MAY 2018
THE BIRTH OF THE CHURCH OF CHRIST
Posted by: Apostle John Sobottka

Pentecost, which we now look forward to in anticipation, is also part of the Easter season. 

In addition to recognizing Sunday as the weekly holy day, the Jewish religious year was also the foundation for the church year of Christians. Since the second century Christians have been celebrating Easter as an adaptation of the Jewish Passover feast. This was followed by the feast of Pentecost, 50 days after Easter, which for Christians marks the celebration of the outpouring of the Holy Spirit. The Easter season formally ends with the Saturday before Trinity Sunday (the Sunday after Pentecost) and thus also includes the Pentecost feast. Trinity Sunday draws attention to the three feasts (Christmas, Easter, and Pentecost) in which the three divine persons are revealed.

Pentecost is considered the birth of the Church of Christ that was established through the power of the Holy Spirit. This event shows that the Holy Spirit is a necessary prerequisite for Church: church and the Holy Spirit belong together. It is a feast of joy for the presence, power, and activity of the Holy Spirit in the church.

With the outpouring of the Holy Spirit in Jerusalem at Pentecost, God revealed Himself to mankind as the Trinity of Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. The promise of Jesus Christ to send His Apostles the Holy Spirit had been fulfilled.

The Holy Spirit brings about life itself and is shown to be the divine power of life. In the course of salvation history, the Spirit of God manifests Himself as the power which takes hold of human beings and enables them to become instruments of God. This power can influence, fill, and even renew a human being (Titus 3: 5; CNAC 3.5.2)

After Apostle Peter’s Pentecost sermon, the Apostles called on those who had come to believe: “Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit” (Acts 2: 38). In this manner, those who believed were incorporated into the congregation (Acts 2: 41; CNAC 8.1.2.2).

When we speak of the church of Christ, God equips the church of Christ with the gifts it needs. He elects some members of the church from among those reborn of water and the Spirit, just as He elects some from among those baptized with water, in order to entrust them with special gifts, such as, for example, the gift of proclaiming the gospel, the gift of teaching, of knowledge, of wisdom, or of helping their neighbour. All members of the body of Christ are called upon to develop and engage the gifts they have received—each one in accordance with the measure of faith God has given them (Romans 12: 3), in humbleness and gentleness. 

The members of the body of Christ who have received the gift of the Holy Spirit have been chosen to fulfill a particular service: they are to announce the imminent return of the Lord, to testify of the activity of living Apostles, to give room to the Holy Spirit within themselves, to acquire divine virtues, and to thus prepare themselves for the return of Christ. Since God has poured out His love into their hearts through the gift of the Holy Spirit (Rom 5: 5), He expects them to exhibit His love to others in special measure to bring souls to Christ. 

The power of the Holy Spirit comes to its full expression through the Apostle ministry. Jesus has sent His Apostles to call the souls elected to become part of the bride of Christ. Together the elected are to become part of the royal priesthood. All those who are elected by God to become part of the bride of Christ will be called by the Apostle ministry and will be sealed by the Apostles. Let us trust in the Holy Spirit and His power. Then we can feel the full joy in Christ knowing that, whatever happens, the bride will be prepared by the Apostles. This will be a great victory!

The bridal congregation is characterized by its love for Christ. The faithful long for the fellowship with Christ. Their first wish is to be with Jesus now already in the divine service. For the future we pray and plead, “Please come Lord Jesus!” The souls belonging to the congregation of the bride are full of the Holy Spirit. Their thoughts, words, and their actions should be guided by the Holy Spirit. We should also say to others; “Come, God loves you. Come as you are. God loves you, and we love you too! We want you to be saved too.”  This also includes those who have left the fold.  For them it is a call to return.

Let this Pentecost feast be punctuated by the presence of the Holy Spirit in us and in our congregations so that it will be a true feast of joy and victory for all.  Let the Trinity also be revealed through us.  May it be a time of unity, reunion and new relationships through the power of the Holy Spirit.
 

 

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