May 15, 2018
Acts 2:14-21…“In the last days it will be, God declares, that I will pour out my Spirit upon all flesh, and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams.” vs. 17
The disciples were living in heady times, changes were multiplying and tensions increasing. There were rumors of rebellion and insurrection. The Roman armies were flexing their muscle. And they were convinced that the Day of the Lord was at hand. These were the last days and they looked to their scriptures for affirmation and direction. The prophet Joel had spoken of such times and now it was happening. The Spirit of God would transform the world and all flesh would be touched. This was going to be something different. It would be an inclusive time with young and old, male and female all playing a part. And that’s how it was in those early days of the church. Old barriers were taken down. The Spirit could not be contained by patriarchal systems and cultural expectations. Of course it didn’t take long in the church for the old order to reassert itself and for stifling traditional practices to be reestablished–practices that have hung on for centuries. In our day some are seeing the signs of a new Pentecostal movement and there’s a sense that a new day is dawning, a time for the renewal of the Spirit. Visions and dreams abound. Both men and women are leading. And all flesh is waiting to be transformed!
Thought for the Day: How is the Spirit changing the Church?
0 Comments