Pentecost

“. . . you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be My witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and even to the remotest part of the earth.”  (Acts 1:8, NASB)

When the day of Pentecost had come, they were all together in one place. And suddenly there came from heaven a noise like a violent rushing wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. And there appeared to them tongues as of fire distributing themselves, and they rested on each one of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit was giving them utterance.  (Acts 2:1-4, NASB)

Today, 5 June 2022, is Pentecost Sunday.  The timing for Pentecost is the 50th day past Resurrection Sunday, and ten days after Ascension Day (Jesus promised His disciples that the Holy Spirit would come to them not many days after He departed from them).  The passages above are from Dr. Luke’s account as found in the book of Acts.  

In the first verse above, Jesus tells the disciples that they would “receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you.”  Followers of Jesus have the same Holy Spirit and the same power within them that He promised to the disciples!  If you’re like me, the Holy Spirit is what I call “the Forgotten Man” of the Trinity.  I haven’t taken advantage of the fact that He resides with me and in my heart.  I’m working to fix that with His help, and to include Him in my prayer life. 

In addition, Jesus repeats His instructions in the Great Commission, telling them that they would witness “in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and even to the remotest part of the earth.”  Jesus’ instructions still apply today, and the Spirit remains at work, and will keep working until Jesus comes back for His people.  

In the next verses above, Luke describes how the Holy Spirit came upon the disciples.  “Tongues as of fire . . . rested on each one of them.  And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit was giving them utterance.”  The results?  Luke goes on in the rest of chapter two.  A crowd gathered, to include people of many nationalities, speaking many languages.  They were amazed that these Galileans were speaking, yet each understood them in their own language (I think that’s the way it will be in the New Jerusalem!).  Peter then delivered a sermon, and proclaimed Jesus to the crowd.  Three thousand people were saved that day, all as a result of the power of the Holy Spirit.  Luke reports that Jesus’ church continued to grow from that day on. 

The message of Pentecost is that the power of the Holy Spirit is resident in all followers of Jesus Christ.  Peter had denied knowing Jesus just 50 days before.  Yet when the Spirit came upon him, he was emboldened to proclaim Jesus to the crowd.  That’s a good example of the power the Holy Spirit brings to us!

The Holy Spirit is known as Helper and Teacher.  I’m determined to include Him in my daily activities and my prayers.  Just as important, I don’t want to get in His way.  The power is available to everyone who has called upon the name of the Lord! 

My daughter/publisher, Laura Stallings, informed me that this is my 100th post.  I began last August.  It took me a few days to get into a rhythm, but I figured out I could publish every three days.  I try to post a new essay on dates of the month that are multiples of three (3rd, 6th, 9th, etc.).  I enjoy teaching the Bible, and that translates very well to writing these essays.  I’ll keep writing as long as my eyeballs and eyelids work.  God is so good, and He is in control!