Society marks time by the four seasons: summer, fall, winter, spring. For us here in
Christianity also marks time by seasons. The Christian calendar begins with Advent, followed by Christmas, Epiphany, Lent, Easter and Pentecost. While the dates for the seasonal observances change, each season is a time to celebrate a specific activity that is part of the story of Christianity. Each story represents what God has done on our behalf.
On June 5 of this year, we observed Pentecost Sunday, 50 days following Easter, a time marked by the coming of the Holy Spirit into the lives of believers. That fascinating story is described in the 2nd chapter of the Acts of the Apostles. Amazing things happened; lives were transformed… Pentecost power became real. This occasion resulted in the birth of the church and the empowerment of believers to continue what Jesus had begun.
But Pentecost is more than an historical event of long ago or an observance of a Sunday in the Christian calendar. It holds a message for all seasons. Pentecost was indeed a transforming event that changed lives and enabled the story of God’s love through Christ to continue to be told and lived. Pentecost faith shaped the life of the church from the beginning and is still a vital part of our faith experience today. It was then and is now a transforming moment in the lives of believers. As a vital part of God’s story through Christ, it is a reminder that we have been given a gift through the Holy Spirit.
Following that Pentecost experience described in the New Testament Acts of the Apostles, many of those present asked a profound question that we need to address today. In Acts 2, verse 12 we read: “All were amazed and perplexed, saying to one another, ‘What does this mean?’”
From the story recorded in Acts we envision Pentecost symbolized by wind and fire. But for us today, Pentecost is not about experiencing exactly what the first century believers experienced. Pentecost is about whenever and wherever one experiences the presence of God and receives strength for living. It is about receiving the gift of God’s Spirit -- God’s gift to us for life’s journey of faith.
To experience Pentecost, we must be open to receiving the gift. Sometimes we have to ask for the gift. In other times it is offered when we need it, but we ignore it. I have discovered the older I get, the more I need to accept and rely on God’s gift of Pentecost. For without it, life is more difficult—life’s potential is incomplete.
Can you recall a time in your faith journey when you had a Pentecost experience? I can…many times-- Just last Saturday while conducting a memorial service for a 53 year-old who committed suicide; a time when I stood by the bedside with the family of a dying friend as life support was disconnected; and a time when I made a life-changing decision about my future and sought guidance and the path was revealed. In all these times God’s Spirit was present offering what was needed for the moment: guidance, comfort, strength, and peace. That’s how God continues to work in our lives today through the gift of the Holy Spirit. That is what the Pentecost faith is about. Pentecost is about “God’s deeds of power!” (vs.11) revealed through the Holy Spirit.
I like the way The Holy Spirit has been defined in one of the historic creeds: “God’s presence with us providing comfort and strength in time of need.” A youngster in a confirmation class I once led defined the Holy Spirit this way: “The Holy Spirit is what God gives us to help us do what we can’t do by ourselves.”
So what is Pentecost faith? Pentecost faith is an ongoing miracle in the lives of believers. The promise of “power from on high” is available to us. Pentecost faith is about claiming the promise and receiving the gift of the abiding presence that defines us and equips us to be faithful disciples of Jesus Christ. As the creed affirms, “God is with us, providing strength for the journey.” So let us be open to receiving the gift of Pentecost that leads to faithful living.
