Acts 2:1-13

“All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other languages, as the Spirit gave them ability.” vs. 4

Luke and John deal with the gift of the Holy Spirit in different ways. John’s account is more subdued and occurs in a locked room, away from public scrutiny. Jesus simply breathes on his disciples, and says “Receive the Holy Spirit. As the Father has sent me, so I send you.” In Luke’s account the Holy Spirit arrives on the Day of Pentecost in a storm of wind and fire, and soon everyone in Jerusalem knows that something spectacular has taken place. Fittingly enough, it’s Luke’s story that for most marks the birth of the Church, and it’s what we think about when Pentecost rolls around on the liturgical calendar. However we prefer to remember the day, this occasion clearly marks the transition from the personal mission of Jesus to a dynamic, Spirit-driven movement that spread rapidly all over the earth. And even though we don’t always know what to make of the Holy Spirit, there is no doubt that this is truly the continuing Spirit of Jesus. Through the work of the Spirit people have been called and gathered to be the living Body of Christ, and within that Body countless lives have been transformed and made holy. And as the gifts of the Spirit have been recognized and released, the outpouring of the fruits of the Spirit have changed the world.

Thought for the Day: What are the signs of the Spirit’s presence in my congregation?