Our Scripture meditation is based on John 7:37-39, the start of next week’s Gospel Reading. Next Sunday is Pentecost. For a meditation on the First Lesson, click HERE.
[37] On the last day of the feast, the great day, Jesus stood up and cried out, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink. [38] Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, ‘Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.’” [39] Now this he said about the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were to receive, for as yet the Spirit had not been given, because Jesus was not yet glorified.
When we think of God the Holy Spirit and the first Christian Pentecost, we often think of special manifestations of the Spirit on that day. We would do well to look more closely at an additional work of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost.
Pentecost is an ancient Jewish harvest festival, celebrated for 50 days after the Passover. In Jesus’ time it attracted Jewish people from throughout the region to Jerusalem. On that first Christian Pentecost, a huge crowd was available for the miraculous signs, which included something similar to tongues of fire descending upon the apostles and the apostles witnessing in foreign languages.
While these signs capture our imagination, notice that in John chapter seven Jesus refers to those who believe in Jesus receiving God the Holy Spirit. (verse 39). This happened at Pentecost. We are told that after Peter’s sermon some 3,000 souls were baptized. (Acts 2:41). Peter said after this Pentecost sermon:
“Repent and be baptized 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.” (Acts 2:38)
The Holy Spirit truly did flow like rivers of living water.
It is my prayer that many readers had this thought while reading about this outpouring of the Spirit: “Hey, I’m also baptized!” That’s right. You too received this living water in your baptism, God the Holy Spirit dwelling within you.
As we gather with fellow believers to celebrate Pentecost this weekend, may we remember our baptisms even as we hear of the outpouring of the Spirit on Pentecost.
Until next week, the Lord bless and guide.
Kevin Wilson 360 