Pentecost

Pentecost – Then What? – VOTD.06.13.17

42 They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. 43 Everyone was filled with awe at the many wonders and signs performed by the apostles. 44 All the believers were together and had everything in common. 45 They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need. 46 Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, 47 praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. Acts 2:42-47

So Pentecost came and the Holy Spirit came and a huge number of people came to faith in Jesus. Then what? Well, people who had turned to faith in Jesus started getting together—daily. That’s right. Every day. And what did they do when they got together? I count 5 things:

1) They devoted themselves to learning more about Jesus.
2) They devoted themselves to the fellowship (talking among themselves—the word for fellowship doesn’t mean chit-chat around a buffet; it means deep relationship and even one-ness).
3) They devoted themselves to eating together (or partaking of the Lord’s Supper; ‘breaking of bread’ could mean either or more likely both); apparently, they did it in their homes (v. 46).
4) The devoted themselves to prayer.
5) They worshipped. “Praising God” was part of the get-together.

Apparently, when they got together, they saw ‘many wonders and sign performed’, as well. So maybe we could say that the outcome was that a 6th thing happened. And a 7th thing that was an outcome was that people began to share. The point is, a lot of people have said, the new converts started doing church. And these 7 things is what their church looked like—every day!

Considering that today’s verses are nearly the only thing the Bible says about how church was done back in the early days, it’s important to consider if we’re doing it like this or if not, why not? There may be good reasons. None of this is mandated. (more…)

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Contact with the Spirit in the Trinity – VOTD.06.12.17

For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. Romans 8:15

There’s a brilliant theological concept we call the Trinity, which amazingly, nearly all Christians agree upon. It’s simply a way to describe the ‘three in one’ nature of God: God the Father, God the Son (Jesus) and God the Holy Spirit. These three are One God. Not three parts of God, even though they can act individually. (It can get a lot deeper than that, but that’s all we need for this meditation.)

The ‘Father’ and ‘Son’ are concepts which we can understand pretty easily in the Bible. They have a sort of mental and emotional resonance with us and we can pretty much figure out how they act individually and in harmony with each other and with each of us.

The Holy Spirit, on the other hand, is more difficult for many of us to grasp (just as Jesus implied when He spoke of those who are ‘born of the Spirit’ and how they would be (Jn 3:8).

The ‘Spirit’ or in the old English, ‘Ghost’… ‘Holy Ghost’ sounds alien and just a little spooky. So those of us who like to define and pigeonhole things into neat packages so that they are easily taught and understood are going to find the Holy Spirit pretty elusive because He isn’t easily defined—and that’s exactly what Jesus was saying to the theologically-bound Nicodemus in John 3 (v. 10). The Spirit works mysteriously but so tangibly…if we’re watching. (more…)

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Pentecost Realities – VOTD.06.06.17

Very truly I tell you, it is for your advantage that I am going away. Unless I go away, the Advocate (Holy Spirit) will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you. John 16:7

In today’s verse, Jesus predicts the events of Pentecost and the arrival of the Holy Spirit. None-the-less, many Christians believe in the Spirit that came at Pentecost, but they relate to Him the same way they might relate to their pituitary gland: Undoubtedly grateful it’s in there; remember from health classes that it’s essential for something; wouldn’t want to lose it…but they don’t really interact with it.

For these Christians, the Holy Spirit is not a moving, dynamic Person. He’s more of a theory than an experience.

Yet Jesus said the most shocking thing about the Holy Spirit in today’s verse; one so familiar, however, that many of us just gloss over it without considering its significance. He said it was to our ADVANTAGE that He leave us and sit at the Father’s right hand in heaven because it meant we could receive the Holy Spirit. (more…)

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Pentecost Substitutes – VOTD.06.05.17

Paul traveled across the hill country to Ephesus, where he met some of the Lord’s followers. He asked them, “When you put your faith in Jesus, were you given the Holy Spirit?” “No!” they answered. “We did not even know that there was a Holy Spirit.” Acts 19:1-2

In case you missed it, yesterday was the Day of Pentecost, celebrating the coming of the Holy Spirit to abide within each of us. Many Christians are like the Ephesians in today’s verses. When Paul asked them if they’d receive the Holy Spirit when they believed, they replied, we did not even know that there was a Holy Spirit. Then Paul placed his hands on them. The Holy Spirit was given to them (v6).

Of course, today, most Christians are aware of the Holy Spirit’s existence, but for many, that knowledge does them little good because they haven’t been to their own Day of Pentecost.

They don’t understand the role of the Holy Spirit because they haven’t reached out and taken hold of the Spirit for themselves; they don’t experience the power of the Holy Spirit in their lives. I’ve heard present-day, North American Christianity described as “The Era of Pentecost Substitutes”. Lacking the real power—lacking the real fire from God— many try to produce their own fireworks.

Many whole churches today are fat, out of shape and out of breath. They are muscle-bound through over-organization, controlism, judgmentalism, honor-brokering, etc. What we need today is the wind and the flame of Pentecost. What we need is the Holy Spirit affecting our lives, not just our organization or theology.

Back to “Pentecost Substitutes”: We are living in the day of programs and promotions and pulpit stunts, trying to duplicate the excitement that God-the-Holy-Spirit did back in the New Testament. Much like Nadab and Abihu who offered fire that was unacceptable to the Lord (Num 26:61), we whip up our own flames, but we lack the reality and the warmth of the real thing. (more…)

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Pentecost and Transformation Power – VOTD.05.30.17

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 as the Spirit enabled them. Acts 2:1-4

When the people heard this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and the other apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?” Acts 2:37

This coming Sunday many Christians will celebrate Pentecost. In the Old Testament, Pentecost was a Jewish feast day celebrating the agricultural harvest. But in the New Testament, Pentecost celebrates an entirely different kind of harvest: It was on this day that the Holy Spirit was poured out on 120 followers of Jesus who were gathered in Jerusalem (Acts 1:15). The result was thousands found Jesus as their Lord.

Pentecost is the fulfillment of Jesus’ promise to send the Holy Spirit (Jn 14:15ff)— it happened fifty days after His resurrection. (more…)

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