From the Regional Team  

Rev Joth Hunt

SEBA Regional Minister
 

Happy Pentecost!

“Happy Pentecost” sounds strange compared to “Happy Christmas”, “Happy Easter” or “Happy Birthday”. I guess that is because it isn’t highlighted in the same way, but for me the anniversary of the coming of the Spirit should be something we cherish and celebrate as much as any other festival. Over the years, I have learnt that Pentecost is a key moment in the history of God’s salvation. It has been described as the ‘birth of the church’. In this article I wanted to share a few thoughts as to why I feel it is essential we rejoice in Pentecost.

First, the era of Pentecost is our era. The coming of the Spirit upon all believers began what Peter describes as the ‘last days’. Have you noticed that Joel’s prophecy from Joel 2v28 actually says “afterwards” whereas Peter’s quote in Acts 2 says “In the last days”. While Joel is looking forward to a new age of the Spirit, Peter is standing in the moment of the significant change. We, however, look back and value that we stand in this Spirit filled season. John Stott describes it as “a long day of opportunity.”

“between the Day of Pentecost (when the Spirit came, inaugurating the last days) and the day of the Lord (when Jesus will come, concluding them) there stretches a long day of opportunity, during which the gospel of salvation will be preached throughout the world.”
John Stott, p75

Secondly, I rejoice in this Pentecost moment because the Spirit is poured out on all people. The emphasis on ‘all’ in Acts 2 can’t be overlooked. All are together (v1), all are filled (v4), all speak in tongues (v7), the Spirit is poured out on all people (v17). I can’t help thinking of Eldad and Medad, two elders who, even though they weren’t in the tabernacle, were filled with the Spirit and began to prophecy. In response to Joshua’s complaint Moses responds by saying “I wish that all the Lord’s people were prophets and that the Lord would put His Spirit on them!” It seems that Pentecost is the answer to Moses prayer. We live in an era that the Spirit can fill all people regardless of gender, age, colour or status. Worth celebrating!

Thirdly, we now live in the era of prophecy. As Baptist we often emphasise the ‘Priesthood of all Believers’ and rightly so, but rarely do I hear an emphasis regarding the 'Prophethood of all Believers'. I like the idea of the church being a band of prophets. If prophecy is the declaration of the will, mind, knowledge and revelation of God within the context of each generation, we, the prophetic church, are called to declare what has been revealed to us in Christ Jesus by the Spirit in our time and our generation.

Finally, I celebrate Pentecost because God is with us! We enter each and every day with the promise of God, that he will fill his faithful servants. I sometimes wondered as the years pass that I’m gradually becoming a grumpy old man. On the whole, I’m an optimist but there is plenty to be pessimistic about. It is easy to wonder whether it is worth getting up in the morning and you can easily find yourself asking the question, “What’s the point?” However, living in the era of Pentecost gives me hope, real hope. Why? Because God is with us! And if God is with us who can be against us.

Therefore, happy Pentecost!