The Empowering Spirit

Dear Sisters and Brothers in Christ –

“When the day of Pentecost had come, they were all together in one place. And suddenly from heaven there came a sound like the rush of a violent wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. Divided tongues, as of fire, appeared among them, and a tongue rested on each of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other languages, as the Spirit gave them ability.” Acts 2:1-4

“But Peter, standing with the eleven, raised his voice and addressed them…’this is what was spoken through the prophet Joel: In the last days it will be, God declares, that I will pour out my Spirit upon all flesh, and your sons and daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men will dream dreams...Then everyone who calls upon the Lord shall be saved.’” Acts 2:14, 17, 21

We have come through the Easter celebration of the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Our weekly readings from Acts remind us of how God’s power and grace worked through Philip, Peter, Paul, and other leaders of the early church, as salvation through Christ was opened to the Gentiles.

How did the bumbling disciples that we meet in the Gospels, who repeatedly misunderstood Jesus while Jesus walked among them and who met behind locked doors following the crucifixion for fear of the religious authorities, become the bold proclaimers of the Gospel that we meet in Acts? It was through the power of the Holy Spirit, who came upon the disciples on the day of Pentecost, which has been described as the birthday of the Church. Peter, quoting the prophet Joel, proclaimed that with God’s outpouring of the Spirit, “your sons and daughters shall prophesy, and your young men will see visions, and your old men will dream dreams.”

The Holy Spirit can empower us, as the Spirit empowered the apostles, to transcend our limitations and do amazing things to the glory of God. What are your visions and dreams for Emanuel Church?

See you in church!


Pastor Dave