Pentecost

The fiftieth day after the Passover was known as the festival of Pentecost (50). It was a day festival which was celebrated at the end of the barley harvest. It was a joyful time of giving thanks to God.

The Pentecost was also the second of the three great Jewish festivals: Passover – freedom of slavery, Pentecost – the anniversary that God gave the Torah and festival of booths – commemorating how the Israelite's lived in temporary dwellings in the dessert. All three required to be celebrated in Jerusalem.

It is during the Passover and the Pentecost that two important events in the life of the church took place. The death and resurrection of Jesus and the outpouring of the HS upon his disciples – The birth of the church.

Both are festivals that have to be celebrated in a grand manner. Pentecost though is a different kind of a celebration. One where we are filled and empowered with the Holy Spirit to go out into the world and witness for Christ.

On this day of Pentecost we see that for the first time the disciples who were locked up in fear are now outside with boldness.

St. Luke describes it for us as a spectacular scene—rushing winds, tongues of fire, apostles speaking strange languages which at the same time everyone who heard could understand.

The first Pentecost was an exhilarating illustration of what wonders can come when Spirit-filled followers of Christ come together to do God’s work. It was an experienced which left the people amazed and perplexed.

This morning let us visit the Pentecost event that took place in that room and the impact it had on the onlookers.

Acts 2:2 The sound of the wind descends and fills the place where they were staying. A rushing wind is powerful. You can’t stand in its path. When you stand in its path, it controls you, you can’t bear the sound. It takes control Ml;nfhs;Sjy; of you. This sound filled the house.

Acts 2:3 Tongues of fire on them. Fire burns, cleans, it purifies. Like it purifies metal and creates something out of it. Tongues not the speaking in tongues, but the ability to be able to witness in other languages, that the people who hear will know what is being spoken. Sat upon them. 

The power of the HS is compared to the sound of the wind and tongues of fire.

When we say spirit it reminds us of life, breath, wind. The breath of the nostrils, which gives life to a human body. The rational part of man. This is the power by which a human being feels, thinks, wills, decides.

The body is of no use without a spirit. The spirit possesses the power of knowing, desiring, deciding, and acting". This reveals who an individual is. When you add Holy in front it gives an all new meaning to who a believer is.

To be filled with the holy spirit is a privilege every believer gets. D. L. Moody says God commands us to be filled with the HS. If we don’t we are living below that priviledge.

  

And so on the day of Pentecost the disciples of Jesus were filled with that privilege, and continued to live under its control, and the outcome விளைவு of being filled with the HS was amazing and perplexing to those who witnessed it.

Now the bible tells us that the work of the spirit is to testify about the father John 15:26. What does it mean testify? Acts 4:20. To go out and share what we have heard and seen. That is what happened on the day of Pentecost. Acts 2:11 says that the people heard them speak of the wonders of God. 4:8 Peter, 7:55 Stephen, 8:29 Phillip

The bible continues to tell us that “they never stopped teaching and proclaiming that Jesus is the Christ” 5:42

The people who heard this message were amazed v7. To be amazed is to remove from a standing (fixed) position, to be at a total loss to explain something.

Marveled. This is the same used in 4:13 when the Sanhedrin found that the disciples were unschooled fishermen.

So we see that the work of the HS is connected with the life, character and the ministry of the believer. It gave the early church the boldness to speak about Jesus.

The HS was given that the church may carry the message of the risen Lord Jesus to every nation. It empowered the disciples to move beyond their borders. Into different cultures, into different societies. Amidst opposition, threat, persecution. Jerusalem to the ends of the earth. And today the HS empowers us to do this same ministry.

It is very unfortunate though that at times the life, character and ministry of those who follow Christ today don’t reveal the amazing and works of the HS. What is so amazing and perplexing for the people outside to see in the body of Christ.

The context and environment in which we live at times demotivates and discourages us.

Most often Christians want the gifts and the fruits of the spirit for their own personal glory and name.  And so somewhere we Christians are missing the mark.

Therefore the church has a standard which is above the worldly standards. So if a church were to remain a meager building into which people come and go on a Sunday, I don’t think we need the HS.

A. J. Moore says “if a church has to rise to its fullest stature in God..it must rely not upon its numbers or skills but upon the power of the HS”. The church has to be empowered not by man’s intellect but by the HS of God which is the life and breathe of the church.

So we need to wait upon the Lord each day in prayer, asking God to fill us and empower us so that we may boldly share his message to the outside world.

May God give us the courage to empty ourselves that we may be filled with his spirit, that the whole world will see and be amazed that today’s believers are truly the temple of the HS.