Vic Kubik gave a Pentecost
sermon this past Sunday where he talked about the outpouring of the Holy Spirit upon the church.
On Pentecost, I gave the sermon and I look to a time that is described in the second chapter of the book of Acts. The Holy Spirit was powerfully poured out on the Church and that power was the game changer as the Church suddenly grew from 120 to 3000 and then by another 2000 shortly afterward. This great outpouring was promised to the “Last Days” yet to come. What happened at Pentecost in 31 A.D. was only a type of what will yet happen.
Can you really imagine this happening in the United Church of God? They cannot even remain united as a church or a conglomeration of Churches of God. If they cannot do that then how do they expect the Holy Spirit to descend upon them and do a work?
2 1-4 When the Feast of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. Without warning there was a sound like a strong wind, gale force—no one could tell where it came from. It filled the whole building. Then, like a wildfire, the Holy Spirit spread through their ranks, and they started speaking in a number of different languages as the Spirit prompted them.
5-11 There were many Jews staying in Jerusalem just then, devout pilgrims from all over the world. When they heard the sound, they came on the run. Then when they heard, one after another, their own mother tongues being spoken, they were thunderstruck. They couldn’t for the life of them figure out what was going on, and kept saying, “Aren’t these all Galileans? How come we’re hearing them talk in our various mother tongues?
Parthians, Medes, and Elamites;
Visitors from Mesopotamia, Judea, and Cappadocia,
Pontus and Asia, Phrygia and Pamphylia,
Egypt and the parts of Libya belonging to Cyrene;
Immigrants from Rome, both Jews and proselytes;
Even Cretans and Arabs!
“They’re speaking our languages, describing God’s mighty works!”
12 Their heads were spinning; they couldn’t make head or tail of any of it. They talked back and forth, confused: “What’s going on here?”
13 Others joked, “They’re drunk on cheap wine.”
Acts 2 continues on with this:
Peter Speaks Up
14-21 That’s when Peter stood up and, backed by the other eleven, spoke out with bold urgency: “Fellow Jews, all of you who are visiting Jerusalem, listen carefully and get this story straight. These people aren’t drunk as some of you suspect. They haven’t had time to get drunk—it’s only nine o’clock in the morning. This is what the prophet Joel announced would happen:
“In the Last Days,” God says,
“I will pour out my Spirit
on every kind of people:
Your sons will prophesy,
also your daughters;
Your young men will see visions,
your old men dream dreams.
When the time comes,
I’ll pour out my Spirit
On those who serve me, men and women both,
and they’ll prophesy.
I’ll set wonders in the sky above
and signs on the earth below,
Blood and fire and billowing smoke,
the sun turning black and the moon blood-red,
Before the Day of the Lord arrives,
the Day tremendous and marvelous;
And whoever calls out for help
to me, God, will be saved.”
Can you imagine any Church of God where young men and women stand up and say they had a vision and have the church respectfully listen to them? The upper echelon guard will immediately kick them out for causing division. How can some lowly young boy or girl receive a vision when God only speaks through the ministry?
Given the horrendous track record of failed prophecies by Church of God leaders over the generations, perhaps we need some new blood prophesying. They certainly could do better than our current gaggle of lying false prophets. That would certainly take the wind out of the sails of the windbags like Thiel, Pack, and Malm.
41-42 That day about three thousand took him at his word, were baptized and were signed up. They committed themselves to the teaching of the apostles, the life together, the common meal, and the prayers.
43-45 Everyone around was in awe—all those wonders and signs done through the apostles! And all the believers lived in a wonderful harmony, holding everything in common. They sold whatever they owned and pooled their resources so that each person’s need was met.
46-47 They followed a daily discipline of worship in the Temple followed by meals at home, every meal a celebration, exuberant and joyful, as they praised God. People in general liked what they saw. Every day their number grew as God added those who were saved.
Is any COG ever going to see thousands of new members joining their ranks? Absolutely not! When not a single one of them follow they man they claim to follow, how can they be baptizing people into his name?
Can you imagine all of the COG's sitting down for a common meal and fellowship and following Jesus? Absolutely not! The Churches of God will not even attempt to live in harmony, and this includes UCG and COGWA.
Does the world look at the Church of God and like what they see? If their own members cannot like what they see in their own churches, then why in the world would the rest of humanity find something delightful in a Church of God? UCG. COGWA, PCG, LCG, RCG and the improperly named "continuing" Church of God do not have anything delightful to share.
