Pentecost Sunday

(Hortus Deliciarum, Pentecost and the sending of the Holy Spirit to the Apostles)

This has been a great week for NCUMC! This week we have been part of our Annual Conference in Lakeland, Florida and on Saturday, Pastor Kristyne will be ordained as a Deacon in Full Connection and Pastor Ellen will be commissioned as a Provisional Deacon (if you are new to the UMC you can read more about what it means to be a Deacon in this week’s newsletter). On Sunday we will come together to celebrate Pentecost. 

As you reflect on the Pentecost this week, either on your own or within your Faith Formation Group, we encourage you to spend time in Scripture by reading Acts 2:1-21 (printed below) and then work through the questions below. 

Acts 2:1    On the day of Pentecost all the believers were meeting together in one place. ² Suddenly, there was a sound from heaven like the roaring of a mighty windstorm, and it filled the house where they were sitting. ³ Then, what looked like flames or tongues of fire appeared and settled on each of them. ⁴ And everyone present was filled with the Holy Spirit and began speaking in other languages, as the Holy Spirit gave them this ability.

Acts 2:5    At that time there were devout Jews from every nation living in Jerusalem. ⁶ When they heard the loud noise, everyone came running, and they were bewildered to hear their own languages being spoken by the believers.

Acts 2:7    They were completely amazed. “How can this be?” they exclaimed. “These people are all from Galilee, ⁸ and yet we hear them speaking in our own native languages! ⁹ Here we are—Parthians, Medes, Elamites, people from Mesopotamia, Judea, Cappadocia, Pontus, the province of Asia, ¹⁰ Phrygia, Pamphylia, Egypt, and the areas of Libya around Cyrene, visitors from Rome ¹¹ (both Jews and converts to Judaism), Cretans, and Arabs. And we all hear these people speaking in our own languages about the wonderful things God has done!” ¹² They stood there amazed and perplexed. “What can this mean?” they asked each other.

Acts 2:13    But others in the crowd ridiculed them, saying, “They’re just drunk, that’s all!”

Acts 2:14    Then Peter stepped forward with the eleven other apostles and shouted to the crowd, “Listen carefully, all of you, fellow Jews and residents of Jerusalem! Make no mistake about this. ¹⁵ These people are not drunk, as some of you are assuming. Nine o’clock in the morning is much too early for that. ¹⁶ No, what you see was predicted long ago by the prophet Joel:

Acts 2:17    ‘In the last days,’ God says,

‘I will pour out my Spirit upon all people.

Your sons and daughters will prophesy.

Your young men will see visions,

and your old men will dream dreams.

¹⁸  In those days I will pour out my Spirit

even on my servants—men and women alike—

and they will prophesy.

¹⁹  And I will cause wonders in the heavens above

and signs on the earth below—

blood and fire and clouds of smoke.

²⁰  The sun will become dark,

and the moon will turn blood red

before that great and glorious day of the LORD

  arrives.

²¹  But everyone who calls on the name of the LORD

will be saved.’

Questions for Consideration:

1. Why do you think God sent the Holy Spirit into the church? What was the impact of the coming of the Holy Spirit in Acts 2?
2. What happened in chapter 1 of Acts before the Holy Spirit came upon the followers of Jesus?
3. How does the Holy Spirit work within the church today?

Spend some time within your group reflecting on how you are surrendering your life to Christ (or not) and what impact that is having on your life.