Good evening and Happy Pentecost weekend!

Thank God for His plan

As I sit writing this, I am hearing on the news of yet another school shooting.  This time 9 students and 1 teacher dead so far in Santa Fe, Texas.  As a father, it tears at my heart to think of the anguish and pain those families will be enduring in the weeks, months and years to come.  It is only because we know that God has a plan, that this sort of news is bearable at all.

The Big Picture

With the Feast of Pentecost approaching in just a few hours, it's good for us to review the importance of this day in God's plan.  We understand it begins with Passover and the death of Jesus Christ so that we can be reconciled to God.  The Feast of Unleavened Bread represents the putting out of sin from our lives, and the effort we make to do so daily.  The Feast of Pentecost is next, and the Feast of Trumpets will follow in the fall, representing the return of Jesus Christ to set up the Kingdom of God on Earth.  After that, Atonement pictures the putting away of Satan from this world.  The Feast of Tabernacles represents what the world is meant to be once it is willing to follow the laws of God.  Finally, we know the 8th Day (Last Great Day) will come, when all who have never had a chance to know or understand God's way will have an opportunity to do so.

In the middle, the Day of Pentecost represents a turning point, especially for those who have accepted and responded to the calling of God to change.  Chief among the things we think about on this Feast day is the power to change we receive from the giving of the Holy Spirit.  As I watch the news, there's no doubt in my mind this world needs a LOT of changes.

Hope

While it brings tears to our eyes to think about the horrific evil we see in the world around us, we can still have hope.  Knowing and understand God has a plan for all people is where that hope lies.

Notice what Peter spoke in Acts 3:19 (NKJV), "Repent therefore and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, so that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord."  If we were to stop there, we might have a small amount of hope, but only for those who had repented before they died.  What does that say of those who never understood there was a better way to live? 

Peter carries on in verses 20-21, "and that He may send Jesus Christ, who was preached to you before, whom heaven must receive until the times of restoration of all things..."  The phrase 'until the times of restoration of all things' is key.  If only those who died in the faith had something to look forward to, why would Christ need to return to restore 'all things'?  The answer is that there is more work to do.  This work will be accomplished during the millennial reign of Jesus Christ!

Our job

As firstfruits - those who have received the power of the Holy Spirit - we have work to do as well.  Our job is to be a witness to our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, that there is hope for all mankind, and that the plan of God is at work!