What a month we had in April as we gathered together for the Seder meal on Maundy Thursday, remembering when God set His people free from slavery in Egypt and Jesus’ last supper; then moving onto Good Friday as we deeply reflected on Jesus’ death on Calvary Hill; followed by a wonderful evening on Saturday with over 100 visitors for Easter Light and of course moving on to encounter, celebrate and worship our risen Lord on Resurrection Day together, first at sunrise then at our Communion service. We were busy, but wow did we have a wonderful time together! I was moved to see so many people involved. Many, many thanks to all those who enabled these services and events to happen!
A few days later, I was well and truly grilled by Margaret (less painful than I had feared!) during a lovely time together at which I was able to tell something of my life and faith story and share some thoughts about how we might go forward as a church together.
The month of May takes us to Ascension Day where Jesus leaves us in a physical sense, but as we move to Pentecost, the birth of the church, we find He is so very present with us through the outpouring of the Holy Spirit (‘on all believers!’).
I wonder sometimes, if there is a danger of getting excited about the Holy Spirit (the third person of our trinitarian Godhead) on that Pentecost Sunday and then putting Him in a box for the rest of the year, until Pentecost arrives once more. To do so would be unbiblical and folly!
At Pentecost we witness the initial outpouring of the Spirit moving in power, appearing as wind and fire; later transforming a once set of cowards to proclaim with great boldness the death and resurrection of the Lord in front of the very people who put Jesus to death. Throughout Acts, with dynamite type power, the Holy Spirit drew thousands and thousands of people into God’s kingdom, changing the hearts and minds and souls of even those who violently opposed Jesus. The Holy Spirit becomes the source of healing for many; He sustains the church throughout great persecution; He propels the church out of its comfort zone so, as Jesus directed and prophesied, his followers became witnesses, not just in Jerusalem, but in all Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.
Yes, even the gentiles (the non-Jews) were going to hear and respond to this life transforming, soul saving, bondage breaking Good News, as the Holy Spirit fell on them.
The Holy Spirit filled church were given supernatural Spiritual gifts including those of Wisdom (Divine insight), prophecy, speaking in tongues, interpretation of tongues, Words of knowledge, gifts of healing and miracles, all in order to build the church and to make sure that even the gates of hell, (the power of Satan) would not prevail against it. The Bible encourages us to seek these gifts for today. Further, as the Holy Spirit fills Jesus’ followers, we see increase of the Spiritual fruit of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. How we need a fresh outpouring of the Holy Spirit on our church, on our nation and in our world today!
Continue to join us as we journey over the coming year to explore more of the work the Holy Spirit and how He can truly be a transforming power in our own lives and the life of the church.
In the words of an ancient prayer, (which we pray every morning at our Zoom Morning Prayer service): Maranatha! Come Holy Spirit!