Sunday 24 May 2026

Psalm 104

Background
Today we celebrate the coming of the gift of Holy Spirit at Pentecost and we also recall the coming of that same gift in a transforming way to John and Charles Wesley.

The term ‘Pentecost’ comes from the Jewish festival that was celebrated 50 days after Passover. It was an agricultural festival of first fruits but also recalled the time when Moses received the Law after the Exodus. In Luke’s understanding, there was a clear link between Moses going up the mountain and coming down with the Law and Jesus’ ascension to heaven and the coming down of the Holy Spirit. For Luke it was through the Holy Spirit that the creative power of God comes into the world to do new things and inspire people with the power of heaven.

For many people today the word ‘Pentecost’ is most associated with Pentecostalism – an ecstatic form of Christianity, which blossomed in the USA and is now practised worldwide and especially in Africa and Latin America. 'Speaking in tongues' is often associated with this type of Christianity and is often a controversial area of Christian practice.

Luke describes the coming of the Holy Spirit in dramatic images of wind and fire – indicating its wild untameable nature which can be both exhilarating and terrifying. Later in our passage, Luke links this with the prophecy of Joel where God’s Spirit is poured out.

But perhaps the most dramatic aspect of this passage is that the small group of frightened disciples are transformed by the Holy Spirit into a force to be reckoned with across the known world. In the opposite of the story of Babel, the disciples were understood by people from across the whole Mediterranean area.But the giving of the Holy Spirit was not just a one-off event in distant Palestine: it is a gift God longs to give to everyone without distinction across time and space.

To Ponder:

• Have you experienced ‘speaking in tongues'? Do you think it can sometimes happen when you feel that you are ‘given’ the words you should speak in particular situations?
• The Spirit can be wild and untameable – how does this square with the love of order and predictability in most of our congregations?

Prayer
Heavenly God, we give thanks and we delight in the coming of your Holy Spirit and your continued promise of that gift to all who will accept it. Enliven our lives and our congregations and stir up your people once again. Amen.

Bible notes author: The Revd Jennifer Potter
The Revd Jennifer Potter is a supernumerary minister living in the Croydon Circuit. She works as a part-time chaplain at the local MHA (Methodist Home for the Aged). She was previously a minister at Wesley’s Chapel in London.