Thoughts from Mark "Hat" Rackley

I’m Jemima L. Yeggs, a.k.a. Stinker.  Pink Lady Apple Yeggs, my landlady and my auntie, wants to read about how younger people, especially couples respond to what the Bible says.  And she wants to know how God is at work at Lily the Pink.

B.B. and I were in our “green room.”  Arabella was in her new hiding place, on the swooning couch.

I smiled, “B.B., it would be fantastic if tongues of fire came upon everyone today.”

B.B. nodded, “Sure!  But there are a lot of theologians that are cessationists.”

A familiar voice came from the swooning couch, “But there are Spiritual Awakenings throughout history.  We may be experiencing one now, after Asbury and the revivals on college campuses.  There are still healings.  Miracles happen every day.”

B.B. groaned, “Arabella, what has gotten into you?  You are comic relief, not profound comment.”

Arabella laughed, “I have more range than you can imagine, B.B.”

I said, “Maybe that is the Holy Spirit speaking through our Fireball.”

Arabella said, “Either that or I’m messing with B.B.”

B.B. laughed, “Ah, now that’s the Fireball that we know and love.”

Arabella opened the door, and we went to the den.

Rev. Joseph handed little Ethan to Mary and then led us in prayer, and the entire choir were ready.  They sang a capella Sweet, Sweet Spirit.

I said, “Emmett, that was wonderful, as usual.  I feel the Spirit with us.”

Samuel asked, “Where are we searching for Jesus today, Aunt Jemima?”

I smiled, “As agreed, we are taking a look at Pentecost.  In the process, we will focus on another person of the Trinity.  Arabella, do you need Mr. Dictionary?”

Arabella shrugged, “Yes, please.  I have always wanted to know how much a pente costs.”

Easy (Mr. Dictionary and my husband) didn’t even open his eyes, as usual.  “Fireball, the Jews had a celebration that is 50 days after Passover.  It was called the Festival of the Weeks or Shavuot.  But the ordinal number for 50 is fiftieth in English.  In Greek, it is pentekoste.  Fireball, you do know what an ordinal number is, don’t you?”

Arabella smiled, “Sure, like oneth, tooth, threeth.”

Easy nodded, “If you insist.”

But Sarah’s tablet chirped, “Sis, you meant first, second, and third.  The tablet doesn’t know a couple of those words you used.”

Arabella huffed, “I like my way better.  It’s more creative.”

Sarah’s tablet then said, “Until you go to the dentist to get a tooth extracted, and they extract two teeth because tooth really means second.”

I grumbled, “Mr. Dictionary is not finished.”

Easy continued, “Pentekoste is the ordinal for pentekostos, 50, which comes from pente, meaning five, and originally penkwe, which was the Proto-Indo-European (or PIE) root meaning five.  That defines the name, basically the Greek name for Shavuot.”

Arabella (Leviticus 23:15-22) ““‘From the day after the Sabbath, the day you brought the sheaf of the wave offering, count off seven full weeks. Count off fifty days up to the day after the seventh Sabbath, and then present an offering of new grain to the Lord. From wherever you live, bring two loaves made of two-tenths of an ephah of the finest flour, baked with yeast, as a wave offering of firstfruits to the Lord. Present with this bread seven male lambs, each a year old and without defect, one young bull and two rams. They will be a burnt offering to the Lord, together with their grain offerings and drink offerings—a food offering, an aroma pleasing to the Lord. Then sacrifice one male goat for a sin offering and two lambs, each a year old, for a fellowship offering. The priest is to wave the two lambs before the Lord as a wave offering, together with the bread of the firstfruits. They are a sacred offering to the Lord for the priest. On that same day you are to proclaim a sacred assembly and do no regular work. This is to be a lasting ordinance for the generations to come, wherever you live. “‘When you reap the harvest of your land, do not reap to the very edges of your field or gather the gleanings of your harvest. Leave them for the poor and for the foreigner residing among you. I am the Lord your God.’””

Arabella said, ”Wow!  That’s what Ruth did.  ‘And Ruth the Moabite said to Naomi, “Let me go to the fields and pick up the leftover grain behind anyone in whose eyes I find favor.” Naomi said to her, “Go ahead, my daughter.”’ (Ruth 2:2).  But what crops are ready to harvest in mid- to late-May?”

Easy replied, “You work in the greenhouse high up in the Crystal Mountain.  What are we harvesting now?”

Arabella growled, “It’s a greenhouse!  We grow a lot of stuff.  We have radishes, carrots, lettuce, onions, peas, and turnips.  We have strawberries coming out our ears, but the blueberries, blackberries, and raspberries aren’t ready yet.  We have a lot of pepper varieties.  But they did not have greenhouses in ancient Israel.”

Easy said, “When you were back on the farm, did your Dad ever grow winter wheat?”  Arabella nodded.  I guess Easy, with eyes still closed, must have heard the marbles rolling around in her head because he continued, “Winter wheat is planted in September or October.  It is harvested in June around here, but in warmer climates, like Israel, in mid- to late-May.  God truly wants a portion of our firstfruits, not part of the Christmas bonus at the end of the year.  He wants us living by faith, not by a big storehouse full of grain.”

Easy continued, “So, we have the Passover.  Seven weeks later we have the Festival of the Weeks or Shavuot.  Jerusalem was crowded.  Everyone was there from many countries to celebrate Shavuot.  So, what a beautiful time for the Holy Spirit to do His thing.  Which leads Aunt Jemima to the first Scripture.”

Bart (Acts 1:15) “In those days Peter stood up among the believers (a group numbering about a hundred and twenty)”

Bart said, “This isn’t from Pentecost.  This is in those ten days after Jesus ascended and Pentecost.  Peter says that they need to add another apostle.  Judas Iscariot is gone.  But I think you added this verse to give us the idea that there were more than the twelve in the room.  This says 120.”

I smiled, “Yes, Bart, when you think of what happened next, the disciples stand out, but they all had the Holy Spirit enter them.”

Tamara (Acts 2:1-4) “When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them.”

Tamara said, “To follow what Bart read, the first verse here talks about all.  So about 120 people.  Then, they hear a violent wind.  And I have heard it said that the fire rested on their tongues.  But they were tongues of fire coming down from above and resting on them.  They started speaking in other tongues.  I am thinking that they were speaking known languages, the languages of the visitors that Easy was talking about.  I don’t think they were babbling.”

I smiled, “I agree.  Thank you, Tamara.  Are you going to keep that look?”  She had kept white tips on the end of her brown hair.

Tamara nodded, “People ask about it and I can tell them that God has healed me of the cancer.”

Josie (Acts 2:5-12) “Now there were staying in Jerusalem God-fearing Jews from every nation under heaven. When they heard this sound, a crowd came together in bewilderment, because each one heard their own language being spoken. Utterly amazed, they asked: “Aren’t all these who are speaking Galileans? Then how is it that each of us hears them in our native language? Parthians, Medes and Elamites; residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya near Cyrene; visitors from Rome (both Jews and converts to Judaism); Cretans and Arabs—we hear them declaring the wonders of God in our own tongues!” Amazed and perplexed, they asked one another, “What does this mean?””

Josie said, “I always thought they went to the temple, but it says here that others heard the sound, the wind noises.  But if they already had one hundred twenty people in the upper room, then they needed a larger space for the thousands that ended up hearing Peter’s sermon and accepting Jesus.  But the people from all over the known world heard someone among the crowd speaking in their language.  And they were amazed.  Why did they mention that they were amazed about them being Galileans?”

I smiled, “Why don’t you ask Rosie or Missy or Menzie?  They all come from the poorest of the poor areas in Tracy’s city center.  Would you be amazed that they could speak a foreign language?  And if they could speak a foreign language, this was highly intellectual, using a larger vocabulary than things like how to navigate the city and common greetings.  This makes you think that the area around the Sea of Galilee was inhabited by farmers and fishermen and the merchants.  There were not a lot of educational opportunities and if there were any, they were substandard.  Even then, there was a pecking order among Galileans.  ‘“Nazareth! Can anything good come from there?” Nathanael asked. “Come and see,” said Philip.’ (John 1:46).  Nathaniel becomes a follower of Jesus, but he thought that among Galileans, the people from Nazareth were inferior to those from Bethsaida, where Philip and Nathaniel were from.”

Menzie said, “We may be from the city center, but I was taught by Cassie more than anyone else.  And Menzie is going to Flintheart.  And I am sure that Rosie learned a lot since she has been here.”

I snickered, “You know I did not mean any offense.  I am just making a general comment about how people equate education with the socio-economic area where you live.  But God chooses whom He chooses.  And with the Holy Spirit inspiring you to talk, no formal education is necessary.  That was the miracle.”

Rosie (Acts 2:13-15) “Some, however, made fun of them and said, ‘They have had too much wine.’ Then Peter stood up with the Eleven, raised his voice and addressed the crowd: ‘Fellow Jews and all of you who live in Jerusalem, let me explain this to you; listen carefully to what I say. These people are not drunk, as you suppose. It’s only nine in the morning!’”

Rosie said, “Okay, Aunt Jemima, you might trash my education ‘cause I grew up in the projects, but now I get the verses about the drunk?  I ain’t the only AA member in this room, but they ain’t many of us!”

I said, “Oops!”

Rosie laughed, “If this was an AA meeting, I would be giving the years, months, and days since I last had a drink.  But when I was drinking, I would be drunk at nine in the morning.  I am sure of one thing.  Since Peter used that argument and thought it was halfway convincing, they definitely lived in a different time than this one.  But this reminds me of those that know Jesus and those that don’t.  If you know Jesus or you would like to know Him, then you would see the miracle of the Holy Spirit in action.  If you were dead set to not believe, you would make up any lame excuse to explain what was going on.  I been so drunk that I thought I was in Paris.  I was talking French to everybody around me.  Not none of them understood a word.  I was just talking gibberish, but in my polluted mind, I was talking French.  The whole idea of somebody being drunk and suddenly speaking intelligently in a foreign language is ridiculous.  They can’t talk intelligently to their next-door neighbor.  Come to think of it, in the projects, your neighbor probably don’t speak English anyway.”

I laughed, “That’s one of the best answers that I have heard in a long time, Rosie.  It came from the heart and from experience.”

Zuzka (Acts 2:16-21) “No, this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel: “‘In the last days, God says, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your young men will see visions, your old men will dream dreams. Even on my servants, both men and women, I will pour out my Spirit in those days, and they will prophesy. I will show wonders in the heavens above and signs on the earth below, blood and fire and billows of smoke. The sun will be turned to darkness and the moon to blood before the coming of the great and glorious day of the Lord. And everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.’”

Zuzka said, “Only part is Joel: ‘I will no longer hide my face from them, for I will pour out my Spirit on the people of Israel, declares the Sovereign Lord.’ (Ezekiel 39:29).  But most come from Joel 2:28-32, but Gospels talk of sky turning dark and the blood moon.”

I shrugged, “Let’s skip to the big finale.”

Otto (Acts 2:36-41) ““Therefore let all Israel be assured of this: God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Messiah.’ When the people heard this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and the other apostles, ‘Brothers, what shall we do?’ Peter replied, ‘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. The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off—for all whom the Lord our God will call.” With many other words he warned them; and he pleaded with them, “Save yourselves from this corrupt generation.” Those who accepted his message were baptized, and about three thousand were added to their number that day.”

Otto said, “The Holy Spirit works differently with each person.  He can kick you in the seat of the pants when you need it.  He can convict you of your sins.  He can guide you so that you do not sin.  He can encourage you to keep going when you don’t feel like moving at all.  Here, Peter is bold and told them that they were the ones that killed the Messiah.  They were cut to the heart.  All of us in this room know that feeling.  The Holy Spirit guided Peter in what he should say.  He gave Peter the strength when Peter had denied Jesus when Peter was in the previous large crowd.  But Peter gained the wisdom at that moment.  He said, ‘repent and be baptized.’ So, the Holy Spirit did what was necessary to everyone in that crowd and 3,000 accepted Jesus that day.”

I said, “That was excellent, Otto.  But this question goes to everyone.  What kind of people were in that crowd?”

When there was a pause, Easy smiled, “They were coming from all the known world to worship and give an offering of first fruits.  They were trying their best to live according to the Old Testament Scriptures.  And here comes a relatively uneducated Galilean who set them straight, quoting Scripture like a Biblical scholar.  Peter had learned at the feet of Jesus.  That’s the best education you can get, but without any education, the Holy Spirit can tell you what needs to be said.  While some of these people may have been in the crowd shouting for Jesus to be crucified, they did so for their strict religious reasons.  Now, some of the next mass conversions to the Way included a more diverse demographic.”

Grannie Fannie (2 Corinthians 13:14) “May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.”

Grannie Fannie asked, “Weren’t we supposed to have a new benediction, Aunt Jemima?”

I shrugged, “Yes, but when we were talking about the Holy Spirit, I stayed with the one we had been using.  Next week we’ll go to 1 Thessalonians 3:12-13.  And then switch to 2 John, verse 3.”

Lauren ran up to Grannie Fannie and hugged her.  “Are you ready to drive us?”

Brooke wasn’t around to pick up Stormie.  Flintheart was in the semifinals.  If they could squeeze by that game, Margie would be scheduled in the finals.

Credits

I do not see the need for Credits other than a video to sing along with.

Here is Sweet, Sweet Spirit sung by the Gaither Vocal Band and Gene McDonald.

Soli Deo Gloria.  Only to God be the Glory.