On this Sunday of the Feast of Pentecost, we will read from the Acts of the Apostles. We will read and explore the miraculous events of the day of the giving of God's Spirit, and what that means for us and our communities today. Our reflection guide says, "experiencing the unleashing of the power of the Holy Spirit may be appealing"...or, maybe...exciting, or frightening...we will see what the group thinks! The guide then asks, "but what do those changes mean for our lives?"
Our Scripture passage is found in the Acts of the Apostles. You may find the Scripture lesson by selecting the following link: (Acts 2:1-21).
For continuing study, reflect on these questions (found in the study guide below):
After reading the Scripture lesson assigned for this week, reflect and respond to any thoughts of images in the reading that were "familiar" to you about the Spirit of God; and reflect on what images might have been "new" or "surprising" to you regarding the movement of the Spirit among the followers of Jesus.
After reading the "WHAT..." paragraph in the guide below, reflect on the idea of being a prophet: what might it mean to be selected by God to bring a message to God's people, especially if that message is one that is difficult to hear or to follow?
After reading the "WHERE..." paragraph below, reflect on the author's statement that receiving the Spirit of God "enables us to watch and participate in God's work in this world with a wide-open vision." How would someone with a "wide-open vision" of God's world live their life, and how would they react and respond to others in the world with this "vision?"
After reading the "SO WHAT..." paragraph below, reflect on the idea that although we gather in local communities of faith, we pray to a God who reaches out to people of the entire world. Reflect on the author's statement: "Pentecost reminds us that, even though all our faith practices are rooted in local contexts, the church's identity extends beyond every congregation."
After reading the "NOW WHAT..." paragraph below, consider that "unity does not mean uniformity" and that God reaches out to people in their own context, language, and social setting. How might the Holy Spirit establish unity amid diversity, as the author states in the guide?
