Our name | Mission | Vision | Leaders Ministries | Schedule | Directions | Contact Home   Gateway Church gathers for worship Sundays at 10:30 a.m. Location: 6425 Jefferson Rd. (Hwy. 129) in Athens, Georgia. For directions, click here. Ministry of the Word: Recent sermons Our quarterly e-magazine Gateway Today For the Gateway family Pastor Jerry's Weekly E-Mail A GATEWAY SERMON SUMMARY AUDIO Pentecost: God's plan and purpose Jerry Varnado, pastor Gateway Church, Athens GA May 15, 2005 Main Scripture text: Acts 1:4-9; Acts 2:1-13. Some things from the past should always kept before us. This is why God established various festivals and observances -- to help us remember what He has done on behalf of His people. Unfortunately, we often celebrate the festivals or remember the historical events, but have lost sight of the underlying meaning these observances should have for us. Today I'm focus on God's plan and purpose in the event called Pentecost. The thing that happened on the Day of Pentecost, recorded in Acts 2, was the culmination of a plan that God announced all the way back in Genesis 3. There, God pronounced judgment on sin and issued what in effect was a declaration of war against the devil. He told the devil that One was coming who would crush his head. That One, of course, was Jesus. Here's how God worked His plan. First, the birth of Jesus established a beachhead in the enemy's territory. Then, about 30 years later Jesus began His earthly ministry, which was God's offensive to liberate humanity from bondage to sickness, death, and demonic powers. The enemy responded with a counter-offensive, culminating in the crucifixion. The devil thought he had defeated his enemy -- but in realty he had sealed his own defeat. The death of Jesus was the means by which God was able to forgive the sins of humanity. He put those sins on the only One who could be the perfect sacrifice for our sin. Then came the resurrection, through which God destroyed the enemy's ultimate weapon, death. Then Jesus went back to heaven -- and Pentecost arrived! The pouring out of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost was not an afterthought -- it was the planned culmination of what theologians call "the Christ event." God's purpose all along was to create a new humanity, filled with and empowered by the Holy Spirit, who could reclaim dominion of the earth as God's stewards. Many people have spent many hours debating the events of recorded in Acts 2. But the truly important thing is this: three-thousand people switched kingdoms! Everyday folks just like you and me gave themselves to God, who in turn gave them His very Spirit. Bottom line, here is what Pentecost was about: It was the launch of a major offensive against the powers of hell that had infiltrated God's creation. People talk "pentecostal power." The power of Pentecost is "going power." If we're not going into all the world to carry out God's mission, we don't need "pentcostal power" and we won't have it. God's overarching purpose is the redemption of humanity. He has chosen to accomplish this mission by equipping and empowering an army of the redeemed to destroy the devil's work in the earth. We can do it! But only if we will submit ourselves to Jesus as Lord and give ourselves to God's plan and purpose for Pentecost! Supporting texts: Genesis 3:15 | Revelation 12:1-17 | Acts 2:36-41 | Acts 1:8 | Luke 10:19 | Colossians 1:27 A mp3 audio file of this sermon is here (36:00). (Download to a PC by right clicking on the link and choosing "Save Target As." Mac users: click, hold, and choose "Download Link to Disk." Depending on your connection speed, the file may take several minutes to download.) An audio tape of the sermon summarized above is available free of charge (U.S. requests only). Request a tape by calling or writing the Gateway Church office. Please specify tape number 050515a: Pentecost: God's Plan and Purpose. © 2005 Gerald R. Varnado To the Gateway Church home page How to contact us