Pentecost Sunday has just passed and ironically it was set in the context of racial tension and riots throughout the United States. I say ironic because Pentecost Sunday was a day when God brought people from all tribes and nations into the city of Jerusalem and had them witness the launch of the Church. More than that they were invited, without discrimination, to join the movement and received the Spirit themselves.
Acts 2 tells us that 3,000 joined that day. Within short order, these people, from cities across the world, returned to their homes and brought the good news of God’s grace with them.
For centuries the people of God were defined as those descended from Abraham and Isaac & Jacob but on that day God redefined the people of God as all those who come to him by faith. Thus it is whenever the Spirit of God moves there is a breaking down of racial, gender, age and economic barriers and a supernatural unity emerges.
In 1906, at the Azusa street revivals that was part of the origin story for the modern Pentecostal movement, the news regularly reported the scandals of racial integration. Photos were printed of white women hugging black men.
There is a great need for us to educate people on racism. There is certainly need for policies and laws that protect our society against racist behaviour. Yet the greatest hope that our world has to eliminate such behaviour is a move of God upon the hearts and souls of people.
I believe that protests are legitimate and necessary but I equally believe that we need to get on our knees and pray for our world. We need another Pentecost.
