The Fire of Love
John 7:37-39 (NIV)
“37On the last and greatest day of the festival, Jesus stood and said in a loud voice, “Let anyone who is thirsty come to me and drink. 38Whoever believes in me, as Scripture has said, rivers of living water will flow from within them.” 39By this he meant the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were later to receive. Up to that time the Spirit had not been given, since Jesus had not yet been glorified.”
We scatter
We are divided on everything except division. Recent surveys done on all continents reveal how we view ourselves in terms of relationships. We are very much divided and scattered. We identify the following areas as sources of conflicts: money, position for power, gender, religion, politics, social class, inheritance, ethnicity, family feuds, music, lifestyles and many more.
With the increase of migration comes the decrease of tolerance. Demographic changes create cultural shifts and cause crisis of identity. We blame “the other” for our crisis. Then it results in racism and wars and killing. Think of all the ways we are scattered, how we tear each other apart, all the broken relationships, all the bitterness and terrible hurt we cause.
This is what Jesus came for, to gather us together again in loving forgiveness.
Pentecost Gathers
The work of Jesus. Luke 13: 34 “Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you, how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, and you were not willing.”
John 10:16 “I have other sheep that are not of this sheep pen. I must bring them also. They too will listen to my voice, and there shall be one flock and one shepherd.”
The work of the Holy Spirit. The Spirit gathers the other sheep, as at Pentecost.
Acts 2:11 (NLT) “And we all hear these people speaking in our own languages about the wonderful things God has done!”
Another Pentecost happens in Acts 10:47 (NLT) “Can anyone object to their being baptized, now that they have received the Holy Spirit just as we did?”
“And since God gave these Gentiles the same gift he gave us when we believed in the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I to stand in God’s way?” (Peter reports baptizing the Gentiles in Acts 11:17).
We too have been baptized into Christ and given gifts from the Holy Spirit. Praise the Lord!
The work of the church. Go to all language groups, to all age groups, to people of all kinds of faiths, and non-faiths, and invite them into the body of Christ, through the Name: Father, Son, Holy Spirit. (Matthew 28:19)
Let us celebrate LOVE from the cross to the world!
What can we do?
Recognize the Holy Spirit in the community. Appreciate the gifts of others. Pray for revival this Pentecost!
Holy God - Papa, Brother, and Holy Friend - make me a witness of your love, peace, and grace wherever I am this week. Thank you for gathering us in your family of love by the fire of your Love. Amen.