Jesus kept his promise to his disciples. For three years he had been teaching and preaching, preparing and equipping his disciples for their own ministry. Their heads were full of things Jesus had taught them. Soon he would be leaving and they would need to be reminded of everything he had said and everything he had done. So he promised them the Counselor and he kept that promise on Pentecost, ten days after he had ascended. This gift would bring them peace and joy as they preached boldly in the face of persecution and the early church grew rapidly.
And Jesus makes this same promise to us as well. He sends the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, to us. We
have a Pentecost experience every time we come into contact with his
Word, every time we receive his Supper, every time we remember the
blessings of our baptism. We don’t speak in different
languages, but we are certainly filled with the Holy Spirit,
strengthened in faith, and through it, Jesus gives us his peace. We
receive his peace knowing that we are one with God through what Christ
has accomplished in our place, and that there is nothing in this world
that can take that from us.
Do not let your hearts be troubled! Do not be afraid! You have the peace of Jesus through his promised Holy Spirit! Cling to Word and Sacrament where you only can find that peace.
Prayer: Holy
Spirit, we praise you for working through Word and Sacrament to
strengthen us in faith and to bring peace to our hearts in such an
un-peaceful world. Lead us to cling to the merits of Christ for forgiveness and for our salvation. May
we be filled with faith and confidence to live the life that you call
us to live in this world, so that more may come to know your saving
power. We pray this in the name of Jesus, our ascended Lord, Amen.
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