Happy Pentecost ! The disciples were in Jerusalem celebrating the Jewish festival of Pentecost (Shavuot) when the Holy Spirit descended as tongues of flame, gave new tongues of language, and the church was born! This is what I am sharing in church on Sunday as elder of the day.




Today is Pentecost, the 50th day after Easter, commemorating the giving of the Holy Spirit and the birth of the church.



Pentecost is the most neglected holy day on the church calendar.



Perhaps it's due to a let-down after going through Advent, Christmas, Lent, and Easter.



Perhaps because it has NOT been commercialized, our attention is not drawn to Pentecost.



Perhaps we neglect it because the descent of the Holy Spirit isn't something we can put our finger on, like a baby in a manger, or a man on a cross, or an empty tomb.



Perhaps it's because we fear the ministry of the Holy Spirit, which some believe has been taken to excesses.



Perhaps it's because we don't relate to the Holy Spirit as a person. The King James Version did us a disservice by translating Ruach HaKodesh as Holy Ghost.



People throughout the ages have thought of the Holy Spirit more as a thing than a Person. As we begin to know the Person of the Holy Spirit we will want to have a closer relationship with Him just as with the Father or the Son.



The Holy Spirit was an agent in the Creation. He has intellect, knowledge, emotions, He makes decisions, He loves, He comforts, He reproves, He corrects, He convinces, He teaches, He brings to remembrance, He guides, He prays for us when we don't know how to pray. . . He wrote the Bible! http://www.theholyspirit.com/HolySpiritPerson.asp



We cannot focus on the Holy Spirit too much. Why? What is the Holy Spirit’s mission? To reveal Jesus. What is Jesus's mission? to reveal the Father. What is the Father's mission? to send Jesus and the Holy Spirit so we can come to Him. Perfect Harmony. They never tried to sit down and work things out. They never had a power struggle amongst themselves.



The Christian festival of Pentecost celebrates the coming of the Holy Spirit. The Jewish festival of Pentecost celebrated the giving of the Law to Moses. The Christian tradition is to wear red on Pentecost. The Jewish tradition is to eat cheesecake. You can choose for yourself which way you prefer to celebrate.