Birthday Celebration!!

Yes, today is Pentecost Sunday, or Whitsun – the day in the Christian calendar when we celebrate the birth of the church.
The story has been recorded for us, by Dr Luke, in that part of the New Testament that we call The Acts of the Apostles. The early disciples of Jesus had met together in Jerusalem. “Suddenly, there was a sound from heaven like the roaring of a mighty windstorm, and it filled the house where they were sitting. Then, what looked like flames or tongues of fire appeared and settled on each of them. And everyone present was filled with the Holy Spirit and began speaking in other languages, as the Holy Spirit gave them this ability.” (Acts 2:2-4, NLT)
However we may wish to interpret some aspects of this record, certain things are confirmed by the rest of the story:
1. These men and women were totally transformed. Peter, the man who had denied any knowledge of Jesus, stood up and preached to the crowds who gathered to find out what was happening. And he didn’t “miss them and hit the woodwork”! (see v.23)
2. People responded, positively, to the clear message of the Gospel (v.41)
3. There was a great sense of unity and fellowship (vs. 42-46)
4. The church continued to grow (v.47)
I suspect that there are some valuable lessons for the church in the “west” to day. We need to look beyond our narrow denominational viewpoint, and recognise all who have committed themselves to the Lord Jesus as brothers and sisters. We need to be less fearful, and less “politically correct”, in our proclamation of the Gospel.
It’s no coincidence that it is where this kind of action is taken, even today, that there is growth in the church – both numerically and spiritually. God grant a fresh Pentecost experience to His people, that His Name might be glorified, and His Kingdom (rule/authority/government) be extended.