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| Jason Micheli<tamedcynic.org> |
"That day about three thousand took him at his word, were baptized and were signed up. They committed themselves to the teaching of the apostles, the life together, the common meal, and the prayers. Everyone around was in awe—all those wonders and signs done through the apostles! And all the believers lived in a wonderful harmony, holding everything in common. They sold whatever they owned and pooled their resources so that each person’s need was met. They followed a daily discipline of worship in the Temple followed by meals at home, every meal a celebration, exuberant and joyful, as they praised God."
- Acts 2:41-47 (the Message)
I usually read these words with a great deal of reservation. They seem far too idealistic, way beyond anything any of us believers would ever be able to experience today.
What? Sell everything and share with everyone? Daily prayers, praises and celebrative meals with fellow believers? That would require an unbelievable miracle, far beyond the most amazing of "signs and wonders".
It would be like heaven.
Then it dawned on me. Pentecost Day is exactly that, God's heaven breaking into earth, a true foretaste of things to come.
Will not our eternal life with God be all about praise, all about sharing an abundance of everything with everyone? Isn't it all about harmony and shalom and a life of joy beyond compare?
For me, that sheds a new light on Pentecost. On this day nearly 2000 years ago, newly baptized believers from all over the world experienced a gale force wind of change that revolutionized their lives forever, one that was about to set the whole world on fire.
Should this not be happening today? Do we really want to wait until the next life to celebrate this?
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