Another Pentecost needed?
by Mark Lieschke
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And afterward, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your old men will dream dreams, your young men will see visions (Joel 2:28).
Read Joel 2:28–32a
In his sermon on the day of Pentecost, the Apostle Peter quotes these words from the prophet Joel. Pentecost in Acts 2 was the outpouring of the Holy Spirit among believers, fulfilling Joel’s prophecy and marking what is usually called the birth of the church.
The Holy Spirit has come, is with us and will remain in God’s people until Jesus returns. While we may desire the Spirit to work more powerfully and want to be more open to his influence in our lives, we can be confident that he is at work in our lives every day.
As Christians, as people who are ‘in Christ’, we have the Holy Spirit. We couldn’t be Christians if we didn’t have the Spirit. ‘“No one can say Jesus is Lord,” except by the Holy Spirit’ (1 Corinthians 12:3). The Holy Spirit is not a feeling or an experience. He’s a person who lives in every believer.
So, we don’t have to sit around and wait for a ‘move of the Spirit’. For those in Christ, the Spirit is already present. We are Spirit-filled right now.
Wanting another Pentecost suggests that the first Pentecost wasn’t enough. It wasn’t sufficient. Joel’s prophecy needs updating!
After Peter quoted Joel’s words, he immediately pointed his hearers to Jesus. He spoke about his life, death and resurrection. That’s the prime work of the Holy Spirit – pointing us to Jesus.
The response from the people: ‘Brothers, what shall we do?’ Peter replied, ‘Repent and be baptised, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.’
They received the Holy Spirit. We have received that same Spirit. And with that Spirit, we are enabled, equipped and encouraged to live as the Spirit-filled people that we are, pointing others to Jesus.
Gracious God, you promised to pour out your Spirit on all people. We thank you for keeping your word and filling us with your Spirit. Empower us by your Spirit to be witnesses of your grace to the world. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Mark Lieschke is a retired pastor living on the Sunshine Coast in Queensland and is a member of Immanuel Lutheran Church Buderim. He served in parishes in Adelaide SA, Palmerston North and Marton in New Zealand and Wagga Wagga NSW (school and congregation), before being elected as bishop of the LCANZ’s New South Wales District. He and his wife, Meredith, have four children (two of whom live in Canada) and two grandchildren. Mark enjoys spending time with family and friends, travelling, walking on the beach and resting.
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