50 Days of New Life
This week we celebrate the Christian festival of Pentecost which falls on the 50th day after the resurrection of Jesus.
We will continue our series on the “Radical Sayings of Jesus” with His command: “Be filled with the Holy Spirit.”
The word Pentecost comes from a Greek word meaning 50th. The Jewish Festival of Pentecost (called Shavuot) falls on the 50th day after the original Passover. On that day God gave the Torah to Moses on Mount Sinai.
WHY IS PENTECOST IMPORTANT TO OUR CHURCH?
On Pentecost we remember when the Holy Spirit invaded the Church in Acts 2.
The Holy Spirit filled the Church with power and added 3,000 new believers. Acts 2:2-4 reports that, after Jesus ascended into heaven, Jesus’ followers were gathered together for the Feast of Harvest (aka Pentecost), and the Holy Spirit “filled the whole house where they were sitting. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them.”
This strange occurrence drew a large crowd, and Peter stood up to speak to them about repentance and the Gospel of Christ (Acts 2:14).
By the end of the day that the Holy Spirit came, the Church grew by 3,000 people (Acts 2:41).
John Gill expresses the significance in his commentary:
Through this baptism of the Holy Ghost and fire, the apostles became more knowing, and had a greater understanding of the mysteries of the Gospel, and were more qualified to preach it to people of all nations and languages.
The Holy Spirit was prophesied in the Old Testament and promised by Jesus. It fulfills an Old Testament prophecy in Joel 2:28-29 “And afterward, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your old men will dream dreams, your young men will see visions. Even on my servants, both men and women, will I pour out my Spirit in those days.”
Jesus promised in John 14:26: “But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I said to you.”
Two colors are historically associated with Pentecost:
Red is a visual reminder of the “tongues of fire” that empowered the apostles to proclaim the good news of Christ’s resurrection in many languages to the crowds of pilgrims from many lands (Acts 2:3).
White was used in some places, including England where Pentecost became a day for baptisms. Those being baptized were given white robes to wear as a sign they had taken off the world, died to sin, and were raised with the risen Christ to new life.
If you want to feel the power of the Spirit of Christ join us at 11 a.m. on Sabbath Saturday.
See you then,
Duff
