What would you say, that you’ve never said before, if you knew you couldn’t failWhat would you do, that you’ve never done before, if you knew you couldn't fail?
What chance would you take if you knew, that no matter what, you could not fail?
I don’t know if he had the chance or the time to think about these questions, but on the first Pentecost (Acts 2:1-21) that's what Peter did. When the gust of wind blew through the house without warning. When he and his friends started speaking uncontrollably in ways they had never done before. When all of it drew a crowd and people in the crowd asked “What does this mean?” and others said “It doesn’t mean anything, they’re full of new wine.” In the middle of all of this chaos…Peter did something….he stood up. In the middle of all of this excitement…Peter said something. In the middle of the winde and the noise…Peter took a chance.
Why did he do it? Maybe he did what he did…said what he said…took the chance that he took…because long before that, someone built him up. Someone told him: “You are a rock” and then he said “I’m building all of this, and I'm beginning with you.” And then, that someone stayed with him through thick and thin. He answered his questions and calmed his fears. When the storms raged and the doubts arose, that person stuck around. Even when the time came for that faithful companion to leave, he didn’t depart before telling Peter: "Remember, I'm with you always, until the end of time.” Long before the wind blew and the flames blazed and the people gathered and asked questions or sneered at him…Peter was given the courage, the confidence, and the gift to do what he did that day: to stand up, to say something, to take a chance, all because Jesus took the time in his life to build him up.
Of course, you never know you won't fail. There is never a surefire guarantee. You and I never know with 100 percent certainty that when we stand up, when we speak, when we take a chance that what we do will work out the way we hope that it might.
So, what do you do when the wind blows? When you feel that spark of inspiration well up inside you and burst into a flame? What do you do when you have the urge to take a chance? To say something? To do something? Do you act on that urge? Do you see it through? Do you ever actually get up out of your seat? Do you ever actually open your mouth and speak?
Or, do you sit there and let it pass. Do you hope that someone else will do something or say something? When the wind blows and the fires ignite, are they followed immediately by a voice in the back of your mind that reminds you “That will never work!” or wonders “What would they say about you if you did that?” or “What would they think of you if you said that?” When you hear that voice, do you then let it get up quietly and close the door that the wind had blown open and pour water on the flames that had sprung up? So that, in the end, you don’t really do or say anything? You don’t really take the chance at all?
The chance that Peter took that first Pentecost made a difference. If you fast-forward to the end of the speech he had made, this is what happened next (Acts 2:37-42). After he stood up, after he spoke, after he took a chance, someone in the crowd said: “Now what do we do?” And Peter told them “Change your life. Turn to God and be baptized.” And do you know what? That person in the crowd did just that, and when he followed Peter down to the river that afternoon, some of the rest of the crowd followed him. Do you know how many? 3,000! 3,000 people began a closer relationship with God that day, because Peter took a chance! It was chance was that began when Jesus built him up, walked alongside him, and convinced him that he couldn’t fail.
What did Jesus say because he knew he couldn’t fail? He said things like: “Let anyone who is thirsty come to me…and drink.” He called to people with words like: “Come to me, all you who are weary and carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest.” He told people: “Your sins are forgiven.” He said all these things and more because he knew he couldn’t fail at these promises. He knew he could deliver on them.
What did Jesus do when he knew he couldn’t fail? He put his hands on blind eyes and opened them so that they could see. He invited the lame to walk, and they did! He called into the grave of a dead man and asked him to live again, and he did! He did all these things and more because he knew that when he touched those sightless eyes, those immobile legs, and even the darkness of death, that he could change all of it.
What chance did Jesus take because he knew he couldn’t fail? He took the chance to bet everything he had on us. He took the chance to pick up the cross and carry it for you. He took the chance to give his own life because he knew, that with God at his side, he could not fail.
Jesus did all of this and more, and he did it because he trusted God completely, and he knew that “with God all things are possible.”
There is no guarantee that anything that we say or do, or any chance that we take, will be successful. But there is one surefire way to make sure we will fail- don't say anything, don't do anything, don't ever take any chances. & you WILL fail. It’s guaranteed.
The next time the wind blows through your house, and the spark of inspiration ignites inside of you, before you do anything else, remember that Jesus' words were for you and this could be your Pentecost. This could be your chance to say something and make a difference in someone else’s life. This could be your chance to do something and change the world for the better. This could be your chance to take a chance because you know that with God on your side, you have nothing to be afraid of.
So, when the world looks at you sideways and says you're full of it, stand up, say something, do something, take a chance, because who knows? Maybe that's the moment the wind is blowing through your house and the fire is blazing in your heart, and God is standing right beside you, just waiting to see what you'll do with it!
Why did he do it? Maybe he did what he did…said what he said…took the chance that he took…because long before that, someone built him up. Someone told him: “You are a rock” and then he said “I’m building all of this, and I'm beginning with you.” And then, that someone stayed with him through thick and thin. He answered his questions and calmed his fears. When the storms raged and the doubts arose, that person stuck around. Even when the time came for that faithful companion to leave, he didn’t depart before telling Peter: "Remember, I'm with you always, until the end of time.” Long before the wind blew and the flames blazed and the people gathered and asked questions or sneered at him…Peter was given the courage, the confidence, and the gift to do what he did that day: to stand up, to say something, to take a chance, all because Jesus took the time in his life to build him up.
Of course, you never know you won't fail. There is never a surefire guarantee. You and I never know with 100 percent certainty that when we stand up, when we speak, when we take a chance that what we do will work out the way we hope that it might.
So, what do you do when the wind blows? When you feel that spark of inspiration well up inside you and burst into a flame? What do you do when you have the urge to take a chance? To say something? To do something? Do you act on that urge? Do you see it through? Do you ever actually get up out of your seat? Do you ever actually open your mouth and speak?
Or, do you sit there and let it pass. Do you hope that someone else will do something or say something? When the wind blows and the fires ignite, are they followed immediately by a voice in the back of your mind that reminds you “That will never work!” or wonders “What would they say about you if you did that?” or “What would they think of you if you said that?” When you hear that voice, do you then let it get up quietly and close the door that the wind had blown open and pour water on the flames that had sprung up? So that, in the end, you don’t really do or say anything? You don’t really take the chance at all?
The chance that Peter took that first Pentecost made a difference. If you fast-forward to the end of the speech he had made, this is what happened next (Acts 2:37-42). After he stood up, after he spoke, after he took a chance, someone in the crowd said: “Now what do we do?” And Peter told them “Change your life. Turn to God and be baptized.” And do you know what? That person in the crowd did just that, and when he followed Peter down to the river that afternoon, some of the rest of the crowd followed him. Do you know how many? 3,000! 3,000 people began a closer relationship with God that day, because Peter took a chance! It was chance was that began when Jesus built him up, walked alongside him, and convinced him that he couldn’t fail.
What did Jesus say because he knew he couldn’t fail? He said things like: “Let anyone who is thirsty come to me…and drink.” He called to people with words like: “Come to me, all you who are weary and carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest.” He told people: “Your sins are forgiven.” He said all these things and more because he knew he couldn’t fail at these promises. He knew he could deliver on them.
What did Jesus do when he knew he couldn’t fail? He put his hands on blind eyes and opened them so that they could see. He invited the lame to walk, and they did! He called into the grave of a dead man and asked him to live again, and he did! He did all these things and more because he knew that when he touched those sightless eyes, those immobile legs, and even the darkness of death, that he could change all of it.
What chance did Jesus take because he knew he couldn’t fail? He took the chance to bet everything he had on us. He took the chance to pick up the cross and carry it for you. He took the chance to give his own life because he knew, that with God at his side, he could not fail.
Jesus did all of this and more, and he did it because he trusted God completely, and he knew that “with God all things are possible.”
There is no guarantee that anything that we say or do, or any chance that we take, will be successful. But there is one surefire way to make sure we will fail- don't say anything, don't do anything, don't ever take any chances. & you WILL fail. It’s guaranteed.
The next time the wind blows through your house, and the spark of inspiration ignites inside of you, before you do anything else, remember that Jesus' words were for you and this could be your Pentecost. This could be your chance to say something and make a difference in someone else’s life. This could be your chance to do something and change the world for the better. This could be your chance to take a chance because you know that with God on your side, you have nothing to be afraid of.
So, when the world looks at you sideways and says you're full of it, stand up, say something, do something, take a chance, because who knows? Maybe that's the moment the wind is blowing through your house and the fire is blazing in your heart, and God is standing right beside you, just waiting to see what you'll do with it!
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