Famous last words. Some of you are familiar with author Erma Bombeck ). She wrote, The Grass Is Always Greener over the Septic Tank, and, Just Wait Till You Have Children of Your Own. She was a funny lady. Once, Bombeck requested that her gravestone epitaph read: "Big deal! I'm used to dust!" (M. Driscoll, ed., 5087 Trivia Questions & Answers).

Sometimes, it's little wonder that a person's last words are famous. As Pancho Villa (?1877-1923) lay dying, he found himself at a loss for words. Finally he muttered, "Don't let it end like this. Tell them I said something." (R. Burne, The 637 Best Things Anybody Ever Said)

In 1983 a fifty-year-old tradition was quietly dropped by the U.S. House of Representatives. The tradition involved the annual reading of George Washington's farewell address on the occasion of his birthday. Democratic and Republican leaders decided it was useless to continue to read the lengthy address to a mostly empty chamber. "It's too bad," said a GOP aide, "but it's time for this to be consigned to the dustbin."

"The Calgary Herald" made this observation: "In past years, it was almost holy writ that the address must be read. Through war and storm for half a century, a member of each chamber has been chosen to read the address." Declared the newspaper heading, "Nobody listens to Washington's farewell address." http://www.bible.org/illus/nt/nt-125.htm#TopOfPage

Sometimes, I'm afraid something similar has happened in the Christian church. It seems that fewer and fewer Christians are listening to Christ's farewell message. Do you remember what He said to His disciples just prior to His ascension? "All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. (Matthew 28:18-19)"

These verses are often referred to as the Great Commission. It's our Lord's last command, his last directive. Listen again to the imperatives. Go. Teach. Baptize in all the world.

When was the last time you were speechless? I mean really thunderstruck? Perhaps it was after you heard the words, "Here's my report card," or maybe it was after you were told, "I pregnant," or "The IRS called today."

I believe the disciples were dumbfounded by our Lord's last command. How could they possibly hope to go into all the Roman world teaching and baptizing? Caesar was Lord over Palestine. And he entertained himself by presiding at the coliseum and watching wild animals shred Christians limb by limb. He dipped Christians in pitch and used them as torches to light his garden parties.

Nevertheless, Jesus said, Go. Teach. Baptize in all the world. How could this small band of disciples accomplish this staggering feat?

Before He ascended to heaven, Jesus promised to enable His disciples. The promise is found in two places. The first is in St. Luke 24:49. "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."(NIV)

The promise is repeated in Acts 1:8 "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." (NIV)

The power promised by Christ in Acts 1:8 and Luke 24:49 is a supernatural power, an enabling from God to evangelize the world. First, Christ commanded His disciples to evangelize the world, including Buddhists, Hindus, Muslims, and atheists. Then He promised to give them the power to carry out the command.

Acts 1:8 "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."

In 1980 I was enjoying life in Sacramento, California. From time to time I'd hear scientists prognosticating on the explosive future of Mount St. Helens. Most of them believed the peak would eventually erupt, but no one expected what happened on May 18, 1980.

After four weeks of tremors and small eruptions, Mt. St. Helens exploded with the force of an atomic bomb. Trees nine miles away were flattened by the force of the blast. Entire forests were buried beneath six feet of ash. A gray cloud rose miles into the air, darkening the sky. Nine hours later, after the smoke cleared, Mt. St. Helens was 1,000 feet shorter.

But compared to the power of Pentecost, Mt. St. Helens was a mere pop gun, a champagne bottle getting rid of its cork.

Let's look at the epistle lesson for today to confirm that God the Holy Spirit enables the Church to evangelize the world.

Study Acts 2:1 with me. Mark that word "Pentecost." "When the day of Pentecost had come..." Why did our Lord choose Pentecost as the day to pour out the Holy Spirit on the disciples? Pentecost was a Jewish holy day and there would be thousands of pilgrims in Jerusalem from across the known world. The epistle lesson tells us this. Parthians, Medes, and Elamites came from the east. Cappadocia, Pontus and Rome were regions to the north and west. Egypt and Libya were located to the south. People from Asia, Europe, and Africa were in Jerusalem.

Do you see our Lord's strategy? To jump start world evangelization, He brings the world to Jerusalem. And He meets them there.

But these pilgrims didn't speak Aramaic, the language of the disciples. Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. ³They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. ⁴All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues [languages] as the Spirit enabled them." ⁵Now there were staying in Jerusalem God-fearing Jews from every nation under heaven. ⁶When they heard this sound, a crowd came together in bewilderment, because each one heard them speaking in his own language. ⁷Utterly amazed, they asked: "Are not all these men who are speaking Galileans? ⁸Then how is it that each of us hears them in his own native language? ¹¹ --we hear them declaring the wonders of God in our own tongues!"

When the Holy Spirit came down from heaven, He supernaturally enabled the disciples to share the gospel in different languages. And the power He gave them was for the world wide expansion of the gospel. This is proof positive that God intends for all people to understand His greatness. And He is willing to do miracles to make his glory known among the nations. This means our Lord didn't invent the doctrine of Pluralism. It's His will that the entire globe bow to Him in worship.

Now I can hear someone say, "This is all well and fine Fr. Doug. That's a nice story, but what does it have to do with me?" Indulge me for a moment. Like the disciples, we are responsible for the evangelization of the world. We're also responsible for the maintenance and upkeep of our homes, and vehicles, feeding our families, being patient with our children, getting along with the people at work, getting along with our spouses, driving like a Christian, managing painful memories, and on top of all this, controlling our tongues.

Some of you are thinking, "I'll volunteer for world evangelization!" God's plan is for you to rely on His power, just like the disciples did.

Take a moment to look at II Corinthians 12:9. Study what St. Paul writes. "And He said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ's sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong."

May He give you the strength to stop striving in your own strength, so you can overcome in His. Amen