Sunday is Pentecost

Baptists have a tendency to kind of ignore Pentecost. I guess we're a little nervous - afraid someone will "get in the Spirit" and start dancing and singing and speaking in tongues.
We reallllly need to get over that.

Here are just a few things Scripture teaches us about the Holy Spirit.

The Holy Spirit is an equal part of the Trinity. As Jesus was telling His followers that He wouldn't be around anymore He made a promise.

John 14: 16. (HCSB) And I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Counselor to be with you forever. 17. He is the Spirit of truth. The world is unable to receive Him because it doesn't see Him or know Him. But you do know Him, because He remains with you and will be in you. 18. I will not leave you as orphans; I am coming to you.
26. But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit-the Father will send Him in My name-will teach you all things and remind you of everything I have told you.

The Holy Spirit is given to us when we become followers of Jesus.

Ephesians 1:13 (HCSB) Read This Chapter
In Him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation--in Him when you believed--were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit.

The Holy Spirit produces "fruit" in our lives. (I mentioned this in yesterday's post.)

Galatians 5 (HCSB) Read This Chapter
5:22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faith, 23 gentleness, self-control. Against such things there is no law.

There's much more. Go to your favorite Bible study web site and do a search. I usually go to http://www.crosswalk.com/

Here's Sunday's order of worship. Notice the songs about the Holy Spirit.

May 31, 2009 AM

Revive Us Again
Days of Elijah

Prayer – Bro. Lyndel Littleton

Choir Anthem – Cover Me
Duet – Traci and Mark

Welcome – Bro. Lyndel Littleton

Welcome song – How Can I Keep from Singing
Children’s sermon – Bro. Tim Munoz

Holy Spirit, Rain Down
Sweet, Sweet Spirit
Breathe on Me

Special music – Jackie Newman

Pentecost is Tomorrow

Pentecost takes place 7 weeks after Easter.

There's a nice article about Pentecost on wikipedia. It gives the history of the Jewish feast and a lot of other interesting information.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pentecost

It's the day the Holy Spirit was given to the apostles.

Jesus made these promises to His disciples.

Acts 1:4 While He was together with them, He commanded them not to leave Jerusalem, but to wait for the Father’s promise. “This,” [He said, “is what] you heard from Me; 5 for John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.” 6 So when they had come together, they asked Him, “Lord, at this time are You restoring the kingdom to Israel?” 7 He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or periods that the Father has set by His own authority. 8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be My witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”

Pentecost was a Jewish feast that brought pilgrims from all over the world to Jerusalem. That's why it was important for the disciples to be able to be able to share the news of Jesus in so many languages. 3,000 people were saved that day.

Here is what the Baptist Faith and Message has to say about the Holy Spirit.

"God the Holy Spirit
The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of God, fully divine. He inspired holy men of old to write the Scriptures. Through illumination He enables men to understand truth. He exalts Christ. He convicts men of sin, of righteousness, and of judgment. He calls men to the Saviour, and effects regeneration. At the moment of regeneration He baptizes every believer into the Body of Christ. He cultivates Christian character, comforts believers, and bestows the spiritual gifts by which they serve God through His church. He seals the believer unto the day of final redemption. His presence in the Christian is the guarantee that God will bring the believer into the fullness of the stature of Christ. He enlightens and empowers the believer and the church in worship, evangelism, and service.

Genesis 1:2; Judges 14:6; Job 26:13; Psalms 51:11; 139:7ff.; Isaiah 61:1-3; Joel 2:28-32; Matthew 1:18; 3:16; 4:1; 12:28-32; 28:19; Mark 1:10,12; Luke 1:35; 4:1,18-19; 11:13; 12:12; 24:49; John 4:24; 14:16-17,26; 15:26; 16:7-14; Acts 1:8; 2:1-4,38; 4:31; 5:3; 6:3; 7:55; 8:17,39; 10:44; 13:2; 15:28; 16:6; 19:1-6; Romans 8:9-11,14-16,26-27; 1 Corinthians 2:10-14; 3:16; 12:3-11,13; Galatians 4:6; Ephesians 1:13-14; 4:30; 5:18; 1 Thessalonians 5:19; 1 Timothy 3:16; 4:1; 2 Timothy 1:14; 3:16; Hebrews 9:8,14; 2 Peter 1:21; 1 John 4:13; 5:6-7; Revelation 1:10; 22:17."

Here's a link if you'd like to see all of the Baptist Faith and Message http://www.sbc.net/bfm/bfm2000.asp#ii

I'll be looking for you all in worship tomorrow morning. We'll be singing about the Holy Spirit.