THINK TOGETHER.
Do you know any foreign languages, or any words from another language? Did you learn them in school?
READ TOGETHER.
Acts 2:1-4. 1On the day of Pentecost all the believers were meeting together in one place. 2Suddenly, there was a sound from heaven like the roaring of a mighty windstorm, and it filled the house where they were sitting. 3Then, what looked like flames or tongues of fire appeared and settled on each of them. 4And everyone present was filled with the Holy Spirit and began speaking in other languages, as the Holy Spirit gave them this ability.
You’ve probably heard of Easter Sunday, but have you ever heard of Pentecost Sunday?
Pente-what?
Pentecost.
Pentecost was a very important Jewish holiday. The word Pentecost means 50. Pentecost celebrates the day that God gave the nation of Israel the Ten Commandments on Mt. Sinai, 50 days after the Passover. It was also a celebration of the harvesting of their crops. So Pentecost was a pretty big deal.
In Acts 2 we see why Pentecost is now a big deal for Christians too. Not only is Pentecost 50 days after the Passover celebration, it was now 50 days after the day Jesus died on the cross (Easter). After Jesus rose from the dead, the Bible says that for 40 days Jesus stayed on Earth, appearing to his disciples and giving them instructions.
When Jesus went back up into Heaven he told his disciples to stay in Jerusalem and wait for what would happen next. What happened next? One of the most incredible things ever! The Holy Spirit came down from Heaven and onto all the disciples who were gathered in that crowded room in Jerusalem. The Holy Spirit appeared like flames of fire hovering over them. And he gave the disciples the gift of speaking in other languages. Why? So that they could preach the gospel to all the people in Jerusalem, many of whom spoke different languages.
What an incredible day. A day Jesus had told them would come (see Day 23). The day the whole world would change. You see, the Jesus story would never be able to spread all over the world if the Holy Spirit hadn’t come down from Heaven and onto the disciples that day giving them the gift of speaking other languages (and they didn’t even have to go to school). But because the Holy Spirit came, people from all over the world heard about Jesus, and guess what? Three thousand people got saved on that same day.
Jesus’ church has begun!
And Jesus’ church continues to this day. Hopefully you are part of it too, just like the disciples in Acts 2.
Because of the Holy Spirit the church of Jesus was launched.
With the Holy Spirit the church of Jesus continues to change the world to this day.
DO SOMETHING TOGETHER
Talk about the history of your church with your children. Do you know how it got started? Did it begin small and then grow? Who was the first pastor? Point out the role of the Holy Spirit in starting churches today. How does he still do what he did in Acts 2 on Pentecost?
PRAY TOGETHER
Father, thank you for my church and thank you for the Holy Spirit. Amen.
TLICfamily 