Pentecost

Kia ora e te whanau
I love the story of Pentecost in Acts 2:1-4, which describes how the miraculous power of the Holy Spirit comes to rest upon the gathered disciples and they begin to speak in languages that they have never learned. Wow! What a witness to the unbelieving masses as they hear the wonders of God proclaimed in their native tongue. Today during the sermon we will dig deeper into that story.
Do we believe that God still wishes to move in miraculous ways in and through us today? Pentecost was just the beginning for the apostles and the early church. The 11 apostles “received” the Holy Spirit when Jesus “breathed” on them after His resurrection and before He ascended to Heaven (“And with that He breathed on them and said, ‘Receive the Holy Spirit,’ John 20:22). However, they were not “baptised” in the Holy Spirit until 10 days after Christ’s ascension. Now it is more than “new birth.” Now they are empowered for ministry, as promised by Jesus right before His ascension (Luke 24:49).
I believe that we should expect the miraculous in our lives as Christians because, now that Jesus is exalted to God’s right hand, He gifts us the full power of the HS at our conversion. The problem with most of us today is that we’re not hungry enough for His full release in us. If we’re hungry enough, God will release the miraculous in the church, not only for our sake but for the sake of unbelievers. So let’s not stifle the Holy Spirit with unbelief. Let’s start expecting the impossible. Let’s grow our belief from a mustard seed to a pumpkin seed and welcome the Holy Spirit in His fullness. I want to be on fire for God. I want the miraculous to become the normal. How about you? Are you starving for it also? “Come Holy Spirit, we welcome You here.”
Kia manaaki te Atua ia tatou katoa (May God bless us all)