Submitted by Pastor Brad Dush, Fairfax Methodist Church

On the day of Pentecost, all the believers were meeting together in one place. Suddenly, there was a sound from heaven like the roaring of a mighty windstorm, and it filled the house where they were sitting. Then, what looked like flames or tongues of fire appeared and settled on each of them. And everyone present was filled with the Holy Spirit and began speaking in other languages, as the Holy Spirit gave them this ability. ~ Acts 2:1-4

On Sunday, May 19, 2024, churches worldwide celebrated a very special Sunday: Pentecost Sunday. The story of the first “Pentecost” (as Christians celebrate it currently) is found in Acts Chapter 2. Some consider it the Church’s birthday (I fall into this category). This is a fair assessment of the events, as it is the day the Holy Spirit fell, anointed the Apostles, Peter preached the Church’s first sermon, and thousands came to faith in Christ and were born again! In its most basic form, the Church hadn’t existed before this incredible outpouring. Jesus had taught and moved in signs and wonders; the Disciples had reached out in the name of Jesus, but the Body of Christ functioning in the power of the Holy Spirit was yet to have occurred. So, this day of “Pentecost” was transformative in the life of the new “Jesus Movement.” Although the Church celebrates Pentecost as the day the gift of the Holy Spirit was made manifest to her, the people gathered from around the region were already in Jerusalem for Pentecost.

Pentecost was already a festival celebrated by God’s people, the Jews. The Festival of Firstfruits occurred roughly 50 days after the Festival of the Unleavened Bread. Pentecost is the Greek name given to that festival. In addition to the Festival of Firstfruits, it is called the Feast of Weeks. God, in God’s timing, showed up in the most remarkable way when God’s people were gathered and moved in an unthinkable and supernatural way. Sometimes, people can be scared off by talk of the supernatural, but between the wind, the flame, and the spoken word (tongues), “supernatural” is the best and most accurate way to describe it. God poured God’s Spirit out so that it changed the course of human history. Understand the Church was not the Church in the 50 days following the resurrection of Christ. Without Pentecost, there would not be a Church today.

Jesus promised the Holy Spirit. In Acts 1:4-5 we find, “Once when He was eating with them, He commanded them, ‘Do not leave Jerusalem until the Father sends you the gift he promised, as I told you before. John baptized with water, but in just a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.’” Pentecost was the fulfillment of this promise. It can be easy for us to gloss over much of the Christian liturgical calendar (for those of us who follow it) simply by “going through the motions.” My prayer is that your Church celebrated Pentecost for all it was and through the Holy Spirit can and will be in the life of the believer. Although families never gather around a Pentecost Table, exchange Pentecost gifts, or hunt Pentecost eggs, the celebration of the birth of the Church is arguably as important or should at least rank with Thanksgiving, Christmas, and Easter.