Rev. Roland J. Wells, Jr. - Pastor






St. Paul's Sermon 2002

The Day of Pentecost - May 19, 2002

Lessons: Joshua 6:1-5, 15-16, 20; Acts 2:1-21; John 7:37-39



"Let The walls fall down!"

(A joint, translated, bi-lingual sermon with our sister church, the Iglesia Centro Cristiano de Minneapolis)



Today's the birthday of the church!

(Re-tell story of Pentecost) -see text, below



And all those hard names!

[9] Parthians, Medes and Elamites; residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, [10] Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya near Cyrene; visitors from Rome [11] (both Jews and converts to Judaism); Cretans and Arabs



9 Partos, medos, elamitas; habitantes de Mesopotamia, de Judea y de Capadocia, del Ponto y de Asia, 10 de Frigia y de Panfilia, de Egipto y de las regiones de Libia más allá de Cirene; forasteros romanos, tanto judíos como prosélitos; 11 cretenses y árabes, People of many cultures, many languages; many were enemies; many different customs

They came to worship same God

But suddenly Holy Spirit made them one.



Pentecost is the birthday of the church- many becoming one;

The Holy Spirit broke down the walls!



Holy Spirit didn't repeat that miracle again in the Book of Acts-

But the Holy Spirit kept breaking down the walls-

Acts 13:1 In the church at Antioch there were prophets and teachers: Barnabas, Simeon called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen (who had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch) and Saul.

-Beginning of Paul's first missionary journey! -something great!

Didn't need the same language- they had the same heart!



In south Minneapolis today, God's Spirit wants to break down the walls- 150 people groups, many unreached; heading for a time today with people from all over the world coming. We want them to meet Jesus- he can make us one!

This afternoon we're going to publicly proclaim that unity, as we meet with three other churches, and people of every race in Peavey Park. We're going to live that unity. People who are Hispanic, European, African-American, Carribean, Asian, African and Native American. We're going to have our own little Pentecost.

Things that separate us - fear, traditions, old hurts, stereotypes, age, clothes, language, socio-economic levels, male- female, young-old. God wants to break through that. Like he did in the early church.



For Christians, there is one people, God's people; One race- the human race.

Jesus was born on the land bridge that united Asia, Africa & Europe. The people who live there share the blood of all peoples. God had Jesus born in the one place on earth where all the people of the earth come together.

If you take the center of all the land on earth, that's the geographic center, too.





The whole story of salvation played out where all people are joined together.

Then the Holy Spirit came, and he made them one.



Today, we gather to worship that same living God. Today we gather to experience that same Holy Spirit.

God the Holy Spirit is here right now. He is moving in our midst. He's breaking down walls, and making us one.



Even so, he calls us to response. I love that story about Joshua and the walls of Jericho falling down.



Who knocked those walls down? (God)

Could God have knocked down those walls without the marching and trumpets? (Sure)

But God wanted his people to see very clearly that he was the one that did it. All they did was the silly thing of marching and blowing a horn! But he tested their obedience. When they were obedient, the walls fell down.

Are we obedient to move forward in love, so that God can break down the walls?



God wants to make the walls fall down. Walls that divide. He wants his body to be made whole.



Only God's Spirit can do that. Only God's Spirit can give us a new identity; a new hope; a shared sense of mission. Only God's Spirit can break through everything that separates us. Can we pray today for the Holy Spirit to fill us? Will you come to the altar today for prayer for the presence of God's Spirit in your life in a more full way? God's Spirit is present here today. He's here to touch you. To heal you. To strengthen your faith. To give you hope. Today's the day for Pentecost. Your Pentecost. To make us one. Amen.





The Day of Pentecost-May 19, 2002

Joshua 6:1-5, 15-16, 20

Now Jericho was tightly shut up because of the Israelites. No one went out and no one came in.

[2] Then the LORD said to Joshua, "See, I have delivered Jericho into your hands, along with its king and its fighting men. [3] March around the city once with all the armed men. Do this for six days. [4] Have seven priests carry trumpets of rams' horns in front of the ark. On the seventh day, march around the city seven times, with the priests blowing the trumpets. [5] When you hear them sound a long blast on the trumpets, have all the people give a loud shout; then the wall of the city will collapse and the people will go up, every man straight in."



[15] On the seventh day, they got up at daybreak and marched around the city seven times in the same manner, except that on that day they circled the city seven times. [16] The seventh time around, when the priests sounded the trumpet blast, Joshua commanded the people, "Shout! For the LORD has given you the city!



[20] When the trumpets sounded, the people shouted, and at the sound of the trumpet, when the people gave a loud shout, the wall collapsed; so every man charged straight in, and they took the city.









Acts 2:1-21

When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. [2] Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. [3] They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. [4] All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them.

[5] Now there were staying in Jerusalem God-fearing Jews from every nation under heaven. [6] When they heard this sound, a crowd came together in bewilderment, because each one heard them speaking in his own language. [7] Utterly amazed, they asked: "Are not all these men who are speaking Galileans? [8] Then how is it that each of us hears them in his own native language? [9] Parthians, Medes and Elamites; residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, [10] Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya near Cyrene; visitors from Rome [11] (both Jews and converts to Judaism); Cretans and Arabs--we hear them declaring the wonders of God in our own tongues!" [12] Amazed and perplexed, they asked one another, "What does this mean?"

[13] Some, however, made fun of them and said, "They have had too much wine."

[14] 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. [15] These men are not drunk, as you suppose. It's only nine in the morning! [16] No, this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel:

[17] " '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.

[18] Even on my servants, both men and women, I will pour out my Spirit in those days,

and they will prophesy.

[19] I will show wonders in the heaven above and signs on the earth below,

blood and fire and billows of smoke.

[20] The sun will be turned to darkness and the moon to blood

before the coming of the great and glorious day of the Lord.

[21] And everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.'



John 7:37-39

On the last and greatest day of the Feast, Jesus stood and said in a loud voice, "If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and drink. [38] Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, streams of living water will flow from within him." [39] By this he meant the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were later to receive. Up to that time the Spirit had not been given, since Jesus had not yet been glorified.





Josué 6:1-5, 15-16, 20

Jericó estaba cerrada y atrancada por causa de los hijos de Israel. Nadie entraba ni salía. 2 Pero Jehovah dijo a Josué: --Mira, yo he entregado en tu mano a Jericó, a su rey y a sus hombres de guerra. 3 Asediaréis la ciudad vosotros, todos los hombres de guerra, yendo alrededor de la ciudad una vez. Esto haréis durante seis días. 4 Siete sacerdotes llevarán siete cornetas de cuernos de carnero delante del arca. Al séptimo día daréis siete vueltas a la ciudad, y los sacerdotes tocarán las cornetas. 5 Y sucederá que cuando hagan sonar prolongadamente el cuerno de carnero, cuando oigáis el sonido de la corneta, todo el pueblo gritará a gran voz, y el muro de la ciudad se derrumbará. Entonces el pueblo subirá, cada uno hacia adelante.



15 Aconteció que el séptimo día se levantaron al amanecer y fueron alrededor de la ciudad de la misma manera, siete veces. Solamente ese día dieron vuelta a la ciudad siete veces.16 Y sucedió que a la séptima vez, cuando los sacerdotes habían tocado las cornetas, Josué dijo al pueblo: ---Gritad, porque Jehovah os entrega la ciudad!



20 Entonces el pueblo gritó, y tocaron las cornetas. Y sucedió que cuando el pueblo oyó el sonido de la corneta, gritó con gran estruendo. -Y el muro se derrumbó! Entonces el pueblo subió a la ciudad, cada uno directamente delante de él; y la tomaron.



Hechos 2:1-21

Al llegar el día de Pentecostés, estaban todos reunidos en un mismo lugar. 2 Y de repente vino un estruendo del cielo, como si soplara un viento violento, y llenó toda la casa donde estaban sentados. 3 Entonces aparecieron, repartidas entre ellos, lenguas como de fuego, y se asentaron sobre cada uno de ellos. 4 Todos fueron llenos del Espíritu Santo y comenzaron a hablar en distintas lenguas, como el Espíritu les daba que hablasen.

5 En Jerusalén habitaban judíos, hombres piadosos de todas las naciones debajo del cielo. 6 Cuando se produjo este estruendo, se juntó la multitud; y estaban confundidos, porque cada uno les oía hablar en su propio idioma. 7 Estaban atónitos y asombrados, y decían: --Mirad, ¿no son galileos todos estos que hablan? 8 ¿Cómo, pues, oímos nosotros cada uno en nuestro idioma en que nacimos? 9 Partos, medos, elamitas; habitantes de Mesopotamia, de Judea y de Capadocia, del Ponto y de Asia, 10 de Frigia y de Panfilia, de Egipto y de las regiones de Libia más allá de Cirene; forasteros romanos, tanto judíos como prosélitos; 11 cretenses y árabes, les oímos hablar en nuestros propios idiomas los grandes hechos de Dios.

12 Todos estaban atónitos y perplejos, y se decían unos a otros: --¿Qué quiere decir esto? 13 Pero otros, burlándose, decían: --Están llenos de vino nuevo. 14 Entonces Pedro se puso de pie con los once, levantó la voz y les declaró: --Hombres de Judea y todos los habitantes de Jerusalén, sea conocido esto a vosotros, y prestad atención a mis palabras. 15 Porque éstos no están embriagados, como pensáis, pues es solamente la tercera hora del día. 16 Más bien, esto es lo que fue dicho por medio del profeta Joel: 17 Sucederá en los últimos días, dice Dios, que derramaré de mi Espíritu sobre toda carne. Vuestros hijos y vuestras hijas profetizarán, vuestros jóvenes verán visiones, y vuestros ancianos soñarán sueños. 18 De cierto, sobre mis siervos y mis siervas en aquellos días derramaré de mi Espíritu, y profetizarán. 19 Daré prodigios en el cielo arriba, y señales en la tierra abajo: sangre, fuego y vapor de humo. 20 El sol se convertirá en tinieblas, y la luna en sangre, antes que venga el día del Señor, grande y glorioso. 21 Y sucederá que todo aquel que invoque el.



Juan 7:37-39

37 Pero en el último y gran día de la fiesta, Jesús se puso de pie y alzó la voz diciendo: --Si alguno tiene sed, venga a mí y beba.

38 El que cree en mí, como dice la Escritura, ríos de agua viva correrán de su interior.

39 Esto dijo acerca del Espíritu que habían de recibir los que creyeran en él, pues todavía no había sido dado el Espíritu, porque Jesús aún no había sido glorificado.