Pentecost, this year, is the last day of May!
The last day you will read this daily blog.
Enjoy!
May 31 Feast of Pentecost, Whit Sunday
Acts 2:1-21; Psalm 104:25-35,37; 1 Corinthians 12:3b-13; John 7:37-39
Acts 2:1 ff “All were together at the temple. a noise, like a violent wind and filled the whole house - tongues of fire rested on each of these chosen ones and they were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues. Jews gathered when they heard this sound. Devout men from every nation . . . each heard in their own language. The Spirit fell on all - prophesy, dreams and visions.
[Quote from Joel]> :21 All who call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.”
[Quote from Joel]> :21 All who call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.”
[Feast of weeks: Deut. 16:10; Feast of harvest Exodus 23:16; Day of first fruits Numbers 28:26]
Psalm 104:30 “You send forth your spirit, they are created’ and you renew the face of the earth.”
[This is part of a prayer many around the world pray. It was written for those who enter into a life-long ‘Cursillo’ commitment and gather in ‘Groupings’ weekly for the rest of their lives.]
[This is part of a prayer many around the world pray. It was written for those who enter into a life-long ‘Cursillo’ commitment and gather in ‘Groupings’ weekly for the rest of their lives.]
1 Corinthians 12:3 “No one can say, ‘Jesus is Lord,' except by the Holy Spirit. Varieties of gifts but same spirit and varieties of ministries but the same Lord and varieties of effects but the same God who works all things in all persons. :7 To each one is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good . . . wisdom , knowledge, faith, gifts of healing, miracles, prophecy, discernment of Spirits, various tongues and interpretations. :11 One and same Spirit works all these, distributing individually as He wills. :13 By the Spirit we are all baptized into one body and made to drink of one Spirit."
John 7:37-39 [Last day of the feast of Booths - a seven day fast with feast on the 8th day.]
“Jesus said, ‘If anyone is thirsty come to me and drink.’ Whoever believes me - from your innermost being - will flow rivers of living water.”
“Jesus said, ‘If anyone is thirsty come to me and drink.’ Whoever believes me - from your innermost being - will flow rivers of living water.”
PENTECOST!
Pentecost was always a required celebration for the Jews.
In fact, the entire fifty days from Passover embraced many Jewish feasts and fasts and culminated in Pentecost.
This was a time for the feast of wheat, or feast of weeks, harvest, first fruits.
Pentecost was the last day of the feast of booths, a time of remembrance of the years the Hebrew people wandered in the wilderness.
It was a perfect time of year to set up a little booth for the family to sleep in for the week. The roof might be layers of straw over a simple wooden structure and from the sides hung gourds and produce of the season.
The booth was big enough big enough for each family and was totally open to the stars. Each family could see each other . . . much like when their ancestors ‘camped’ in the wilderness after their exodus from Egypt.
The booth was big enough big enough for each family and was totally open to the stars. Each family could see each other . . . much like when their ancestors ‘camped’ in the wilderness after their exodus from Egypt.
These celebrations are part of the Liturgical year, the Hebrew tradition of setting aside special feast and fast days through the year to remember their salvation history.
We in ‘liturgical’ churches follow many of these same fasts and feasts as Jesus has called us to remember.
In fact, as Christians, grafted into God’s plan of salvation, we also can have special family gatherings to remember important days of our own salvation history.
Pentecost is the beginning of the New Beginning.
It is the power-filled moment when the Gospel, the New Covenant explodes into all the world. . . from Jerusalem, through Judea, even into Samaria and the outer parts of the world.
Pentecost is celebrated on a Sunday but it could have been at any time.
Remember when Jesus ascended after His forty days of wandering from one group of disciples to another?
Remember how Jesus reminded his disciples to remember all He had taught them over the past three years?
Remember how Jesus told those closest to Him to wait in Jerusalem?
So, they waited.
Peter lead worship and preached daily, from the temple steps, a place from which thousands could hear.
Peter kept preaching, every single day.
Jesus’ disciples hoped the ‘Comforter’ that Jesus promised would come soon.
They waited . . . and waited . . . patiently.
And then, as Peter and some of the other Apostles were
preaching with him, something changed!
A great and mighty force came swooshing through them as if a torrent of wind swept their souls into a new hemisphere.
Peter and the Apostles’ words were different.
Several spoke at once, in different languages that the thousands who had gathered could understand.
Jews, gathered from as far as ‘the outer parts of the world,’ had come to Jerusalem for Passover and remained for more than fifty days!
These people heard their ‘home-town’ language . . . they felt as if they were HOME!
Their souls WERE home.
Jesus sent the power of the HOLY SPIRIT to swoosh in and around and through any and all who believed the words Peter and the Apostles were preaching . . . words of new life in the One who rose from the dead . . . Jesus, the Christ.
Three thousand!!! were baptized that day.
They were baptized with water after the Holy Spirit fell on them.
Baptism, the action that comes from our faith commitment to Christ Jesus, sealed the deal.
With baptism, the Holy Spirit came to reside . . . to remain . . . never to leave each person who gave his/her life over to God in Christ.
The Holy Spirit came into people and never left.
In the old covenant, the Holy Spirit was very active but was sent to those whom God chose to complete a godly action and then the Holy Spirit was spirited away, never to reside within that person but to rest on that person and guide that person when God deemed it purposeful.
Because Jesus died, rose from the dead and ascended into heaven, He could now send His Advocate . . . the One who would remain with all who believed in Jesus as Lord . . . the One who would never leave us nor forsake us . . . forever.
Each is given a gift or many gifts to be used in community.
Each, with different gifts, works together to become One body, moving as One body, being One body in Christ.
We cannot live a Christian life in isolation.
The Holy Spirit works his incredible power in community.
That’s why it is so very important for those who say we are Christian to join a group of other Christians and become ‘one’ with them.
In fact, during this pandemic when we’ve all been sequestered, those who are use to worshipping and praying and studying and fellowshipping together have felt a bit strange.
Praise God for technology that enables us to ‘Live Stream’ and Zoom with one another but it is not the same.
Those who have learned the importance of sharing themselves with a ‘community’ of believers, touching, looking in each other’s eyes, being with one another, feel an ache in our hearts that we are ‘separated’ from that community.
Yet, the Holy Spirit is powerful and has shown us how to ‘gather’ virtually.
He has given us a greater eagerness to pray for others, to send notes via snail mail, to spend more time conversing on the telephone or text-praying together.
The Holy Spirit helps us to remain close to our Lord and close to one another.
He has given us creativity to love in new ways, to love the unlovable, to love and pray for those we’ve never met, to power-pray for people from near death from COVID19 back to life.
We’ve experienced incredible ‘miracles’ through the power of the Holy Spirit, given freely to any and all who choose to profess Jesus as lord and live in community to support one another.
Each is gifted in some small way so that when we gather together our little, seemingly indiscernible gift, is added to others’ gifts to become a powerful strength to us as well as those who seek to live the New Covenant life with Jesus.
Each is gifted in some small way so that when we gather together our little, seemingly indiscernible gift, is added to others’ gifts to become a powerful strength to us as well as those who seek to live the New Covenant life with Jesus.
“Come, Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of your faithful and
kindle in us the fire of your Love. (Send forth your Spirit and we will be created and you shall be created and you shall renew the face of the earth. PS.104:31) O God, who by the light of the Holy Spirit, did instruct the hearts of the faithful, grant that by the same Holy Spirit we may be truly wise and ever rejoice in your consolations; through Jesus Christ, Our Lord.” Amen
[Prayer given to those who attended Cursillo weekend. We are invited to celebrate Ultreya monthly and expected to “Group” together weekly for the rest of their lives.] Our little group has been together for 22 years. With some dying, some moving, new ones added, the core has remained.
Come Alive in us, Holy Spirit, come alive in all who are baptized into Christ and whose souls were filled with the Holy Spirit.
Come alive within each of us so that we have the Holy Boldness to share our story of faith in Christ Jesus with others so they, also, can be filled with the Holy Spirit.
Pentecost . . . our new beginning . . . our invitation to grab that Holy Boldness within us so we can go into the outer parts of our own world and share the Good News of the New Covenant.
This is the last daily blog post I will write.
On any given day, any special moment, I will post my wandering thoughts on my other blog site, lingerlongerwithgail.blogspot.com
May you be filled with the Holy Spirit and propelled into a new world as the Lord leads according to His plan for you.
Blessings,
Gail+
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