And being assembled together with them, He commanded them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the Promise of the Father, "which," He said, "you have heard from me; for John truly baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now." - Acts 1: 4-5
In all of my preparations for teaching a Sunday school class Sunday centered on Memorial Day and preparing my broadcast that evening, I completely forgot about Sunday being Pentecost Sunday. When the pastor mentioned it in his sermon, I felt slightly ashamed, so even though this is late, I can't let it go by without a brief discussion.
As stated in the Scripture above, Jesus told His Disciples just before His Ascension that that should stay in Jerusalem and wait for His Gift, The Holy Spirit who would come to them. It just so happened that at the time there was a special Festival underway in Jerusalem and the city was crowded with those who had made the pilgrimage. When the appointed day and hour for the Spirit to descend, He entered the Jerusalem as a wind which was felt by all and it entered the faithful, those who already were open to believing what the Life of Jesus was truly about.
Jesus devoted Disciples, who would hereafter be spreading the world near and far, awaited the arrival in the Upper Room where they had held the Last Supper with their Savior. They felt the wind enter them and enlighten them. All of Jesus' teachings to them suddenly made perfect sense and they were now consecrated with the Spirit to speak the words of Jesus and to perform miracles where appropriate.
Friends this represented the beginning of the Christian Church, for no longer was it just a part of the Synagogue but now began to include as its members both believing Jews and Gentiles alike. Oh, great persecution would come to His Chosen Ones, but they would labor on and spread the Gospel far and near. All but John would die horrific deaths on the Cross and John would spend his older years in exile on Patmos, but the message would not be stopped and it would reach to the farthest reaches of earth.
We today, my Christian friends, are expected to carry on in the tradition of these great early Christians, for if we truly believe, we are protected by His grace and His love. We might suffer, indeed we all will in some way, but by staying true to Him we will ultimately receive His Eternal Love and Life at His side at His Father's table in Heaven.
It's a wonderful gift we have been given and we must carefully and properly live it, for when this earth comes to an end as it surely will, we will then inherit His Kingdom and live in beauty and glory that we can't even imagine. Praise His Holy Name and keep your heart open and the wind of the Spirit going wherever you go and whatever you do. Amen.
In all of my preparations for teaching a Sunday school class Sunday centered on Memorial Day and preparing my broadcast that evening, I completely forgot about Sunday being Pentecost Sunday. When the pastor mentioned it in his sermon, I felt slightly ashamed, so even though this is late, I can't let it go by without a brief discussion.
As stated in the Scripture above, Jesus told His Disciples just before His Ascension that that should stay in Jerusalem and wait for His Gift, The Holy Spirit who would come to them. It just so happened that at the time there was a special Festival underway in Jerusalem and the city was crowded with those who had made the pilgrimage. When the appointed day and hour for the Spirit to descend, He entered the Jerusalem as a wind which was felt by all and it entered the faithful, those who already were open to believing what the Life of Jesus was truly about.
Jesus devoted Disciples, who would hereafter be spreading the world near and far, awaited the arrival in the Upper Room where they had held the Last Supper with their Savior. They felt the wind enter them and enlighten them. All of Jesus' teachings to them suddenly made perfect sense and they were now consecrated with the Spirit to speak the words of Jesus and to perform miracles where appropriate.
Friends this represented the beginning of the Christian Church, for no longer was it just a part of the Synagogue but now began to include as its members both believing Jews and Gentiles alike. Oh, great persecution would come to His Chosen Ones, but they would labor on and spread the Gospel far and near. All but John would die horrific deaths on the Cross and John would spend his older years in exile on Patmos, but the message would not be stopped and it would reach to the farthest reaches of earth.
We today, my Christian friends, are expected to carry on in the tradition of these great early Christians, for if we truly believe, we are protected by His grace and His love. We might suffer, indeed we all will in some way, but by staying true to Him we will ultimately receive His Eternal Love and Life at His side at His Father's table in Heaven.
It's a wonderful gift we have been given and we must carefully and properly live it, for when this earth comes to an end as it surely will, we will then inherit His Kingdom and live in beauty and glory that we can't even imagine. Praise His Holy Name and keep your heart open and the wind of the Spirit going wherever you go and whatever you do. Amen.
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