What Does Pentecost Mean For Us Today?
Celebrating the Day of Pentecost at a Pentecostal church seems like a logical thing to do, but what does Pentecost mean, and where did it come from? A short dive into the history of this important spiritual holiday makes its significance even more personal to us today.
With tomorrow being Pentecost Sunday, let’s dive into the background of this significant celebration that happens every year at Parkway Church and in other communities of believers around the world!
What Does “Pentecost” Mean?
The word "Pentecost" comes from the Greek word "Pentēkostē," meaning "fiftieth." Celebrated 50 days after Easter, Pentecost Sunday celebrates the day the Holy Spirit came to the apostles and other followers of Christ (described in Acts 2 of the New Testament).
This event, often called the birth of the Christian Church, marks a crucial moment in Christian history. To fully understand Pentecost, we must explore its Old Testament roots, its profound impact on the early Christian community, and its ongoing influence today.
Old Testament Feasts and Their Significance
In the Old Testament, God instructed the Israelites to observe various feasts, each with symbolic meaning and historical significance. These feasts commemorated key events in Israel's history and foreshadowed future fulfillments in Jesus Christ.
Pentecost in the Old Testament
One such feast is the Feast of Pentecost, also known as the Feast of Weeks or Shavuot. This feast occurred fifty days after Passover and celebrated the end of the grain harvest. For the Israelites, it was a time to thank God for his provision and present offerings of sacrifice from their harvest.
However, the Feast of Pentecost held deeper significance beyond the agricultural celebration. It also commemorated the giving of the Law at Mount Sinai, which, according to Jewish tradition, occurred fifty days after the Exodus from Egypt. This monumental event marked the establishment of the covenant between God and his people, providing guidance and shaping the identity of the Israelite community.
New Testament Fulfillment
The Old Testament feasts, including Pentecost, foreshadowed Jesus Christ's work and the coming of the Holy Spirit. Just as the Passover lamb symbolized Jesus — the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world — Pentecost symbolized the outpouring of the Holy Spirit.
The harvest festival pointed to a future harvest of souls, where the Holy Spirit would empower believers to spread the Gospel worldwide.
A Sacrifice and a Promise
These feasts were well established in Hebrew culture by Jesus' time. It was customary for Jewish men from all over the world to gather in Jerusalem. Notably, Jesus' crucifixion coincided with the Feast of First Fruits, symbolizing his sacrifice for what was to come.
The crucifixion year was also a Jubilee Year, symbolizing freedom from debts, paralleling the release from the debt of sin through Jesus' ultimate sacrifice.
In Acts chapter 1, Jesus promised His disciples:
“But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”
Acts Chapter 2: The Promise Fulfilled
This promise was fulfilled "when the day of Pentecost was fully come" (Acts 2:1). Acts 2 details the miraculous event where Jesus’ followers were gathered in an upper room and began to speak in other languages. This timing was significant, as people from around the world heard their native languages spoken by the disciples, showcasing the miracle and building faith.
When some mocked the disciples, thinking they were drunk, Peter explained that what they were witnessing was the fulfillment of God's promise from Joel chapter 2:
“And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh.”
Peter’s Famous Speech
Realizing the miracle, the crowd asked how they could receive this promise. Peter responded:
“Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. 39 For the promise is for you and for your children and for all who are far off, everyone whom the Lord our God calls to himself.”
Many who heard Peter believed, were baptized, and filled with the Holy Spirit. In fact, the Bible records that 3,000 people were born again of water and Spirit that day! This fueled early church growth, despite growing persecution.
Due to the following persecution of Christians, believers were scattered far and wide. It seems that the message of the Day of Pentecost became lost in tradition, religiosity, and disbelief.
Although there were always those who preached this born-again message between this pivitol moment in Acts and the 20th century, it is challenging to find accurate reports.
The Azusa Street Revival
That is until the early 1900s when believers began to earnestly seek this gift again. It all began again on New Year's Day of 1901 when Agnes Ozman is recorded as speaking in another language during a prayer meeting in Topeka, Kansas.
After that, the Pentecostal experience began to spread across the United States. In 1906, William Seymour began a revival service in Los Angeles, California at a small storefront church on Azusa Street. For the next several years, thousands of people would receive their own personal Pentecostal experience evidenced by speaking in other languages – just like in the Book of Acts. This was the jumping-off point of the modern Pentecostal movement.
What Does Pentecost Mean At Parkway Church?
Today, Pentecost is not bound to a specific date. It is experienced as the baptism of the Holy Spirit and speaking in other tongues, a personal gift from God for those who repent and ask for forgiveness.
The community of Parkway Church celebrates Pentecost Sunday in recognition of all that God has done for us individually and collectively. This year we commemorate this promise with tomorrow’s Pentecost Sunday, where we are expecting miracles of new birth, healing, and restoration for everyone who needs them.
This day will be a day of freedom from sin, healing of heart and body, and hope to overcome life's challenges… the biblical Pentecostal promise realized for all – today!