How should we celebrate Pentecost?

Although the feast of Pentecost relates to the Jewish faith, it is clearly referred to in the book of Acts as a significant date for Christians too (Acts 2:1ff).  It was while the Jews were gathered in Jerusalem to celebrate Pentecost that the Holy Spirit came in power upon those early disciples.  As Christians, this is certainly something worth marking.  The ‘Pente’ of Pentecost relates to the number fifty, this feast being fifty days after the Jewish Passover.  As Christians, we have a similar cause to recognise the date because it is also fifty days after Easter.  Personally, I believe that the coming of the Holy Spirit upon the early Church is so momentous that it certainly deserves our attention and recognition, although I am not so convinced about recognising special dates!  The problem with dates is that, whilst they can provide us with a focus for remembering historic events, the opposite can also result; we can lose that particular focus at other times. 

Coincidence

What we are marking, as Christians, on these occasions directly relates to what the Jews recognise, albeit we are not celebrating the same thing.  This correlation is not coincidental.  At Passover, Jews remember the time when the tenth plague passed over their homes such that their firstborn were spared; at Easter, we recall the death and resurrection of Jesus, whereby we receive salvation and are spared the consequences of our sin.  At Pentecost, Jews are remembering more than one thing: 

Firstly, the giving of the law on Mount Sinai, whereas Christians remember the coming of the Holy Spirit, which is the opposite of the law.  Jewish faith places upon its adherents a heavy burden to observe the written law, whereas Christians live under grace and have the Spirit of God dwelling amongst and within us as our guide (2 Corinthians 3:4-18). 

Secondly, the Jews celebrated receiving the firstfruits of their agricultural harvest, whereas Christians celebrate receiving the empowerment and gifting of the Holy Spirit, from which we see a spiritual harvest (Acts 2:41).

Thirdly, the Jewish people celebrate the birth of Israel as a nation, whereas Christians recognise the coming of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost as the birth of the Church.

We have reason to rejoice in God’s timing – that Jesus’ sacrifice occurred at the time of Passover, and that the coming of the Holy Spirit occurred on the very day when the Old Testament law was being remembered. 

Open door

It seems clear that we should mark the coming of the Holy Spirit, although that wasn’t just a one-time occurrence for some whom many think of as ‘special’ people.  Pentecost marked the opening of a door that has remained so ever since.  The promises of scripture point to the experiential reality of the Spirit of God in the lives of Christians as something that we are all to expect (John 7:37-39).  In fact, it is clear from the record in Acts that this was intended as the norm for those who follow Jesus as Saviour and Lord (Acts 19:1-7).  The opening of this door was a significant event; there has been no corresponding closure of this particular door, even though there have certainly been periods when the church has neglected to teach on or promote the ministry of the Spirit.

Adequate

Getting back to the title of this topic, the question is: ‘How’ should we celebrate?  It is all very well to recall the historic event on the relevant day, and I tend to feel that we are right to do so.  However, it can never be adequate to merely remember.  Some people celebrate Easter without having received the second birth; if we celebrate Pentecost without having personally received the gift of the Holy Spirit, then aren’t we acting similarly?  We honour Jesus’ sacrifice when we avail ourselves of the benefit that God intended this to bring, and also when we remember this through sharing bread and wine together, as Jesus instructed us to do.  Similarly, we honour the Holy Spirit when we receive his ministry into our lives and walk in the experience of this.  Not to do so is to deny his power and the gifts that he brings to us as individuals for the benefit of the Church.  I suggest that the very best way to remember Pentecost is for us to stir up his gifting (1 Corinthians 14:1, 39; 2 Timothy 1:6), asking God to minister in our midst with his power and to his glory, by his Spirit.  For others, who have come into salvation and are yet to receive the Holy Spirit, surely the way to recognise Pentecost is to invite him into their lives.

Everyone

Some Christians get rather self-centred about the gifts of the Holy Spirit, but it is totally wrong to do that.  The Spirit of God came for the benefit of the Church; the ministry that he gives to individuals is for the strengthening and emboldening of the body of believers, and for the extension of the Kingdom of God.  We do benefit individually in terms of comfort, guidance and direction, but the gifts are a different matter; they are somewhat akin to tools that are to be used for Kingdom work.  We see this clearly exemplified in the Pentecost passage in Acts chapter two.  Here, the direct outcome of the filling of the Spirit was the proclamation of the gospel, and the conviction of a great many people who sought salvation as a result.  Let’s be those who, in remembering the momentous events of Pentecost, take this opportunity to challenge our own hearts to stir up the gifting that we have received, and if we have yet to receive this, then to ask God to baptise us with the Holy Spirit so that we may do so.

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