The original Earth, Wind, and Fire -- April 5, 2013

Violent wind.  Flames of fire.  Voices speaking in all languages.

New drama on TV?

No.  It's what happened at the birth of the New Testament church.

The name for it is "Pentecost".  It comes from the Greek word for "fiftieth".  It happened fifty days after Easter Sunday; ten days after Jesus ascended into heaven.

I always thought of Pentecost as a Book of Acts thing.  It stands alone in the way the Holy Spirit filled the one hundred or so that were in that room.

But the date has significance from the Old Testament also.  The Festival of Weeks (or Shavuot) celebrates Moses being given the Ten Commandments by God on Mount Sinai fifty days after the Passover.

So Pentecost occurred on the anniversary of God giving The Law to the Jewish people.

In the Old Testament, God gave The Law to the people to tell them how to act.

In the New Testament, God sent the Holy Spirit to help people witness about Jesus.

Hundreds of years apart, but on the same day of the year.  Do you think God was trying to tell us something?

Join us Sunday morning at 9:50 a.m. as we dig into the Pentecost.

Here's the outline for our lesson:
1.  The Holy Spirit indwells every believer (Acts 2:1-4).
2.  The Holy Spirit empowers the spread of the gospel (Acts 2:22-36).
3.  The Holy Spirit builds the community of faith (Acts 2:37-42).

Finish Friday strong.  Enjoy Saturday with your family.  See you Sunday!

Loyally yours,

Darren Bayne

“Sorrow, anger, and resentment look back; worry looks around; while faith, hope, and optimism look to the future.”   Dan Miller