This year May 28th was Pentecost Sunday. I find it so amazing how misunderstood, confusing and misinterpreted the word Pentecost is among the followers of Jesus Christ. Many just judge it is a group of tongue talking, arm waving, prophecy crazy charismatics when in fact Pentecost means 50 which in the Christian faith is the 7th Sunday after Easter which is the 50th day after Resurrection Sunday.
Many identify Pentecost as the day in Jerusalem when the Apostles and followers of Jesus were all filled with the Holy Spirit which is confirmed in Scripture in Acts 2: 1-4. The “all filled” with the Holy Spirit is what has caused so much confusion with believers of our Lord. To try and keep matters very simple there are 4 key Biblical themes which I refer to as the “P”s in a Christian journey with the Lord. Private, Public, Power and Passing.
When a person receives Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord through confession of sin and asking our Lord to come into their lives and heart it is a Private moment where the person is Born Again as he or she is born of God’s Spirit. The person becomes a child of God, and your body becomes the temple of the Holy Spirit which resides in that person. The Lord’s DNA is now in you. That is the Private matter that is between the person and our Lord.
Then we have the P for Public which in fact is Water Baptism when a believer openly and publicly declares to the world that he or she is a true follower of Christ signified through Water Baptism that as they go under the water they are dying to self as Christ did but as they come out of the water they like Christ are being raised with Him to walk in newness of life as a follower of our Lord. It is a outward picture of what is to happen personally. That P is the Public.
The P for Power is described by Jesus in Acts 1 as one of the purposes of the Holy Spirit “ But you will receive Power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses “ and of course many think that was for them 2000 years ago but the Apostle Peter states in Acts 2 “ The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off – for all whom the Lord our God will call.” For many the thought of being a witness of our Lord can be very uncomfortable, challenging, personal and sad to the purposes of our Lord who gave His life for all and called us to be witnesses and gave us the great commission. Just maybe it is because we lack the Holy Spirit power, and can that be why we do not share our faith? Who would not want to ask the Holy Spirit to fill him or her daily?
The last P is Passing on as in Passing on from this life to eternity and along with the teaching of Jesus Christ , the Apostle Peter makes it so clear when he states “ Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved.” It is clear from scripture that we all come before the judgement seat and who would want to take the chance that scripture and the ways of the Lord are wrong. Let our P for passing be yes and amen to the Lord. Just call out to Him because He hears you.
John Grady - Fort St John
