Pentecost Sunday – Acts 2:1-21

Grace, peace and mercy to you from God our Father and our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ.

Today we join together with the whole Christian Church as we celebrate Pentecost – the coming of the Holy Spirit. It may surprise some to hear that Pentecost has its origins in the Old Testament history of the Israelites. Prior to leading his people out of Egypt, the Lord gave instructions as to how the Israelites were to celebrate the Passover on the night when he struck down all the firstborn in the land of Egypt. Fifty days later, their journey through the wilderness brought them to Mt Sinai. Here God gave them the Law through Moses, and here they were commanded to annually observe this event of the Law being given to God’s people. So ‘Pentecost’ means fiftieth day and has its origins with the giving of God’s Law to his people.

So it is fitting against this background to consider the Christian understanding of Pentecost over and against its original purpose for the Jews. This will help us to see the work of the Holy Spirit as he delivers the salvation Jesus Christ won for all people on the cross. 

Heavenly Father, sanctify us in the truth, your Word is truth. Amen. 

Download and read the whole sermon as a pdf here