Pentecost 2023

This past Sunday, May 28, was the day of Pentecost. This day in the Jewish calendar marks 50 days since the grain offering at Passover. Pentecost is actually a Greek word for a festival known in the Old Testament as the Feast of Weeks (Leviticus 23:15; Deuteronomy 16:9). The Feast of Weeks celebrated the end of the grain harvest. Most interesting, however, is its use in Joel and Acts. In Joel 2:28 God promises that He will pour out His spirit upon “all flesh”. The Holy Spirit in the Old Testament was given to only selected men at selected times for selected duties. Yet here God promises to “pour out my Spirit on all flesh.”

Pentecost for the Christian signifies the beginning of the church age when the Holy Spirit empowers Christ's followers to fulfill the great commission of Christ in Matthew 28:18-20. Jesus in Luke 24:49 and Acts 1:8 just prior to His ascension, promises to in the words of Joel, “pour out my Spirit on all flesh.” As promised ten days later, the Holy Spirit came to the apostles, waiting in a room, not unlike the upper room prior to his betrayal and crucifixion, and empowered them to make disciples of all people.

The apostles and others moved out across the known world and took the message of salvation to all people groups. They were not always welcomed and since Pentecost, thousands upon thousands have given their lives as martyrs for Christ. It is in the shed blood of the martyrs that the seeds of the church grow.

Today is Memorial Day in the United States of America. This is the day we set aside to remember and pay our respects to all those who have given their lives protecting the people and freedoms of this great country. While you do this, take time to thank God for the thousands upon thousands of people who have given their lives, and still do, for the Gospel of Christ. They are the heroes of the church.

The stories are told that before evangelists enter a village in a Central Asia country for the first time to bring the Gospel, they dig their own graves, for they are likely going to give their lives for that Gospel.

“And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh; your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, and your young men shall see visions.” ‭‭Joel‬ ‭2‬:‭28‬ ‭ESV‬‬

“And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” ‭‭Matthew‬ ‭28‬:‭18‬-‭20‬ ‭ESV‬‬

“And behold, I am sending the promise of my Father upon you. But stay in the city until you are clothed with power from on high.” ‭‭Luke‬ ‭24‬:‭49‬ ‭ESV‬‬

“But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” ‭‭Acts‬ ‭1‬:‭8‬ ‭ESV‬‬

“When the day of Pentecost arrived, they were all together in one place. And suddenly there came from heaven a sound like a mighty rushing wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. And divided tongues as of fire appeared to them and rested on each one of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance.” ‭‭Acts‬ ‭2‬:‭1‬-‭4‬ ‭ESV‬‬

Image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay