God has placed within every human being. When the spirit shows up, it breaks down barriers. It breaks down barriers. And there they are, all of them together. they're all together and they are speaking the same language they're not speaking in tongues they're speaking together they're communicating together you have to see this as they are communicating together people hear the sound who are outside of the room people are gathering outside some of them who have experienced what they've experienced and they're in awe but then there are others who are throwing shade at those who are experiencing the Spirit. I want you to know this for every Pentecostal listening to me right now, that Pentecost, the power of Pentecost will cause haters to attempt to hinder your connection to the holy. Because it says right in the scripture, it says, oh, they must be drunk. There will always be someone who will try to dismiss your connection to the Holy Spirit. But I want you to know this, you cannot tune your frequency to people who want to dismiss you. You cannot listen to them and allow that to get in your spirit let me say it this way I see they don't know what you know they have no idea what the Lord has done in your life they have no comprehension of how the spirit has intervened in your situation they don't know what God has done for you how are you going to let a hater determine your relationship with the holy. There will always be people who will try to throw some

42:22 shade at your connection to the Spirit. But I'm here to let you know that we are Pentecostal. I'm here to let you know the Spirit is moving. I'm here to let you know the power of God, that God is on the loose and that something is going on. Now, now, now, I must stop here. Often, I do not make these proclamations. Those of you who know me well, I do not do this, but I stop here in this message to say this, that God wanted me to say this to you. I do not make these proclamations. I do not make them lightly. and I believe that this proclamation is in line and is directed by the Holy Spirit. We as a church are preparing to return. We are preparing to come back into this sanctuary.

43:25 We are preparing to return to worship. We are preparing to return to this house. And I know many of you miss worship. I miss it. I know that when we run into people on the street that say, I miss coming into God's house. But I have something that the spirit wants me to share with every believer right now. That I believe that God is saying that when we come back into this space, we shall not be the same. We cannot be the same church. We cannot function as the same people, that we are a Pentecostal people, that the Spirit is calling us, is calling us to conviction. The Spirit is calling us to compassion. The Spirit is calling us to return, to return unto God in a special way. The Spirit is calling us to face our greatest traumas and our fears and to break barriers and strongholds and to witness the release of those who are captive.

44:37 God is saying to this space, to this village, we cannot come back the way we left. God is calling us to come back as a new body, a body that is willing to face our fears, A body that no longer can just be in church on a pew, but to know that we are part of a movement, a movement to share the compassion and the love of God with every human being we encounter. We are called to be a citadel of hope in an age of despair. We are called to transform this neighborhood right here. We are called as artists and as poets and as doctors and as engineers.