The Spirit Comes in Power: Pentecost and the Proclamation of Christ
The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all. Amen.
It’s Pentecost — fifty days after Easter. The Jews had gathered in Jerusalem for the festival, and on that day the Holy Spirit came upon the disciples in power. We all have the Holy Spirit, but the disciples experienced something extraordinary.
A sound like a rushing wind filled the house. Tongues of flame rested on the apostles. These Galilean fishermen — men with rough, calloused hands — began speaking in languages they had never learned. Sixteen different people groups, from inside and outside the Roman Empire, heard the message in their mother tongue. The message was simple and powerful: Christ crucified for sinners.
Some were amazed. Others mocked and said the apostles were drunk. Peter’s first response was wonderfully human: “Guys, it’s not even 9:00 a.m.” Only after that did he turn to Scripture, explaining that this fulfilled Joel’s prophecy — that before the great day of the Lord, the Spirit would be poured out on all flesh, and sons and daughters would proclaim God’s wonders.
The Church still proclaims this message today. It is proclaimed in the baptism of infants. It is proclaimed through old Christians through their words, actions, and faithful presence. The Spirit’s work has not changed: He points to Jesus Christ.
The Spirit convicts us of our sins. When we read God’s law, we see how deeply we fail, we don’t keep God first, we don’t honor His name, we don’t love our neighbor as ourselves. Even when we think we’ve done well, the Spirit shows us where we fall short. But then the Spirit takes us to the cross and says, “There your sin was crucified. There forgiveness was won for you.” Christ fulfilled the Commandments, and His mercy covers all your sins. His empty tomb will be your empty tomb.
The Spirit also reminds us that Jesus is the Savior of the whole world — not just Israel, not just a few, but everyone. The nations listed in Acts 2 include both friends and enemies of Rome, yet Christ died for them all. Some reject this, and it breaks our hearts, but the message remains: “God so loved the world…”
No, you won’t wake up suddenly fluent in Hebrew or Greek. But you do wake up proclaiming the forgiveness of sins in Jesus’ name. Through your words and actions, you point others to Christ — your family, coworkers, neighbors, and even those watching online from around the world.
This good news changes us. It gives hope, removes bitterness, and reminds us of the day when there will be no sin, no death, no pain. The apostles endured persecution — eleven of the twelve were executed — yet the hope of Christ sustained them. You have that same Spirit.
We now enter the long Trinity season, shifting from the events of Jesus’ life to His teachings. Why the calendar is arranged this way, we don’t fully know. But whether events or teachings, the Spirit works through the Word and gives you the life of Jesus.
In His name, Amen. And may the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Amen.
