One hundred and twenty followers of a man named Jesus were gathered together in Jerusalem in the year 30 A.D. Suddenly the Spirit of God filled each one of them and marked them with tongues of fire. On that day the Church was born. (Acts 2)
These 120 disciples were just a handful of rather ordinary men and women…a few fishermen, a couple of housewives, a former tax collector, a few farmers, and some servant girls. However through these ordinary people God built the church which has lasted for nearly 2000 years. That small, insignificant Jewish sect grew to become “Christianity,” and in less than 300 years became the unofficial religion of the entire Roman Empire. Today the Church of Jesus Christ (Christianity) is found throughout the world with some 1 billion followers.
How did they do it? What happened to those 120 followers on the day we call Pentecost? God’s Spirit, the Holy Spirit, came into the lives of those men and women. On that day the Holy Spirit exploded on the scene. Through those 120 disciples thousands were affected by the force of God’s power. God’s Holy Spirit gathers us, calls us, informs us, and makes God’s people holy.
The Spirit of God comes to us in our baptism and remains with us, calling us to worship and service while teaching us the truth of God. Every day the Spirit quietly works within us. The Spirit is there as you manage your business, as you raise your family, as you work for another person…quietly working each day we live. The Spirit of God is there in all we do.
The Holy Spirit works in us so that we may experience Christ in our lives. It is that Spirit that shows us we are not as good as we think we are, and leads us to ask Christ for mercy. It is that same Spirit who comes with that very mercy and washes away our sins.
For more than 140 years that same Spirit has brought men and women to our church, Immanuel Lutheran Church here in Palatine, and children to our school. That same Spirit has given us the words and insight as we talk about Jesus in our community and beyond. This Spirit comes into our lives and points us to Jesus Christ. This Spirit makes the whole Church the most unique organization on the face of the earth.
God the Father and Christ The Son brought the power of the Holy Spirit into the world nearly 2000 years ago, and that power is still present today through us and within the church.
Celebrate Pentecost 2011 with me this weekend…
Pastor Tom
Pastor Tom's Blog 
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