Acts 2 1 When the day of Pentecost had come, they were all together in one place.
When the day of Pentecost had come.
Pentecost marks fifty days after Passover. It was a major Jewish festival; the Festival of Weeks. Pentecost celebrated the bounty of the harvest and gave thanks to God for his blessings both physical as well as Spiritual. Pentecost is often referred to as the birthday of the church, but the birth of the church occurred when the resurrected Jesus gathered his 12 Apostles around, blessed then and sent them out.
However for Christians it marked the fulfilment of Jesus’ promise of the outpouring of the Spirit on the disciples.
1)This is God’s moment for it marks the earthly beginning of God’s plan for the New Creation . As the Israelites journeyed to the Promised Land, God announced that if they were obedient this band of people would be a priestly kingdom and a holy nation. Exodus 19:5ff. Through disobedience this group of God’s People were forced into exile, never quite fulfilling the promise God has for them. The prophets warned and also encouraged them; in particular Jeremiah and the promise of a New Covenant, and a new beginning. Jeremiah 31:31ff. With the resurrection of the crucified Jesus whom the disciples recognised as the promised Messiah, (Christ); the promise of the New Covenant is fulfilled. Luke 24:45ff. With that fulfilment a new people of God emerges and the promise of an obedient people comes into being. Speaking of this new band of people Peter says’ “But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s own people, in order that you may proclaim the mighty acts of him who called you out of darkness into his marvellous light. Once you were not a people, but now you are God’s people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy. 1 Peter 2:9f. The plan of God was taking shape. God’s Moment: Jesus is alive; he has conquered sin and disobedience and death now plays no part in holding people away from God. The victory of Jesus now begins to reap its reward. This is God’s moment, and the shouts of victory can be heard.
2) This is the Church’s Moment for it brings God’s empowerment. The Spirit came to each one. He came for them, no-one was omitted. He fell on all 120. His coming turned ritual into reality, the longed for time had come. Finally the Spirit is available to all flesh, everyone. The renewed Believers take out God’s Message. Empowered by the Spirit Peter declares to the crowd all that Jesus has achieved through his death and resurrection. Now they could hear. Now the message could be spread, it was possible to hear good news and believe. The phenomena was not just to give a few people a buzz, the coming of the Spirit is never just that, indeed that is to dishonour God. They spoke of God’s message of salvation. The mighty works are the works of Jesus, the prophetic line down through the centuries. The final announcement of this birth of Messiah. His ministry crucifixion, resurrection and finally ascension. These were told out in clear language. Now is the work of God for humanity complete. And so:-Here was the clear message of God’s salvation presented in the ministry of Jesus. Now through the presence of the Spirit they could all hear and more importantly believe what God had accomplished. Once God’s presence was linked to Law and now through Jesus God’s presence is linked through relationship.
Perhaps we might think of the way the Father runs to embrace the Prodigal Son on his return; ready and willing to embrace this new beginning from that which was lost. (Luke 15:24) Certainly Luke’s description of the coming paints a picture of both excitement and energy. Before the Sprit came they were a dispirited group. Behind locked doors. No doubt pondering what their future might hold Now they are fully equipped but also filled with the power and energy that the Spirit brought to this the Early Church. From Peter’s preaching 3000 new believers emerge to take the message of God’s salvation through Jesus across the know world. Luke’s story records some opposition; these men are drunk; but this opposition is swept aside. Now anyone who calls on the name of the Lord, trusting the work of Jesus will be saved.
The Spirit’s presence that empowered the early Church is the same presence that continues today to empower the Christian Church for love and service in the name of Jesus.
3) Pentecost is also Our Moment. The Spirit came to each one; no-one was omitted. The Spirit of God fell on all. The promise from Jeremiah had been accomplished. This coming turned ritual into reality, the longed for time had come. Finally the Spirit is poured out on all flesh.
It is the Sprit who allows us to know God personally: To have a true relationship. Warm and real. John Wesley; I felt my heart strangely warmed,
As Romans 8, verse 9 says. “Anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him” It is the Spirit who teaches what Christ has done and it is the Spirit who enables each believer to trust in what Christ has done for salvation. It is not possible to be a Christian without the Spirit
God has set a time for breaking into every believers life, bringing power for daily living. And with the coming of the Spirit that time is now! Within this new relationship the Spirit comes to equip people for service, empowering and shaping each believer in a unique way to the glory of God.
The Spirit came to people and so salvation became effective for them. They had come together, in unity divisions had been healed, Not all the same but of one heart and mind.. Through the Sprit the church is vital and alive, each believer is fully equipped to serve God with the gifts the Spirit gives.
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