Focus

Let yourself become open to God and the knowledge that comes from the Word. Ask God for peace at this time.

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Read

Acts 2:1-21 (NRSV)

When the day of Pentecost had come, they were all together in one place. And suddenly from heaven there came a sound like the rush of a violent wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. Divided tongues, as of fire, appeared among them, and a tongue rested on each of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other languages, as the Spirit gave them ability.

Now there were devout Jews from every nation under heaven living in Jerusalem. And at this sound the crowd gathered and was bewildered, because each one heard them speaking in the native language of each. Amazed and astonished, they asked, “Are not all these who are speaking Galileans? And how is it that we hear, each of us, in our own native language? Parthians, Medes, Elamites, and residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya belonging to Cyrene, and visitors from Rome, both Jews and proselytes, Cretans and Arabs—in our own languages we hear them speaking about God’s deeds of power.” All were amazed and perplexed, saying to one another, “What does this mean?” But others sneered and said, “They are filled with new wine.”

But Peter, standing with the eleven, raised his voice and addressed them, “Men of Judea and all who live in Jerusalem, let this be known to you, and listen to what I say. Indeed, these are not drunk, as you suppose, for it is only nine o’clock in the morning. No, this is what was spoken through the prophet Joel:

’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.
Even upon my slaves, both men and women,
in those days I will pour out my Spirit;
and they shall prophesy.
And I will show portents in the heaven above
and signs on the earth below,
blood, and fire, and smoky mist.
The sun shall be turned to darkness
and the moon to blood,
before the coming of the Lord’s great and glorious day.
Then everyone who calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.’

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Reflect

Happy Birthday Church! Pentecost Sunday is one of the greatest days of the year. Today we celebrate the gift of the Spirit and the birth of a community of believers coming together to accomplish great things.

The Church began with accusation against the first believers. The people who heard and saw the apostles thought they must be drunk. We, of course, know they weren’t filled with wine, but with the power of the Holy Spirit and the desire to share Christ with the world.

When was the last time you were so filled by the Spirit and the desire to make a change that somebody thought you were crazy? When was the last time you stood up and stood out to make a change? God shares the Holy Spirit with the Church to give us the courage to stand up when the world tells us to sit down. God gives the Holy Spirit to the Church so that we can dream big. If people don’t see our dreams and goals as crazy, we aren’t dreaming big enough.

Today, let’s celebrate the Holy Spirit and the Church by allowing the Spirit to guide us to be the Church that stands out for all the right reasons.

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Pray

Glorious God, we praise you today for the gift of the Spirit. We praise you for the gift of the Church. Give your Church the courage to be so filled with the Holy Spirit that people think we are crazy. Allow the church to be so filled with the Spirit that we stand up and stand out in the world. Amen.

Go with God.