Pentecost

I wonder how many people remember that this Sunday we Christians celebrate Pentecost.  According to
church tradition, Pentecost (from the Greek ʻPenteʼ meaning five) is always seven weeks after Easter
Sunday.  Historically and symbolically it is related to the Jewish harvest festival (day of first fruits), Shavuot, fifty days after Passover.

Pentecost commemorates the descent of the Holy Spirit upon the followers of Jesus as described in the Book of Acts, Chapter 2, empowering them for their mission that Christ had given, and gathering them together as a church.  On that day, Peter preached his first sermon.  Peter explained that these events had been predicted by the prophet Joel (Joel 2:28-32) and that Jesusʼ resurrection from the dead and exaltation to heaven had been prophesied by David.

Jesus had been raised up and had poured out the Spirit in fulfilment of the promise God had spoken.  When Peter was asked what people should do, Peter urged them to turn their lives around and be baptised in the name of Jesus.  Then they would be forgiven and would receive the gift of the Holy Spirit (2:37-39).  Acts reports that about 3,000 people were added to the church that day (2:41).  Not a bad response to Peterʼs first sermon!  Today, we rarely get a heavenly wind and tongues of fire at Pentecost.  Nevertheless, God pours out the Spirit upon all who have faith in Jesus Christ (Romans 8:1-11).  As Peter continued to explain, the promise is firstly the gift of the Holy Spirit to future generations of believers, but this also encompasses the salvation of all believers through Jesus.  The wind of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost is a reminder that the community of Godʼs people is active in flowing Godʼs work in the world.  Thus, Pentecost invites us to consider our own participation in the fellowship, worship, and mission of the church, regardless of where and with whom we find ourselves in daily life.

Pastor Darryl