PENTECOST SUNDAY

THE DAILY FOUNTAIN DAILY DEVOTIONAL GUIDE OF THE CHURCH OF NIGERIA (ANGLICAN COMMUNION)

DATE: SUNDAY, 5TH JUNE, 2022 

TOPIC: PENTECOST SUNDAY

TEXT: ACTS 2:1-21

1. When the Day of Pentecost had fully come, they were all with one accord in one place.

2. And suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting.

3. Then there appeared to them divided tongues, as of fire, and [one] sat upon each of them.

4. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.

5.  And there were dwelling in Jerusalem Jews, devout men, from every nation under heaven.

6.  And when this sound occurred, the multitude came together, and were confused, because everyone heard them speak in his own language.

7.  Then they were all amazed and marveled, saying to one another, "Look, are not all these who speak Galileans?

8.  "And how [is it that] we hear, each in our own language in which we were born?

9.  "Parthians and Medes and Elamites, those dwelling in Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia,

10.  "Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya adjoining Cyrene, visitors from Rome, both Jews and proselytes,

11.  "Cretans and Arabs -- we hear them speaking in our own tongues the wonderful works of God."

12.  So they were all amazed and perplexed, saying to one another, "Whatever could this mean?"

13.  Others mocking said, "They are full of new wine."

14.  But Peter, standing up with the eleven, raised his voice and said to them, "Men of Judea and all who dwell in Jerusalem, let this be known to you, and heed my words.

15.  "For these are not drunk, as you suppose, since it is [only] the third hour of the day.

16.  "But this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel:

17.  'And it shall come to pass in the last days, says God, That I will pour out of My Spirit on all flesh; Your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, Your young men shall see visions, Your old men shall dream dreams.

18.  And on My menservants and on My maidservants I will pour out My Spirit in those days; And they shall prophesy.

19.  I will show wonders in heaven above And signs in the earth beneath: Blood and fire and vapor of smoke.

20.  The sun shall be turned into darkness, And the moon into blood, Before the coming of the great and awesome day of the LORD.

21.  And it shall come to pass [That] whoever calls on the name of the LORD Shall be saved.'

MESSAGE: 

Pentecost means “fiftieth” because this feast was held fifty days after the feast of fruits (Lev. 23:15-22). The calendar of the Jewish feast in Leviticus 23 pictures the outline of the work of Jesus Christ. The Passover pictured His death as the Lamb of God (Jn. 1:29; 1 Cor. 5:7), and the feast of first fruit pictures His resurrection from the dead (1Cor. 15:20-23). Fifty days after first Fruits is the feast of Pentecost, which represents the formation of the Church. 

At Pentecost, the Jews celebrated the giving of the law. Christians celebrate it to commemorate the giving of the Holy Spirit to the Church. The feast of the First Fruits took place the day after the Sabbath following the Passover, which means it was always on the first day of the week (Sabbath being the 7th day). Jesus arose from the dead on the first day of the week and “became the first fruit of them that slept” (1Cor. 15:20). 

Now, since Pentecost was fifty days later, seven weeks plus one day depicts the fact that Pentecost took place on the first day of the week. What a great God we serve who aligns everything to His glory. He sent the Holy Spirit to inaugurate the Church and empower believers to continue the work of expanding the work of God among men on earth. (Lk. 24:49; Acts. 1:8). Are you baptised in the Holy Spirit?

PRAYER: 

Lord fill Your Church afresh with the Holy Spirit.