Jesus died and rose again on Easter Sunday. He spent 40 days on earth with His disciples.
And He was taken up before their very eyes – that was His ascension. Jesus specifically asked them to “wait for a gift my Father promised” (Acts 1:5) and this gift is the Holy Spirit. Ten days later – the day of Pentecost, they received the gift as promised.
Today is Pentecost sunday – 50 days after Easter. We remember the gift – the Holy Spirit – that God poured out upon the Church.
This is important because on Pentecost day, the Church began. Pentecost day made the headlines. Pentecost was a once-in-history event, and we can learn a lot of lessons from this event.
(1) THE CHURCH WAS ESTABLISHED BY GOD.
The coming of the Holy Spirit, was an act of God and not man. Pentecost day was not an institution of man.
Simon Peter did not called a meeting of the apostles & said to them, “Now, we are here today to talk about whether or not we ought to start a Church.” They did not discuss it. Nor were they prepared for it. No one would actually dare to proposed it, especially in Jerusalem. Where the religious leaders were out to destroy those who preach about Jesus.
So what really happened that day? The Word said, “Suddenly, a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from…” (2:2). Where? “From heaven.” It was an act of God. He started the Church! God brought the Church into being, and it is His Church. And we saw that right after the outpouring of the Holy Spirit.
Today we celebrate the many Christian groups learning tribal languages, translating the Bible, and training missionaries so that they can return to their own people to share the Gospel… so that all nations will receive the goodnews of salvation.
The moment one becomes a Christian, He is commissioned by God with a mission to share the simple message with his/her little section of the world. If we all concentrate on our little area the message of the gospel will go far.
PENTECOST reminds us that the Church was established by God, and we need the power of the Holy Spirit in all our ministries. Zech 4:6 “Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit”, says the LORD.
The purpose of the Church is to communicate His story, and not the story of any pastor or priest, bishop or evangelist, but to simply tell an old story, with an old meaning that fits into every new story. To tell the story of Jesus and His unchanging love. To tell the story of the old rugged cross. If you are lonely and tired, not knowing the meaning and purpose of your life, you need to know the story of Jesus – He came looking for you. He died for our sins, was buried, and rose again the third day. All who place their trust in Him will be saved and will have eternal life. The Bible says “And everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”
You can pray and invite Jesus into your life, by acknowledging your need of Him and accepting Him as your Saviour. He loves you, and He is waiting for you. Behold I stand at the door and knock. He is the Lord, the Giver of Life.
2. PENTECOST REMINDS US WE HAVE A FAITHFUL GOD. When Jesus was about leaving he promised to send the Holy Spirit. Today, the promise was fulfilled. As a Christian, how often do we make promises and how often do we keep to our vows and promises. Many of us have many promises in church, at one function or another. Are we faithful enough to redeem them?
3. PENTECOST REMINDS US WE HAVE A MISSION ON EARTH. Just like the apostles, the coming of the Holy Spirit revealed to them their mission; go into the whole world and proclaim the gospel. Today we are reminded to make every opportunity to speak about the gospel. The mission of speaking about the goodnews does not rest only with preachers. Everyone today should preach a little. Don’t ask me where because we have our schools, offices, market places etc.
4. PENTECOST REMINDS US WE NOT ALONE (John 14: 18). The Holy Spirit is with us. We are not orphans. We have divine company and a spiritual companion. He will walk with us. Talk with us.
5. PENTECOST REMINDS US WE HAVE AN INTERCESSOR. (Romans 8:26) One of the most encouraging and comforting aspects of the Holy Spirit is His ministry of intercession on behalf of those He inhabits. Because we often don’t know what or how to pray when we approach God, the Spirit intercedes and prays for us. He intercedes for us “with wordless groans,” so that when we are oppressed and overwhelmed by trials and the cares of life, He comes alongside to lend assistance as He sustains us before the throne of grace.
6. PENTECOST REMINDS US WE HAVE A COMFORTER, COUNSELOR, AND ADVOCATE ( Is 11:2, John 14:16, 15:26, 16:7) All three words are translations of the Greek parakletos, from which we get “Paraclete,” another name for the Spirit. When Jesus went away, His disciples were greatly distressed because they had lost His comforting presence. But He promised to send the Spirit to comfort, console, and guide those who belong to Christ. The Spirit also “bears witness” with our spirits that we belong to Him and thereby assures us of salvation.
7. PENTECOST REMINDS US WE HAVE BEEN SEALED BY GOD. (2 Corinthians 1:22, 5:5; Eph 1:13-14). The Holy Spirit is God’s seal on His people, His claim on us as His very own. The gift of the Spirit to believers is a down payment on our heavenly inheritance, which Christ has promised us and secured for us at the cross. It is because the Spirit has sealed us that we are assured of our salvation. No one can break the seal of God.
8. PENTECOST REMINDS US WE HAVE A GUIDE ( John 16:13) Just as the Spirit guided the writers of Scripture to record truth, so does He promise to guide believers to know and understand that truth. God’s truth is “foolishness” to the world, because it is “spiritually discerned” (1 Corinth 2:14) Those who belong to Christ have the indwelling Spirit who guides us into all we need to know in regard to spiritual matters. Those who do not belong to Christ have no “interpreter” to guide them to know and understand God’s Word.
9. PENTECOST REMINDS US WE HAVE A GUIDE the Holy Spirit is God with the divine attributes of mercy, compassion, liberation, healing, forgiveness, so we too should be merciful, compassionate, forgiving, always be a hand of healing and not hurting, and we shouldn’t be the stumbling blocks on the path of others.
10. PENTECOST REMINDS US TO BE ONE. In the Holy Spirit, everyone finds the right language, the right words and expressions to praise God. In the Holy Spirit, the cultural, religious, social and economic boundaries of peoples and nations are overcome and broken down. Do not think you are better because of the office you occupy today. Do not think you are better than the other person because you are favoured. Remember no body knows tomorrow. Pentecost tells us to brea down the walls of tribalism, to break down the boundaries of “bigmanism”. We are to tear down the walls cultural sentiments, nepotism, bias, discrimination, and partiality. We are one. We are all one.
11. PENTECOST REMINDS US WE NEED GOD TO SUCCEED.
12. PENTECOST REMINDS US GOD HAS GIVEN EACH ONE OF US A GIFT and in discovering our giftings we are directed towards our purpose. Besides, your gifts will make way for you before the high and mighty.
Come, Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of your faithful and kindle in them the fire of your love. Amen
Love and blessings
The Potters Touch 