Pentecost

 

Fifty days after Easter is Pentecost. The world does not celebrate Pentecost. It has already defiled the two main festivals in the Christian Church, Christmas and Easter. It does not recognize Pentecost because it does not know what to “do” with the third Person of the Trinity, the Holy Ghost, or as Scripture also calls Him the Holy Spirit. Thankfully, the festival of Pentecost belongs to the church alone.

Pentecost is one of the two earliest festivals of the church. The Hebrews observed the day as a day of thanksgiving for the completed harvest. Later they celebrated it also as the anniversary of the giving of the Law on Mount Sinai. Pentecost was 50 days after the beginning of Passover. It was also called the Feast of Harvest or the Feast of Weeks. Pentecost itself was one day. This explains the reference in Acts 2:1, ” Now when the day of Pentecost had fully come. . .” and why they “were all gathered with one accord in one place.” The Lord utilized this day to fulfill His promise of sending “another Comforter.” The Spirit of God descended in a miraculous manner upon the disciples. They shared the Word of God. Note the stirring sermon of the Apostle Peter in Acts 2. Through the Word, the Spirit in turn won the hearts of many people so that they were added to the Church. For Christians the day of Pentecost is observed as a commemoration of the “birthday” of the New Testament Christian Church.

The day is also known as “Whitsunday” (White Sunday). The name was derived from the custom of the early church of having candidates for holy baptism dress in white garments.

What most people remember about this day is that it is the day that the disciples spe in foreign tongues. This was not “gibberish” but recognizable tongues as is evident from Acts. This was accompanied by the sound of wind, and tongues that to on the resemblance of fire and hovered over the disciples. This was indeed spectacular. However, nothing should distract from the fact that the important thing that occurred on that day was the preaching!

By the power of the Word of God hearts were pricked, led to repentance, and comforted. The third Person of the Trinity works through the Word. There are many blessings that attach themselves to us through the Spirit of God. By the Spirit of God we attain understanding of the true God. He calls us out of the darkness of unbelief into the light of faith. He creates the faith that leads us to confess the Word, trust in Jesus Christ, and in Him assimilate the forgiveness of sins as well as the confident hope of life and salvation. The Spirit is the “Lord and Giver of life. . . Who proceeds from the Father and the Son, Who with the Father and the Son is worshipped and glorified, Who spake by the prophets. . .”

All are truly baptized with the Spirit who confess the name of the Lord Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, for no one can call Jesus Lord but by the Holy Ghost (1 Corinthians 12:3). They shall be saved (Acts 2:21). Praise God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Ghost!