05/24/2026
It was a day, I imagine, that was like any other day, Jesus followers simply gathered together, praying and seeking God. They were told to wait to receive God’s power instead of trying to go out in their own strength.
In a lot of ways, Pentecost is the antithesis, the answer to the hubris of the Tower of Babel in Genesis 11.
Pentecost is Babel reversed.
At Babel – there was a spirit of pride
At Pentecost – there was a spirit of love
At Babel – they were divided
At Pentecost – they were united
At Babel – there was confusion
At Pentecost – there was clarity
At Babel – they were full of themselves
At Pentecost – they were full of God
At Babel – humanity tried to build a name
At Pentecost – God gave them a mission
At Babel – they were scattered by fear
At Pentecost – they were sent with love
The Holy Spirit enabled the disciples to speak in other tongues and enabled them to speak about Jesus with boldness, to endure hardship, to perform miracles, to serve the poor, and to discern. These are the kinds of things that Spirit-enabled people do.
At Pentecost the Holy Spirit empowered the disciples to get out of their comfort zones toward people from different nations, tribes, and tongues.
The Spirit has always pushed God’s people across borders, barriers, and boundaries.
Pentecost is not escape from the world.
It is empowerment for the world.
Bethlehem = God with us
Calvary = God for us
Pentecost = God within us
And on that first Pentecost Sunday,
it’s Peter who preaches.
Peter.
The one who denied Jesus.
The one who, by most metrics, fell way short.
The Kingdom of God is for those who miss the mark.
This Pentecost, may the Holy Spirit bring light to our darkness, turn hatred into love, sorrow into joy, and doubt into hope.
Come, Holy Spirit.
Wake what has grown weary.
Fan into flame what has grown cold.
Give courage where there is fear.
Give hope where there is despair.
Send us into the world carrying the life of Jesus.
