Praise the Lord church family! God is so wonderful and I love Him with all my heart! Before I begin and share what is on my heart this month, I again want to say how grateful I am because of all of you, and know that you are what makes Shepherd’s Gate Church amazing!
What is on my heart this month? Pentecost! As we are now entering into the month of June...we have a special day...in our faith...the glorious feast day of Pentecost! A day we remember and celebrate as Pentecostal and Charismatic Christians.
Question: “So what is Pentecost?”
Pentecost was the celebration of the beginning of the early weeks of harvest. In Palestine, there were two harvests each year. The early harvest came during the months of May and June; the final harvest came in the Fall. Pentecost was the celebration of the beginning of the early wheat harvest, which meant that Pentecost always fell sometime during the middle of the month of May or sometimes in early June.
There were several festivals, celebrations, or observances that took place before Pentecost. There was Passover, there was Unleavened Bread, and there was the Feast of First-fruits. The Feast of First-fruits was the celebration of the beginning of the barley harvest. Here's the way you figured out the date of Pentecost.
According to the Old Testament, you would go to the day of the celebration of First-fruits, and beginning with that day, you would count off 50 days. The fiftieth day would be the Day of Pentecost. (pente—means 50) So First-fruits is the beginning of the barley harvest and Pentecost the celebration of the beginning of the wheat harvest.
Since it was always 50 days after First-fruits, and since 50 days equals seven weeks, it always came a "week of weeks" later. Therefore, they either called it the Feast of Harvest or the Feast of Weeks.
Question: “Ok Pastor that’s the cutural side of it...but what does it mean to us as Pentecostals?”
After Jesus rose from the dead, he would remain alive on the earth for 40 days...and prior to his departure back to heaven...he would tell his disciples something very important.
Acts 1:4–5,8 (NKJV) 4And being assembled together with them, He commanded them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the Promise of the Father, “which,” He said, “you have heard from Me; 5for John truly baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.”Acts 1:8 (NKJV)
8But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”
Jesus’ words were very specific….1) Wait in Jerusalem, 2) You will be baptized with the holy spirit 3) You will receive power.
Jesus would depart after his 40 days...and it would only be just 10 more days till the Jewish feast day of Pentecost would arrive. The books of Acts records the event...as the dawn of Pentecost got everyone’s attention.
Acts 2:1–4 (NKJV) 1When the Day of Pentecost had fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. 2And suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. 3Then there appeared to them divided tongues, as of fire, and one sat upon each of them. 4And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.
It was on this day—the day of Pentecost—that the Holy Spirit descended upon the believers in Jerusalem...and the church of Jesus Christ was birthed. A new powerful living breathing entity (the church) was given power through the baptism of the Holy Spirit. Fire had fallen, and the fire filled them!
And as the Bible teaches they began to speak in new tongues. The word tongues translates—Glossa (Greek) - meaning language or languages. The 120 men and women who were gathered in that upper room all received and began to speak in unlearned and (unknown to them) languages. Speaking in tongues was a sign, and evidence that each had received...and as they began to speak...the witness of the moment affected all who arrived there. The sound “of the rushing mighty wind,” had woken up the whole town, and everyone was curious… “Where was the source?” As they approached the house where these 120 were...they each began to hear the gospel, the good news of Jesus, (in their own languages) as the group…(the 120) were just beginning to speak in tongues for the first time. A sign? A miracle? A curiosity?
Acts 2:12–13 (NKJV) 12So they were all amazed and perplexed, saying to one another, “Whatever could this mean?”13Others mocking said, “They are full of new wine.”
Peter would speak up...and teach them…
Acts 2:36 (NKJV) 36“Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly that God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ.” Acts 2:41 (NKJV) and that day about three thousand souls were added to them.
The church was birthed in fire! Power had come!
Jesus loves you and so do I! ~ Pastor Doug
