Pentecost Sunday
Pressing the Pause button on the Daniel series | Pentecost Sunday | Easter 2024 | Jesus Christ | Christianity
We’re taking a break this week from the series on the book of Daniel. Tune in next week for chapters 10, 11, and 12 (brief summaries).
Happy Birthday, Bride of Christ
The Church Is Born
In doctor Luke’s account of the life of Jesus Christ, his writings continue from his gospel to the book of Acts, relating the start of the Christian Church and the spreading of the gospel into other nations.
Acts 1:1-8 (New Living Translation)
1 In my first book I told you, Theophilus, about everything Jesus began to do and teach 2 until the day he was taken up to heaven after giving his chosen apostles further instructions through the Holy Spirit. 3 During the forty days after he suffered and died, he appeared to the apostles from time to time, and he proved to them in many ways that he was actually alive. And he talked to them about the Kingdom of God.4 Once when he was eating with them, he commanded them, “Do not leave Jerusalem until the Father sends you the gift he promised, as I told you before. 5 John baptized with water, but in just a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.”
6 So when the apostles were with Jesus, they kept asking him, “Lord, has the time come for you to free Israel and restore our kingdom?”7 He replied, “The Father alone has the authority to set those dates and times, and they are not for you to know. 8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you. And you will be my witnesses, telling people about me everywhere—in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”
For the Great Commission to be fulfilled, Jesus had to leave His beloved apostles and disciples so He could be with them everywhere through His Holy Spirit. His followers watched in awe as their glorious and victorious King of kings ascended into heaven to sit at the right hand of Father God’s throne. Then, they waited in Jerusalem for the promised gift.
The Presence of God in His Tabernacle
Scholars draw parallels between Pentecost and the Mt. Sinai event, when Yahweh established His covenant with Moses and gave him and the people the Ten Commandments. Rabbinic tradition says that God gave His law to His people on shavuot, the Feast of Weeks, also called Pentecost. [ Read Exodus 19 ] Back then, Yahweh came from heaven to Earth and filled the completed Tabernacle with His glorious presence in a pillar of fire.
In Acts chapter 2, God fills individual believers with His presence through the Holy Spirit, and many “pillars of fire” sit as a single flame on top of each of their heads. Yahweh now dwells in the temple of Jesus’ body, the church, in every member who professes believing loyalty only to Him.
Thus, the birth of the church in which the presence of God indwells every believer.
Acts 2:1-6 (New Living Translation)
1 On the day of Pentecost all the believers were meeting together in one place. 2 Suddenly, there was a sound from heaven like the roaring of a mighty windstorm, and it filled the house where they were sitting. 3 Then, what looked like flames or tongues of fire appeared and settled on each of them. 4 And everyone present was filled with the Holy Spirit and began speaking in other languages, as the Holy Spirit gave them this ability.
5 At that time there were devout Jews from every nation living in Jerusalem. 6 When they heard the loud noise, everyone came running, and they were bewildered to hear their own languages being spoken by the believers.
The Tower of Babel Reversed
The great feast of Pentecost is one of three major festivals that required the Jews to come to Jerusalem. The festival of shavuot, and its remembrance of the Mosaic Covenant given at Mt. Sinai, drew thousands and thousands of Jewish pilgrims from across the world to Jerusalem. These thousands of Jewish pilgrims brought with them a myriad of languages and cultures from the countries where they had established themselves during and since the great exile.
Many would come for Passover and stay through Pentecost. In Jesus’ day, they were there when Jesus was crucified, buried, and raised from the dead. They heard people talking about the empty tomb and Jesus’ appearances to His disciples.
Again, scholars draw a parallel between Pentecost and what we read in Genesis chapter 11 about the Tower of Babel [ read here ] In Genesis 11, disobedient humanity was scattered across the ancient world, and spoke different languages, no longer able to easily communicate in one, common language.
In Acts 2, we see God reversing this in a supernatural way, as described with amazement by St. Luke. Jesus’ followers miraculously spoke the languages of the Jewish pilgrims. The apostle Peter’s message to the crowds captures this:
Acts 2:32-33 (NLT)
32 “God raised Jesus from the dead, and we are all witnesses of this. 33 Now he is exalted to the place of highest honor in heaven, at God’s right hand. And the Father, as he had promised, gave him the Holy Spirit to pour out upon us, just as you see and hear today. [ Emphasis mine ]
As a result, these Jewish pilgrims not only heard about Jesus’ death and resurrection while observing Passover, during Pentecost they heard directly from His followers—and in their own languages—the message of God’s fulfillment of His covenant through the Messiah, the recently crucified and resurrected Son of God.
When they heard God’s good news (the gospel) in their own languages, the Jewish pilgrims turned in obedience back to Yahweh. Babel was reversed, and the church was born.
Acts 2:37-41 (NLT)
37 Peter’s words pierced their hearts, and they said to him and to the other apostles, “Brothers, what should we do?”38 Peter replied, “Each of you must repent of your sins and turn to God, and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. Then you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. 39 This promise is to you, to your children, and to those far away—all who have been called by the Lord our God.” 40 Then Peter continued preaching for a long time, strongly urging all his listeners, “Save yourselves from this crooked generation!”
41 Those who believed what Peter said were baptized and added to the church that day—about 3,000 in all.
Two Videos about Pentecost
Two videos helped me write this post, and I think you’ll learn some new things from each one.
I enjoyed this video from the “BibleProject” channel [6 mins. 21 secs.], and I hope you take time this week to watch it:
I also got a lot from the YouTube channel “One for Israel” and this video [12 mins. 44 secs.]:
Happy Pentecost, everyone!
Maranatha, come Lord Jesus.
Soli Deo Gloria!
If you’re a not-yet follower of Jesus Christ, please come along on this journey with us. You are welcome here.
And, I invite you to read my series on the book “What Does God Want?”.
Conversation & Community
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"Be encouraged."
GOD bless you, Jenise, and yours
Thank you for all that you do. May we all be faithful witnesses, telling everyone everywhere of His great Love, even to the ends of the earth.
"But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you. And you will be my witnesses, telling people about me everywhere—in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth." Acts 1:8 NLT
"And you will be my witnesses, telling people about me everywhere."
We who are called GOD's people should have a heartfelt desire to share our testimony with others about how JESUS has changed lives forever. This loving act of being a witness of our faith is not a simple thing to do most of the time, and we can become easily discouraged. Sometimes, in other parts of the world, many come under extreme Persecution just for mentioning the Name JESUS, costing some their lives. A report from (Persecution.org) says six Christian men were recently killed in Somalia just for sharing the gospel with others in public.
"Be encouraged."
"LORD, help us run, help us run," to keep running and stay the course.
Today, I would like to share these powerfully encouraging three verses with all who have heard the LORD call them to run the race set before us as we persevere on our way to Heaven. Certainly, we have all been called in many different capacities, each just as important as the next. All of us are gifted uniquely from above to run, but we must do it with endurance, staying the course no matter what happens around us as we keep our eyes fixed on JESUS, the champion, perfector, and author of our faith.
Yes, there will be tribulations. We will become weary with trials, great sufferings, difficult hardships, and many hostilities along the journey, but "DON'T GIVE UP" stay the course. Let us hear that again. "DON'T GIVE UP," so stay the course.
Hebrews 12:1-3 "Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us. We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith. Because of the joy awaiting him, he endured the cross, disregarding its shame. Now he is seated in the place of honor beside God's throne. Think of all the hostility he endured from sinful people; then you won't become weary and give up."
"DON'T GIVE UP" stay the course.
GOD bless you all!
Don Moen - In Jesus' Name (God of Possible) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6vC4vLe5HTU&list=RDMM&start_radio=1&rv=o-UkkiHR7v8
https://www.persecution.org/2024/04/08/six-christians-killed-on-good-friday-in-somalia/
Thank you for this! Pentecost/shevout/firstfruits counting from passover peshach & Jesus' resurrection day counting 50 days from the Monday 22nd of April then falls on Tuesday June 11th 2024.