Happy Birthday, Church!
(PENTECOST)
Larry W. Bailey, Ph.D
What is your favorite Christian holiday? Some would say “Christmas,” to celebrate the birth of Jesus. Others would mention Good Friday, to remember that Jesus died so that we might live. Many would choose Easter as their choice, as the resurrection is the cornerstone of our faith. These are excellent responses that remind us of very important events.
But what about Pentecost? The events on the Day of Pentecost (Acts 2) are quite significant, but often minimally or not at all mentioned in many Christian churches. The Day of Pentecost is highly celebrated in some churches (Eastern Orthodox churches, Reformed and Evangelical traditions, Catholic churches), often including special decorations and liturgical garb. I have noted little attention given to this special day during my many years of participation in Restoration congregations in six (primarily Western) states.
We would do well to give notable emphasis to the Day of Pentecost in our pulpits and classrooms, as it is historically pivotal and involves several significant firsts.
Historically Pivotal
The Day of Pentecost is pivotal, as it is one marker of the transition from the old covenant to the new covenant. Just as the Israelites celebrated the receiving of the Law 50 days after the exodus from Egypt, we celebrate the new plan of salvation 50 days after the resurrection of Jesus the Christ. This significant event was anticipated by Old Testament prophets and Jesus, Himself. This historic day marks the birthday of the church, the spiritual body of Christ (1 Corinthians 12:27, Ephesians 1:22-23). If any birthday should be celebrated, this is it!
Significant Firsts
The events on the Day of Pentecost contained many notable “firsts”:
1. The first overt manifestation of the Holy Spirit after Jesus ascended (Acts 2:1-4). The prophet Joel anticipated the outpouring of the Spirit (Joel 2:26-32), and Jesus assured His disciples that He would send a guide and comforter after His return to the Father (John 14:15-17, 15:26, 16:7-15; Acts 1:4-8). The sudden noisy rush of wind, the tongues of fire, and the mysterious capability to speak in other languages was most remarkable.
2. The first gospel message was delivered by Peter (Acts 2:14- 36). He assured the crowd that those being affected by the Holy Spirit were not drunk, reviewed the prophecy of Joel, reminded them of the powerful deeds of Jesus, recounted the events of Jesus’ crucifixion and resurrection, and concluded with the audacious claim that God had made Jesus both Lord and Savior.
3. In response to the first gospel message, many in the audience were “cut to the heart” and asked, “What shall we do to be saved?” The first description of the new way of salvation is given by Peter: “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ so that your sins may be forgiven, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit” (Acts 2:38). He went on to exhort them to “be saved from this perverse generation!” (Acts 2:40). The grace of God would now be conveyed through the new covenant.
4. The first converts to what would later be known as Christianity welcomed Peter’s message and were immersed into Christ. Three thousand persons became the “charter members” of the church; devoting themselves to the apostles’ teaching and fellowship, and to the breaking of bread and prayers. Those who believed and responded to the gospel message were together and had all things in common (Acts 2:41-47).
5. It is notable that the first gospel message was communicated to both local residents and people from numerous other countries. The church is obviously designed to be a cross-cultural body.
The many firsts that occurred on the Day of Pentecost are of monumental significance! Just as we enthusiastically celebrate the physical birth of Jesus at Christmas, we should greatly rejoice and celebrate the anniversary of the birth of Jesus’ spiritual body, of which we are grateful to be members. Such attention to the Day of Pentecost provides a great platform to promote the key ideas involved in restoring the New Testament church and returning to the basics of becoming a part of and participating in the body of Christ.
A Day of Celebration
How might we celebrate the Day of Pentecost? Here are a few ideas:
• A church leader could dramatically present Peter’s original sermon, with some members of the congregation asking, “What shall we do?” at the appropriate time.
• The morning sermon could be an updated, condensed version of the first gospel message, with well-designed and appropriate responses from the audience.
• The congregation could participate in a special potluck meal, featuring foods from the various ethnic groups represented [noting the idea of diversity (Acts 2:5 2:9-11) and the experience of having “all things in common” (Acts 2:44-46)].
• Churches that have an emphasis on expressive arts could develop a program involving music, or skits.
• National and/or local publications may feature special articles that convey information or give tribute to the Day of Pentecost.
The Day of Pentecost should be a time of celebration and teaching. It is the birthday of the church, Christ’s spiritual body in which we participate. Let’s honor this anniversary. Happy birthday, church!
The crowd felt sorrow…, and knew they were lost, they found the new pathway at Pentecost.
The crowds were ashamed and being guilt-tossed, they learned of salvation at Pentecost.
The people believed Jesus paid the cost, they accepted His grace at Pentecost.
Note: Pentecost in 2018 was May 20
Here is the date of Pentecost Sunday by year:
Pentecost Sunday 2020: May 31, 2020
Pentecost Sunday 2021: May 23, 2021
Pentecost Sunday 2022: June 5, 2022
Pentecost Sunday 2023: May 28, 2023
Pentecost Sunday 2024: May 19, 2024
Pentecost Sunday 2025: June 8, 2025
Pentecost Sunday 2026: May 24, 2026
Pentecost Sunday 2027: May 16, 2027
Pentecost Sunday 2028: June 4, 2028
Pentecost Sunday 2029: May 20, 2029
Pentecost Sunday 2030: June 9, 2030
Happy Birthday, Church!
Larry W. Bailey is a retired Clinical Psychologist/Professor of Psychology and Counseling who lives in Eugene, OR.
The Restoration Herald
Vol. XCVII; No. 4; April 2018