As with Adam, made out of the dust of the ground, the Breath of God or Spirit had to be breathed into him before he came to life. So with the Church, made from the first disciples, the Breath of God or the Spirit had to be breathed into the Church before she came to life. This day is traditionally called Pentecost, which is the last day of the Easter Season or the fiftieth day after Easter Sunday. This year the Church celebrated Pentecost amid a pandemic that has greatly affected humanity around the world. For America, in addition to the psychological, physical, emotional and economic inflictions caused by Covid-19 deaths and stay-at-home lockdowns, Americans are also wrestling with moral issues surrounding the death of George Floyd and those who incite immoral behavior. America, the world desperately needs the Breath of God!
The life that was breathed into the Church at the first Pentecost was the life that the world desperately needed. Scripture itself reveals the extreme hardships people were experiencing at the time – tyrannical leaders, brutal imprisonment, unjust capital punishment by crucifixion, neglect of the poor, marginalized and downtrodden, the list goes on and on. The life breathed into those first Christians was unbelievable. Their willingness to turn the other cheek instead of an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth, their readiness to forgive not just seven times but seventy-seven times, their commitment to love their enemy and do good to them instead of seek revenge, their eagerness to willingly lay down their life for others without counting the cost, their passion to courageously and joyfully endure persecution even martyrdom brought a fire that infused life into a dying chaotic world. The confidence these Christians displayed when the Breath of God came down upon them like tongues of fire was incredible. Witnessing the joy and peace and love radiating from these followers in the face of ridicule and persecution who previously exhibited fear and cowardness baffled onlookers yet at the same time was attractive to them.
The world today needs to see this fire. In many ways we are living in a time that is quite like the time those first disciples lived. The Breath of God, the Spirit is still among us giving life to the world and to those who want to burn with life. Jesus has not abandoned the Disciples of His Church. Christian, do not lose hope! As the Breath of God changed the world back then, so can the world change today. If we sincerely want change, we must be willing to take a risk and let the Spirit change us and move us. Boldly ask for that fire breathed into those first disciples. Ask for the same courage and confidence, peace and joy those first Christians received at Pentecost. Ask that Christians everywhere desire to be incredible unbelievable instruments for the Spirit to breathe life into America, for the Breath