Trinity Free Church Huntingdon

This was another of the feasts when the Israelites were commanded to appear before God in the Temple in Jerusalem. It was known by this Greek word for fiftieth day because it was held 50 days after Passover. It is also called the Feast of Weeks because the interval between the two, 49 days, is a ‘week of weeks’. Originally it was a harvest festival celebrating the “first fruits of the wheat harvest”. Later, when the Jews were scattered abroad it was changed to a celebration of the giving of the Law to Moses on the day of Pentecost and, as the giving of the Law was regarded as the beginning of the nation, Pentecost became the birthday of Judaism. In Jesus’ day Jews from all over the Roman world travelled to Jerusalem for the celebration, as we read in the Biblical book of Acts.

A millennium and a half had passed since God gave the Law to Moses during which time the people’s anticipation had been built up by prophets to expect the coming of a Saviour, God’s chosen One, the Messiah. Then, on that special day of Pentecost which we celebrate, when crowds from all over were thronging Jerusalem, suddenly God’s Holy Spirit visited that little band of Jesus’ disciples gathered together in a house. A sound like a mighty rushing wind filled the house, tongues as of fire rested on each one there and that fearful, uncertain group were transformed into missionary witnesses who went out and boldly challenged the crowds with the news that God had fulfilled His ancient promise and sent His Messiah, the Saviour. Their rulers had refused to accept Him and had Him executed but God had raised Him again to new life and made Him Lord and Christ. Some people, of course, scoffed as some always will, and said they were drunk, but others were cut to their heart and asked what they could do, to which Peter boldly replied “Repent and be baptised in the name of Jesus for the forgiveness of your sins”. And they did, some three thousand of them!

Thus at that Pentecost they saw the fulfilment of Jesus’ promise that the power of the Holy Spirit would come upon them. Pentecost, the birthday of Judaism, became Pentecost, the birthday of the Christian Church and Pentecost, the celebration of gathering in the harvest became the time of gathering in of people into God’s new community, the Christian family.