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What a change had taken place! Fifty days ago the disciples had been sure of only one thing – their Master was dead and buried. They knew the religious leaders (by manipulating the Roman governor) had crucified Jesus, and they must have wondered if they would be next. Then Jesus appeared to them alive, resurrected! It was so wonderful, it was hard for them to believe. So for 40 days He showed Himself to them in various places, to various sized groups, even once to 500 people, so they would know for sure He lives!

Yet even on the day of His Ascension, they were still not sure of what it all meant. Some of them were still wondering if He was going to establish an earthly kingdom – Israel restored to it’s golden days, like the time of King David. Earlier He had promised that He would send the Holy Spirit to remind them of everything He had taught them and help them understand it all. Now He again told them to await that Holy Spirit and the power He would bring – power that would enable them to be His witnesses to all the world.

Ten days had passed since His ascension. They were constantly together in prayer, along with other believers. They had chosen Matthias to fill the spot left vacant by Judas.

So they were together, probably in prayer, on the day of Pentecost. Pentecost was a Jewish holy day that celebrated the end of the spring harvest, but also recalled God giving His Word, His Covenant, to the Children of Israel at Mt. Sinai. As such it could be considered the birthday of Israel. Suddenly they hear something like a powerful wind (the Hebrew word for wind and spirit and breath is ruach), they see something like tongues of fire (fire is often a symbol of divine presence), they are filled with the Holy Spirit, and they have the ability to speak in other languages. Led by the strange sounds, a huge crowd gathered, including Jewish people from all across the Mediteranean and Middle East.

Something incredible has happened to these disciples. In the course of 50 days they have progressed from cowering behind locked doors, to praying in the temple, to now being bold to stand up and talk about their crucified but risen Lord. These disciples have been assured by the power of the Holy Spirit – made confident in their faith and bold in their witness about Jesus of Nazareth.

You see it in their message to the crowd. They use words like: "listen carefully to what I say … listen to this … I can tell you confidently." One part of the message of which they assured the crowd was a message of law. "This man was handed over to you by God’s set purpose and foreknowledge; and you, with the help of wicked men, put him to death by nailing him to the cross." And later the words: "this Jesus, whom you crucified…" The crowd was to be assured – to be certain – that they were responsible for the death of the One sent by God. The accusation was clear: they had rejected God’s plan. They had rebelled against their Creator.

But the message does not end there. The apostles also proclaim the Gospel, the good news of forgiveness and salvation available through Jesus. They confidently tell of His resurrection: "But God raised Him from the dead, freeing Him from the agony of death …" And they quote King David’s words from Psalm 16, that the Holy One will not be abandoned in the grave nor see decay, but will live in hope and joy. "Therefore let all Israel be assured of this: God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ." This very Jesus is to be their assurance, their confidence.

Today we come to another Festival of Pentecost nearly 2000 years later. You and I come today because we still need the same assurance spoken of by the apostles so long ago. First of all, a message of the law: be assured that your sins and my sins were also responsible for the death of Jesus on the cross. We are responsible for the false accusations, the rigged trials, the whippings, the mockings, the nails and thorns. Each silence when we should speak up for Jesus, each selfish action, each hurtful word that slips from our lips, each hateful thought that grows in our hearts, each of these is another lash, another nail, another thorn in Christ’s suffering. We are guilty, each of us, of causing His agony.

But the message does not end there. To us the apostles tell the good news, the Gospel of our Lord Jesus: God raised Him from the dead … Be assured of this: God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ. He is the Christ, the Messiah, the Anointed One sent by God to bring forgiveness, life and salvation to Israel and to the whole world. His resurrection is for you. Because He lives, so will you. His ascension to the throne of glory is for you. He is Lord - ruling all things guided by His love for you.

And there is still more, a message of sanctification. Be assured: now that He is exalted to the right hand of God, He has received from the Father the promised Holy Spirit and has poured out what you now see and hear. The same Spirit that gave the apostles firm faith in a risen Lord has also worked the same faith in you and me. Their words of witness, written in the Gospels, showing how Jesus fulfilled the promises of the Old Testament, their words of witness have touched our lives. That Word has touched us with the water of Holy Baptism. That Word has been taught to us by parents and teachers and proclaimed by our pastors. That Word has fed us the Body and Blood of Jesus in, with, and under the bread and wine of Holy Communion. This Gospel, in Word and Sacraments, brings us to faith and keeps us in faith in Christ. This is the Holy Spirit at work.

And there is still more. The Holy Spirit filled the apostles so they could carry out their mission, so they could be bold witnesses about Jesus, so others could know His love and forgiveness. The work of the Spirit continues today, giving us joy in knowing and believing the Gospel, but also giving us the joy of sharing the Gospel with others. It’s the Holy Spirit at work whenever you pray to Jesus with a friend in a time of their need. It’s the Holy Spirit at work in you whenever you help teach Sunday School. It’s the Holy Spirit at work in you whenever you tell someone about a blessing in your life and how you thank God for it. It’s the Holy Spirit at work in you in any act of kindness, even in any task of your daily responsibility. Be assured: the Holy Spirit is at work in each of you to carry out your part of the mission, each time you touch a life with the light and love of Christ.

We have undergone an incredible change. Yes, we are still sinners, daily struggling with our failings, never meeting God’s requirement of holy perfection. But in Christ we are now saints, washed by His forgiveness, filled with firm faith, and made strong to carry out our mission – helping others to know this message: Be assured of this: God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ. May the Holy Spirit continue to build up in us this forgiveness, this faith, so that we daily carry out this mission – so that others may live! Amen.