“When the day of Pentecost had come, they were all together in one place.” (Acts 2:1)
The 28th day of this month will be a very special day for Christians. Why, you ask? It is the Day of Pentecost. The birthday of the church. Not the celebration of the founding of any particular denomination, mind you, but the entire Christian church.
Just over two thousand years ago, many Jewish people from throughout the near East arrived to Jerusalem to celebrate Shavout, the Feast of Weeks, which occurs 50 days following Passover.
As is recounted in the second chapter of the Book of Acts, God, the Holy Spirit, came in a violent wind and inspired a gathering of Jesus disciples with the ability to instantaneously speak and translate, foreign languages. Incredible. But something even more amazing happened on that day. Through the Holy Spirit, Jesus formed his church on earth.
The Holy Spirit, to the glory of God the Father, would inspire faith in Jesus and sustain Christian faith through the generations. What started then continues today!
The Holy Spirit brings to life the written words of scripture printed on the page and makes them the Word of God for us. The Holy Spirit has inspired all who claim Christ as Lord with faith in him. The Holy Spirit bestows spiritual gifts and gathers together people from around the globe into one body, to be the body of Christ in the world for the sake of all people and for creation.
