Acts 2: The Message of Pentecost

The Hebrew feasts embody a message to Jew and Christian alike.

These national feasts are meticulous types of the life of Christ.

Just as Jews prepared a lamb to be their Passover meal,

So Christ became “The Lamb of God,” salvation’s holy seal.

The Feast of First Fruits, which celebrated the harvest’s first selection,

Was fulfilled by our Lord in His bodily resurrection.

He is the first fruit of God’s plan, the author of our salvation.

Because He rose, His church will too, for that glorious celebration.

Because this feast always takes place fifty days after the cross,

It became known to the saints as the Day of Pentecost.

Christ would send the Holy Spirit to transform body and mind

Coming not upon a man but indwelling him full time.

His band of believers met to worship that fateful Pentecost Day.

Suddenly the Spirit descended to fill these vessels of clay.

There was the sound of a mighty wind heard by neighbors around.

As they drew near to investigate, this is what they found:

The people praised God in foreign tongues, ones entirely unknown,

Languages from far-away regions of the Kingdom of Rome.

They were declaring the wonderful things God had already done

Praising the greatness of our God and His glorious Son.

But others in the crowd that day said, “Here is what we think.

These folks you see babbling away have had too much to drink.”

I suppose those shallow observers left with shaking heads

Unaware of their lost condition and the judgment they faced ahead.

The message true, our battle cry, is that the Spirit has come;

Come to indwell and sanctify, to make His people one.

He is the source of spiritual power, of consecrating grace;

He it is who enables us to reflect our Savior’s face.

Jesus had told them all to wait for the Father’s promise.

Empowering us to fulfill His will, to motivate and to calm us.

The Father gave the Son to die to pay the debt we owe,

The Spirit comes to indwell and guide, enabling us to be whole.

How we need the Spirit of God to make His home in our heart!

How we need Him to lead and guide, His truth to us impart.

Over and over and over again we seek to be filled with His Spirit
As we proclaim God’s loving grace to everyone who will hear it.

© Copyright 2016 George M. Cuff, All Rights Reserved