Sunday, May 19th, is Pentecost Sunday. Pentecost is considered to be the birthday of the Christian Church.

It was on Pentecost that the Holy Spirit was mightily poured out upon the disciples and the followers of Jesus as they were gathered together in a home in Jerusalem. From Luke’s account in the Book of Acts we read,

“And suddenly a sound came from heaven like the rush of a mighty wind, and it filled the house where they were sitting.  And there appeared to them tongues as of fire, distributed and resting on each one of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.”

And as the crowds gathered, the disciples, filled with the Holy Spirit, began to witness to their faith. They witnessed to the fact that Jesus Was the Long Awaited Messiah. He died for our redemption, but the grave could not hold Him. He rose again, conquering sin, death and the power of evil. And as the disciples spoke, the Holy Spirit worked powerfully amongst the people and about three thousand people came to faith that day.

Faith in Jesus is the primary evidence of the work of the Holy Spirit in our lives. In I Corinthians 12:3 Paul makes this very point, he declares, “… no one can say Jesus is Lord except by the Holy Spirit.”

Martin Luther recognized this in his explanation to the third article of the Apostle’s Creed as he talked about the work of the Holy Spirit.

“I believe that I cannot by my own understanding or effort believe in Jesus Christ my Lord, or come to Him.  But the Holy Spirit has called me through the gospel, enlightened me with His gifts, and sanctified and kept me in true faith.”

Come, Holy Spirit

Dr. Richard Jensen, in his Book, Come, Holy Spirit, writes, “The Holy Sprit has worked with the gospel story of Jesus in such a way that I am led to believe that Jesus is my Lord. That is the primary work of the Holy Spirit.  The Holy Spirit works with the story of Jesus in order to bring us to a living faith that Jesus is our Lord and Savior.

Faith is Jesus is the primary evidence that the Holy Spirit is at work in our lives.

Conformation of Baptism

Therefore, it is appropriate that on Pentecost Sunday, three of our young people – Cora Chapman, Adalynn Fugitt and Libee Hoffman – will confirm their faith celebrating the Rite of Confirmation. They will confess their belief that Jesus is their Lord and Savior as they affirm their Baptism. For in the waters of their baptism God the Father came to them, declaring them to be His children and giving to them the gift of the Holy Spirit.

Through the years they have been nurtured in their faith by both family and congregation. They have grown in their faith, as the Holy Spirit has been at work in each of their lives, that they will be able to stand before God and this congregation and confess the basic tenets of the Christian faith. They will be able to profess,

“Jesus is Lord.”

Let us remember these young people in our prayers. Let us pray to God that He will not only bless them on their Confirmation Day, but that He might continue to strengthen them through the power of the Holy Spirit, so that they will continually be brought to newness of life and daily increase in the gifts of grace. May the Holy Spirit be at work in their lives that they may profess their faith and daily empower them to renew their vows to grow in faith, love and obedience to the will of God.

– Pastor Phil