The Meaning of Pentecost

The Jewish Holidays Fulfilled

(Matthew 5:17) Do not think that I (Jesus) have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them.

✓Passover:salvation.

The lamb was sacrificed at 9 a.m. and in the oven at 3 p.m.

Jesus was sacrificed at 9 a.m. Off the cross at 3 p.m. 

(1 Corinthians 5:7) For Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed.

(Ephesians 2:8-9) For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast.

✓Pentecost: Power to make a difference.

Pentecost is a holiday 50 days after Passover.  Pentecost means 50.  

(Acts 1:3-5) After his suffering, he presented himself to them and gave many convincing proofs that he was alive. He appeared to them over a period of forty days and spoke about the kingdom of God. On one occasion, while he was eating with them, he gave them this command: 

“Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about. For John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.”

(Acts 1:8) But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”

✓Tabernacles (the Feast of Trumpets): Represents the 2nd coming of Christ.

(1 Thessalonians 4:16-17) For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever.

The Meaning of Pentecost

(Acts 2:12) Amazed and perplexed, they asked one another, "What does this mean?"

1.The Holy Spirit empowers me to live righteously.

(Romans 8:9) You, however, are controlled not by the sinful nature but by the Spirit, if the Spirit of God lives in you.

(Isaiah 30:21) Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, “This is the way; walk in it.”

2.The Holy Spirit empowers me to live supernaturally.

(Acts 10:38 NLT) And you know that God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power. Then Jesus went around doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with him.

(1 Corinthians 2:4-5) My message and my preaching were not with wise and persuasive words, but with a demonstration of the Spirit’s power, so that your faith might not rest on men’s wisdom, but on God’s power.

3.The Holy Spirit empowers me to live on mission.

(1 Thessalonians 1:5) Our gospel came to you not simply with words, but also with power, with the Holy Spirit and with deep conviction.

Being filled with the Holy Spirit doesn’t make me better than you, it makes me better than me.

Chris Hodges, Church of the Highlands

Video

https://www.churchofthehighlands.com/media/message/the-meaning-of-pentecost1

Discussion Guide

https://www.churchofthehighlands.com/files/groups/guides/05-07-2017.pdf

All scripture is from the New International Version unless otherwise noted.