This Sunday, during worship, we will celebrate Pentecost. Pentecost is the day we remember the outpouring of the Holy Spirit on Jesus’ disciples in Jerusalem and the birth of the church. Peter and 120 others, filled with the Holy Spirit, spilled into the crowded streets of Jerusalem, speaking in tongues and declaring the saving work of God through Jesus Christ. What a moment! What a miracle!

Since that first outpouring, the Holy Spirit has continued to move, drawing people to faith and sending them out into the world to share the Gospel.  Reflecting on Acts 2:1-21, I am struck by two powerful themes about the work of the Holy Spirit then and now.

First, the Holy Spirit empowers us for mission. When the Spirit descends on Peter and the other disciples, they are compelled to speak and share the Gospel with the people around them. They know they can no longer stay hidden away, and by the Holy Spirit’s empowerment, burst onto the streets to share the Good News.  In the same way, the Spirit empowers us with gifts to share the Gospel with those God puts in our path every day.

Second, the Holy Spirit helps us to find unity in diversity. The many languages spoken by the disciples and others illustrate for us the inclusive nature of the Gospel, breaking down barriers and reconciling people from all backgrounds. Pentecost reminds us that the Holy Spirit is not confined to a specific culture, language, or ethnicity but transcends all boundaries, enabling the message of God’s love to be shared with and by people from every corner of the earth.

I believe that the Holy Spirit is moving here at Pittman Park! I believe that we are living in a Spirit-filled moment in time and that God’s desire is that new and powerful miracles would happen in us and among us…not for our sake, but for the sake of God’s Kingdom. I pray that we will continue to be empowered by the Holy Spirit to carry out our mission of making disciples and transforming the world. I also pray that the Holy Spirit would unify us as we share the Gospel with the whole world.

God bless,
Jonathan Smith
For Jesus. For People. For Community.