On Pentecost

Acts 2:1-4 (NKJV)

When the Day of Pentecost had fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. And suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. Then there appeared to them divided tongues, as of fire, and one sat upon each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.

Pentecost is an important event in the history of the church. Originally a part of the Jewish Passover festival, which celebrated the liberation of the Israelites from Egyptian slavery, Pentecost is now remembered for a different significance. As the prior passage reads, it was the day on which the twelve apostles received the Holy Spirit and spoke in tongues to the crowds amassed for the festival. Everyone in the crowd heard the apostles' in their own language, three thousand souls were won, and Christianity exploded from the faith of a few zealous outsiders to a phenomenon that spread the world over.

But the significance goes beyond even that. Pentecost was a decisive turning point from the popular religious perception of the time. The aftermath of this event reached people of many nations and cultures. No longer was the grace of God exclusive to the hierarchical elite in one particular region or heritage. Instead, Jews and Gentiles alike could find reconciliation with the God of all creation. This claim was counter-intuitive to the social mores of the time, and may still be for some. But Christ opened a door through which ALL people can enter. On this day of Pentecost, let us remember our responsibility to welcome those of every race, culture, and background to that door.