We tend to think of Pentecost in, for want of a better term, more lurid terms. The mighty rushing wind and the tongues as of fire and the speaking in other languages and the truly other worldly images of that day are what come to mind. There is something to be said for the miraculous coming of the Holy Spirit the Comforter. Yet there is a depth to what happened that day that is practical to the core and needs to be remembered. Someone said somewhere that it is the Holy Spirit who gives to preachers in the church “working possibilities” and Paul was well aware of functional power of the Holy Spirit to move him along or detour him in his work. It was the Holy Spirit who made the Apostles utter strange languages but more practically the Spirit informed them what to say when they were hauled before magistrates and judges. The Holy Spirit was the determining factor on those that would be chosen to wait on tables and serve widows and orphans. The Spirit inspires the prophet Agabus to foretell the future not to scratch the curiosity of people who long to look into the hidden things of God, but to warn the church of famine so they could plan ahead in their work of mercy and evangelism.
