The following piece was first written for the May 24, 2026 pew sheet at St Augustine’s Anglican Church. I share it here again in the hope that it may continue to encourage and bless.
Pentecost is one of the great feasts of the Christian Church. Celebrated fifty days after Easter, it commemorates the outpouring of the Holy Spirit upon the disciples, as recorded in Acts chapter 2. On that day, the risen and ascended Lord Jesus fulfilled his promise to send the Spirit upon his people, empowering them for witness and ministry in the world. The origins of Pentecost lie in the Old Testament feast known as the Feast of Weeks (Shavuot), celebrated fifty days after Passover. Originally a harvest festival giving thanks for the first-fruits of the land, it later became associated in Jewish tradition with the giving of the Law at Mount Sinai. It is therefore deeply significant that God chose this very feast for the coming of the Holy Spirit. At Sinai, God formed Israel into his covenant people through the giving of the Law. At Pentecost, God formed the Church through the gift of the Spirit. The prophet Jeremiah foretold a day when God would write his law, not merely on tablets of stone, but upon human hearts (Jeremiah 31:33). Through the Holy Spirit, this promise begins to be fulfilled. Pentecost also marks the beginning of the Church's worldwide mission. The disciples proclaimed 'the mighty works of God' in many languages, signifying that the gospel is for all nations. The confusion of Babel is reversed as people from every tongue are gathered into the family of God through Christ. Importantly, Pentecost reminds us that the Christian life is not lived in human strength alone. The same Holy Spirit who empowered the apostles now dwells in all who belong to Christ, convicting of sin, bringing new birth, producing holiness, and enabling faithful witness. As we celebrate Pentecost, may we give thanks for God's gracious gift of the Holy Spirit and pray that he would continue to renew his Church through the truth of his Word and the power of the gospel.
