The Holy Spirit (1) Pentecost

“When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues* as the Spirit enabled them.” (Ac 2:1-4)
 
Pentecost Sunday
One of the most bewildering questions we might receive is when someone we love suddenly asks, “Do you know what day it is today?” The fact that only they remember something we’re both supposed to know can make it seem as though we don’t care about them.
 
There’s a reason I’m opening today’s sermon like this — because today marks a significant day in the Christian tradition. So, is there anyone among you who knows what day it is today?
 
In Christianity, there are several days of great spiritual importance. When we talk about Christian holidays, most people tend to think of Christmas or Easter. Some Christians — narrowing the scope a bit — might remember seasons like Advent, Lent, or Holy Week. But only a few believers truly recognize the importance of this day. That day is Pentecost Sunday, which is today.
 
The tendency of many Christians to overlook Pentecost or treat it as unimportant is a reflection of how little attention we actually give to the Holy Spirit. This isn’t to say that we think we don’t need the Spirit. If you ask most believers, they’ll readily affirm that the Holy Spirit is vital and deeply meaningful. But in everyday life, the Spirit is often forgotten — and that is our reality.
 
So, as we celebrate Pentecost, I want to pause our previous series for the next few weeks and turn our attention to the Holy Spirit. My hope is that during this time, we will come to know the Spirit more intimately, encounter His presence, and see our walk with Him renewed.
 
Pentecost
Before we jump into key questions like ‘who is the Holy Spirit? what does He do? and why do we need the Spirit?', let’s first talk about Pentecost. What is the meaning of Pentecost?
 
The term Pentecost comes from the Greek word Πεντηκοστή (pentēkostē), which means "fiftieth". In the Christian tradition, these fifty days refer to the period following Jesus’ resurrection.
 
But this time frame isn’t unique to the New Testament. In the Old Testament, this fifty-day period is connected to a festival known as Shavuot. In English translations of the Bible, it is called the Feast of Weeks. It’s also called the Feast of Harvest because the Israelites presented offerings of the new grain from the summer wheat harvest.
 
The reason the festival is called the Feast of Weeks is because it was celebrated on the fiftieth day after Passover. God said, “From the day after the Sabbath, the day you brought the sheaf of the wave offering, count off seven full weeks. Count off fifty days up to the day after the seventh Sabbath, and then present an offering of new grain to the Lord.” (Lv 23:15-16)
 
So, originally, Shavuot was a festival for expressing thankfulness to the Lord for the blessing of the harvest. But in the New Testament, Pentecost shifts from being a celebration of a physical harvest to the beginning of a spiritual one. On that very day, the Holy Spirit descended powerfully on Jesus’ disciples, compelling them to go out and proclaim the gospel — and about three thousand souls were brought to the Lord on that day. That was the beginning of the church age.
 
That’s the reason Christians celebrate the Pentecost. Pentecost Sunday is celebrated on the seventh Sunday after Easter, which is today. It commemorates the coming of the Holy Spirit and the beginning of the church by His power.
 
Before Jesus was arrested by soldiers, He told His disciples that the Holy Spirit would come to them when He couldn’t physically be with them. He said,
 
“‘All this I have spoken while still with you. But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you” (Jn 14:25-26)
 
After Jesus was resurrected from the dead, He showed Himself to His disciples and declared peace to them when they were afraid. He showed them His hands and side, giving proof that He was alive. The disciples’ fear gave way to joy when they saw Jesus resurrected.
 
John 20:20-22 says, “He showed them his hands and side. The disciples were overjoyed when they saw the Lord. Again Jesus said, “Peace be with you! As the Father has sent me, I am sending you.” And with that he breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit.” (Jn 20:20-22)
 
Here we can find the connection between God’s mission for us and being filled with the Holy Spirit. Just as the Father sent Jesus, Jesus is sending us into the world to preach the gospel and lead others to Him. We’re called to be the light of the world and peacemakers who connect the lost to God. That was Jesus’ mission and now it’s ours. And this mission can’t be fulfilled without receiving the Holy Spirit.
 
After the resurrection, Jesus was with His disciples for forty days, and right before ascending to heaven, He said to His disciples,
 
““Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about. For John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit” (Ac 1:4-5).
 
He also said, let’s read it together, “You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth” (Ac 1:8).
 
After Jesus’ ascension to heaven, His disciples returned to Jerusalem and started praying together. The number of disciples who had gathered to pray was about a hundred and twenty.
 
Acts 1:13 and 15 says, “When they arrived, they went upstairs to the room where they were staying. They all joined together constantly in prayer, along with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brothers… (a group numbering about a hundred and twenty)” (Ac 1:13, 15).
 
Finally, on the Day of Pentecost—the fiftieth day following the resurrection of Jesus—the sound of a violent wind filled the house, tongues of fire came on each of them, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit just as promised.
 
Acts 2 verses 1-4 beautifully describe this moment. Let’s read it together again. “When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them” (Ac 2:1-4)
 
The Holy Spirit sounded like a very strong wind, and it looked like tongues of fire. After the coming of the Holy Spirit, the disciples couldn’t stay in the room but burst out to tell the world that Jesus is truly resurrected and He is the Messiah. A lot of people were amazed by them.
 
On that day, Peter boldly preached the gospel to them, saying, “God has raised this Jesus to life, and we are all witnesses of it. Exalted to the right hand of God, he has received from the Father the promised Holy Spirit and has poured out what you now see and hear” (Ac 2:32-33).
 
Many people who listened to Peter’s sermon accepted the gospel. Three thousand people believed in Jesus and were baptized that day. This was the beginning of the church.
 
This scene becomes even more remarkable when we consider the kind of person Peter had been. He had denied Jesus three times because he was afraid of persecution and death. This happened just a day before Jesus was crucified, meaning that he had denied Jesus less than two months before delivering this bold sermon in Jerusalem.
 
So, in Acts 2, we see a completely changed Peter.  He was a coward, but he became brave. He feared nothing. He was once afraid, but now he stood with boldness. He had been imprisoned by despair, disappointment, grief, and self-loathing — but now, he overflowed with joy. What’s truly striking about Peter’s transformation is how quickly it took place — and how radical the change was.
 
So, what do you think brought about such a radical change in Peter? We can consider two main factors. The first one is his encounter with the resurrected Christ.
 
Peter’s encounter with the risen Jesus must have been deeply shocking. It turned his entire perspective on life upside down. Through the resurrected Jesus, he came to understand that eternal life and the kingdom of God are real. Undoubtedly, that revelation significantly shifted his perspective and way of living. Yet even so, it does not fully account for the boldness of Peter’s sermon.
 
Although Peter saw the risen Lord, he did not immediately follow Him with renewed purpose. In John 21, we see Peter returning to his old trade as a fisherman, despite having witnessed the resurrection. This was likely because of the guilt and shame he carried for denying Jesus three times. Knowing this, Jesus asked him three times, “Do you love me?” — gently restoring him.
 
The point is, while the resurrection of Jesus played a major role in Peter’s transformation, it cannot fully explain the depth and boldness of his change.
 
According to Scripture, what most directly brought about Peter’s radical transformation was the coming of the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost.
 
It was only when he was filled and seized by the Holy Spirit — when the Spirit worked through him, empowered him, led him into all truth, and gave him boldness to preach the gospel — that he was finally able to walk faithfully in the mission the Lord had given him.
 
That’s why we should also pray to be filled with the Holy Spirit now, because we can’t do anything without His help. We must earnestly pray for the fullness of the Holy Spirit. We must humbly acknowledge that apart from Him, we can do nothing.
 
Without the wisdom He provides, we cannot grasp the truth of Christ or comprehend the meaning of God's Word. Without His power, we cannot live in obedience to the calling we’ve received. And without His help, we are incapable of fulfilling the mission of proclaiming the gospel that Jesus has entrusted to us.
 
Every part of Christian life is utterly dependent on the work of the Holy Spirit. This is why we must keep seeking Him, calling on Him, and praying to be continually filled with His presence.
 
There is a desperate need in the church for the Holy Spirit of God to be given room to have His way. One of the areas we desperately need to examine is how we think about and relate to the Holy Spirit.
 
If we truly believe in the Pentecost that took place two thousand years ago as recorded in Scripture, then we will come to recognize how deeply we need the Holy Spirit in every part of our life of faith.
 
For some reason, however, we don’t think we need the Holy Spirit. We don’t really expect Him to act and work in our lives. Given our talents, experience, education, and more, we may think we’re capable of living successfully without strength from the Holy Spirit.
 
But Scripture makes it clear: there is no such thing as a Christian life without the Holy Spirit. Romans 8:9 says,
 
“You, however, are not in the realm of the flesh but are in the realm of the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God lives in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, they do not belong to Christ.” (Rm 8:9)
 
Christians are those who belong to Christ, believe in Him, follow His way, and obey His teachings. And Paul said that such a life is impossible without having the Spirit of God, or the Spirit of Christ, which refers to the Holy Spirit.
 
Paul also said, “Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies.” (1Co 6:19-20)
 
Our bodies are the Spirit’s temple. We are His place of dwelling. The Holy Spirit makes His home in our bodies. Then, if the Holy Spirit truly dwells within us and our bodies are His temple, shouldn’t there be a noticeable difference between the way someone who has the Spirit lives compared to someone who doesn’t?
 
I know this may sound like a ridiculous illustration, but suppose I claimed to have the spirit of Michael Jackson. Naturally, you would expect that such a spirit would begin to shape me into someone more like him — perhaps making me a better singer or a better dancer. But if there were no change at all, no matter how passionately I claimed to have his spirit, you would just laugh at me and think I’m crazy.
 
But sadly, that’s how many Christians live. As I said earlier, no Christian denies the existence of the Holy Spirit. They recognize Him as one of the three persons of the Trinity and acknowledge their need for Him.
 
They claim that God has given them a supernatural ability to follow Christ. They talk about being born again and say that they were dead but now have come to life. These are powerful words that have significant meanings. Yet when those outside the church see no difference in our lives, they begin to question our faith in Jesus, our encounter with Him, or even worse, they question the existence of our God.
 
We often lack love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, and more. Even many of our unbelieving friends exhibit these traits better than us. That shouldn’t be so. We need to begin afresh by reexamining our ideas about the Holy Spirit and what it means to be a temple of the Spirit of God.
 
When Jesus was preparing to leave the world, He comforted His disciples, telling them not to worry. And this is what He told them.
 
“I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever -  the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you.” (Jn 14:16-17)
 
Jesus told them that He would send another advocate. In this case, the Greek word for “another” means “someone that is just like the first,” which means that Jesus was saying that the One who would come would be just like Him.
 
Imagine what it would be like to have Christ standing beside you in the flesh, functioning as your personal Counselor. That sounds amazing, and none of us could deny the benefit of having Jesus physically in our lives, guiding and enabling us every step of the way.
 
That’s exactly what the Holy Spirit does right now. Even though we can’t see Him physically, we can still perceive Him through our faith and walk with Him spiritually.
 
 We know this. We have basic knowledge of who the Holy Spirit is and what He does. But, it seems like this is mostly intellectual knowledge to us.
 
It's not enough to say that we have the Holy Spirit; it's not enough to say that we need the Holy Spirit; it's not enough to say that we are the temples of the Holy Spirit; it's not enough to say that the Holy Spirit is the One who leads us, empowers us, and transforms us. What really matters is that we internalize this truth and live it out.
 
Most of us have basic knowledge about the Holy Spirit, but when it comes to experiencing the Spirit in our lives, it’s a different story.  So, let’s take a moment and ask ourselves this question. When was the last time I saw the Spirit at work in or around me?
 
If we are having trouble recounting a time when the Spirit was at work in us, perhaps that is because we have been ignoring Him. It is because we have knowledge about Him, but not a relationship with Him.
 
The early church knew less about the Holy Spirit than most of us in the church today in the intellectual sense. But they came to know the Spirit intimately and powerfully as they walked with His presence. All throughout the New Testament, we read of Jesus’ followers and disciples whose lives were led by the Spirit.
 
That’s how I want all of us to live. Today is Pentecost Sunday, when we celebrate the coming of the Holy Spirit. Jesus is sending us into the world with the mission of proclaiming the gospel and leading people to Him. How can we do this? By being filled with the Holy Spirit. That’s the only way for us to follow God’s will for us in this world. Amen!
 
My prayer is that we may be drawn into deeper communion with the Holy Spirit so that we may experience His power and presence in our daily lives and walk with Him.
 
Let’s pray.
 
<Closing prayer>
Gracious Father, we thank You for the gift of Pentecost—for sending the Holy Spirit to dwell within us, to empower us, and to transform us from the inside out.
 
Today, we have been reminded that Your Spirit still moves, still speaks, and still changes lives. Lord, we don’t want to simply know about You—we long to truly know You, to walk with You, to hear Your voice and to be led by Your Spirit in every part of our lives. Let what we've heard today stir a hunger in our hearts for more of Your presence. Awaken us from comfort, from routine, and from empty religion. Fill us again, Holy Spirit. Set a fire in us that cannot be quenched.
 
Let the reality of Your presence become more than mere intellectual knowledge—let it be our lived experience. Change us. Shape us. Empower us to be witnesses of Your love, not just in speech, but in action.
 
As we go from this place, may Your Spirit go with us. Transform our homes, our workplaces, our conversations, and our hearts. Let Pentecost not be a moment we celebrate, but a life we live.
 
We ask all this in the mighty name of Jesus, Amen.
 
[Reflection Questions]
1. When was the last time you strongly experienced the work of the Holy Spirit in your life? When do you usually feel His presence?
 
2. In what ways might you be limiting your relationship with the Holy Spirit to intellectual knowledge, and how can you open yourself up to a deeper, personal experience with Him?