Sermon Notes: Sunday, May 23, 2021   PENTECOST SUNDAY   “From Higher Tower To Higher Power” Genesis 11 and Acts 2 (selected verses)   “Now the whole world had one language and a common speech. 2 As people moved eastward, they found a plain in Shinar and settled there. 3 They said to each other, “Come, let’s make bricks and bake them thoroughly.” They used brick instead of stone, and tar for mortar. 4 Then they said, “Come, let us build ourselves a city, with a tower that reaches to the heavens, so that we may make a name for ourselves; otherwise we will be scattered over the face of the whole earth.” 5 But the Lord came down to see the city and the tower the people were building. 6 The Lord said, “If as one people speaking the same language they have begun to do this, then nothing they plan to do will be impossible for them. 7 Come, let us go down and confuse their language so they will not understand each other.” 8 So the Lord scattered them from there over all the earth, and they stopped building the city. 9 That is why it was called Babel — because there the Lord confused the language of the whole world. From there the Lord scattered them over the face of the whole earth.” - Genesis 11:1-9 NIV   "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 their own language being spoken. 7 Utterly amazed, they asked: “Aren’t all these who are speaking Galileans? 8 Then how is it that each of us hears them in our native language?" - Acts 2:1-8 NIV   “If you make disciples, you always get the church. But if you make a church, you rarely get disciples.” - Mike Breen   “46 He told them, “This is what is written: The Messiah will suffer and rise from the dead on the third day, 47 and repentance for the forgiveness of sins will be preached in his name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. 48 You are witnesses of these things. 49 I am going to send you what my Father has promised; but stay in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high.” - Luke 24:46-49 NIV  

BLESSING May the Grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Love of God the Father, and the Fellowship of the Holy Spirit - go with you now and always. AMEN.  

DAILY SCRIPTURE READINGS Week of May 24-29 Monday John 14:25-26 Tuesday Acts 1:8 Wednesday Ephesians 1:13-14 Thursday Ephesians 3:20-21 Friday Romans 8:14-17 Saturday 2 Peter 3:1-8  

PRAYER FOR THIS WEEK: Gracious and Loving God, We acknowledge that we can’t do it on our own. And we give thanks to You that we don’t have to. We thank You for your presence, power, provision, and promises, That we have received through the good news of Your grace, Through the coming of Christ and the coming of the Holy Spirit. Help us to be the Church you have created and called us to be, As we seek make (and grow) disciples of Jesus Christ, for the transformation of the world in Jesus’ name. It’s in His name we pray, Amen.  

OBSERVATION (“What?”) What is one thing that I observed in the passage?   IMPLICATION (“So What?”) What does that mean for me and my life?   APPLICATION (“Now What?”) What am I going to do about it?