The Windcatcher - Pastor Johnnie Simpson Jr.

Acts 2:1-4

2 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.

A Norwegian company is developing this new system to generate electricity from wind power. Fast Company magazine reports that when it becomes operational next year, "it could deliver five times the annual energy of the world's largest single turbine. That's because the system is three times taller than the average turbine, exposing the blades to higher wind speeds."

They will call it "Windcatcher."

The structure will be large, as tall as the Eiffel Tower.

And it is wide, stretching the length of some of the world's largest cruise ships.

Built as an enormous metal grid, it will contain 126 wind turbines. It will float on a platform anchored to the ocean floor using the same technology the oil and gas industry employs.

Imagine 126 turbines spinning in an enormous grid. The Windcatcher blades will be smaller than those on a typical windmill, enabling them to turn faster. And the position of the grid in deep water will allow it to catch the strongest of winds.

Numbers. Size. Location. Put these elements together, and you have a single structure that will generate enough electricity to run 80,000 European homes.

That's a lot of power.

Windcatcher is still on the drawing boards, so its performance is uncertain. "What happens when a big storm or hurricane hits it?" asks Dave Makichuk of Asia Times. "Would it withstand a hurricane or freak storm or even rough seas? Would these blades chop up sea birds at an alarming rate?"

Such questions still need to be answered. 

The wind is a staple in our lives, we cannot see it, but we feel its effect. We appreciate the wind on a hot summer day when the breeze feels just right. We use the word wind in our daily conversations. When we hear rumors, we say something is blowing in the wind. When we get new information, we say we just got wind of it. When a task is easy, we say it will be a breeze. When someone has too many alcoholic drinks, we say they are three sheets to the wind. The wind is a part of our everyday language, and I assume that is why the author of Acts chose to describe the coming of the Holy Spirit using language about wind. 

The text describes the day of Pentecost. Pentecost = 50 Days after Passover, the Jewish feast of Weeks (a week of weeks). Pentecost was the occasion for celebrating the harvest and particularly for giving thanks to God for graciously bringing forth fruit from the land.  

In Acts 2:1-21, we witness an extraordinary event—the coming of the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost. The disciples gathered in one place and experienced the outpouring of the Holy Spirit powerfully and visibly. The outpouring of the Spirit is anticipated by John the Baptist (Luke 3:16) and Jesus (Luke 24:49; Acts 1:4, 8). 

One of the most remarkable aspects of this event was that the apostles began to speak in different languages, enabling each person to hear the message of God in their native tongue. This miraculous occurrence teaches us a profound lesson: we are called to meet people where they are in life. God broke down language and cultural barriers through the Holy Spirit to ensure His message reached all people's hearts. It reveals the importance of embracing diversity and recognizing that different individuals have unique experiences, backgrounds, and languages.

As followers of Christ, we are commissioned to extend this same love and understanding to those around us. We must seek to understand people's perspectives, their struggles, and their joys. By doing so, we demonstrate the inclusivity and grace that Christ embodied during His earthly ministry. The Gospel transcends boundaries and invites everyone to experience the transformative power of God's love.

This festival would have been a large gathering of Greek-speaking people, but the disciples still spoke in languages other people would understand. Don't look at people speaking in tongues strangely if you are unwilling to talk to your neighbor. 

As the disciples began speaking in various languages, some onlookers misunderstood the situation and accused them of being drunk. In their ignorance and skepticism, they sought to dismiss the profound work of the Holy Spirit. This episode reminds us that there will always be naysayers and haters in our lives—those who misunderstand and ridicule our faith.

We live in a world that often fails to comprehend the ways of God. Just as the onlookers judged the disciples without understanding, so too will people misjudge us for our beliefs and actions. However, let us take courage in the face of opposition, knowing we are not alone. The Spirit of God dwells within us, empowering us to respond with grace and love.

Remember the words of Jesus in John 15:18: "If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you." Jesus Himself experienced rejection, persecution, and hatred. As His followers, we are called to endure and respond to such opposition with steadfast faith, knowing God is with us.

In response to the accusations, the apostle Peter boldly addressed the crowd. Filled with the power of the Holy Spirit, he fearlessly proclaimed the truth and defended the disciples' actions. Peter, who turned his back on Jesus, is now filled with the Holy Spirit and speaking boldly to the naysayers. Peter, who cussed and ran at the mention of Jesus during the crucifixion, is now out front and center defending him. Peter Quotes Joel 2:28-32

"The story of Pentecost indicates that the coming of the Holy Spirit represents a new order that is manifested as a leveling power that destroys privilege: the Spirit is poured upon "all flesh," sons and daughters, young and old, male and female servants."   

Peter's transformation from a fearful disciple to a courageous preacher demonstrates the profound impact of the Holy Spirit in our lives.

The same Holy Spirit that transformed Peter's life is available today. It equips us to speak the truth, proclaim the Gospel boldly, and stand firm in our convictions. We can draw strength from the Spirit dwelling within us when we encounter opposition or challenges. As redeemed individuals, we have a powerful testimony of God's love and grace, which should encourage us to share His message without fear or hesitation.

Peter's defense was not rooted in his abilities or knowledge but in the power of the Holy Spirit working through him. It was through the Spirit that Peter could eloquently and persuasively articulate the truth of Christ's redemption. In Acts 2:14-21, we see Peter quoting the prophet Joel, emphasizing that the pouring out of the Spirit fulfilled God's promise and was a sign of the last days. Peter understood that the Spirit's work was not limited to the present moment but had far-reaching implications for the salvation of all who would call upon the name of the Lord.

This Spirit that swept through the house gifted more than those disciples at Pentecost and those with whom we minister today. That Spirit has been loosed into the world, and its creative and life-giving power is now the gift of families and communities, of churches, and nations. The relevant question becomes not just "How will I respond to these party gifts of the Spirit?" but "How will we respond to these gifts?" 

The climax of Peter's sermon in Acts 2 is the proclamation that "everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved" (Acts 2:21). This powerful statement encapsulates the universality of salvation through Jesus Christ. It reaffirms the fundamental truth that no other name is given to humanity by which we can be saved (Acts 4:12).

In a world filled with diverse religious beliefs and philosophical systems, the message of Jesus as the only way to salvation may face opposition and criticism. However, let us not waver in our conviction, for the truth remains unchanging. Salvation is found in no one else but Jesus Christ. He is the way, the truth, and the life (John 14:6).

While exclusive, this truth is also inclusive in its offer. The invitation to call upon the name of the Lord is extended to everyone. Regardless of our past mistakes, social status, or cultural background, Christ's saving grace is available to all who sincerely seek Him. The Holy Spirit empowers us to boldly proclaim this message of hope and redemption, assuring those who hear that they, too, can experience the transformative power of God's love.

The Men and Women of Galilee - Pastor Johnnie Simpson Jr.

Acts 1:6-14

6 Then they gathered around him and asked him, “Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?”

7 He said to them: “It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority.8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”

9 After he said this, he was taken up before their very eyes, and a cloud hid him from their sight.

10 They were looking intently up into the sky as he was going, when suddenly two men dressed in whitestood beside them. 11 “Men of Galilee,” they said, “why do you stand here looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven.”

12 Then the apostles returned to Jerusalem from the hill called the Mount of Olives, a Sabbath day’s walk from the city. 13 When they arrived, they went upstairs to the room where they were staying. Those present were Peter, John, James and Andrew; Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew; James son of Alphaeus and Simon the Zealot, and Judas son of James. 14 They all joined together constantly in prayer, along with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brothers.

Although the first astronauts were all men, crews going into the skies these days often include both men and women. The Space X Crew 5, which launched to the International Space Station on October 6, 2022, consisted of two men and two women, and one of the women was the commander of flight.

It is, of course, a good thing that such opportunities and responsibilities are open to both sexes, but historically speaking, it has taken a long time to get there.

That seems jarringly clear in another “going into the sky” moment. We’re talking about the ascension, when Jesus was taken up through a cloud into the heavens. As those who witnessed this phenomenon stood, dumbstruck, staring into the sky, two heavenly messengers, specifically identified as men, spoke to them saying, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking up toward heaven?”

Written by Luke to Theophilus. Luke's narrative is focused on God and connected to history and the community.

The preface closes with a summary statement (vv. 12–14). The community of believers includes both male disciples (only 11 names are given, preparing for Judas' replacement in 1:15–26) and women, with Mary explicitly named alongside the mention of Jesus' brothers.  This reading from Acts goes through verse 14, which plainly states that as the apostles devoted themselves to prayer, they were “together with certain women, including Mary, the mother of Jesus, as well as his brothers.” So, there’s a reasonable likelihood that there were also women disciples who witnessed the ascension.

Assurance from Jesus

The confusion (1:6): 

The apostles want to know if Jesus will establish his kingdom at this time. 

Jesus had spoken of the kingdom and promised the coming of the Spirit, so it is no surprise that his disciples wonder about the restoration of the kingdom to Israel (v. 6) .

The clarification (1:7): 

Jesus tells them that the Father will determine when that occurs. Jesus does not spend a lot of time talking about what is not yet but tells the people to focus on what is right now.

Jesus is concerned about saving more than just Israel. 

While God’s plan of renewal is mediated through Israel (a concern for the apostles, vv. 6–7), it would reach beyond Israel to include those who had been disenfranchised from Israel’s commonwealth, the Gentiles. Hence, the reign of God for Luke would also challenge the claims of Israel regarding its exclusive rights and position within God’s plan. For this reason, the inclusion of the Gentiles in the “new” people of God is an overarching concern of Acts.24

24 A cursory reading of Acts indicates that the early “Christian” communities encountered “integration” problems, which were a major concern of Acts (8:26–15:35). Nevertheless, integration into the new “Christian” community links conversion with integration into the new community, which has to do with the creation of a new social entity—the unity of Jew and Gentile into one people of God through Jesus Christ (Liew, “Acts,” 420–21). 

The commission (1:8): 

Meanwhile, they are to witness for Jesus in Jerusalem, Judea. How do we live as Disciples of a now departed Jesus? - Don't Worry, Watch, Wait, and Pray

Ascension of Jesus

Faith is about waiting sometimes, others it’s about action.

Discipleship is about an active witness more than a personal relationship.

Receive power = closest English word compared to dynamite. 

The Holy Spirit gives them power to be witnesses, this is functional as well as spiritual. 

Verse 14 they all joined together constantly in prayer - Prayer is an active practice. Jesus tells them not to leave Jerusalem yet. - Pray a little longer. Jesus decided I am going to work from home.

Isaiah 40:28-31 King James Version (KJV)

28 Hast thou not known? hast thou not heard, that the everlasting God, the Lord, the Creator of the ends of the earth, fainteth not, neither is weary? there is no searching of his understanding. 29 He giveth power to the faint; and to them that have no might he increaseth strength. 30 Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall: 31 But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.

Pray

Now is the time to be praying, praying more than ever. 

Philippians 4:6-7 New King James Version (NKJV)

6 Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; 7 and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

Know that the same way you saw Jesus leave is the same way you are going to see him return in the meantime, don’t worry, watch the right things, wait on the Lord, and pray. 

Whose Time is it Anyway? - Pastor Johnnie Simpson Jr.

Psalm 31:1-5, 15-16

1 In you, Lord, I have taken refuge; let me never be put to shame; deliver me in your righteousness. 2 Turn your ear to me, come quickly to my rescue; be my rock of refuge, a strong fortress to save me. 3 Since you are my rock and my fortress, for the sake of your name lead and guide me. 4 Keep me free from the trap that is set for me, for you are my refuge. 5 Into your hands I commit my spirit; deliver me, Lord, my faithful God.

15 My times are in your hands; deliver me from the hands of my enemies, from those who pursue me. 16 Let your face shine on your servant; save me in your unfailing love.

My mother was particular about time; she set all her clocks somewhere between 12 and 18 minutes ahead. We used to get text message reminders when we were supposed to "spring ahead" for daylight savings. She detested being late; she was a stickler for time, and my mother was also different about timing. I compared my mother to the stories of Eagles. Eagles are rumored to push their offspring out of the nest to start flying before they may think they are ready. The parent eagle knows when it is time, even when the baby eagle has gotten comfortable. We have moved houses, changed careers, started businesses, got married, had children, and done many things before I could check all the boxes I wanted to check first. My mother's favorite phrase was God will work it out. Be on time and be in God's time. 

Knowing the time is critically important in our fast-paced society. Fortunately, we seldom need to ask, "What time is it?" The current time is right there in the corner of our laptops, at the top of our tablets, or on the face of our smartwatches, accurate to the second, courtesy of the internet. If we're in the car, we can find the time glowing at us digitally on the dash somewhere.

We generally are aware of time and our need-to-know what time it is. We need to get to work on time. We need to catch a flight and be on time. We need to arrive early for our daughter's ballet performance in The Nutcracker. The office won't wait for us; the plane won't wait for us; the performance will not be delayed until we arrive.

We use a variety of devices to ensure we're on time. We have pop-up reminders on our laptops, tablets, and smartphones. We maintain online calendars — probably several — to manage appointments, travel plans, and school events. We may even buy a book or two to help us manage our time more efficiently. All of this happens because we assume, and to some extent correctly, that our time is ours alone to manage. If we mismanage it, we have no one to blame but ourselves.

Psalm 31 is a text about time. The Psalms are a collection of prayers, songs, liturgies, and poems. David is credited as the author of Psalm 31; he is going through a rough time. 

David seeks deliverance.

David urgently and prayerfully pours out his heart to God. He entrusts his very being to him, relying on the divine presence to rescue him from his vicious, plotting enemies and to continue to keep him safe. One scholar says that Psalm 31 doesn't follow a logical or literary order. I can relate to that; when you are at your wit's end, sometimes you are not as eloquent as you would like. Sometimes your subject and verb don't agree; sometimes, you won't have perfect grammar and syntax. Sometimes when you need help, you can't turn into an award-winning author; you just know to call on someone for help. I need somebody to come save me, and I need them to save me now!

David Suffers Despair

David prayerfully acknowledges his pain to the Lord. He is facing persecution and multiple death threats. His enemies, although unspecified, are real, and they cause him severe distress. They are among those "who pay regard to worthless idols" (v. 6). Because of them, he faces affliction (v. 7). David lays all his hurt out before God in his lament in verses 9-13. He cries out, "Have mercy on me" (many translations of v. 9) because of his extreme distress (the Hebrew word means dire straits — a difficult narrowing situation), which has constricted him physically and emotionally. He speaks of his sorrow, sighing, misery, and wasting away. Not only that, but his adversaries scorn him, and even his neighbors turn away from him in alarm when he needs them the most. He's afraid that people will forget him. Many folks use whispering campaigns to plot against David (see also v. 20).

David Shows Dedication

David is not speaking about the length of his life but about what will be happening in his life, which depends largely on God. "My times" (NRSV, NIV, NASB, KJV) is translated as "my destiny" (NET, NAB), "my future" (NLT, CEB), "my fate" (Tanakh), and "every moment of my life" (NJB). David trustingly places his precarious life (due to his persecuting enemies and snubbing acquaintances) in God's trustworthy, providential care.

In acknowledging that his life and times were in the hands of God, David seems to have arrived at a conclusion ahead of his time. Perhaps, he wished he had come to this conclusion more quickly, but it was quick enough. Maybe even more than quick enough — he was ahead of most of his contemporaries. There is one God, and David put his trust in his God, and it was this trust that gave him peace.

Isn't this where we want to be? Ahead of time. Early and eager. Ready and steady. Living life to the fullest.

But in the hands of God. The Psalmist knows he can turn to God for help because God has helped him before; if he did it before, he can do it again! David says, "Into your hand, I commit my spirit." (Psalm 31:5). "I'm putting everything I have in this rocky refuge. My times are in your hand. My past and my future, not to mention my present." 

David says that in this time of trouble, I trust God fully!

David's words in verse 15a, "My times are in your hand," mean essentially the same thing as his words in verse 5a. Steadfast love.

"All hands on deck," from the traditional nautical command for every sailor to report for duty, refers to the necessity of everyone involved to lend a hand or assist.

To take someone by the hand is to lead or nurture them

To bite the hand that feeds you is to be hostile to someone who has been kind to you.

To have your hands full is to be busy

To know something firsthand is to be directly familiar with the facts

To hand something off is to pass it along to someone else

To force someone's hand is to compel them to act prematurely or involuntarily

To gain the upper hand is to obtain control

To get your hands dirty

You can catch these hands

Because of David's confidence in God, he can declare, "Into your hand, I commit my spirit" (v. 5a). Christian people will readily remember Jesus' final, dying words spoken on the cross: "Then Jesus, crying with a loud voice, said, 'Father, into your hands I commend my spirit.' Having said this, he breathed his last." (Luke 23:46). The deacon-martyr Stephen's last words are similar: "While they were stoning Stephen, he prayed, 'Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.'" (Acts 7:59). Even though David himself was not dying, he was nevertheless trusting God in the midst of mortal danger. NET and similarly, Tanakh translates his words in verse 5a as "Into your hand I entrust my life." David relies primarily on the Lord, not on himself, even though he is a strong, skilled, and shrewd warrior and leader.

Luke 24:46

46 Jesus called out with a loud voice, "Father, into your hands I commit my spirit." When he had said this, he breathed his last.

all in his hands, I put it all in his hands

all in his hands, I put it all in his hands

All of my burdens, problems, if I have a question

I put it all, yes I put it all, I put it all in his hands

Drive:

Whatever the problem, I put it all in his hands

I know that he can solve them; I put it all in his hands

This, this, this, and that repeat 3x

I put it all in his hands. He can handle it, that's a fact, I put it all in his hands

No matter how great or small, he's the master of them all

I put it all, yes I put it all, I put it all in his hands.

The concluding verse of Psalm 31 reads: "Be strong [you faithful followers of the Lord — v. 23] and let your heart take courage, all you who wait for the Lord" (v. 24)