SPRING FORTH NOW

When the people heard this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and the other apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?” Peter replied, “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. The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off—for all whom the Lord our God will call.” With many other words he warned them; and he pleaded with them, “Save yourselves from this corrupt generation.”

Acts 2:37-40 (NIV)

As we celebrate Pentecost, we are reminded of Reconnection Power that brings about new life, new community, and a new order which produces life and life more abundantly. Pentecost originally in the Jewish tradition was the feast of the harvest in which the faithful would gather in Jerusalem from all over the world to give praise to God for His release of abundance in the world. It was during this gathering that the followers of Jesus were locked in a room for 50 days giving thanks and prayers for their experiences with Jesus and seeking what now in which the power of the Holy Ghost was released to them and activated through them. The activation of the Holy Ghost yielded a boldness and unity among Christ's followers, though His absence was apparent and their situation precarious, that undergirded the Good News of Jesus, pricking the hearts of those without causing them to recognize the offering of new life. The celebration of Pentecost, the abundance of the power of God operating in lives, offered a fit that some understood was instrumental for them to Breathe: New Life and Reconnect with God’s purpose and plan for them, one another, and for a new order to their lives which would activate the power of God.