Pentecost: The Burn Ban is Over
May 24, 2026
CENTRAL TEXT: Acts 2:1-24, 32-33, 36-47
When the day of Pentecost arrived, they were all together in one place. 2 And suddenly there came from heaven a sound like a mighty rushing wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. 3 And divided tongues as of fire appeared to them and rested on each one of them. 4 And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance.
5 Now there were dwelling in Jerusalem Jews, devout men from every nation under heaven. 6 And at this sound the multitude came together, and they were bewildered, because each one was hearing them speak in his own language. 7 And they were amazed and astonished, saying, “Are not all these who are speaking Galileans? 8 And how is it that we hear, each of us in his own native language? 9 Parthians and Medes and Elamites and residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, 10 Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya belonging to Cyrene, and visitors from Rome, 11 both Jews and proselytes, Cretans and Arabians—we hear them telling in our own tongues the mighty works of God.” 12 And all were amazed and perplexed, saying to one another, “What does this mean?” 13 But others mocking said, “They are filled with new wine.”
14 But Peter, standing with the eleven, lifted up his voice and addressed them: “Men of Judea and all who dwell in Jerusalem, let this be known to you, and give ear to my words. 15 For these people are not drunk, as you suppose, since it is only the third hour of the day. 16 But this is what was uttered through the prophet Joel:
17 “‘And in the last days it shall be, God declares,
that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh,
and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy,
and your young men shall see visions,
and your old men shall dream dreams;
18 even on my male servants and female servants
in those days I will pour out my Spirit, and they shall prophesy.
19 And I will show wonders in the heavens above
and signs on the earth below,
blood, and fire, and vapor of smoke;
20 the sun shall be turned to darkness
and the moon to blood,
before the day of the Lord comes, the great and magnificent day.
21 And it shall come to pass that everyone who calls upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.’
22 “Men of Israel, hear these words: Jesus of Nazareth, a man attested to you by God with mighty works and wonders and signs that God did through him in your midst, as you yourselves know— 23 this Jesus, delivered up according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God, you crucified and killed by the hands of lawless men. 24 God raised him up, loosing the pangs of death, because it was not possible for him to be held by it…
32 This Jesus God raised up, and of that we all are witnesses. 33 Being therefore exalted at the right hand of God, and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, he has poured out this that you yourselves are seeing and hearing…
36 Let all the house of Israel therefore know for certain that God has made him both Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom you crucified.”
37 Now when they heard this they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?” 38 And Peter said to them, “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 For the promise is for you and for your children and for all who are far off, everyone whom the Lord our God calls to himself.” 40 And with many other words he bore witness and continued to exhort them, saying, “Save yourselves from this crooked generation.” 41 So those who received his word were baptized, and there were added that day about three thousand souls.
42 And they devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers. 43 And awe came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were being done through the apostles. 44 And all who believed were together and had all things in common. 45 And they were selling their possessions and belongings and distributing the proceeds to all, as any had need. 46 And day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they received their food with glad and generous hearts, 47 praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved.
PRE SERVICE TEXT: ACTS 2:32-32
This Jesus God raised up, and of that we all are witnesses. 33 Being therefore exalted at the right hand of God, and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, he has poured out this that you yourselves are seeing and hearing…
CALL TO WORSHIP: based on Psalm 105:1-2; Romans 5:5; Revelation 4:8
LEADER: The love of God has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us;
ALL: we dwell in him and he in us.
Give thanks to the Lord and call upon his name;
ALL: make known his deeds among the peoples.
Sing to him, sing praises to him,
ALL: and speak of all his marvelous works.
Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God almighty,
ALL: who was and is and is to come!
NT READING: John 20:19-22
LEADER: On the evening of that day, the first day of the week, the doors being locked where the disciples were for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said to them, “Peace be with you.” 20 When he had said this, he showed them his hands and his side. Then the disciples were glad when they saw the Lord. 21 Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, even so I am sending you.” 22 And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit.”
LEADER: The word of the LORD.
ALL: Thanks be to God
Celebration of the Lord's Supper
CONFESSION OF SIN: An adapted prayer by Scott Cervas
LEADER: Let us confess our sin to the Lord.
ALL: Holy Spirit,
you move around us and we wave you away
as if you are a fly getting too close to our heads.
You move among us, but we have different ideas
that are more about us and our agenda than you and Yours.
You move within us, but sometimes we just aren’t willing
to risk our own reputations to embrace your radical vision
for Jesus to increase and for us to decrease.
But, deep down, we know that we need to move beyond ourselves.
We know that the church needs to move beyond itself.
So keep moving. Keep moving around us, among us, and within us.
Keep moving us so that like You we can make much of Jesus.
Amen.
ASSURANCE OF PARDON: Romans 8:1-4
LEADER: There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. [2] For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death. [3] For God has done what the law, weakened by the flesh, could not do. By sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin, he condemned sin in the flesh, [4] in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.
ALL: Hallelujah!
RELATED SCRIPTURES:
Exodus 3:1-14; 31:3
Joel 2
Micah 3:8
Luke 1:41; 24:49
John 3:5-8; 20:21-22
Romans 10:14-17
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:
- Acts 2:2 says that a mighty rushing wind came “suddenly.” Why is the Spirit’s suddenness significant as it relates to how the Spirit moves in us according to John 3:5-8?
- Luke tells us that tongues like fire rested upon the disciples (Acts 2:3). What does fire often represent in the Bible as it relates to God? Read Exodus 3:1-14 and the story of the burning bush as a good starting place.
- The Holy Spirit empowered ordinary believers to boldly proclaim “the mighty works of God” to people from every nation (v.11). How does this challenge the tendency to treat Christianity as private or merely moral instead of gospel-centered and mission-oriented?
- The Spirit enabled the disciples to speak in ways they couldn’t have spoken on their own for the sake of spiritual renewal. While Pentecost was a unique event in redemptive history, how might the Holy Spirit desire to give you ways of speaking that you don’t naturally possess? For instance, with whom might He be inviting you to boldly share the gospel? And with whom might you need to ask good questions rather than tell them the law?
- What do you notice about the focus of the sermon after Pentecost? Why is it significant that the first Christian sermon is centered on Christ rather than on personal spiritual experience? How does this help us evaluate modern ideas about spirituality, revival, and the work of the Holy Spirit?
- Acts 2:42–47 describes the early church as devoted to the apostles teaching, fellowship, prayer, and generosity. Which of those feel most countercultural right now? How might the Spirit be leading you to help our church to live more like the Spirit-filled community described in Acts 2?
Quotes:
Without the Spirit of God we can do nothing. We are as ships without wind, or chariots without steeds; like branches without sap, we are withered; like coals without fire, we are useless.
- Charles Spurgeon
The “What would Jesus do?” (or WWJD) gospel is not a gospel at all. It is the law—the good law…The Good News is not “Give your life to Jesus” or “Surrender all”—actions we take—but the truth that the incarnate Son gave his life and surrendered all for you. Apart from this Good News, the example of Jesus leads us either to despair or to self-righteousness.
- Michael Horton
BOOKS / DOCS:
Herman Bavinck, The Wonderful Works of God