“‘And in the last days it shall be, God declares,
that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh,
and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy,
and your young men shall see visions,
and your old men shall dream dreams;” (Acts 2:17)
Pentecost is the Feast of first fruits. It marks the beginning of God’s great outpouring of grace. The Holy Spirit was poured out and made available to all who would believe, to the Jew first on that first Pentecost, but also to the Greek, that is, to people of every tribe, ethnicity, language and nation. And that same Holy Spirit is still being poured out today. The Holy Spirit is now present in the heart of every believer. It is He who unites we who have faith in Christ. Even when we are separated from one another just as we are in this time of social distancing. It is He who allows us to worship together as one.
Pentecost celebrates God’s grace as Peter explains in his sermon. He conveyed to those first listeners that now is the day of salvation made possible by the death and resurrection of Jesus, who was and is no ordinary man. He is Almighty God. Peter preached the message of grace: God’s unmerited favor, His love, mercy, righteousness and power given to those who do not deserve it.
Grace stands in contrast to God’s law though the two are connected. Law condemns. It shows us our sins, where we fall short. But God’s grace uses the law to show us our need for God’s mercy, our need for Jesus and His atoning sacrifice. Law does not eliminate sin. It may curb and limit it, but it cannot make us more righteous. Law can influence outward behavior, but only the Spirit of God can change the heart. He makes us righteous. He makes us God’s instruments of grace, extending His mercy and unconditional love to every individual on earth.