Acts 2 bursts on the scene with fulness represented. We know 3 manifestations came starting with wind, then fire, then tongues. It was the 3rd hour, or rather 9am, perfect timing for what Jesus promised. He promised to “ask the Father”. Exactly on the day of Firstfruits Jesus sent the Holy Spirit. Today we celebrate it. We try to take from the Acts 2 narrative the event,learn some principles from it.
Acts 1:8 tells us why the Holy Spirit was coming. To make them witnesses. They would receive the Marturia, a Greek word for “martyr” or witness. Its not that we simply witness about Jesus. It’s about Jesus confirming His witness of His Work in us by working through us.
If we think a New Pentecost will resolve of itself, the Holy Spirit coming to the Church, people being saved without us exercising the Marturia we are mistaken. His Coming is for our Going. He commissioned the Disciples to go out into all the world.
How many times we prayed for people to come to Church, with the idea that people would come to us, no. Jesus knew that only the Good News being preached would need miracles to confirm the message to shake the unbelieving from their rejection. Only signs in the heavens would shake them from their rebellion.
The sentiment, a New Pentecost, must be to be ready to Go Out or God will not send. A New Pentecost would rid us of the convenient “personal heresies” we have lived with.
I remember 40 years ago when God visited me, we would pray in Church sometimes half the night, the passion of those prayers, the love for our community. How i miss those times.
Would I desire to go back to then, if were possible? No. I have gained much in the last 40 years. However the sense of mission, the sense of going out, is amazing. And I did, many places in the UK. Places where the name of Jesus would cause people to manifest hate. It was times where our very lives were threatened. Yet in all that we saw the hardened non believer come to Christ.
The time of waiting for the Disciples was over when the Holy Spirit came. Precisely 3rd Hour on the Day of Pentecost.
If we desire a New Pentecost, He is already here, ready to send it again.
There will be more today.
Maranatha!!!
Leave a Reply