Pentecost
This past week we celebrated the Ascension of Christ and Pentecost in our church. Once again, I was reminded how the flow of the church, the life of the church, ebbs and flows, drawing my attention to the significant events of God's acting upon his people. We celebrated the end of the 40 days Jesus spent with the disciples before returning to the Father. And we celebrated the outpouring of the Holy Spirit upon ordinary Galileans, speaking and praising God in the unknown languages of their national neighbors.
Pentecost is unique because it is particularly special for liturgical churches, but often overlooked by the masses of evangelicals who typically celebrate only two events of the church calendar--Christmas and Easter--in their worship. Since I come from the evangelical pool of Christian worship, it struck me on a deep level how significant it is to celebrate Pentecost. Besides the emphasis placed upon it by Pentecostals and Charismatics, and the reception of supernatural power (see Acts 1:8), Pentecost is the movement of the God's power through his people that reached out and found us in our OWN country to bring us into union with himself through uniting us together with the other members of Christ's body.
This is a day to celebrate diversity and God's redemption of all peoples who call on the name of Jesus Christ. One article I found put the significance of Pentecost this way:
"Pentecost Sunday is a day to celebrate hope, a hope evoked by the knowledge that God through His Holy Spirit is at work among His people. It is a celebration of newness, of recreation, of renewal of purpose, mission, and calling as God’s people. It is a celebration of God’s ongoing work in the world. Yet, it is also a recognition that His work is done through His people as He pours out His presence upon them."
Again, we see in the movement of the gospel God moves toward us in a sovereign and gracious manner so we will hope in him and be filled with hope for our world. That filling of hope leads us into mission as we participate in the great work God is already working (and been working at)--renewal and recreation of the earth that has been plagued by sin, death, and individualism. As we remember and celebrate Pentecost we refocus our eyes to discern the efforts of Christ's church to extend God's love as his presence in the world, not leaving us as orphans, continually working to save and heal sinners, the poor, those suffering illness and desease, and peoples of every tribe, tongue, and nation.
Pentecost is unique because it is particularly special for liturgical churches, but often overlooked by the masses of evangelicals who typically celebrate only two events of the church calendar--Christmas and Easter--in their worship. Since I come from the evangelical pool of Christian worship, it struck me on a deep level how significant it is to celebrate Pentecost. Besides the emphasis placed upon it by Pentecostals and Charismatics, and the reception of supernatural power (see Acts 1:8), Pentecost is the movement of the God's power through his people that reached out and found us in our OWN country to bring us into union with himself through uniting us together with the other members of Christ's body.
This is a day to celebrate diversity and God's redemption of all peoples who call on the name of Jesus Christ. One article I found put the significance of Pentecost this way:
"Pentecost Sunday is a day to celebrate hope, a hope evoked by the knowledge that God through His Holy Spirit is at work among His people. It is a celebration of newness, of recreation, of renewal of purpose, mission, and calling as God’s people. It is a celebration of God’s ongoing work in the world. Yet, it is also a recognition that His work is done through His people as He pours out His presence upon them."
Again, we see in the movement of the gospel God moves toward us in a sovereign and gracious manner so we will hope in him and be filled with hope for our world. That filling of hope leads us into mission as we participate in the great work God is already working (and been working at)--renewal and recreation of the earth that has been plagued by sin, death, and individualism. As we remember and celebrate Pentecost we refocus our eyes to discern the efforts of Christ's church to extend God's love as his presence in the world, not leaving us as orphans, continually working to save and heal sinners, the poor, those suffering illness and desease, and peoples of every tribe, tongue, and nation.
posted by Dale at 5:40 AM
Links to this post:
Create a Link
<< Home