The Day of Pentecost

Before ascending, the risen Jesus told his disciples to wait in Jerusalem for 'the promise of the Father' — power from on high. Fifty days after Passover, at the Jewish feast of Pentecost, that promise came. As the believers were gathered together, 'suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind,' tongues 'like as of fire' rested on each of them, and they were 'all filled with the Holy Ghost' and began to speak in other languages (Acts 2:2–4).

The festival had filled Jerusalem with Jews 'out of every nation under heaven,' and each heard the believers declaring the wonderful works of God in his own tongue. Amazed and perplexed, the crowd listened as Peter — the disciple who had denied Jesus weeks before — stood and preached boldly that the crucified Jesus had been raised and exalted as Lord and Christ. Cut to the heart, the hearers asked what they should do; Peter called them to 'repent, and be baptized... in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins,' and 'the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls' (Acts 2:38–41).

Pentecost falls in the same range as the resurrection, around AD 30–33. From this day the small band of disciples became a Spirit-empowered movement that would carry the gospel from Jerusalem to the ends of the earth.

Pentecost is the birthday of the church — the moment the Holy Spirit was poured out on all believers, fulfilling the prophet Joel's promise and Jesus' own. What had been the experience of select prophets and kings now became the common gift of every Christian: God himself dwelling within his people, empowering them for witness and transforming them from the inside.

It is also a deliberate reversal of Babel. Where God once scattered humanity by confusing their language, at Pentecost he gathers people of every language to hear one gospel — a foretaste of the redeemed multitude 'of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues.' The mission of the church, and the indwelling Spirit who powers it, both begin here.