Pentecost- or Sha·vu·oth- in Hebrew= Feast of First Fruits

Pentecost has been seen as an Inarguable event that starts a “season” called- “Whitsuntide”.

We can read of humanities' attempt to have a form of forced unity  and the results of this human inspired effort in Gen:11:1-9

After the great flood humanity came together in pride and arrogance  in a humanly devised attempt to   “reach heaven” . This attempt ended in God confounding the languages of men so that their attempt failed

The nations were brought together by “one” , as one for their own purposes,  all speaking the same language yet,after the intervention of the great God , now humanities speaks in each in their own language an   all in regard to their own agenda,   and there has been strife and separation  among the nation of the world from that day until our present time.

Acts: 2:1

Often we view the events  surrounding  Pentecost as  Pentecost as having a kind of separation from those events just 50 days prior, that is , the crucifixion, death, burial, resurrection and ascension of Jesus.  But  when we view Pentecost in  this way, then can develop the idea that  the Church emerges after the other great occurrence of Jesus’ live and can see the Church as being somehow distinct  from the vents in Jesus' life and death and resurrection.

That is, we see Pentecost  as an in “event” which inaugurates the Church. But we better understand it when we see Pentecost not as a delayed reaction to all those thing surrounding Jesus, but as an immediate result of those things, that is,  all Pentecost did was demonstrate what was already true , that Jesus lives and is the Son of the living God. Pentecost simply shows us this truth.

That Pentecost is, in truth ,  a summery of what has come before , especially the Death and Resurrection and Ascension of Jesus.  Pentecost reflects that the Holy Spirit has, and is at work, not that he has  just begins to work , albeit in a new way bringing humanity into a grand participation with the living Jesus , affirming that the great God thru the incarnation  has united us to himself thru Jesus, the eternal Son of God the second person of the Holy Trinity.

Whereas humanity, in the post-flood area attempted to reach "unto heaven" resulting in a scattering of the peoples of the Earth , God has , thru the incarnation and the manifestation of the Holy Spirirt  on Pentecost  into the lives of people from all nation has brought unity in Jesus and the Spirirt showing that Heaven has reached down to us and brought us together in unity.

The Church then are those, regardless of from what nation they come,  who have begun to participate with Jesus having entered into the forgiveness of sin which God has made freely available thru his Holy Son Jesus,  and now have surrendered to the lead of the Holy Spirit in their lives making them a type of symbolic "first fruit" along with Jesus.

"But each in turn: Christ, the firstfruits; then, when he comes, those who belong to him."1Crth:15:23a

"He chose to give us birth through the word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of all he created"Jam:1:18

The Ancient Church Compelled

The Ancient Church saw Pentecost as more of a day to recapitulate what is already true ,  that salvation has come and is available for humanities participation.
Through Jesus, and his Holy Spirit in our lives,   what the day of Pentecost in Act :12 does ,  is to demonstrates  what those who have come to believe  are to do ; we are to tell the world around us about the living Jesus.

In St.Luke's account in Acts:2, the 120 Disciples could not be contained to the upper room where they had been assembling, the Holy Spirirt compelled them to enter the streets of Jerusalem and proclaim Christ and his Kingdom.

St.Paul tells us , in his Epistle to Geek Christians at the city of Corinth that the proclamation by the Church  of the Gospel  message was motivated by the love of God shown toward all humanity  thru Jesus and his saving work.

"For Christ's love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all, and therefore all died."  2Crth:5:14

The day of Pentecost does not mark the beginning of the Holy Spirit’s work in the History of salvation, but demonstrates that The Holy Spirits has, and is,and will be at work in the world  now through the Church that is all Christians.

The Church

Pentecost  is the day that we note the Church as a body empowered by the Holy Spirits moves through the world  and presents the Risen Savior to humanity  This same group of people who hid in fear just a few short weeks prior now empowered and embolden go forth and tell the world about Jesus, thru their words and actions.

 Pentecost, Not Bable

Pentecost demonstrates that the curse of Bable , in Christ has been Broken.

At Pentecost God brought many from many nations all , manifesting different languages , but speaking in “one” voice about Jesus not reaching up to heaven but heaven reaching down to men.

A Hymn of the Post Apostolic Church

“Filled with the Spirit’s power, with one accord
The infant church confessed its risen Lord.
O Holy Spirit, in the church today
No less your power of fellowship display”

For Us

The very same Holy Spirit who empowered the Church and manifested the Resurrected Jesus 2000 years ago and throughout the ages,  is the same Spirit and same Jesus , which is manifested in the live of the church even at this hour, who is here in our midst who indwells us thru out the ages,  Pentecost reminds us of this truth now and forevermore. that in Jesus we are brought together as one.

Benediction: May we each and all ever rejoice this Pentecost that we are brought together in Jesus, today, tomorrow and forevermore. Amen


Rev. Todd Crouch, Pastor
The Fountain of life Church a Congregation of Grace Communion 2101 Old National Pike Washington, Pennsylvania, 15301     www.gcfountainoflife.org

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