Pastor Jerry Varnado’s sermon titled “The Promise of Pentecost” delivered on May 19, 2024, focuses on the significance of Pentecost and the outpouring of the Holy Spirit as described in the book of Acts.
He begins by emphasizing the importance of welcoming visitors to the church and filling out visitor cards. He then explains that Pentecost Sunday commemorates the outpouring of the Holy Spirit, the final act of Jesus’ earthly ministry. Reading from Acts 1 and 2, he highlights Jesus’ command to the disciples to wait for the Holy Spirit and describes the dramatic events of Pentecost, where the disciples experienced a sound like a violent wind, tongues of fire, and spoke in other tongues understood by people of various languages.
Pastor Varnado underscores the concept of “going power” given by the Holy Spirit, enabling believers to be witnesses from Jerusalem to the ends of the earth. He argues that fulfilling Jesus’ Great Commission requires divine power, not just human effort. He illustrates this with the example of Peter, who transformed from a fearful denier of Jesus to a bold preacher leading 3,000 to conversion.
He further discusses the miraculous nature of the gospel message and its power to transform lives, sharing personal anecdotes and scriptural references. Varnado asserts that miracles, both internal (like personal transformation) and external (like physical healings), are essential for spreading the gospel and manifesting God’s power. He calls on the congregation to foster faith in God’s present power and to expect miracles as a sign of His presence and action in the world.
In conclusion, Pastor Varnado encourages believers to seek miracles not for their own sake but as necessary tools for doing Jesus’ work, thereby bringing glory to God and advancing His kingdom.
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