Crazy Liz said:
I don't really know how it was celebrated, besides with baptisms. I only know it was right up there with Christmas and Easter. Now we don't even mention it. That's why I asked the question.
I just finished sending this out via email today. I think having a sermon on Acts 1 & 2 is perfect for this occation. The meaning for the believer in Jesus is the "Birthday of the Church of Christ." Thankfully I noticed this year the church I attend is teaching through the book of Acts and will be teaching on Acts 2 this Sunday. I hope others will as well.
..............................Shavuot/Pentecost.................................
Jewish Year 5764: sunset May 25, 2004 - nightfall May 27, 2004 (for Americans)
(A short comparison from Judaism 101 Website with Our New Testament)
PENTECOST:
1. Jewish Historical Significance:
Historically, it celebrates the giving of the Torah (Law of Moses) at Mount Sinai, and is also known as the Festival of the Giving of Our Torah. Shavuot (Pentecost) is considered the time when Yahweh delivered the law to Moses (Ten Commandments) on Mount Sinai. We find in Exodus 19:1 and Exodus 19:11 that in the third month on the third day that Yahweh returned to Mount Sinai to deliver the law to Moses. This is why many Jewish sources put the delivery of the law at the Feast of Weeks.
The period from Passover to Shavu'ot is a time of great anticipation. The Jews count each of the days from the second day of Passover to the day before Shavu'ot, 49 days or 7 full weeks, hence the name of the festival. Shavu'ot is also sometimes known as Pentecost, because it falls on the 50th day. The counting reminds the Jews of the important connection between Passover and Pentecost. The Jews believe Passover freed them physically from bondage, but the giving of the Torah on Shavu'ot (Pentecost) redeemed them spiritually from their bondage to idolatry and immorality.
2. Christian Historical Significance & Fulfillment:
As Christians we know that the original passover lamb and the giving of the law could never give the true freedom that the Jews seek. It was merely a foreshadow by God of the things to come that would fulfill the meaning. That is why Christ had to die as payment for our sins. He fulfilled the law becoming the "Passover Lamb" for us. It was his sacrifice in his death on the cross that made possible our own salvation from the death we deserve for breaking God's law.
Then 50 days later the message of salvation through Jesus' name was delivered through the miraculous power of the Holy Spirit. God chose the perfect timing! Because of this national celebration Jews from all different countries were present at the feast in Jerusalem. They were all present to hear the message that God had planned in advance to give. The miracle was that they each heard the message in their own native language:
"Utterly amazed, they asked: "Are not all these men who are speaking Galileans? Then how is it that each of us hears them in his own native language? Parthians, Medes and Elamites; residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya near Cyrene; visitors from Rome (both Jews and converts to Judaism); Cretans and Arabs--we hear them declaring the wonders of God in our own tongues!" Amazed and perplexed, they asked one another, "What does this mean?" (Acts 2:7-12 NIV)
3. God Speaks through Peter to explain new meaning:
"When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place
Then Peter stood up with the Eleven, raised his voice and addressed the crowd: "Fellow Jews and all of you who live in Jerusalem, let me explain this to you; listen carefully to what I say
"Men of Israel, listen to this: Jesus of Nazareth was a man accredited by God to you by miracles, wonders and signs, which God did among you through him, as you yourselves know. This man was handed over to you by God's set purpose and foreknowledge; and you, with the help of wicked men, put him to death by nailing him to the cross. But God raised him from the dead, freeing him from the agony of death, because it was impossible for death to keep its hold on him
let all Israel be assured of this: God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ."
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" Those who accepted his message were baptized, and about three thousand were added to their number that day." (Acts 2:1, 14, 22-24, & 36-41 NIV) You can read the whole Story in Acts chapters 1 and 2.
4. God Spoke through Moses on first Pentecost:
"Moses turned and went down the mountain with the two tablets of the Testimony in his hands. They were inscribed on both sides, front and back. The tablets were the work of God; the writing was the writing of God, engraved on the tablets.
When Moses approached the camp and saw the calf and the dancing, his anger burned and he threw the tablets out of his hands, breaking them to pieces at the foot of the mountain. And he took the calf they had made and burned it in the fire; then he ground it to powder, scattered it on the water and made the Israelites drink it.
He said to Aaron, "What did these people do to you, that you led them into such great sin?"
"Do not be angry, my lord," Aaron answered. "You know how prone these people are to evil.
So he stood at the entrance to the camp and said, "Whoever is for the LORD, come to me." And all the Levites rallied to him.
Then he said to them, "This is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: 'Each man strap a sword to his side. Go back and forth through the camp from one end to the other, each killing his brother and friend and neighbor.' " The Levites did as Moses commanded, and that day about three thousand of the people died. (Exodus 32:15-16, 19-22 & 26-28 NIV)
5. Comparison and Contrast of the Two:
First Pentecost after Passover Lamb sacrificed...........First Pentecost After Christ's Death/Ressurection
The Old Commandments Given................................The New Commandments Given
Through Moses....................................................Through Peter
Fifty days from Passover lamb sacrifice.....................Fifty days from Christ our 'Passover lamb' sacrifice
Law of Yahweh written in Stone..............................Law of Yahweh written on our hearts
About Three thousand slain....................................About Three thousand receive salvation
The letter of the Law (Law of Sin and Death)...........The Spirit of the Law (Law of the Spirit of Life)
Brought Recognition of sin =condemnation and death...Brought forgiveness of Sins =Holy Spirit to indwell and eternal life.
The Apostle Paul further explains the contrasts between the Old Law and the New Law in these words:
.............................Romans 7:9-11& 24-25
"Once I was alive apart from law; but when the commandment came, sin sprang to life and I died. I found that the very commandment that was intended to bring life actually brought death.
For sin, seizing the opportunity afforded by the commandment, deceived me, and through the commandment put me to death.
What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death? Thanks be to God--through Jesus Christ our Lord!"
.............................Romans 8:1-2
"Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death."
6. The Foreknowledge of God through his Son- Jesus Christ:
The message to be spoken on Pentecost was prophesied by Jesus himself:
"He told them, "This is what is written: The Christ will suffer and rise from the dead on the third day, and repentance and forgiveness of sins will be preached in his name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem." (Luke 24:46-47 NIV)
Jesus even appointed Peter as the spokesperson back when Peter himself first recognized the true identity of Jesus:
"Simon Peter answered, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God."
Jesus replied, "Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by man, but by my Father in heaven. And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven." (Matthew 16:16-19 NIV)
Peter thus became the first herald of the gospel on the day of Pentecost. Through Peter, the Holy Spirit delivered the message of Jesus identity as Lord and Christ on which he build his church beginning at Pentecost:
"Therefore let all Israel be assured of this: God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ."
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." Those who accepted his message were baptized, and about three thousand were added to their number that day." (Acts 2:36-41 NIV)
7. A Time to Celebrate "the Giving" by Receiving:
According to the Jews: Pentecost is noteworthy in that the holiday is called the time of the giving of the law, rather than the time of the receiving of the law. The sages point out that we are constantly in the process of receiving the Torah (old law), that we receive it every day, but it was first given at this time. Thus it is the giving, not the receiving, that makes this holiday significant.
This is true for us hearing this message today. The message of the "good news of salvation" was first given about two thousand years ago on the day of Pentecost. As a result, three thousand believers accepted the message and were baptized into Christ for the forgiveness of their sins. The praise goes to God for the "gift of salvation" offered to us through his Son. There is nothing we could do to make ourselves worthy of salvation, but because of God's loving mercy, offered to you in Christ Jesus, you still have the opportunity to receive it today.
If you have heard this good news and believe Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God and Lord over all, if you would choose to "turn away" or repent from following the teachings of this world and follow Jesus Christ, then you also have the opportunity to receive forgiveness in Jesus name. You may say like these other convicted believers, "What should I do? I recognize my guilt and shame and I want to be forgiven. Is it possible there is still a chance I may be accepted, is it not too late?"
On this celebration of Pentecost, (as in every day before and after it, until you have received) the Holy Spirit still beckons to you with these same words: "Repent and be Baptized, everyone of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit." (Acts 2:38) The way is offered to you, if you have faith in Jesus and receive his message as the truth.
Final Words:
I plead with you my brothers and sisters on this celebration of Pentecost, just as Peter pleaded to the crowd a couple thousand years ago: Do not wait, the time is now! You do not know how much longer you will have the opportunity to receive the forgiveness offered so generously to you through Jesus' name. A time of judgement is coming when the opportunity to accept his offer will end. The choice is now up to you? Will you come?
If anyone would like to receive more info about understanding Jesus and his identity or understanding Christian baptism simply email me privately. Please specify what information you are interested in receiving. May God richly bless you as you continue to seek him in truth.
Because of the love of our Lord Jesus Christ,
~Workman
(A fellow workman for the Lord)
THE MISSION a song by Steve Green
Theres a call going out across the land in every nation
A call to all who swear allegiance to the cross of Christ
A call to true humility, to live our lives responsibly
To deepen our devotion to the cross at any price
Let us then be sober moving only in the Spirit
As aliens and strangers in a hostile foreign land
The message were proclaiming is REPENTANCE and FORGIVENESS
The offer of salvation to the dying race of man
To love the Lord our God is the heartbeat of our mission
The spring from which our service overflows
Across the street or around the world
The missions still the same
Proclaim and live the Truth in Jesus name!