Dear
Brothers and Sisters in Christ:
Our
Lord and Savior Jesus has ascended into heaven and the promised
Advocate, the
Holy Spirit has arrived on the day of Pentecost. When
the Spirit descended on them they spoke of GodÕs deeds
of power in many different languages.
We are told that the whole of Jerusalem heard them speaking. Before this day the disciples have been
wondering what is going on with Jesus and what they are to be doing. He seems to be popping in and out
of their lives at regular intervals as proof that He is risen from the
dead. On the day of
Ascension, Jesus tells them, ÒThus it is written, that the
Messiah is to suffer
and to rise from the dead on the third day, and that repentance and
forgiveness
of sins is to be proclaimed in his name to all nations, beginning from
Jerusalem. You are my witnesses of
these things. And see, I am
sending upon you what my Father promised; so stay here in the city
until you
have been clothed with the power from on high,Ó Luke 24:46-49.
The
disciples were indeed clothed from on high and indeed did go out onto
all the
world and witnessed to what Jesus had done. We
too are given the same commission to go out onto
the world and proclaim Jesus words of love and forgiveness. We are sent both as individuals and as
a congregation to do this work in the world.
Just
at the disciples were given many different gifts the
Holy Spirit too has gifted us. As diverse
as the languages were on the day of Pentecost the gifts in which God
has
blessed us with are also diverse and varied. We are GodÕs
disciples in the
world sent to share with all we come into contact with.
This
month we are doing our
spiritual gifts inventory and our congregational survey.
I encourage you to take a moment of
your time and give some thought to your talents and gifts you can share
in
telling God great deeds of power.
In conjunction with the congregational survey we will be able
focus our
attention on our combined gifts to help us with our vision and mission
to the
world.
The
season of the Pentecost
will give us a chance to grow into our gifts we discover through the
inventory
and survey. What an exciting time
to be the church.
Blessings,
Pastor Kris D. H. Ferkin.