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Power and Purity



          
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Acts of the Apostles, Chapter 2, Verses 1-8


The passage that we read today from The Acts of the Apostles Chapter 2 is the beginning of the church. All the believers, including the apostles, were gathered together in a place. Suddenly, there was a big sound like the blowing of wind that came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. They saw what seemed to be flames of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them.


This is the power of the Holy Spirit coming onto the people who are waiting. Jesus told them before He left this world and ascended to Heaven to wait in Jerusalem for the power, the coming of the Holy Spirit, and that’s what they were waiting for. It happened on a particular day, the day of Pentecost. According to Jewish custom, Pentecost is an Old Testament festival. You can see that in the Book of Leviticus. That coming of the Holy Spirit happened on that particular day of the festival, so we call it Pentecost Day.


A lot of times, when we think about Pentecostal references, we immediately bring to mind a particular denomination or worship style. Many think that the Pentecostal style of worship is about singing, dancing, making a lot of noise, and speaking in tongues. That's what they did at that time. But it is all about the Holy Spirit. Jesus told us that He would send the Holy Spirit when He ascended to Heaven. The Holy Spirit will be our comforter, counselor, and teacher, to be with us in our lives every day, giving us the guidance we need to live in this world. It’s also the power of God in us that protects us from evil and gives us the power to overcome temptations and the devil. Thanks be to Holy Spirit.


If somebody asks you if you have ever had the Holy Spirit, you can say yes. If you are a believer in Christ, you have the Holy Spirit in you. The Holy Spirit brings one to the knowledge of Christ. Sometimes, we are confused, thinking the Holy Spirit is for a particular group of people. It is not. It is for all Christians. We are all products and fruits of the work of the Holy Spirit because we are believers in Jesus Christ. One can only believe in Christ by the power of the Holy Spirit.


We sometimes don't pay a lot of attention to Pentecost Sunday. We get stuck somewhere between Christmas and Easter, or after Easter, then we wait for next Christmas. For many people, churchgoing is about two times a year. The scripture tells us that the coming of the Messiah into this world, Christmas, means "God with us," and Calvary, Good Friday, and Easter mean "God is for us." Pentecost means "God is in us." Christmas is God with us. Calvary means God is for us. Pentecost means God is in us. These are the three important aspects of the Christian faith regarding our personal lives. 


Pentecost is an Old Testament festival found in Leviticus, especially chapter 23. It is the remembrance of God giving the law through Moses on Mount Sinai. The Jewish people celebrate it as the Pentecost Festival. There are several feasts in Jewish customs, mainly seven: the Feast of Passover, the Feast of Unleavened Bread, the Feast of First Fruits, the Feast of Weeks, and the Feast of Pentecost, among others. These are seven weeks of feasts, 49 days, with the 50th day being Pentecost Day.


The Feast of First Fruits and the Feast of Passover are among them. The 50th day is the Pentecost Day. They also celebrate the Pentecost Year, the Year of Jubilee, which is every 50th year. According to Jewish custom, it is called the Year of Jubilee, the Year of Freedom. During that year, any outstanding debts are forgiven, and everyone starts on a clean slate. This system helps poor people but may not favor those who have lent money, like banks.


In the coming time of Jesus Christ, the gospels mention the Year of Jubilee, a time when all debts are forgiven, and everyone starts anew. This concept began over 1,000 years ago in the Old Testament. God did not want anyone to be so poor that they struggled to live, so He balanced things by having everyone start afresh every 50th year. This is also called the Pentecost Year or the Year of Jubilee.


When discussing Pentecost, we should remember the Old Testament. It is not just a denomination or church; it is a Jewish festival. On that particular day, the Holy Spirit descended on the believers of Jesus Christ. Celebrating Pentecost means recognizing the power of the Holy Spirit coming into our lives.


On Pentecost, there were several notable occurrences: a big noise like a strong wind, the sight of fire, and people speaking in different languages. The wind symbolizes the Holy Spirit, which Jesus said no one can see or predict, but we know it exists because it gives us life. Without air, we would not be alive, and without the Holy Spirit, we cannot sustain our spiritual lives.


The fire symbolizes the Holy Spirit’s power to unify and purify our lives. In a world full of sin and evil, the Holy Spirit cleanses us and gives us strength to overcome temptations. The Holy Spirit is not something new; it has been present since the beginning of creation, part of the Trinity—God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit.


When the Holy Spirit descended, people began speaking in different languages, and everyone understood each other despite their diverse backgrounds. This was not about speaking in tongues but about the unity of the Spirit. Regardless of our language, color, or origin, we are united by the Holy Spirit and the love of Christ. The language of love is universal and understood by all, from newborns to those on their deathbeds.  A touch of love is precious.  


The fire that descended symbolizes refinement. Just as gold is purified in fire, our faith is tested and purified through trials. Like a goldsmith watching molten metal, the Holy Spirit is with us during our trials, and our faith becomes pure. When the gold is pure, it is believed that the face of the goldsmith will reflect in the molten metal like a crystal clear mirror.  When we go through the times of fiery situations of our lives, Our Goldsmith, the Holy Spirit is watching us closely and see the face of Jesus shining in our lives as in a mirror. We become purified and refined and become more like Christ. 


The Feast of Pentecost marks the start of a new movement, the church. We are part of that church, unified by the Holy Spirit. Pentecost celebrates the power, purity, and unity of the Holy Spirit. As believers, let us always be reminded of the Holy Spirit’s presence in our lives, empowering us to be witnesses for Christ in this world.


Blessings

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