{"id":14605,"date":"2017-05-31T08:29:27","date_gmt":"2017-05-31T12:29:27","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/debmillswriter.com\/?p=14605"},"modified":"2017-05-31T08:51:04","modified_gmt":"2017-05-31T12:51:04","slug":"worship-wednesday-pentecost-holy-spirit-kari-jobe","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/debmillswriter.com\/?p=14605","title":{"rendered":"Worship Wednesday – Pentecost – Holy Spirit – Kari Jobe"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/a>Photo Credit: Jean II Restout, Wikimedia<\/a><\/p>\n

When the day of Pentecost had arrived, they were all together in one place.\u00a0<\/span>Suddenly a sound like that of a violent rushing wind came from heaven, and it filled the whole house where they were staying.\u00a0<\/span>And tongues, like flames of fire that were divided, appeared to them and rested on each one of them.\u00a0<\/span>Then they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in different languages, as the Spirit gave them ability for speech.<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n

There were Jews living in Jerusalem, devout men from every nation under heaven.<\/span> When this sound occurred, a crowd came together and was confused because each one heard them speaking in his own language.\u00a0<\/span>And they were astounded and amazed, saying, \u201cLook, aren\u2019t all these who are speaking Galileans?\u00a0<\/span>How is it that each of us can hear in our own native language?\u00a0<\/span>Parthians, Medes, Elamites; those who live in Mesopotamia, in Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia,<\/span> Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya near Cyrene; visitors from Rome, both Jews and proselytes,\u00a0<\/span> Cretans and Arabs\u2014we hear them speaking the magnificent acts of God in our own languages.\u201d\u00a0<\/span> They were all astounded and perplexed…<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n

But Peter stood up with the Eleven, raised his voice, and proclaimed to them…\u201cGod has resurrected this Jesus. We are all witnesses of this. <\/span>…Therefore let all the house of Israel know with certainty that God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Messiah!\u201d – <\/span><\/em>Acts 2:1-12a, 14a, 32, 36<\/span><\/a>
\n<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n

We are in the season of Pentecost. Last night, the Jewish celebration of Shavuot<\/a> began, and for the Christians, Pentecost Sunday<\/a> is just ahead of us. For the Jews, it is a dual commemoration – one of the giving of the Torah (God’s Law) at Mt. Sinai, as well as the celebration of the wheat harvest (Festival of Weeks). For the Christians, Pentecost is the promised coming of the Holy Spirit, 50 days after the Resurrection of Christ.<\/p>\n

Because of the Jewish celebration and pilgrimage of old, the apostles (in Acts 2<\/a>) had an audience of many unfamiliar with the Hebrew and Greek languages. This was essentially the first time the Gospel was preached to the nations, and the Holy Spirit’s grand entrance into our lives made it happen.<\/p>\n

Depending on our church tradition, we celebrate Pentecost in various ways. How we see the Holy Spirit at work in the world, and in the church, also differs.<\/p>\n

Completing the triune Godhead, with the Father and the Son, the Holy Spirit is a mighty force in this world. Incomprehensible in His power and movement in the world and yet as intimate as that still small voice, almost audible to those who attend to Him. Almost audible and completely understandable in His gentle ways with God’s children.<\/p>\n

How is it that we allow ourselves to be mesmerized with the seen and discount the marvelous and miraculous all around us?<\/strong><\/p>\n

After Jesus’ resurrection and before He ascended to the Father, he told the struggling apostles that He would not leave them alone. He would send<\/a> to them a Comforter, an Advocate, of the same essence as He<\/a>.<\/p>\n

I usually pray to the Father as the model Jesus taught us<\/a>, in His instruction to the disciples. It is in Jesus’ name<\/a>, that come to the Father, because through Jesus’ righteousness and death for us, we have access to God. It is through the Holy Spirit<\/a>, we pray rightly. With the help of the Holy Spirit, we find the words to pray.\u00a0 Sometimes, when we can’t find the words, the Spirit lifts the contents of our heart to the Father…better than we can ourselves. What an incredible mercy of God!<\/p>\n

Where do we see the movement of the Holy Spirit in today’s world?<\/p>\n