Pentecost Sunday : Birthday of the Church

Pentecost Sunday : Birthday of the Church

Acts 2:4-12

Pr Renny Khoo

4 June 2017

Understand the Liturgical Calendar

Time helps us celebrate our special life moments and we could celebrate it again and again.  Time plays an important part of in the spiritual lives of believers as it connects us with God and His story. There is Chrono time and Kairos time. The Greek Kairos time is also known in the Christian context as the right time, a window of opportunity time. When it passes, the situation will be different. The Chrono time is the sequential time where the Liturgical calendar reflect and celebrates the Kairos moments of Jesus’ life, death, resurrection and return. Each season celebrates an important aspect of His life. There are 6 main seasons – Advent- preparing the coming of Christ, Christmas, Epiphany – revelation of God in the human form of the Son of God from birth till His baptism. Lent – preparation for Easter starting with celebrating Ash Wednesday, Good Friday, Holy Saturday, Easter/ Resurrection Sunday. Feast of Pentecost – the sending of the Holy Spirit to the Apostle and followers and the Church coming into existence with the recount of the Holy Spirit descending on the disciples and the speaking in tongues. The reformation day was inserted but do not form part of the Liturgical calendar but is important as part of our heritage in the Lutheran World Federation context where Martin Luther posted his 95 thesis on the church door at Wittenberg which was also the turning point of church history.

Acts 2:1-12

1 When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. 2 Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. 3 They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. 4 All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them.

5 Now there were staying in Jerusalem God-fearing Jews from every nation under heaven. 6 When they heard this sound, a crowd came together in bewilderment, because each one heard them speaking in his own language. 7 Utterly amazed, they asked: "Are not all these men who are speaking Galileans? 8 Then how is it that each of us hears them in his own native language? 9 Parthians, Medes and Elamites; residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, 10 Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya near Cyrene; visitors from Rome 11 (both Jews and converts to Judaism); Cretans and Arabs-we hear them declaring the wonders of God in our own tongues!" 12 Amazed and perplexed, they asked one another, "What does this mean?"

13 Some, however, made fun of them and said, "They have had too much wine."

Pentecost

Celebrate the sending of the Holy Spirit to the apostles and other followers of Jesus Christ and this celebration is to be celebrated among fellow believers in a communal manner. Testimonies from the baptism and confirmation candidates confirmed the calling of believers to grow and uphold each other in a perpetual manner.

Pentecost Today

1) Remember God's faithful act in the past

Pentecost is the birthday of the church which entails the celebration of the coming of the Holy Spirit in worship activities. We remember God fulfilling his promise of the Holy Spirit as He commanded them to wait for the Holy Spirit and the Holy Spirit came and fall on them birthing new lives.

2) Recognize God's act among us today

This new lives of the early disciples continues in us and this is manifested in the Holy Spirit convicting us of any wrong doings and bringing comfort when feeling lost/ depressed.

3) Prepare for God's action through us in the future

We are to continuously declare God's deed and power in various languages as these languages signifies people or culture. Even amidst great persecution as in the times of the disciples some 2000 years ago till today as experience by those in the Coptic churches in Egypt, they are growing and living out their Christian faith. We as the gospel bearers will continue to advance and be followers and carers of the Gospel.

Today’s act of baptism and confirmation on Pentecost Sunday is also a time where we acknowledge the indwelling of the Holy Spirit in our lives, being sealed/ marked by the Holy Spirit through water baptism in a public and community setting so that God’s presence can be fully manifested in all its glory for God is ever ready to bless us in abundance and to overflowing far more than we can imagine.  

Questions

1) Read John 14-16. Why did Jesus introduce the Holy Spirit before His death resurrection and return to   heaven?

 2) Who is the Holy Spirit? Why are (some of us?) afraid of Him? What misconceptions do we have?

3) Share an experience or a question about the Holy Spirit.