As you probably know, we celebrated Pentacost on Sunday, the day that the Holy Spirit was poured out on the church. A little bit of research shows that Pentacost was originally a celebration of the harvest and a day to commemorate the giving of the Law on Mount Sinai. As such it is fitting that the Spirit fell on the disciples with a rush of fire and wind, just like God’s presence fell on Mount Sinai. What did that fire feel like? What did the wind sound like? While the passage doesn’t answer the first question, we know that the wind was so loud that people from all over Jerusalem heard it and rushed together to find out what had happened. They found the disciples shouting the good news of the gospel in all different languages in a scene so bizarre that many thought they were drunk. Then Peter stood up and explained what had happened: God had kept his promise and given his Holy Spirit to the disciples. And now he was giving it to all who trusted in Christ for salvation.  

Reading that passage it is striking how powerful the coming of the Holy Spirit was. But this celebration is not just a reminder that the Holy Spirit came once upon a time. It’s a reminder that he’s still at work in the hearts and lives of all who trust in Christ. This week I got to teach Children’s Church for the first time. Thankfully, Karen provided me with a fantastic lesson plan, but I was struck by how hard some of the questions where, especially the last one “What are the different ways we see, hear, and experience God’s Spirit at work in the world today?”. I often struggle to believe that the Holy Spirit is actually at work in the world. The world often feels completely out of control and full of evil. Then, when I look at myself, I see that I’m struggling with the same sins I’ve struggled with for years and wonder where the power is. What’s God doing?

But Pentacost is a reminder of what the Holy Spirit actually does: transform hearts and lives to follow Christ. That day, people from all over the world heard the gospel for the first time. And many followed Christ after that. That doesn’t mean that they stopped struggling with sin: much of Acts and Paul’s letters describe how the early church struggled to follow Christ. It’s clear at the same time, though, that the Holy Spirit was at work in the church, preserving it from the many powerful people who wanted to destroy it and using it to show his glory. And the same is true today. The simple fact that the church exists despite the fact that it’s made up of sinful people and despite that fact that many have tried to destroy is evidence of the Spirit’s work. Even though the world seems out of control to me, Pentacost reminds me that every time I meet with other Christians to worship God it’s only because of the Spirit’s work that I am there. And it reminds me that God’s Spirit is at work in my life and in the world around me, even though he often works in unexpected ways. So remember this week that God’s Spirit is powerful and at work, that we are not alone in our battles with sin, and that God truly is changing the world through us.

~ Philip Noell