DAY 50 – PENTECOST

PENTECOST..........Finally - after all the waiting - it is here!

Jeremiah 31:33
Luke 24:45-53
Acts 1:1-5
Acts 2:1-41
Hebrews 12:1-3

In Jesus day, Shavu’ot – the Festival of Weeks – was the next major festival following Passover, and it was the last of the Spring Feasts.   It honored the giving of the The Ten Commandments at Mt Sinai after the Israelities were rescued from slavery in Egypt.  It’s name of Pentecost came from the original instruction that it was to be fifty days after Passover.  I do not know exactly what year the commandment was given to celebrate Pentecost – but it was probably sometime between 1093 and 1071 B C, so it has been being celebrated for a minimum of 3,088 years. 

Pentecost, as a celebration of the giving of the Ten commandments at Mt Sinai – God’s Word written on 2 tablets of stone; and subsequently the Torah aka Pentateuch – God’s Word written in the first 5 books of the Old Testament dictated by God and transcribed by Moses – is a significant precursor to Pentecost in 33 A D when God’s Word became written on men’s hearts through the power of the Holy Spirit, the promised Comforter who was to come. 

Jesus made that possible by his death on the cross. He endured the cross, despising its shame, for the joy set before him. What was that joy? Us. We are his inheritance. Everything he suffered was for our redemption – and he finished the work he came to accomplish: to be the consummate sacrificial payment for sin and to give us access to God Almighty. 

When Jesus lived on earth, he was both fully God and fully human, but his humanity limited his mobility. He could only be in one place at a time. Now, through the power of the Holy Spirit, he could be everywhere, with everyone at all times. 

Pentecost was just 10 days after Jesus’ ascension. The disciples and 108 additional followers had obeyed Jesus’ command to go back to Jerusalem and wait – which included lots of time dedicated to prayer. They were obedient and expectant. They weren’t told what day the promise would come – but the fulfillment of the promise on the date it occurred is significant. 

That Pentecost in 33 A D was different than all others before it. It was fulfillment. Just as Jesus changed the 3 earlier Spring Feasts by fulfilling them – and specifically telling the disciples that from that year forward, instead of remembering the Exodus, the Passover celebration was to be about Him, He effectively did the same with Pentecost.   God was no longer distant and available only once a year to one high priest and a few chosen prophets, he became available to every one who seeks him. And – it was the date that marked the beginning of the Christ-ones’ church – literally, the beginning of Christianity...and it happened 1984 years ago! 

In my 38 years in the Presbyterian Church, that beginning was honored. Now, in the Pentecostal church I am in, it isn’t even mentioned. Go figure. In my Presbyterian history everyone was encouraged to wear red on Pentecost Sunday.   Red, because it is symbolic of the tongues of fire that came down on those in the upper room. Then they carried their message to the streets – and the masses heard the gospel in the various tongues that the Holy Spirit spoke through the 120 Upper Room Seekers – each in their own language!

Peter – who had denied Jesus in the courtyard during Jesus’ abuse and suffering – now boldly proclaimed the Truth of the risen Lord to the masses… and 3000 converts were added to their numbers.  Talk about people finding Truth!  That’s one of the actions of the Holy Spirit. 

The Holy Spirit is the loving, gentle Comforter – the One who leads us into all truth, if we only ask. 


Lord, I’m asking….

DAY 49 – WAITING FOR PENTECOST

Just a little longer….

In +-33 A D, 120 people were gathered in the Upper Room in Jerusalem.  Praying.  Fasting.  Waiting.  This is their 9^th day of waiting for the promised Holy Spirit – the Comforter Jesus promised them.   

Crowds were gathered from all over Israel for the coming Feast of Pentecost – the celebration of the giving of the Law at Mt Sinai, which came to be celebrated as the giving of the Torah – the first 5 books of the Bible that God dictated to Moses.  

But this faithful remnant of those who believed in Jesus as the Messiah was focused on waiting – just as He told them to do.  Praying.  Fasting.  Waiting…. 

And so we wait….

DAY 43 – WAITING FOR PENTECOST

STILL WAITING....

The disciples were not told how long the waiting period would be.  We get to see in retrospect that it was 10 days – but they don’t know that.  It is a good reminder that often we have ‘promises’ we have held onto that have not come to pass.  We, too, are waiting – and we don’t know the timeline. 

That applies to the final moments of history as well….  Sometimes I feel like I am waiting for the other shoe to drop.  Prophecy and the current news mesh so closely….   I want to be with the Lord – but I am not looking forward to the process that will bring that to fruition.  It makes me more poignantly aware that Jesus didn’t look forward to the process with joy either.  He was fully God and fully human.  I am just fully human.  It’s okay.  He knows that I am dust. 

We wait expectantly – and with a modicum of uncertainty – just as they did in +-33 A D.

DAY 42 – WAITING FOR PENTECOST

WAIT!

I am reminded that in those 10 days of waiting between Jesus’ ascension and Pentecost when they no longer had Jesus with them, they didn’t have the coming Holy Spirit’s presence within them either.  The veil had been torn in two at Jesus’ death making direct access to God possible, but without the Holy Spirit affirming, nudging, compelling, they had to rely on memory, faithfulness and hope as their companions. 

We are sooooooo blessed to live now, with complete access to God through the power of the Holy Spirit.  I have walked through periods when I didn’t feel God’s presence and had to just continue putting one foot in front of the other in faithfulness, so I know what that feels like.  God has been very clear in teaching me He wants me to walk by faith not by feeling – but I love when I tangibly feel the Holy Spirit’s presence and do not want to be guilty of taking Him or His presence in my life for granted.   

It is important to recognize that His presence is more than mere emotion.  Emotions can’t be trusted – that’s why Jesus wants us to walk by faith…not by sight, and certainly not by emotions.  Emotions can be wonderful to feel when we are immersed in God’s presence – but emotions can negatively blindside us – and if we live by emotions we are going to be on a constant roller coaster.   The Holy Spirit helps us not let emotion have the last word. 

He truly leads, guides, corrects, cajoles, cautions, admonishes, inspires, energizes, instructs, teaches, encourages, comforts, directs…walks with us.  Works in us, through us, among us, with us. 

Lord, thank you for the Holy Spirit, who allows us to have a personal intimate relationship with You. 


Sorry – I almost forgot!  To honor the timeline of parallel time…we are still waiting! 

DAY 32 – COUNTING TO ASCENSION

WAITING FOR PENTECOST

A TRIBUTE TO PHIL WAYMAN
I have fond memories of a Singspiration I helped coordinate that was held on May 16, 2010.  It was precious.   Reusing my blog entries from 2010 is allowing me an opportunity to relive many special memories gleaned that year.  This is one of those memories!

I didn’t count exactly how many people came, but I think there were about 25 of us, based on the number of chairs set up – but it wasn’t about numbers. It was absolutely beautiful seeing people’s faces. I fought tears all the way through. There was a sweet, sweet presence – and singing the old songs of our faith together was very dear. It is our love language – the songs of faith we sang at our spiritual birth and through our formative years. 

I was very, very tired. I didn’t get enough sleep the night before because the dog awakened me just after 2:30 a m barking vociferously at the coyotes. And – I was poignantly aware that one man I had hoped would be there ‘one more time’ for our Singspiration was not there. Phil Wayman, age 88, who was soon to go be with the Lord, was in Sunday School two weeks prior to that – but his body was giving out – and his spirit was eager to be with the Lord. 

Knowing he was a dying man, he set about to use his final moments on this earth very intentionally. The report this week was that during this past week, he called a man he had tried to lead to the Lord 50 years before. Phil said his piece – told the man this was a message from a dying man – and hung up. His hearing isn’t good, and he couldn’t hear what the other fellow said back. 

About an hour later, the fellow’s brother called to tell Phil that his brother had called him after Phil called, and that he had given his heart to the Lord. What an inspiration. Phil is eager to get to heaven – but he wants to take as many people with him as he can. And what a message of tenacity. He had prayed for the man off and on over the years – and in his declining moments – sharing eternity was on his mind. When Phil steps across the threshold to his eternal reward he will definitely hear, “Well done, good and faithful servant.” 

We are each called to different ministries, different opportunities. I can’t imagine doing what Phil did – but who knows? I’ve done some pretty bizarre things I suppose – they just didn’t seem like they were bizarre at the time. When I feel the Holy Spirit compel me, I cannot say no….

Even though I was tired, the songs sung in community energized me. It was a beautiful moment – now a shared memory. 


Thank you, Lord, for Christian community. Thank you for voices raised together in heartfelt praise. Where 2 or 3 are gathered together in your name, there you are in the midst of them. Thank you! In our going, help us disciple….