Pentecost Sermon Peter Arnett - Uniting Churches of Ipswich

<p align="center"><strong>PENTECOST SERMON</strong></p> <p align="center"><strong>THEME: THE POWERFUL PRESENCE OF</strong></p> <p align="center"><strong>THE HOLY SPIRIT</strong></p> <p><strong> Preached for Ipswich City Uniting Churches online worship.</strong></p> <p><strong>YouTube version can be found <a title= "Pentecost Sermon P Arnett" href="https://youtu.be/d8KTPuLCn1A" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style= "text-decoration: underline;"><span style= "color: #0000ff; text-decoration: underline;">HERE</span></span></a></strong></p> <p>Good morning Church! What a great privilege it is to be sharing God’s word with you at this time of our Pentecost Celebration.</p> <p> </p> <p>The story of Pentecost actually begins with the baptism of Jesus:</p> <p> </p> <p>In Mark 1:9-12 we read:</p> <p><strong><em>9 </em></strong><em>At that time Jesus came from Nazareth in Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan. <strong>10 </strong>Just as Jesus was coming up out of the water, he saw heaven being torn open and the Spirit descending on him like a dove. <strong>11 </strong>And a voice came from heaven: “You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased.” <strong>12 </strong>At once the Spirit sent him out into the wilderness.</em></p> <p><em> </em></p> <p>The Holy Spirit came upon Jesus at the time of his baptism, empowering him and equipping him. Jesus was empowered to withstand the temptation that he endured over the next forty days and forty nights.</p> <p> </p> <p>The Holy Spirit enabled Jesus to teach with authority. The Holy Spirit enabled Jesus to heal and restore life. The Holy Spirit enabled Jesus to minister God’s grace with deep compassion and to pass on the gift of the Holy Spirit to his disciples.</p> <p> </p> <p>From John 20:21-22</p> <p><strong><em>21 </em></strong><em>Again Jesus said, </em><em>“Peace be with you! As the Father has sent me, I am sending you.”</em><em> <strong>22 </strong>And with that he breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit”.</em></p> <p> </p> <p>Now Luke rec