Evan Kreider spoke on the events of Pentecost for the early Christian church. The events of Pentecost were more than they appear - this was not just a magical visitation. Even this early in the life of the church, the symbolism of Jesus sacrificial death has already been confirmed - Peter has already made the leap from “Rome killed Jesus” to “Jesus died for all our sins.” This church on the first Pentecost was composed of many peoples from places corresponding to today’s Libya, Rome, Crete, Jordan and Empty Quarter, Syria, Turkey, and modern day Israel and Palestine, with dozens of different languages, all holding an attachment or interest to Judaism in common. These people, despite their relative unfriendliness to Christianity today, were in on the ground floor of this uniting event - of ‘Christianity going public’ and they acted on it to bring more than 3000 to them that day. What happened to that three thousand? Peter spoke that day as recorded in Acts 2 to the Jews who were looking for a Messiah. But what did this have to do with the others? It fell to Paul and Barnabas and others to speak to the others in their missionary travels. Pentecost is thus an expansion of the Great Commission - go out and convert. God’s spirit does not settle on one special prophet as in the old days. It settles on all, and it stays. Peter acted on this Great Commission - “...We are not drunk as you might suppose...Do you want to know what really happened?” Pentecost is not about wind and fire. It is about speaking plainly and telling the truth - the basic elements of the Great Commission. [AP]

Passage: Acts 2
Communion: No
Ecumenical or Event: Epiphany
Potluck Lunch: No
Congregational Meeting: No

Speaker: J. Evan Kreider
Worship Leader: Janet Boldt
Song Leader: Erna Friesen
Pianist: Ruth Enns
Usher:
Zoom Coordinator:
Children's Feature Leader: Mark Greenstreet

Bring Flowers: Henry & Hilda Hildebrand
Coffee Helper:
Sound Helper:

Child Care Volunteer: parents