Age of the Spirit

Pentecost has been called the "birthday of the church." That being the case, the calculated anniversary would be a day to celebrate that birth. Therefore, Happy Birthday, Church of Christ!

Today marks 50 days after Easter on this year's calendar. A day for us to remember and celebrate another miracle of the Trinity in our redemption.

[Jesus said to them] "But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth."

[Ac 1:8]

Ten days after Jesus' ascension the church in Christ was birthed with power by God. The Holy Spirit descended from heaven - from the Lord, as promised - accompanied by a violent wind, fire, and the speaking of tongues. Now the Third Person of the Godhead makes a miraculous entrance in the intricate Plan of Salvation.

Pilgrims had migrated from the north, south, east, and west to Jerusalem, speaking their own native languages. Jesus had instructed his disciples to wait in Jerusalem for "power from on high." Assembled in prayer was a group of 120 believers of Jesus Christ, including the apostles, His mother, and many of the women that followed Him during His earthly ministry.

When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place.
Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them.
[Ac 2:1-4]

With this baptism of the Holy Spirit those in attendance were able to speak in languages not their own, aiding in others understanding in order to carry this message back to their homelands and begin spreading the Lord's life-saving Gospel.

Peter delivered the first sermon - and best of any to date - filled with the anointing of the Holy Spirit. He pointed out that the arrival of the promised Holy Spirit substantiated the Resurrection of Jesus and His return to the Father. This coming had also been prophesied by Joel, Ezekiel, Isaiah, and foretold by John the Baptist (ref Joel 2:28-29, Ezekiel 36:26-27, Matthew 3:11).

The members of the Church of Christ would become Jesus' message in the flesh (as God's message was spoken through Jesus in the flesh). Oswald Chambers wrote: "The purpose of Pentecost was not to teach the disciples something, but to make them the incarnation of what they preached so that they would literally become God's message in the flesh. "

I am certain of the fact that the apostles would not be able to complete the mission laid before them as commanded by Jesus without this Divine Empowering. Nor would the church realize the growth and endurance through ages of persecution and division without Him. I agree with what D. M. Dawson said; "Without the power of the Holy Spirit all human efforts, methods, and plans are as futile as attempting to propel a boat by puffing at the sails with our own breath."

Let us praise the Holy Spirit for He is:

• Unifier


• Sanctifier


• Comforter


• Guidance Counselor


• Warrior


• Illuminator


• Strengthener

He is accomplishing things for the church and individual believers to this very day.

This is my plea for us living in this Age of the Spirit, just as we sang at the youth "Summer Slam" kickoff last night;

"Get Right Church

and

Lets Go Home"

Most Excellent Holy Spirit; Breathe new life in us, we are in desperate need of an invigorating stirring of renewal within Your church. May Your heavenly waters flow, bringing forth blossoms of fruitfulness in this dry and weary land. Embolden us to speak and teach in Jesus Name.