Red for Pentecost

 The link to this week's live-streamed service is here.

Last Sunday at SPPC was a jam-packed occasion. We celebrated the anniversary of our building, but we also wore red to celebrate Pentecost, the day when the Holy Spirit, in the form of tongues of fire, touched each of the believers gathered together in one place in Jerusalem. Filled with the Holy Spirit, the people began speaking in tongues, i.e the languages of many different nations. 

Many observers were amazed, others scoffed saying the disciples must be drunk. But Peter stood up and delivered a sermon which reassured his hearers that they were not inebriated, but had been touched by the Holy Spirit, sent from Christ, as He had promised.

About three thousand people responded to Peter's call and were baptized and became followers of Jesus on that day. Pentecost is now looked on as the beginning of the church. Certainly a day to celebrate.

With the day behind us, we are now in the season of Pentecost. The party is over. Now it is time to get to work. As we read through Acts we see that the small band of Jesus' followers, came out of hiding. They lost their fear and became bold in the Lord. Peter, who had denied Jesus at His trial, now proclaimed Him loudly on the streets and in the marketplace. The other disciples also spread the Gospel. They travelled far afield to proclaim the truth of the risen Christ. They suffered for their faith, but they would not stop proclaiming what they had witnessed and what they knew to be true.

The coming of the Holy Spirit, transformed the followers of Christ from a "me-centred" (who is the greatest) group of individuals to a Christ-centred movement, united in their mission to baptize and make believers of all nations. They changed the world, and that mission continues to this day.

We at SPPC will not experience a Pentecost like the one in first century Jerusalem but we can receive the Holy Spirit into our own lives. We can love one another as Jesus commanded. 

Acts 2 states that after the day of Pentecost, the believers "continued together in close fellowship and shared their belongings with one another. They would sell their property and possessions and distribute the money among all, according to what each one needed." GNT 

On the first Sunday after Pentecost, our congregation ate cake -- what else is new? On this occasion it was to celebrate Father's Day, but mostly it was because we really enjoy the fellowship time on Sunday after worship service. 

During the month of June, SPPC is putting extra effort into our food bank offerings. Like that first church that grew out of Pentecost, we are sharing our love and our goods with the community around us. May the Holy Spirit work in us. Let's fill those bins to overflowing. Let us love one another as Christ first loved us. 1John 4:19

Happy Pentecost!