A couple weeks ago we, in the Anglican Communion, observed the Holy Day of Pentecost. On that day we celebrated the descent of the Holy Spirit upon the disciples of Jesus after His Ascension to Heaven. Held on the seventh Sunday after Easter, Pentecost is celebrated 10 days after the Feast of the Ascension which is celebrated 40 days after Easter. Chapter 2 of Acts of the Apostles describes the arrival of the Holy Spirit like this:
1When the day of Pentecost arrived, they were all together in one place. 2 And suddenly there came from heaven a sound like a mighty rushing wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. 3 And divided tongues as of fire appeared to them and rested on each one of them. 4 And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance. Acts 2:1-4 ESV
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This was no casual deal. It didn’t just slip by unnoticed. A multitude of Jews from all over the land observed this raucous commotion. They thought the Apostles were in their cups, too much wine. On this day Peter finally found his voice and his conviction as the rock upon which the Church would be built (Acts 2:14-41 ESV). He boldly spoke to the gathered crowd as he was moved by the Holy Spirit and around three thousand souls were saved.
The gift of the Holy Spirit
Jesus had promised the Apostles, as he prepared to ascend into Heaven, that He would ask the Father to send a Helper.
15 “If you love me, you will keep my commandments. 16 And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever, 17 even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you.” John 14:15-17 ESV
The Spirit comes in so that the Gospel goes out…
I read a great blog post on the gift of the Holy Spirit recently on RookieAnglican that described the Holy Spirit in a way I had not previously considered. The article introduced me to the idea that the Holy Spirit was not
meant to only dwell inside of us, to speak in that small, quiet voice, guiding us in our personal faith journey. The article describes the Spirit’s movement as something Outward and Upward rather than something to cling to as a point of personal pride. Unshared, the Holy Spirit made the Apostles look pretty silly, even drunk when first settling upon the Upper Room. When the Spirit moved Peter to speak to the crowd, thousands of souls were given to our Savior. Outward – to send the message out far and wide, Upward – to lift souls up to God. The Spirit goes out, so that all might be lifted up.
The Holy Spirit, for sure, was sent to live inside of us, to guide us, comfort us, teach us, to be God’s Presence in our lives. But the Holy Spirit, like the Gospel of Christ, was meant to be shared, to the ends of the earth, that all might know the glory of God.
Next time we will reflect on the “Gifts of the Holy Spirit.” Until then, may your paths be illuminated by the Power of the Holy Spirit. I pray that you be moved to share His light with the world.
