Pentecost

Even on my servants, both men and women, I will pour out my Spirit… ~ Joel 2:29a

God’s Old Testament people’s celebration of the wheat harvest was called the Festival of Weeks. In the New Testament after Jesus ascended into heaven, on the fiftieth day of that festival, God sent the promised counselor: the Holy Spirit.  We call this day “Pentecost” (Greek for “fifty”).

When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues [languages] as the Spirit enabled them. ~ Acts 2:1-4

The Festival of Weeks had brought many people to Jerusalem who spoke different languages.  The miracle of Pentecost is that Peter and the other apostles were able to spontaneously share the good new of Jesus Christ in the languages of the men and women who were there.

“God has raised this Jesus to life, and we are all witnesses of it. Exalted to the right hand of God, he has received from the Father the promised Holy Spirit and has poured out what you now see and hear.”  ~ Act 2:32 & 33

Everyone was amazed that they could hear the apostles declaring the wonders of God in their own languages.  That day, those who accepted the message of the apostles were baptized, and about 3000 people were saved!

Prayer: Holy Spirit, God and Lord, rekindle in our hearts the holy fire of your love that with a true and living faith we may tell those around us about the glory of our Savior, Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns with you and the Father, one God, now and forever.  Amen