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THE DAY OF PENTECOSTJune 8, 2025Pastor Tom SteersChrist the Saviour Lutheran ChurchOUR OPENING HYMN: 913 “O Holy Spirit, Enter In”Lutheran Service Book The Invocation Page 184 Confession and Absolution Page 184-185The Introit (Psalm 104:24, 27-28, 30 antiphon: liturgical text)Come, Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of the faithful, and kindle in them the fire of your love. Alleluia. O Lord, how manifold are your works! In wisdom have you made them all; the earth is full of your creatures. These all look to you, to give them their food in due season. When you give it to them, they gather it up; when you open your hand, they are filled with good things. When you send forth your Spirit, they are created, and you renew the face of the ground. Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit; as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be forever. Amen. Come, Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of the faithful, and kindle in them the fire of your love. Alleluia.The Kyrie (Lord Have Mercy)Lord Have mercy upon us.Christ have mercy upon us.Lord Have mercy upon us.Our Collect Prayer: Almighty God, by Your great goodness mercifully look upon Your people that we may be governed and preserved evermore in body and soul; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.OUR BIBLE READINGS –Old Testament Reading: Genesis 11:1-9 Psalm 143 Epistle Reading: Acts 2:1-21 Gospel Reading John 14:23-27 THE APOSTLES’ CREED P. 192 HYMN OF THE DAY: 498 “Come, Holy Ghost, Creator Blest”THE SERMON –How much of the Spirit do you have?And on this Day of Pentecost, how do we receive Him?Our Bible readings today provide answers.In our text from Acts, the Apostle Peter quotes the Prophet Joel at length.Most of the content of Peter’s sermon may not seem to have much to do with Pentecost. Yet in Peter’s address to the crowds, two verses from the Book of Joel make a definite connection.Peter quotes: “I will pour out of My Spirit on all flesh; your sons and your daughters shall prophesy,” and “And it shall come to pass that everyone who calls upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.”First, Peter says that speaking in tongues at Pentecost was prophesied by Joel. Men and women of the small community of believers were speaking about the wonderful works of God. Everyone could understand them in their own languages, not some unknown babble.The implications are huge. God was pouring out His Spirit, not just on a crowd at the first Christian Pentecost, but on all flesh today. And not only on those men who preach, but all people who believe the preached Good News. Peter isn’t saying all flesh has the Spirit, that every human being now has faith in Christ as Saviour. Many do not.Yet the Holy Spirit given on Pentecost didn’t come once, never to come again. Where is He? Do we look for signs like flames, or speaking in tongues? Just as the Spirit was at work then, He continues to be at work today.We know the preaching of the Word is accompanied by the Spirit, always. We hear in Mark 16, verse 20: “they went out and preached everywhere, while the Lord worked with them and confirmed the message by accompanying signs.”Those signs today are conversion and faith.The Word of God and the work of the Holy Spirit is as powerful now as it always was.Thousands around the world come to Christ every day.A number of different studies estimate that more people have converted from Islam to Christianity during the 21st century than at any other point in history. Despite the fact that Muslims who convert to Christianity face social rejection, imprisonment, or worse.The Holy Spirit has bound Himself to the Word, so that where it’s taught in purity as Law & Gospel, He is working to convict, convert, renew, and sustain.The Apostle Paul in 1st Corinthians (2:12-13a) explains:“Now we have received not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might understand the things freely given us by God. And we impart this in words not taught by human wisdom but taught by the Spirit . . . .”Faith itself is a gift.And on any day the Word is preached, the flame of the Spirit is there. The burning visible sign may be absent, but the Spirit is not. And what are visible signs compared to the salvation of souls? The Spirit is not concerned with making a show.He’s about bringing mercy and grace to fallen sinners.About spreading the message of salvation through Christ, the only Son of the Father.Why is this so important?In the Small Catechism of Martin Luther, the Reformer tells us in explaining the Third Article of the Apostles’ Creed:“I believe that I cannot by my own reason or strength believe in Jesus Christ, my Lord, or come to Him; but the Holy Spirit has called me by the Gospel, enlightened me with His gifts, sanctified and kept me in the true faith. In the same way He calls, gathers, enlightens, and sanctifies the whole Christian church on earth, and keeps it with Jesus Christ in the one true faith. In this Christian church He daily and richly forgives all my sins and the sins of all believers. On the Last Day He will raise me and all the dead, and give eternal life to me and all believers in Christ.”Christ, the ascended Lord, has come to His whole Church through the Holy Spirit.This Man, who is also God, has sent the Spirit to us.Are you filled with the Spirit? You are a Christian.The answer is that simple, that wonderful.The crucified Second Person of the Trinity through whom God created the universe, sent His spirit to you,Through the Church.Through His Word and Sacraments.And for your salvation.Some may point to the words, “call on the name” as if a person must make an outward appeal to Christ in order to be saved. But that’s un-Biblical.And it denies Christ’s words to the Apostles when He told them, ‘you didn’t choose Me, I chose you.The same is true for us.Peter explains, “Repent and let every one of you be baptized in the Name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promise is to you and to your children, and to all who are afar off, as many as the Lord our God will call.”We know that where there is the remission, the taking away, of sins, there is life and salvation. We know the washing of regeneration and renewal is a way the Holy Spirit is poured out on all flesh. And we read in the Bible that these things are also for children.In Baptism, the Name of God, including Christ, is put upon each of us. This means that you, sitting here today, are included in God's promise — He has called you by name.Do you have the Spirit? Yes, you do Christian.You can know this. We needn’t check our feelings, but rely on God’s promises.How much of the Spirit we have is not the question.The Spirit is Almighty God, full of mercy for sinners. If you have the tip of His pinkie, if there were such a thing, that would be enough.Yet, if you reject the Spirit by rejecting the things He gives, that’s different. If you’ve heard the Word, but reject Christ, you’re pushing the Spirit away. If you’ve been Baptized but don’t care whether you live in repentance or whether you’re part of the Church, you are pushing the Spirit away.If you’re a Christian but deny that the Lord’s Supper is the true body and blood of our Lord under the bread and wine, you’re pushing the Spirit away.Why would anyone do that? Christ, sitting in glory with His Father, has sent the Holy Spirit to give you all His gifts: forgiveness, resurrection, and eternal life. He is such a loving Giver of gifts, why would anyone push Him away?Instead, let us praise the glory of God’s salvation, and give thanks that He has made us His dwelling place, in which the Spirit lives. May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, be with you all.Amen.PRAYERS OF THE CHURCHSERVICE OF THE SACRAMENT Page 194 SANCTUS (Holy, Holy, Holy) Page 195 THE LORD’S PRAYER Page 196AGNUS DEI (Lamb of God) Hymn 962 THE DISTRIBUTION NUNC DIMITIS (Song of Simeon) Page 199 Post-Communion Collect (Left-hand column) Page 201 CLOSING HYMN: 768 “To God the Holy Spirit Let Us Pray”