Tag Archives: Hear

The Clash – Sermon on Matthew 11:12-19 for Reformation Sunday

Matthew 11:12-19

12 From the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven has suffered violence, and the violent take it by force. 13 For all the Prophets and the Law prophesied until John, 14 and if you are willing to accept it, he is Elijah who is to come. 15 He who has ears to hear, let him hear.

16 “But to what shall I compare this generation? It is like children sitting in the marketplaces and calling to their playmates,

17 “‘We played the flute for you, and you did not dance; 
we sang a dirge, and you did not mourn.’

18 For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, ‘He has a demon.’ 19 The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, ‘Look at him! A glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!’ Yet wisdom is justified by her deeds.”

In the name of Jesus. Amen.

Do you believe that God uses the plans and actions of violent men to accomplish His will? I hope you can answer, “Yes.”

We don’t normally think of it this way, but the cross is the greatest example of God’s will being accomplished through the actions of evil men. The very event that won your salvation was the height of mankind’s rebellion against God. The world planned, plotted, and schemed to put the Son of God to death (Mt. 12:14; Mk. 3:6; Jn. 11:47-53). Christ’s death on the cross was the most unjust act ever committed by mankind. Jesus, the only person to ever live a righteous and sinless life, was condemned and crucified. And it was through Christ’s death that death itself was undone. There, on the cross, God won your salvation.

So, if God can accomplish your salvation through the actions of violent men – which He has, He absolutely has – then you don’t ever have to fear any evil in this world. The plans and actions of evil men never stop God and His will. When we see all the violence, upheaval, and opposition in this world, it can be easy to fall into despair and think that God isn’t in control. But He is – no question He is. Christ is still ruling and reigning over all things. And God’s will is still done.

Still today, God destroys and brings to nothing every evil council and purpose of the devil, the world, and our own flesh. His Name is still hallowed. His kingdom still comes. God continues to strengthen and keep us steadfast in His Word and in faith. This is His good and gracious will that we pray would be done in the Lord’s Prayer.

So, believer, every night when you go to bed, you can close your eyes in the peace and comfort of knowing that your sins are forgiven because of what Christ has done. Even as the world constantly clashes against the kingdom of heaven, you have God’s comfort and peace that surpasses all understanding (Php. 4:7).

Ever since the Fall into sin, there has been a clash between fallen humanity and God. This clash is rightly described when theologians make a distinction between believers on earth and believers in heaven. Christian, as long as you are in this world, you are part of the “Church militant,” and when you are removed from this world – either when you die or when Christ returns – you are transferred to the “Church triumphant.”

In this text, Jesus teaches us how to live as members of the “Church militant.” And this is important and helpful instruction because the clash between this fallen world and you citizens of the kingdom of heaven, that clash can make us want to fight back against the world. But you don’t need to fight because Jesus has already won the war.

So, in this text – which is not an easy text – Christ helps you understand how to live when you face violence and opposition in this world. There are two portions of this text that I’ve always found confusing and somewhat difficult. The first deals with the violence the Church faces in this world. The second deals with the world’s opposition and ridicule of the Church. We’ll think our way through each of them; then, we’ll see how Jesus tells us to respond.

The first difficult part is right away in v. 12 where Jesus addresses the violence that faces the Church. Our Lord says, “From the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven has suffered violence,” no problems so far. It’s what comes next, “and the violent take it by force.” What is Jesus talking about? Do the violent seize control of the kingdom? No. There’s something else going on. But we have to wade through all of this to get the full picture.

Both John the Baptist and Jesus came preaching the exact same message “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand” (Mt. 3:2; 4:17). And the world didn’t like that message. It turns out – surprise, surprise – that people who don’t think they’re sinners, they don’t want to be told to repent. So, they violently attacked the messengers. John’s preaching got him arrested, and soon after this text, John will be beheaded (Mt. 14:1-12). At this point in Matthew’s gospel, Jesus is still a couple of years from being crucified, but it’s coming.

That violence against the kingdom of heaven that John and Jesus faced continues to this day. It’s happening all over the world – even here in our country. The shootings at Annunciation School in Minneapolis, the Christian school in Nashville, Charlie Kirk’s martyrdom, and many other events are part of this clash. Today, in North Korea, China, Egypt, and all around the world, Christians are being violently persecuted. Just this week, I saw horrifying statistics from Nigeria. Since the year 2000, 62,000 Christians have been martyred there, and already in 2025, 7,000 have been martyred. Yes, the kingdom of heaven still suffers violence. Lord, have mercy.

So, what does Jesus mean with that last phrase, “the violent take it by force”? Again, it isn’t that the violent gain possession or ownership or control of the kingdom of heaven by force. Instead, they try to take it away by force. In other words, this world actively tries to prevent the coming of God’s kingdom. But they will never succeed.

The second part of the text that can be confusing starts in v. 16 where Jesus is trying to figure out how to describe ‘this generation.’ “To what shall I compare this generation? It is like children sitting in the marketplaces and calling to their playmates, ‘We played the flute for you, and you did not dance. We sang a dirge, and you did not mourn.’”

In a way, this is a little parable. The generation Jesus is speaking about isn’t just the generation of His time. The children in the marketplace are the same violent people Jesus talked about in v. 12 – it’s the generation of sinners. Sinners aren’t happy with anything. Basically, they say, “We were happy, but you weren’t happy with us. We were sad, and you didn’t get sad with us.” And Jesus goes on to explain that little poem to illustrate how the world reacts to the kingdom of heaven. The explanation is seen in how this generation reacted to John the Baptizer and to Jesus Himself.

In short, neither John nor Jesus followed the world. John wouldn’t dance when the world wanted him to. He came eating locusts and honey, and he wasn’t feasting with them because he was too busy calling them to repentance. They thought John’s preaching was too pessimistic. They figured things weren’t as bad as John said they were. So, they tried to dismiss John saying, “You won’t dance to our flute? You must have a demon.”

But then Jesus came, and He did eat and drink. He went to many feasts throughout His ministry. He went to dinners at Pharisees’ houses (Lk. 7:36ff; 14:1ff). Jesus feasted with tax collectors and sinners (Mk. 2:15-17; Mt. 9:10-13; Lk. 15:1), and the world didn’t like that either. Christ wouldn’t mourn during their dirges and funeral songs. So, just like they did with John, they tried to dismiss Jesus saying, “You’re a glutton, a drunkard,” (both of which are ridiculous accusations), “a friend of tax collectors and sinners.”

In other words, dear saints, you can live a life of fasting that avoids all of the pleasures this world seeks because you know this world is not all there is. And people will respond by calling you evil and demonic. You can also live a life where you participate and eat and drink, and people will say that you are a glutton and a drunkard.

So, Jesus is saying you can’t win with the world. Yes, there is a time for fasting and saying that the things of this world don’t matter. And there is also a time for feasting and enjoying the fullness of the gifts God has given. But it doesn’t matter to the world if you fast or feast, the world is going to hate you – not because of your eating and drinking or your abstaining. The world is going to hate you, dear saints, simply because you are a citizen of the kingdom of heaven.

So, what should our response be? How do we live in a generation that violently attacks and opposes the Gospel?

Well, first, recognize that the kingdom of heaven advances through the simple, unimpressive Word of God that can be attacked and resisted. The kingdom of God advances through the preaching of the Gospel because faith comes by hearing (Ro. 10:17). In other words, listen. Jesus puts it this way, “He who has ears to hear, let him hear” (Mt. 11:15).

One of the most important lessons from the Reformation is that we don’t need to talk as much as we need to listen. Christians are first and foremost hearers. You hear the Law which stops your mouth and makes you silently accountable to God (Ro. 3:19). Stop making excuses for your sin and be silent before God. Then, hear the Gospel, which forgives all your sin.

The other response to the violence and opposition from this generation is to patiently wait. Jesus says, “Wisdom is justified by her deeds” (Mt. 11:19). That means that the day is coming when your faith and your identity as a member of the kingdom will be proven true. No one will be able to deny the wisdom you had in confessing your sin and believing in Jesus. That right fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom (Pr. 9:10).

Christian, you do not need to try to make God’s kingdom come. God is, and He will, bring about the coming of His kingdom. In the meantime, He arms you with the sword of His Word (Eph. 6:17). The sword of God’s Word doesn’t function like any other sword because it is the sword that makes the wounded whole. Use that sword to heal this broken generation. And pray. Pray, “Lord, keep us steadfast in Your Word.”

When this world is filled with wickedness, when violence surrounds you, when the evil people oppose you, and when all of this is clashing down around you, remember what Jesus says to you. “Fear not, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom” (Lk. 12:32). Alleluia! Amen.

The peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus (Php. 4:7). Amen.

Broken Bonds – Sermon on Mark 7:31-37 for the Twelfth Sunday after Trinity

Mark 7:31–37

31 Then he returned from the region of Tyre and went through Sidon to the Sea of Galilee, in the region of the Decapolis. 32 And they brought to him a man who was deaf and had a speech impediment, and they begged him to lay his hand on him. 33 And taking him aside from the crowd privately, he put his fingers into his ears, and after spitting touched his tongue. 34 And looking up to heaven, he sighed and said to him, “Ephphatha,” that is, “Be opened.” 35 And his ears were opened, his tongue was released, and he spoke plainly. 36 And Jesus charged them to tell no one. But the more he charged them, the more zealously they proclaimed it. 37 And they were astonished beyond measure, saying, “He has done all things well. He even makes the deaf hear and the mute speak.”

In the name of Jesus. Amen.

Imagine you’re being punished for something – it doesn’t matter what – and the punishment is that you will be sent to live on the moon, which has become a penal colony. (This is my analogy, so I get to make the rules.) You will never be allowed to return, and no one is allowed to visit you. You beg the judge for mercy, and he gives you a choice between two options.

The first option is that you can have a magic mirror, like the one from Beauty and the Beast, but it doesn’t transmit any sound. That mirror will allow you to see your spouse, kids, parents, siblings, and friends, but you can’t speak to them or hear them. And the mirror is on a ten second delay that doesn’t allow any communication. It blacks out if there are letters, so they can’t wear a shirt that says, “I love you,” or hold up a note; it also doesn’t allow any sign language, thumbs up, hand hearts, or anything like that. (Again, this is my analogy, so I can make the magic mirror do whatever I want.)

The second option the judge gives you is that you can have a magic phone that lets you talk to your family and friends whenever you want, but you will never be able to see them. Which option would you choose? I’d bet we’d all take the phone. We’d rather be able to have a conversation and communicate with our loved ones than simply look at or watch them because God created us for communion and communication – with Himself and with others. It isn’t good for man to be alone (Gen. 2:18). This is why God created us with ears to hear and mouths to speak. Besides the angels, humans are the only created things that interact with God and others through words.

In Genesis, God speaks to Adam before Adam says anything, and the first words Adam heard were, “You may surely eat of every tree of the garden, but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die” (Gen. 2:16-17). God promised to provide Adam with all the delightful food and nourishment he would need. You can think of God’s first words to Adam as a sermon, which is basically, “Listen Adam, I’ll take care of every need you have. I don’t want you to ever know what evil is. Just trust Me on this – evil is bad.” So, God created Adam to hear His Word and, by hearing that Word, Adam would trust and believe. But God also created Adam to speak.

The first recorded words of Adam in Scripture are his response to seeing the bride God made for him. “This at last is bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of man” (Gen. 2:23). However, we know that Adam used his voice prior to that because, before God created the woman, God had Adam give names to all the animals. Genesis would be a whole lot longer if it gave us all those details. “God brought Adam a four-legged, creature with black and white stripes, and Adam called it, ‘Zebra.’” By naming the animals, we have a concrete example of how Adam is created in God’s image. Like God did with Day, Night, Heaven, Earth, and Seas (Gen. 1:5, 8, 10), Adam joins with God in naming parts of creation.

That is why, when we consider this text, we know that this deaf and mute man’s condition is so pitiful. He isn’t what God created him to be. He can’t hear or communicate like he should. But Jesus releases this man to be what he was created to be and to do what he was created to do. Christ opens His ears to hear and releases his tongue to speak. Our translation there does a decent job by using the word “released,” but the Greek is even more vivid. In Greek, the text says, “the cords of his tongue are untied.” Jesus breaks the bonds that imprisoned this man to a lonely world without any communication. With one word, “Ephphatha,” Christ, the Word made flesh, restores this man to be what God had created him to be. A man who speaks rightly and plainly. (The Greek says that he speaks ‘orthodoxly.’)

Our Epistle reading today (Ro. 10:9-17) also highlighted the importance of hearing and speaking. “Faith comes by hearing” (Ro. 10:17). God’s Word goes into your ears, and the Holy Spirit creates faith in your heart. Then, with the mouth you confess and are saved (Ro. 10:10). We are created to first hear God’s Word which creates faith. Second, we are created to confess with our mouths, pray to God, and praise Him. This is what God intended for our lives. He speaks, and we respond. Over and over. Even now, after the Fall, prayer and faith is a continual conversation with God.

When we understand how sin has bound and imprisoned both our hearing and speaking, we can start to see how far we have fallen. The things that come out of our mouth should cause us extreme grief and shame (Mt. 15:11). James 3:8-10 says that our sinful tongue is a restless evil full of deadly poison that lives in contradiction. We use our tongues to bless our Lord and Father, but then we turn around and curse people who are made in the likeness of God. This should not be so. It doesn’t help that, most of the time, the damage our tongues do to our neighbor goes unpunished. You aren’t going to be fined or jailed for gossip or so-called “little white lies.” Christian, with God’s help, you need to control your tongue and ask for mercy for the havoc your tongue causes in creation.

You also need to guard the communication you have with yourself in your mind. Philippians 4:8 says that we are to think about whatever is true, honorable, just, pure, lovely, commendable, excellent, and worthy of praise. Your mind, and the minds of others, is never a vacuum. You’re always communicating something – even if it’s only with yourself. That is why we always need to put the most charitable construction on the actions of others. When we think they are doing things for wrong motives, we are more prone to think that they do the same toward us.

Here, Jesus tells this man and the people present to not tell anyone about the miracle. Jesus will periodically do this. We don’t always know why, but we do see in other instances that, when people disobey this kind of command, Christ’s ministry is hindered (Mk. 1:45). When Jesus tells you to be silent, be silent. But, and this is me speaking here, I think we Christians have adopted the attitude that this command is for everyone all the time. But that is wrong. There are other times where Jesus will tell people to return home and declare to others how much God has done for them (Mk. 5:19).

Yes, there are times to be silent but not always. The world needs to hear what God has done; the world needs to hear God’s truth very badly. There is a phenomenon in group communication called “the Abilene paradox” which is when a group of people decide on a course of action that is contrary to the preferences of all or most of the individuals in that group.

It was named that because of a story by a guy named Jerry Harvey where a family is comfortably playing dominoes on a porch in Texas. The father-in-law thinks everyone else is bored, so he suggests they take a hot, 50-mile drive to Abilene, TX to have dinner. His wife says, “Sounds like a great idea. I haven’t been to Abilene in a long time.” Their daughter goes along with it as does the son-in-law. So, the four of them hop in the car to Abilene. The drive is miserable, hot, and dusty. The food is as bad as the drive. When they return, one of them dishonestly says, “That was a great trip, wasn’t it?” But the mother-in-law says she only went because everyone else was so enthusiastic about it. Their daughter says she wanted to keep everyone happy. The son-in-law confesses he didn’t want to go either, and the father-in-law admits he only suggested it because he thought everyone else was bored. So, the four of them sit back perplexed that they collectively decided to take a trip none of them wanted to go on. They all would have preferred to sit comfortably playing dominoes. The only thing that needed to happen to spare them the misery of that trip was for one of those four to speak up.

I wonder – and, again, this is my own speculation – if that is part of the reason our world and culture is so crazy right now. We Christians are afraid to simply confess the truth. Many people are insisting on things that are completely contrary to what is so obviously true. Just think of how often people want to redefine marriage or call a baby in a mother’s womb a cancerous tumor (yes, I actually heard someone say that), and a whole host of other insane things. The world needs us Christians to confess the truth. But too often, we are cowered into the corner and keep silent because we don’t want to rock the boat or be offensive. Christian, God has given you a mouth and voice. If you don’t use it and let the culture dictate the conversation, the world descends into chaos.

Christian, Jesus has opened your deaf ears and broken the bonds of your tongue to speak what is right, good, and true. Do that. Do it boldly. Do it lovingly. Do it with conviction.

Again, in our Epistle reading we hear, “Everyone who believes in [Jesus] will not be put to shame” (Ro. 10:11). And remember that Scripture connects believing with confessing (Ro. 10:8-9). When you speak the truth, you might be mocked, ridiculed, and told to be silent, but speaking the truth in love will never end in you being ashamed.

Dear saints, the bonds of your mute tongue and deaf ears have been broken by the Savior. Bring Christ and His work into your conversations around the coffee pot at work and in the bleachers at your kids’ games. Talk about Jesus while you eat with your children and buy groceries. Praise Him in the doctor’s office and wherever you go (Dt. 6:4-9). This is what you have been created, bought, and cleansed for. God speaks. We listen, respond, and declare that He does all things well.

Jesus is here today. He has opened your ears to hear His Word of forgiveness and mercy. He opens your mouth now to receive His Body and Blood. And Christ sends you from here with His praise on your tongue. Confess His name, proclaim His work, and declare His truth to the ends of the earth. Amen.

The peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Amen.

The Lasting Legacy of Pentecost – Sermon on Acts 2:1-21, 36 for the Day of Pentecost

Acts 2:1–21, 36

1 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.’

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.”

In the name of Jesus. Amen.

With all the amazing things that happened on the Day of Pentecost, it’s easy to miss the most amazing thing God did when He poured out the Holy Spirit on all flesh (Act. 2:17; Joe. 2:28-29). Our attention is so quickly and easily grabbed by the wowie-zowie things, that we get distracted from the lasting gift that God bestows with this giving of the Holy Spirit. Pentecost is about the sounds, not the sights. It’s about the audible rather than the visible. The work of the Holy Spirit is not so much in what is seen as in what is heard.

Yes, there are tongues of fire that rest on those believers, but as best as we can tell, those tongues of fire were only seen by the 120 Christian believers who had gathered together in one place (Act. 1:15). Notice, there is the sound of a mighty, rushing wind (Act. 2:2), but curtains aren’t flapping, dust isn’t flying, hats aren’t blowing down the street. It’s only the sound, and that sound fills the house where they are gathered. These 120 believers are filled with the Holy Spirit and are given the ability to speak in languages that represented every nation that existed, but they hadn’t ever learned those languages (Act. 2:5, 8-11).

It is that sound of wind that draws the bewildered multitude to the apostles (Act. 2:6). The people from all those nations weren’t drawn like moths that saw a flame; no, they were drawn by the sound. And those people heard something even more amazing. They heard those believers declaring the mighty works of God in their native languages. For some, that message led to further curiosity, “What does this mean?” But for some, it led to mocking, “They are drunk and filled with wine” (Act. 2:13).

Now, consider that accusation as I slightly modernize it. Imagine you are there in that crowd. All the people from Italy are standing around someone who’s speaking Italian, and they’re listening intently because they can understand. All the Brazilians gather around the guy speaking Portuguese. All the people from France, and 22.8% of the Canadians who speak French, are listening to someone speaking French. You hear the guy who’s speaking American,[1] and you can understand everything because it is being spoken fluently. You hear the Gospel. You are told that God came in the flesh of Jesus. You hear that He suffered, bled, died on the cross, rose again from the dead, and ascended into heaven. And you hear that Christ did all of this to forgive you of your sins and give you eternal life.

After hearing that message in American, you go over to the people who speak Portuguese (because, of course, people who speak French are rude) and you ask in one of the ‘commercial, business’ languages – either Greek, Latin, or Aramaic – what they heard. And it’s the same Gospel message. The only difference was that they heard it in Portuguese – fluent, articulate Portuguese. So, it’s clear that these Galilean hillbillies are speaking languages they didn’t know. Your conclusion would probably not be, “Oh, they must be drunk.” Getting drunk doesn’t endow a person with fluency in another language. In short, it probably wasn’t the act of speaking in other languages that elicited that accusation; instead, it was probably the content of what was being said. “You’re saying that God came to earth as a human. But He did it to die, and by that death I’m forgiven? You must be drunk.”

But the sounds of Pentecost still aren’t done. Peter stands up, and here is where we see the most amazing thing about Pentecost. Peter doesn’t stand up to perform a visible sign. He doesn’t heal the sick, cast out demons, or raise the dead. Peter stands up to speak and preach a Holy Spirit-inspired sermon to the entire crowd. That should be astounding to us.

We know Peter and what kind of man he was just fifty-three days before Pentecost. A young servant girl had simply asked Peter if he knew who Jesus was, and that led to Peter denying Jesus three times (Mk. 14:66-72). But now Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, preaches to a crowd of over 3,000 people. And it is a bold sermon. He doesn’t hold back. He does point to Jesus with the sermon, but not with loud Gospel overtones.

I’ll just summarize his sermon. “Men of Israel, Jesus was here just a short time ago. He did all sorts of miracles, and you know about them. You know He was sent by God, yet you put Him to death. Now, we have seen Him raised from the grave. This Jesus has now ascended into heaven. He has all authority in heaven and on earth, and He will use that authority for the sake of His Church until He has put all His enemies under His feet. That’s a big problem for you because you put Him to death and are His enemy. You’re in trouble. Amen.”

It’s a sermon that would have been highly criticized in seminary because it doesn’t really contain any Gospel. How does a guy like Peter preach like that, especially because he preaching that accusation against himself? Peter knows his own guilt. The only explanation is that Peter was filled with the Holy Spirit and emboldened in a remarkable way. The sermon itself is a miracle. But then, the response to that sermon is even more miraculous.

Over 3,000 people ask, “What can we do?” Before this, the crowds had heard some amazing things and wondered what it all meant, but now? Now, they are cut to the heart (Act. 2:37), and they recognize their guilt. This is amazing because most of them probably were not present in the crowd on Good Friday crying out, “Crucify, crucify Him.” The foremost expert on the history and practices of this time, a guy named Alfred Edersheim, says that there may have been some overlap but the majority of the people there for the Day of Pentecost weren’t there for the Passover. So, Peter is addressing a crowd of hardened sinners who could have offered all sorts of excuses arguing for their innocence of Jesus’ death. But over 3,000 of them don’t. They confess and repent with a simple, “What shall we do?” (Act. 2:37).

And Peter adds a postscript to his sermon and tells them, “Repent and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit” (Act. 2:38). That very day, 3,000 souls were saved. 

They were given faith. They were also given and filled with the Holy Spirit. But that filling of 3,000 people with the Holy Spirit is so understated. Luke doesn’t tell us about another mightier wind that rushed even louder. No. They confess, repent, get Baptized, and are filled with the Holy Spirit. They are saved. How were they saved? Through the Holy Spirit’s work of pointing sinners to Jesus in simple preaching and through the Holy Spirit’s working through water and the Word. And through those means, the Holy Spirit creates faith.

Dear saints, that same miraculous work of the Holy Spirit through preaching continues today. In fact, that is what is happening even now. It is through God’s Word proclaimed by the mouth is this sinner that the Holy Spirit is creating, strengthening, and sustaining your faith. Right now, through God’s Word, the Holy Spirit is filling this place and pointing you to Jesus (Jn. 15:26).

Don’t think for one minute that the Holy Spirit isn’t working just because you don’t see whatever you think might be evidence of the Holy Spirit. The lasting legacy of Pentecost is that the Holy Spirit points sinners to Christ. Jesus Himself said that’s the Holy Spirit’s work (Jn. 15:26). Right here, right now, the Holy Spirit is calling, gathering, enlightening, sanctifying, and preserving you in the one true faith. He is here abundantly forgiving you of your sin. And the Holy Spirit invites you now to Jesus’ table where He will work through other means, through bread and wine which are Jesus’ Body and Blood. Come, receive, and be filled with the Holy Spirit. Amen.

The peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Amen.

[1] Yes, I know ‘American’ isn’t an official language.