We use the term Pentecost so easily that we sometimes forget it was first of all a major Jewish festival (Hebrew: Shavu'ot). It came to have the name Pentecost in Greek because it was held fifty days after the Passover (Lev. 23:15-21). It was the festival of firstfruits, when the people would bring the firstfruits of the harvest to be dedicated at the temple.

Understanding that gives us a sense of God's timing. Fifty days after the death and especially the resurrection of Jesus Christ, the firstfruits come in. The Holy Spirit descends on the gathered disciples, and the firstfruits of the nations are baptized into the church after Peter's Pentecost sermon. These are the firstfruits of the greater harvest that is to come when the gospel is preached to the ends of the earth.

When we talk about the descent of the Spirit at Pentecost, it does not mean that the Holy Spirit was not active in the world before. Already at creation the Spirit of God was "hovering over the water" and that same Spirit filled David and others, and inspired the prophets. What new thing happened then at Pentecost? From then on, everyone who believes and is baptized in Jesus' name personally receives the gift of the Spirit. The Spirit creates the church, bringing people to faith, and then incorporating them into the body of Christ.

Remember that Jesus had instructed the disciples to prayerfully wait in Jerusalem for the gift he would give. Early in the morning of that fiftieth day, as pilgrims by the thousands from all over the Mediterranean world were making their way to the Temple, the Spirit broke in with wonderful signs:

• Wind: In Hebrew and Greek the words wind (air, breath) and Spirit are the same. Now the sound of wind/Spirit comes with cyclonic power on the church.

• Tongues of fire: As in the burning bush that stopped Moses in his tracks, the fire represents the divine presence (resting on each one).

• Speech: The disciples were able to speak in the various languages of the pilgrims who had come to Jerusalem, so all could fully understand what was happening. Note that the God who had scattered the people with differing languages at Babel (Gen. 11:1-9) brings them together with the gift of the Spirit.

Then Peter (of course) stood up and addressed the crowd in a powerful sermon that explained these events as fulfillment of prophecy. He declared that God had made "this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Messiah" (2:36). In other words, this was the decisive moment in history when God acted to redeem the world through his Son.

The crowds were moved to faith and repentance, and three thousand were baptized in that one day alone. Talk about firstfruits! And what a harvest would follow!

With that the story takes a turn. Up to this point it had been the story of God coming to save his rebellious creation. Now, with the gift of the Spirit, God's story becomes our story. We live out the story in our lives as the Spirit moves us, inspires us, and empowers us to live toward the kingdom of God.