Thursday, June 1, 2017

06-04-17


Tim’s Tidings



Today is Pentecost Sunday.  For Christians, Pentecost is commonly known as the “birthday of the church.”  It is when the Holy Spirit descended upon the prayerful followers of Jesus, empowering them to proclaim the good news of Jesus Christ in the native tongues of the many pilgrims in Jerusalem.

 

Pentecost originated as a Jewish harvest festival of thanksgiving to God, 50 days after Passover.  At Pentecost heaves of grain were waived in praise and the first fruits of the harvest were offered to God. Christians understand Pentecost as a powerful feast of salvation, because it speaks about the giving of the Law on Mount Sinai, about the founding of the Church, and about the Final Judgement.

 

We celebrate Pentecost by the wearing of the color red, symbolizing the “tongues of fire” that descended upon the disciples, empowering their witness.  Other countries go to greater lengths.  In Denmark, Pentecost is a holiday and children get the following day off from school, though not all persons even know the origin of Pentecost.  In Italy rose petals are scattered from the ceilings of churches to remind worshippers of the descent of the Holy Spirit.  In France it is customary to blow trumpets to simulate the sound, “like the rushing of of a mighty wind,” that accompanied the coming of the Holy Spirit.  In Poland and the Ukraine, greenery is used to symbolize Pentecost because of the new life salvation brought to 3,000 believers that day and for a desire of blessing.  In Greece and other Eastern Orthodox areas, Pentecost is second only to Easter as a Holy day.  All night prayer vigils are held where worshippers kneel and prostrate themselves, foreheads touching the ground.  It is also a day for baptisms, remembering the 3,000 that responded to Peter’s Spirit inspired preaching on that original day.

 

For me the good news of Pentecost is that it is a fulfillment of Jesus’ promise in Matthew 28:20, “Lo I am with you always.”  Pentecost celebrates the presence of the Holy Spirit of Christ, God with us today.  It is wonderful to know that the Holy Spirit loves us as children of God, works in our experiences of knowing God, teaches and counsels us in Christian living, gifts us for service, and intercedes for us as we lift our prayers to God—even those prayers of our “guts” that are impossible to put into words.  May the Spirit of the living God fall afresh upon us in this Season!

 

Blessings,

Pastor Tim

 

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