The Gift of a New Heart
Acts 2:1-11
June 8, 2025 anno Domini
I have a child. I won’t mention her name. When we stay at her house we are surprised at the deliveries. If the Amazon truck doesn’t come three times it’s a slow day. Groceries are delivered. Meals are delivered. I dare not say too much as she’s a chipette off the old block. I also love my Amazon packages.
Amazon knows there is something addictive about getting a delivery, receiving a package with your name on it, and opening it, even when you know what’s inside, even when you paid for it. This is nothing new. This is as old as the Sears Christmas Catalog and the Thanksgiving Paper with Black Friday bargains. But, as every addict knows, the moment the package is opened the excitement is over. The object of your desire is no longer desired, and you move on looking for the next thing. Your fix might not be Amazon, it might be some other form of mammon, a hobby, a job, a person or pleasure.
Because of our sinfulness the good gifts of God no longer satisfy us. Saint Paul told Timothy “if we have food and clothing, with these we will be content.” 1 Tim 6:8 Are any of you without food and clothing? More likely you have a stuffed pantry, a full freezer, and clothes spilling out of your dresser and closet. Why are you not content?
You have a heart condition and not one of those objects of your desire can change your heart. They cannot give you peace. They cannot give you hope. They will not make your life what you desire. Martin Luther was fond of telling his hearers, “You must become a different person.” Today I would say, “You need a different heart.”
The Holy Spirit changes hearts. That’s what Pentecost day is all about. The Holy Spirit is the Prime Delivery Guy of the Holy Trinity, but with a great difference. He brings you gifts, not stuff you bought, but gifts which Christ bought. His gifts come in packages, but when you open them, they change you. They are external gifts, but they work an internal change. The Holy Spirit comes to give you a new heart, with new desires, so that you can be satisfied, You can have peace. You can love God and others.
Pentecost was an Old Testament festival celebrated 50 days after Passover. The Israelites were slaves in the land of Egypt, but at the Lord’s command they sacrificed one year old male lambs, spread their blood on the doorposts, and death passed over their homes. Death however did not bypass the Egyptians. Every firstborn male died, man and beast, including Pharoah’s son. The next day Israel was free, not just free but rich with Egyptian plunder. The Egyptians couldn’t get rid of them fast enough. Take my gold, my truck, even my collection of U.S. Quarters, and grandma’s china, just get out of here.
At Passover the Lord redeemed them from slavery. Fifty days later at Sinai He rehearsed their wedding vows. No fooling around with other gods. Don’t bad mouth me with your girlfriends and don’t talk to other gods. No separate holidays – on holy days you will be with me.
Throughout the Old Testament God’s people celebrated these holy days every year. Passover to remember God brought them out of Egypt and Pentecost to remember the giving of the Law on Sinai.
These Old Testament events were types or shadows of Christ. All those little one year old male lambs pointed ahead to the Lamb of God who would take away the sin of the world. Jesus’ death occurred on Passover Eve. His blood marked the cross. Your sins are forgiven. Death now passes over you since Christ is risen from the dead.
50 days after His resurrection, the twelve were in Jerusalem. It was a new and greater Mt. Sinai. There was a rushing wind like Sinai. There was fire like Sinai, but instead of God’s finger writing on stone tablets, God’s Spirit wrote on human hearts.
Consider what God gave to Moses on Mount Sinai. Since I began the sermon with Amazon I might as well jump to the appropriate commandment. You shall not covet. God gave us two commandments against coveting. Number 9: You shall not covet your neighbor’s house. Number 10: You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, or his manservant or maidservant, his ox or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor.” Oddly, I think children find the 10th commandment one of the easiest to memorize. God certainly knew our hearts when He etched those in stone.
How are you at not coveting? How content are you with what you have? Will it be easy for you to give up your tools or glassware collection or hobbies or driver’s license when that hour comes? The commandment given on Sinai cannot change you. It will only convict you. It can force you not to covet, but it cannot give you contentment. It might control your outward behavior but will not change your heart. Also the Law shows no mercy. Unless you keep it perfectly God will judge you. Do not covet means no coveting ever and complete contentment with what you have. Do that and you will live.
As Luther said, your only hope is to become a different person. Your only hope is a new heart. Your hope is the Holy Spirit delivering the gifts of Jesus. On that ultimate and final Passover the Lamb of God, Jesus of Nazareth died for your sins. His blood on the frame of the cross causes death to pass over you. “Whoever believes in Me, though he die, yet shall he live, and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die.” Then 50 days later, on the ultimate and final Pentecost, the Lord did not give a new and better Law, but a new and better heart.
Consider Peter as an example. When Jesus was on trial Peter was afraid of a servant girl and denied he knew Jesus. Now he stands up before a great crowd, preaches Jesus’ death and resurrection, and at the end of the sermon tells them, “You crucified Jesus.” The eleven cowardly men who hid in the upper room, now stand in the public square before the world declaring the mighty works of God. “Do you remember that new star appearing 30 years ago? That wonder in the heavens declared God had come to earth. And when the sun darkened 50 days ago as Jesus hung on the cross, when the tombs were opened and saints were made alive, that was a sign on earth. Sin had been judged against God’s Son so that life and the resurrection were purchased for you.”
The Holy Spirit gets to your heart through your ears. That’s the way He has chosen to deliver Christ’s gifts. Peter preached and 3000 souls believed and were baptized. A man called by God delivered the Law of Sinai to convict and the Good News of Jesus to convert. Water and the Word worked faith in your heart. Bread and wine with the Word feed you Christ’s body and blood for the forgiveness of your sins. The Spirit has created faith in you and faith gives you a different heart.
You want to be here this morning and when you skip church you feel guilty. You give offerings to support the ministry of Word and Sacrament even though you could buy more stuff from Amazon if you didn’t. You worry about the salvation of your children and siblings, and you pray for them and bug them. You are more aware of your sins than before, and the world would laugh at what you consider sinful. You do not fear the Lord but love Him. You don’t want to die, but you’re looking forward to being with Jesus.
You have one person to thank for all of that. The third person of the Holy Trinity, the Spirit of the Father and of the Son, who brings You news of Jesus through the preaching of the Word that you might call upon the name of the Lord and be saved, that you might be a different person with a new heart. In the name of Jesus. Amen.