WHAT IS THE PENTECOST AND WHO IS THE HOLY SPIRIT?
Pentecost is when Jesus gave the promised gift of the Holy Spirit. We read about the events of the first Pentecost in Acts 2. The Holy Spirit is part of the Holy Trinity. The Holy Trinity is God, the Father, Jesus, His Son and Our Savior and the Holy Spirit, Our Counselor. Jesus gives all of us His Spirit (The Holy Spirit) so that we always know what Jesus wants us to do.
THE HOLY SPIRIT IN THE OLD TESTAMENT
Today Believers get to have the Holy Spirit always living in them. Believers did not get to have the Holy Spirit in the Old Testament. Believers from time to time would be given the Holy Spirit for a specific time for a specific reason. We see this in Numbers Chapter 11 verses 16 through 30. Moses assembles a group of leaders who are given the Holy Spirit for a short time to prophesy.
PSALM 104
Psalms are songs. Psalm 104 is a very beautiful psalm telling about the beauty of the world. Many hymns come from psalms. There are over 50 hymns based on Psalm 104. Below is one of them and its name is All things bright and beautiful. Listen to it on the internet and sing along with it.
All things bright and beautiful, all creatures great and small, all things wise and wonderful, the Lord God made them all..
1 Each little flow'r that opens, each little bird that sings, he made their glowing colors, he made their tiny wings
2 The purple-headed mountain, the river running by the sunset, and the morning that brightens up the sky.
PENTECOST CELEBRATION - THE GIFT OF THE HOLY SPIRIT
Last week we celebrated Ascension. Ascension is when Jesus returned to heaven. This left his disciples alone with no one to guide them. At the time Jesus ascended, He promised His disciples that He would send them Another Counselor as a gift and they were to remain in Jerusalem until this had happened. His disciples returned to Jerusalem to wait. This is where our story begins in Acts 2. Mary, the mother of Jesus, his brothers and disciples are sitting in a house together. Suddenly, flames appear above each person's head and they begin to speak in other languages not their own language. This is the moment that they received the gift of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is the one who would counsel the disciples and all believers. People outside the house hear what is happening and they were very excited. Peter, the leader of the apostles, tells the other people what has happened and how they can also have the Holy Spirit as a gift.
Lesson by Irene Snavely
Activity:
Draw/Paint a picture of what receiving the Holy Spirit looked like.
Faith songs:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B1pFlu2r_IE
Mighty Holy Spirit, give us Courage to embrace your wind and flame, in Jesus' name.
Amen