Preparation for Pentecost | Sun 29 May | 2022 Year of Abundant Harvest

Welcome back to the house of one and the only living God and His name is Jesus! Let us all come together and praise and worship God with all our hearts.

Today we will be studying about “Preparation for the Pentecost!”

With my voice I cry out to the Lord; with my voice I plead for mercy to the Lord. I pour out my complaint before him; I tell my trouble before him. When my spirit faints within me, you know my way! In the path where I walk they have hidden a trap for me. Look to the right and see: there is none who takes notice of me; no refuge remains to me; no one cares for my soul. I cry to you, O Lord; I say, “You are my refuge, my portion in the land of the living.”

David’s comfort in prayer – There can be no situation so distressing or dangerous, in which faith will not get comfort from God by prayer. We are apt to show our troubles too much to ourselves, poring upon them, which does us no service; whereas, by showing them to God, we might cast the cares upon Him who careth for us, and thereby ease ourselves. Nor should we allow any complaint to ourselves or others, which we cannot make to God. When our spirits are overwhelmed by distress, and filled with discouragement; when we see snares laid for us on every side, while we walk in His way, we may reflect with comfort that the Lord knoweth our path. Those who in sincerity take the Lord for their God, find him all-sufficient, as a Refuge, and as a Portion: every thing else is a refuge of lies, and a portion of no value. In this situation David prayed earnestly to God. We may apply it spiritually; the souls of believers are often straitened by doubts and fears. And it is then their duty and interest to beg of God to set them at liberty, that they may run the way of His commandments. Thus the Lord delivered David from his powerful persecutors, and dealt bountifully with him. Thus he raised the crucified Redeemer to the throne of glory, and made Him Head over all things for his church. Thus the convinced sinner cries for help, and is brought to praise the Lord in the company of His redeemed people; and thus all believers will at length be delivered from this evil world, from sin and death, and praise their Saviour for ever.

Illustration: My name was supposed to be changed in 1983. There were riots and over 3000 people died in the city of Colombo alone and that was the time when I got married. We have so many memories and I say this to myself, “I am a refugee in God.” My house was burnt and persecution was there and we had fled our homes. While I was in US, I filled up the refugee form and I questioned God, what shall I do? Shall I stay in US? Go to India? Go back to my own country, “Sri Lanka?” But then I remember 1985, when God asked me, “Whose refugee are you?” I am a graduate in two degrees, but how do I answer that? Job was asked more than 140 questions by God, but Job wasn’t able to answer a single question, but how can I answer a single question here? But then I took a deep breath and said, “You are my refuge!” God responded, “Because you have taken refuge in Me, the world is yours!” And when I die, I want someone to engrave on my tombstone that “This man was a refugee in God!”

There is another refugee in the Bible, Timothy!

At my first defense no one came to stand by me, but all deserted me. May it not be charged against them!

Here we see Timothy is talking about first trial. He was in Rome and he wanted to preach. He travelled up to Spain. He implies that there is as much danger from false brethren, as from open enemies. It is dangerous having to do with those who would be enemies to such a man as Paul. The Christians at Rome were forward to meet him, but when there seemed to be a danger of suffering with him, then all forsook him. God might justly be angry with them, but he prays God to forgive them. The apostle was delivered out of the mouth of the lion, that is, of Nero, or some of his judges. If the Lord stands by us, he will strengthen us in difficulties and dangers, and his presence will more than supply every one’s absence.

We hire accountants, who can save our taxes by cheating the government, however there is an accountant of accountants. And we will be accountable for everything we do.

But going ahead to the ship, we set sail for Assos, intending to take Paul aboard there, for so he had arranged, intending himself to go by land. And when he met us at Assos, we took him on board and went to Mitylene. And sailing from there we came the following day opposite Chios; the next day we touched at Samos; and the day after that we went to Miletus. For Paul had decided to sail past Ephesus, so that he might not have to spend time in Asia, for he was hastening to be at Jerusalem, if possible, on the day of Pentecost.

Paul hastened to Jerusalem, but tried to do good by the way, when going from place to place, as every good man should do. In doing God’s work, our own wills and those of our friends must often be crossed; we must not spend time with them when duty calls us another way.

Paul was desperate about the Pentecost Sunday because he wanted to make it. He went by the land, the shorter route. If we read about Paul’s past journeys, he had travelled across three continents with over 8000 kilometres, just to share the word of God.

For Paul had determined to sail by Ephesus, because he would not spend the time in Asia: for he hasted, if it were possible for him, to be at Jerusalem the day of Pentecost. Paul, an earnest and diligent follower of Christ, making haste to his bonds without any ceasing or stopping in his race, first of all as it were makes his testament, wherein he gives an account of his former life, defends the doctrine which he taught, and exhorts the pastors of the church to persevere and go forward with continuance in their office.

Illustration: If with one cigarette bud, acres and acres of entire forest is burnt down. Imagine what a Pentecost can do to this city.

People of God, next Sunday is the day of the Pentecost. The time is short, with just one week’s time at hand. Prepare yourself for the day of the Pentecost, otherwise you would be in the Church like a lamp without oil. Be prayerful and prepare yourself. It troubles when there are fused bulbs in the room. We do not want to be like them, but we want to be the one who lights up the room. Imagine, in the day of the Pentecost, during the time of the book of acts, it must have been like a well-lit chandelier.

Are you feeling hopeless? If yes, then remember, God is Your refuge.

A beautiful song summarises this up…

Replace the fused bulbs in the chandelier of your lives before the day of the Pentecost.

And when the day of Pentecost will be celebrated, say loud that “I won’t be standing as a fused fool, I will be shining!”

Concluding Hymn:

Dear Church, come prepared next Sunday for God’s Spirit to be poured out on you.