Joel 2:28-32

Frankie / General

Holy Spirit / Holy Spirit / Joel 2:28–32

 Welcome Holy Spirit

1. Last week, Christianity in the world celebrated the resurrection of Jesus Christ through Easter. The resurrection of Jesus means so much to us because it is through his resurrection that we have been given new life, a new direction and motivation in life. So, our lives are centered on Jesus and the new life in Jesus, not on any other standard. We believe in the resurrection of Jesus by faith, and we live our lives with the risen Christ, and that's what it means to be a Christian. Now, for today's sermon, let's close our eyes for a moment and meditate on the salvation, grace, and new life that Jesus offers us. Jesus has become our hope. Our hope is in him alone.

2. According to the church calendar, the upcoming season after Easter is the season, the advent of the Holy Spirit. 50 days after Easter is Sunday of the Holy Spirit, which this year is May 28. During this time, the church remembers the Holy Spirit promised by Jesus and reflects on what the Holy Spirit has done. Today, I'm going to reflect on the Holy Spirit in preparation for the upcoming Advent of the Holy Spirit. For my sermon, I'm going to read Joel 2:28-32.

Joel 2:28–32 (NKJV)

“And it shall come to pass afterward That I will pour out My Spirit on all flesh; Your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, Your old men shall dream dreams, Your young men shall see visions. And also on My menservants and on My maidservants I will pour out My Spirit in those days. “And I will show wonders in the heavens and in the earth: Blood and fire and pillars of smoke. The sun shall be turned into darkness, And the moon into blood, Before the coming of the great and awesome day of the Lord. And it shall come to pass That whoever calls on the name of the Lord Shall be saved. For in Mount Zion and in Jerusalem there shall be deliverance, As the Lord has said, Among the remnant whom the Lord calls.

3. What is your understanding of the Holy Spirit? During my time as a youth pastor, when I asked my students about the Holy Spirit, they often saw it as a supernatural and mysterious force that wields incredible power, beyond what any human could achieve. One common comparison they made was to the character of Superman from popular movies. Just like Superman, the Holy Spirit is seen as an otherworldly being that possesses extraordinary abilities and uses them to help humanity. Although the Holy Spirit is not a physical entity like Superman, this comparison captures the sense of awe and wonder that many people feel when contemplating the divine. Although the concept of the Holy Spirit as a powerful and supernatural force can help us understand its role to some extent, it can also be a hindrance. This view can lead us to think that the work of the Holy Spirit is always extraordinary and beyond the ordinary experiences of human life. As a result, when people discuss the Holy Spirit, they often focus on its gifts and fruits, which are seen as special manifestations of its power. However, this emphasis can sometimes obscure the more subtle ways in which the Holy Spirit works in our everyday lives, such as through the small moments of grace and compassion that we share with others. Therefore, while the concept of the Holy Spirit as a superhero-like figure may be appealing, it is important to recognize that its true power lies in its ability to transform our hearts and minds, and to guide us towards a life of love and service to others.

4. Peter uses Joel 2 to interpret the events they experienced in Mark's upper room. He speaks of the fulfillment of God's promise, a promise made by Jesus Christ in his ascension, now fulfilled by the coming of the Holy Spirit.

John 16:7–8 NKJV

Nevertheless I tell you the truth. It is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you; but if I depart, I will send Him to you. And when He has come, He will convict the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment:

John 16:9–11 NKJV

of sin, because they do not believe in Me; of righteousness, because I go to My Father and you see Me no more; of judgment, because the ruler of this world is judged.

Acts 1:7–8 NIV

He said to them: “It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”

5. As I prepare my sermon on the Holy Spirit, I've been reflecting on Peter's response to Jesus' promise to send the Spirit. This promise was made before the events of the cross, and it deeply impacted Peter. In theological terms, there are two important concepts for understanding God's work: predestination and foreknowledge. Paul used the term predestination to describe God's providence and guiding hand, while Peter understood God's work through the lens of foreknowledge, or God's ability to see and understand everything that will happen in the future. Although these two concepts may seem different, they are both ways of understanding God's work in the world. For example, when we look at Paul's conversion, we see a powerful demonstration of God's work that was completely different from what Paul had planned for himself. In this case, the term predestination is a helpful way to describe the unexpected nature of God's intervention. However, Peter's experience was different. For him, the most important aspect of Jesus' foreknowledge was that Jesus knew about Peter's betrayal and loved him anyway. This demonstrates the depth of God's compassion and grace, and shows us that even when we fall short, God's love remains constant.

John 13:1 M:BCL

Just before the Passover Feast, Jesus knew that the time had come to leave this world to go to the Father. Having loved his dear companions, he continued to love them right to the end.

Mark 14:72 NASB95

Immediately a rooster crowed a second time. And Peter remembered how Jesus had made the remark to him, “Before a rooster crows twice, you will deny Me three times.” And he began to weep.

6. Peter, the man who once betrayed Jesus, now leads a prayer group, eagerly waiting for the Holy Spirit that Jesus had promised to send after his resurrection. Although we know from history and literature that the Holy Spirit came 50 days after Jesus' resurrection, Peter was likely unaware of the exact timing. Nonetheless, the passage of time was no longer of concern to him. What mattered was that he had personally experienced the risen Jesus, and because of that, he had unwavering faith that the promised Holy Spirit would come. And so, he waited with anticipation and hope.

John 21:17–19 (NKJV)

He said to him the third time, “Simon, son of Jonah, do you love Me?” Peter was grieved because He said to him the third time, “Do you love Me?” And he said to Him, “Lord, You know all things; You know that I love You.” Jesus said to him, “Feed My sheep. Most assuredly, I say to you, when you were younger, you girded yourself and walked where you wished; but when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and another will gird you and carry you where you do not wish.” This He spoke, signifying by what death he would glorify God. And when He had spoken this, He said to him, “Follow Me.”

7. In my opinion, Peter was already filled with the Holy Spirit before the events in Mark's upper room, as evidenced by his transformation. Prior to receiving the Holy Spirit, Peter was unable to fully comprehend Jesus' teachings and was unable to fully follow his words. However, after the Holy Spirit came upon him, he was able to fully embrace Jesus' ministry and teachings. Furthermore, with the help of the Holy Spirit, he eagerly anticipated and prayed for the continued presence of the Holy Spirit in his life. We understand that without the aid of the Holy Spirit, we would be unable to acknowledge God as our Father and Jesus as our Savior. When I was in high school, I went on an evangelistic trip with my older college-aged siblings to a city where we sought to spread the gospel, but it was challenging. Despite meeting numerous people over five hours, it proved difficult to share the gospel with them and lead them to accept Jesus. There was one person who caught our attention, sitting outside and watching us for about two hours. He appeared unwell and intimidating, so we hesitated to approach him. However, I eventually approached him and asked if he had ever heard of Jesus. To my surprise, he began confessing to me, not in answer to my question, but about how he had been mistreated due to his appearance and how he had wanted to hear about the gospel, but nobody had approached him. I shared the gospel with him, and he agreed to come with me to the Wednesday prayer meeting. It wasn't an extraordinary event, but I firmly believe that the Holy Spirit moved me to witness the gospel to him.

Romans 8:15 M:BCL

This resurrection life you received from God is not a timid, grave-tending life. It’s adventurously expectant, greeting God with a childlike “What’s next, Papa?”

8. More often than not, the work of the Holy Spirit in our lives is unconventional and subtle. While speaking in special tongues, prophesying, and performing healings are notable manifestations of the Holy Spirit, it is the Holy Spirit's quiet transformative power that enables us to live as followers of Jesus, to boldly confess our faith, and to work together in unity with the church. Through the Holy Spirit, we are empowered to minister with one mind and one faith, even without spectacular displays of miraculous gifts.

1 Corinthians 12:4–6 NLT

There are different kinds of spiritual gifts, but the same Spirit is the source of them all. There are different kinds of service, but we serve the same Lord. God works in different ways, but it is the same God who does the work in all of us.

9. In the first century, the Holy Spirit was manifested in many ways in Christianity. Through the Holy Spirit, the disciples were able to perform acts similar to those of Jesus, as we see in Acts 3, and in the church of Corinth where Paul ministered. However, the work of the Holy Spirit also had unintended consequences. Some individuals believed that the power of the Holy Spirit made them special, and they boasted about their ability to prophesy, causing division and discord in the church. As a pastor, I'm disheartened to see this happening in our modern times. We don't possess the power of the Holy Spirit because we are special, but rather because the Holy Spirit is with us. Therefore, if there is division, fighting, or if only one person is in the spotlight, it may not be the work of the Holy Spirit. For where the Holy Spirit is at work, there is unity, and most importantly, a demonstration of love towards one another.

1 Corinthians 13:1–3 NKJV

Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I have become sounding brass or a clanging cymbal. And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, but have not love, it profits me nothing.

10. We gather here to worship because we have faith in Jesus. He gave us this faith and with the help of the Holy Spirit, we can confidently confess Him as our Lord. It's important that we don't follow other spirits and instead rely solely on the Holy Spirit to guide and assist us. Through the Holy Spirit, Jesus is revealed to us and we must remember to not draw attention to ourselves but to Jesus who refreshes, renews, and leads us. Jesus is our only master and it's important that we die to ourselves and allow Jesus to live within us.

Christ in me is to live To die is to gain
Christ in me is to liven To die is to gain
He's my King He's my song He's my life and He's my joy
He's my strength He's my sword He's my peace He's my Lord

11. Have you expressed in this song that you have been crucified with Jesus and are now living your life with Him? If so, it's not because of our own will or the words we say, but rather by the guidance of the Holy Spirit. It's only through the Holy Spirit's help that we're able to make such a confession. The Holy Spirit's greatest work, more significant than any mystery, is when we confess that we have accepted Jesus as our Savior despite our shortcomings and sins, and that we are now living with Him. This is truly the most remarkable work of the Holy Spirit. We have the Holy Spirit, sent by Jesus, with us. The Holy Spirit reminds us that Jesus lives in us. Let's listen to the Holy Spirit's voice and follow His guidance in our lives.

Galatians 2:20 NKJV

I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.