Timeless Lessons from Pentecost: a promise kept.

Acts 2:1-4- “When the Day of Pentecost had fully come,…and suddenly there came a sound from heaven………and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues ,as the Spirit gave them utterance”.

Acts 2:13-“Others mocking said, “They are full of new wine”.

I recently came across a website that has been set up to attack ministers of God. I could not fathom the theology behind their claims especially as they are Christians. I noticed several accusations but read with interest one about a minister’s service. I remember  watching the particular service online that day and was appalled at how out of context some facts had been presented to defame character. Interestingly  both Moses and the disciples were also faced with this dilemma on the day of Pentecost. 

In the first Pentecost, the Law was given and the nation Israel was birth. However the children of Israel failed to recognize this and quickly began to speak of not knowing what had happened to Moses(Exodus 32).Their misunderstanding and impatience led to the making of the golden calf resulting in idolatry which led to the death of 3,000 men.

In Acts 2, the Holy Spirit was given on the day of Pentecost as the Church was born. Just like fire clouded Mount Sinai, tongues of fire were visible  on the disciples' heads.After Peter’s message, 3,000 men were saved. This move of God did not stop criticism as the disciples were wrongly accused of being drunk. This was by fellow devout  Jews who  obeyed the commandment to come to Jerusalem for the Feast of Weeks but failed to be acquainted with prophecy. A lesson to be learnt is that it is possible to start out right and not be right along the way. Also criticism should not be the response to what we do not understand. Being uncomfortable or unfamiliar with something, be it a style of worship or preaching should not be our ticket to criticize. We may not like the style of the Worship leader but should always remember the worship is not for us but God.

Apostle Peter commendably reminded his critics  that  the outpouring of the Holy Spirit was a promise kept and a fulfilment of prophecy as seen in Joel 2:28-32.Let us learn like the Psalmist to refer people to the Word (Psalms 119:23,42,51). “This is that” Peter replied and arguably most times we are living in the “is” land before the “that” happens but we can count on the faithfulness of God who is capable of fulfilling every promise He has made.Learning to wait is a lesson for all.

 Jesus appeared to about 500 disciples as he departed and told them to wait for the promise of the Father (Acts 1:4) but ten days after, on the day of Pentecost, there were only 120 left in the Upper room, where were the rest? Is it possible that impatience is stopping us from inheriting some of the promises? 

Finally, the celebration of Pentecost is usually a time of thanksgiving for the harvest of Wheat with an offering of the firstfruit ,the Holy Spirit came on this day as the firstfruits of the believer’s inheritance (2 Cor 5:5,Ephesians 1;11,14 ) and so let us all use this season to express gratitude to God for the Holy Spirit.
Keith Green rightly  sang in “There is a Redeemer” verse:
“Thank You O my  Father for giving us Your Son and leaving Your Spirit till the work on earth is done”.

Happy Pentecost Sunday.

Grace Tom-Lawyer

NB
Pentecost comes from the Greek word “Pentekoskte” meaning fifty. It was one of the three annual feasts for which all the males were to appear in Jerusalem(Exodus 23:14-19) .It is also referred to as the Feast of Weeks or Harvest.(Exodus 34:22-23,Leviticus 23:16).