“When Old Things Become New!”

“When Old Things Become New!”(Acts2:1-13).
What happened on a certain passover feast and on a certain Pentecost day as recorded in the New Testament are occasions through which God demonstrates that the incarnation was not the bringing of something new to disconnect and completely obliterate the memory of the past. This reminds us that memory is integral to the Christian faith. The past of the Old Testament is what has defined the Christian Church from the days of its founder to the present day.
The Christian faith is a continuity of what was begun in the old, which found fulfilment in Christ Jesus.
God did not erase the past as a teacher wipes the board to write new stuff. Rather, God filled the old with new content.
There is a sense in which we can say God did not move house; he rearranged the same furniture in such a way that old things became new. No doubt he spoke through the prophet about the new thing he was about to do.
Jesus died at the time when they were slaughtering the Passover lambs, thus becoming the true Passover Lamb, taking away the sins of the world. He resurrected on Passover proper.
Fifty days later on Pentecost day – a Jewish feast of first fruits/harvest – the promised Holy Spirit descended upon the disciples, empowering them to do ordinary things in extraordinary ways.
And this marked the beginning of the work of the Holy Spirit in and through the disciples.
Yes my friend, if the Holy Spirit has descended on you and filled you with power, standers-by – especially idle loafers – will be “amazed and perplexed,” and will ask, “What does this mean?” And others will say you are under the influence of “too much wine.”
As we celebrate the outpouring of the Holy Spirit may we pray to be drunkened of having too much of him so that we can courageously declare the wonders of God’s grace without fear!
Prayer: Holy Spirit descend on us anew and empower us to declare the wonders of God’s grace in word and in action. Amen!
Have a blessed day! Peace be with you!
Rev Babila Fochang.