All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other languages, as the Spirit gave them ability.” vs. 4
Acts 2:1-14
Luke tells us that before he left, Jesus had promised his disciples that they would receive power when the Holy Spirit came upon them and they would then be his witnesses throughout the earth. After his departure they went into the city of Jerusalem and waited, probably wondering what this experience might be like. They might even have been confused about what he meant. The Holy Spirit is inherently mysterious, and some days later when the Spirit came it was quite a spectacle! There was the sound of a mighty wind, tongues of fire, and a babble of voices speaking other languages. And ever since then we’ve been trying to figure out what happened. Just who is this Holy Spirit anyway? We say in the creeds that we believe in the Holy Spirit, but that’s about as far as we can go. We certainly can’t objectify the Spirit–our definitions will always miss the point. What we do know is that the Holy Spirit is pure energy, the dynamic presence of God spurring us into action and driving us from our comfort zones. It just might be that this is what the Spirit is about today. Too many Christians are hanging on to the past for dear life, afraid to lose cherished traditions, doctrines, and denominations. Maybe we need another outpouring of the Spirit, a redefining of Church, and a recommitment to the humble, self-giving ministry of Jesus.
Thought for the Day: How does the Church need to change?
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