Anaheim First Church of the Nazarene
Fire Starter
Pastor Scott Riemer
Locations & Times
Anaheim First Church of the Nazarene
1340 N Candlewood St, Anaheim, CA 92805, USA
Sunday 10:45 AM
Today is Pentecost, a day when we celebrate the birth of the church by the coming of the Holy Spirit. It is also a day that launched the church’s participation in Jesus’ mission to the world.
There is a lot of symbolism in Pentecost—a day that celebrated bringing in the first harvest of crops.
The wind is significant. The wind is a manifestation of the Holy Spirit. The wind signaled that the Spirit was there.
The speaking in different languages is also significant. Pentecost was the great undoing of the Tower of Babel.
At Pentecost, God used languages to bring people to himself.
Finally, the fire is vital.
This fire burned on the disciples signaling that the age of God dwelling in a physical location like the tabernacle and the temple was over.
Now, God’s dwelling place would be in the hearts of his people.
Before he began his ministry, John the Baptist foretold of a coming Fire Starter, and he told us the kind of ministry he would have.
The wind is significant. The wind is a manifestation of the Holy Spirit. The wind signaled that the Spirit was there.
The speaking in different languages is also significant. Pentecost was the great undoing of the Tower of Babel.
At Pentecost, God used languages to bring people to himself.
Finally, the fire is vital.
This fire burned on the disciples signaling that the age of God dwelling in a physical location like the tabernacle and the temple was over.
Now, God’s dwelling place would be in the hearts of his people.
Before he began his ministry, John the Baptist foretold of a coming Fire Starter, and he told us the kind of ministry he would have.
As John predicted, the Fire Starter did come, and his ministry was as John predicted.
Jesus Christ is the Fire Starter.
Peter, in his message, echoed the voices of the Old Testament writers and called this new era the Day of the Lord, and this new age was ushered in by wind and fire.
But, what does this mean?
Is not fire destructive? Does Jesus’ fire bring punishment, judgment, and death?
This view of the gospel and Jesus do not line up with what we find in Scripture. Our obedience is to be a byproduct of our love for him.
In the Bible, the qualities of fire are purification, presence, and power.
Understanding these three aspects of fire from a biblical perspective will help us understand what the Holy Spirit unleashed on the day of Pentecost.
The fire of Jesus is a purifying fire because it cleanses us of sin.
We lose our taste for sin as we experience God’s love, mercy, and grace.
Peter, in his message, echoed the voices of the Old Testament writers and called this new era the Day of the Lord, and this new age was ushered in by wind and fire.
But, what does this mean?
Is not fire destructive? Does Jesus’ fire bring punishment, judgment, and death?
This view of the gospel and Jesus do not line up with what we find in Scripture. Our obedience is to be a byproduct of our love for him.
In the Bible, the qualities of fire are purification, presence, and power.
Understanding these three aspects of fire from a biblical perspective will help us understand what the Holy Spirit unleashed on the day of Pentecost.
The fire of Jesus is a purifying fire because it cleanses us of sin.
We lose our taste for sin as we experience God’s love, mercy, and grace.
The fire of Jesus symbolizes the enduring presence of God.
From the earliest seeds of our faith, God has used fire to symbolize his presence.
The fire that appeared on Pentecost signaled that God was with his disciples now and forever.
From the earliest seeds of our faith, God has used fire to symbolize his presence.
The fire that appeared on Pentecost signaled that God was with his disciples now and forever.
Finally, the fire of Christ represents the power of God to save and restore. Those on whom Jesus’ fire fell were not the ones a respectable rabbi would choose.
Something happened to them after they encountered Christ. They were not the same.
God equipped them with power to be his witnesses throughout the world.
The qualities of Jesus’ fire work together in everyone who follows Christ.
The fire of Pentecost was not just an individual experience, it was also communal.
Jesus shared his fire with the church, and the church, in turn, should work to share that fire with others.
May that fire purify us, remind us of his presence, and fill us with his power all for his glory.
Something happened to them after they encountered Christ. They were not the same.
God equipped them with power to be his witnesses throughout the world.
The qualities of Jesus’ fire work together in everyone who follows Christ.
The fire of Pentecost was not just an individual experience, it was also communal.
Jesus shared his fire with the church, and the church, in turn, should work to share that fire with others.
May that fire purify us, remind us of his presence, and fill us with his power all for his glory.