THE DAY OF PENTECOST WHAT IS IT ALL ABOUT?
Everyone loves to celebrate Christmas, they may not know the true meaning, or even care about it, but even the most pagan of people celebrates Christmas - it is an occasion for ‘a good time’!
When it comes to Easter, the world recognises it as having some sort of importance, at least for Christians. However today is Pentecost and most people have no idea what today Pentecost signifies. To many, today is simply part of the Spring Bank Holiday. Even within the Church there is genuine ignorance concerning Pentecost and what actually occurred on that momentous day in history. So:
What Was It All About?
Well in the Old Testament days
IT WAS AN OLD TESTAMENT FEAST DAY
Feast Days were an important part of the life of the Israelites, as they were special days which reminded them of the way the Lord had helped them as a nation. Passover was to remember the deliverance from Egypt, but Pentecost was to remember the Way the Lord helped them in the providing for them each year with a harvest. These Feast Days helped them remember, but also they were occasions of acknowledging the Lord’s help in their lives.
Exodus23: 14-17 “Celebrate a festival in My honour three times a year. 15 Observe the Festival of Unleavened Bread (Passover). As I commanded you, you are to eat unleavened bread for seven days at the appointed time in the month of Abib, because you came out of Egypt in that month. No one is to appear before Me empty-handed. 16 Also [observe] the Festival of Harvest (Pentecost) with the first-fruits of your produce from what you sow in the field, and [observe] the Festival of Ingathering (Tabernacles) at the end of the year, when you gather your produce from the field. 17 Three times a year all your males are to appear before the Lord GOD. [Holman]
That is how we have the name Pentecost, and what it was meant to commemorate, but that was then, what about now?
Why Do We Celebrate It?
Our reason for celebrating this day is because of an amazing event that occurred as the Jewish people gathered in Jerusalem on the Day of Pentecost to remember the goodness of the Lord in providing the harvest. As they were so gathered, and the fearful disciples waited in an upper room, as the Lord Jesus had told them to, something really incredible happened - God the Holy Spirit came into the room where the disciples had gathered and changed them!
We celebrate this day
To COMMEMORATE THE COMING OF THE HOLY SPIRIT
Acts 2:1-4 1 When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place.2 Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting.3 They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them.4 All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them. [NIV]
This is where we have a problem, for even amongst those who are truly Christians, there is a lack of knowledge regarding the Holy Spirit. How can we celebrate His coming if we do not know Him?
So,
Who Is The Holy Spirit?
A MEMBER OF THE TRIUNE GOD-HEAD.
There is a lot about Him in the Word of God, if we care to look for it. He is the One who brooded over the chaos mentioned in Genesis Chapter one, and brought order.
Genesis 1:2 & 3 the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters. 3 And God said, Let there be . . . : and there was. ...
He was with the Children of Israel through their wilderness journey.
Exodus 33:14 the Lord said, My Presence shall go with you, and I will give you rest.
He was promised to the disciples by the Lord Jesus,
Luke 11:13 If you sinful people know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him.”
This promise was fulfilled on the Day of Pentecost. God the Father, gave God the Holy Spirit to the waiting disciples as promised by God the Son - the lord Jesus Christ.
What Difference Did It Make Then?
The followers of the Lord had been full of fear, and while they continued to meet together, they did it with concern in their hearts, and shut way from sight. But the coming of the Holy Spirit changed that,
HE CHANGED FEAR TO FERVOUR
Acts 2:4 All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them.
Before the coming of the Holy Spirit they had been afraid to witness for the Lord, due to the persecution that was taking place, but all that changed when the Holy Spirit came on the Day of Pentecost.
HE TURNED PARALYSIS INTO POWER
Acts2:14 Then Peter stood up with the Eleven, raised his voice and addressed the crowd: "Fellow Jews and all of you who live in Jerusalem, let me explain this to you; listen carefully to what I say.
It really is difficult to think of these people as being the ones who were hiding in fear - now the fear has gone, and with a special anointing from God the Holy Spirit, they share the ‘Good News’ with everyone.
What Difference Does It Make Now?
There are all sorts of ideas going around about what has, or has not happened in relation to the Church since that day, and we must be careful how we answer the question.
We must answer this question with another question
Has The Holy Spirit Changed?
I suppose that the question would be better worded - ‘Has God changed?’ Remember that the Holy Spirit is the third person of the Triune Godhead! Has God changed? Of course He hasn’t changed.
Malachi 3:6 “I am the LORD, and I do not change.
If God does not change, then why are we not enjoying the same power that the early church experienced? It may be that we are still where they were before the Holy Spirit came - Powerless; Fearful of witnessing for the Lord. Let me remind you that the Lord’s desire for us is that we are not fearful, but lat peace.
John 20:19 Then the same day at evening, being the first day of the week, when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled for fear of the Jews, came Jesus and stood in the midst, and saith unto them, Peace be unto you.
Do we feel our need of the power of the Holy Spirit? The disciples spent weeks waiting on the Lord for the fulfilment of His promise to them –
‘Acts 1:8 But you will have power, when the Holy Spirit has come on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and all Judaea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.
They acknowledged their need of Divine enabling, and were prepared to stay where they were until they received it. The Lord Jesus had given them clear instructions, with the promise;
Lu 24:49 “And now I will send the Holy Spirit, just as my Father promised. But stay here in the city until the Holy Spirit comes and fills you with power from heaven.”
They acknowledged their need by their willingness to wait, but if we look carefully into the scriptures we will see that not all were willing. Over 500 saw the risen Lord, but only 120 were waiting as He had asked.
Are we willing to acknowledge our need of the power of the Holy Spirit in our lives? And if so, are we willing to do something about it?
Can I challenge each one to seriously consider: Are we, each one effective in our witness for the Lord?
Let me remind you of the words of the Lord Jesus Himself.
Luke 24:49 I am going to send you what my Father has promised; but stay in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high."
Those who believed, waited together, prayed together, and allowed the Lord to search their hearts and sort them out, in readiness for receiving the transforming power of the Holy Spirit into their lives.
Do we want the life-changing power of the Holy Spirit in our lives?
Are we willing to let the Holy Spirit take control of our lives?
Are we concerned about the people who do not know the real joy of being a Christian – not just being a Churchgoer?
The Jewish people on the Day of Pentecost where very religious, but they did not know the Lord as Saviour. It needed the challenge brought to them through a changed; transformed; Holy Spirit filled people; and n response to the challenge many thousands were born again into the family of God; the Church was born and lives were changed – God was glorified.
Is that what we would like to see here? The Holy Spirit has not changed. God’s power is just the same. Let us seek the Lord for a renewal of the Power of Pentecost.
Today we remember the Day of Pentecost, but do we experience the Power of Pentecost in our lives today?
