The eighth in a series of 9 sermons
Series Theme
Invictus!
Apart from his wedding, perhaps he is best known for the GAMES he has founded In reality not just games, but a means of lifting up injured returned military veterans “The Invictus Games is an international adaptive multi-sport event… in which wounded, injured or sick armed services personnel and their associated veterans take part in sports including wheelchair basketball, sitting volleyball, and indoor rowing.
Named after Invictus, Latin for “unconquered” or “undefeated”, the event was inspired by the Warrior Games, a similar event held in the United States. The first Invictus Games took place in March 2014 at the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park in London, United Kingdom.
Such GAMES teach people to dig deep within themselves by virtue of the human spirit, to conquer their fears and injuries and reach heights they thought were way beyond them.
TODAY is PENTECOST Sunday, …our attention is focused on a Spirit far more powerful than the human spirit Through the outpouring of the Holy Spirit at the hands of the risen Christ, to more than any other entity, the word INVICTUS belongs to the Christian Church “Jesus replied, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by man, but by my Father in heaven. And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it.” (Matthew 16:17–18, NIV84)
This Pentecost Sunday let us understand anew the POWER that is poured out on the Church by the risen Christ, a power much needed to withstand the horrors it has always had to face till Christ returns.
- THE TERRIFYING FUTURE
- PROMISED POWER THROUGH THE SPIRIT
- THE UNSTOPPABLE CHURCH
Readings reproduced on this page:
The Holy Bible: New International Version. 1996, 1984. Grand Rapids: Zondervan
Readings
Acts 2:1–13 (NIV84)
1When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place.
2Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting.
3They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them.
4All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them.
5Now there were staying in Jerusalem God-fearing Jews from every nation under heaven.
6When they heard this sound, a crowd came together in bewilderment, because each one heard them speaking in his own language.
7Utterly amazed, they asked: “Are not all these men who are speaking Galileans?
8Then how is it that each of us hears them in his own native language?
9Parthians, Medes and Elamites; residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia,
10Phrygia 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!”
12Amazed and perplexed, they asked one another, “What does this mean?”
13Some, however, made fun of them and said, “They have had too much wine.”
Text
Acts 4:5–31 (NIV84)
5The next day the rulers, elders and teachers of the law met in Jerusalem.
6Annas the high priest was there, and so were Caiaphas, John, Alexander and the other men of the high priest’s family.
7They had Peter and John brought before them and began to question them: “By what power or what name did you do this?”
8Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them: “Rulers and elders of the people!
9If we are being called to account today for an act of kindness shown to a cripple and are asked how he was healed,
10then know this, you and all the people of Israel: It is by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified but whom God raised from the dead, that this man stands before you healed.
11He is “ ‘the stone you builders rejected, which has become the capstone.’
12Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved.”
13When they saw the courage of Peter and John and realized that they were unschooled, ordinary men, they were astonished and they took note that these men had been with Jesus.
14But since they could see the man who had been healed standing there with them, there was nothing they could say.
15So they ordered them to withdraw from the Sanhedrin and then conferred together.
16“What are we going to do with these men?” they asked. “Everybody living in Jerusalem knows they have done an outstanding miracle, and we cannot deny it.
17But to stop this thing from spreading any further among the people, we must warn these men to speak no longer to anyone in this name.”
18Then they called them in again and commanded them not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus.
19But Peter and John replied, “Judge for yourselves whether it is right in God’s sight to obey you rather than God.
20For we cannot help speaking about what we have seen and heard.”
21After further threats they let them go. They could not decide how to punish them, because all the people were praising God for what had happened.
22For the man who was miraculously healed was over forty years old.
23On their release, Peter and John went back to their own people and reported all that the chief priests and elders had said to them.
24When they heard this, they raised their voices together in prayer to God. “Sovereign Lord,” they said, “you made the heaven and the earth and the sea, and everything in them.
25You spoke by the Holy Spirit through the mouth of your servant, our father David: “ ‘Why do the nations rage and the peoples plot in vain?
26The kings of the earth take their stand and the rulers gather together against the Lord and against his Anointed One.’
27Indeed Herod and Pontius Pilate met together with the Gentiles and the people of Israel in this city to conspire against your holy servant Jesus, whom you anointed.
28They did what your power and will had decided beforehand should happen.
29Now, Lord, consider their threats and enable your servants to speak your word with great boldness.
30Stretch out your hand to heal and perform miraculous signs and wonders through the name of your holy servant Jesus.”
31After they prayed, the place where they were meeting was shaken. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God boldly.
