Feast of Pentecost:
This month we celebrate the Feast of Pentecost. This is the only feast mentioned in the Bible that mainstream Christianity celebrates. The six other feasts mentioned in Exodus and Leviticus have been “nailed to the cross” by the church. Instead Christians all over the world celebrate Christmas, New Years Day, Easter, Halloween, Valentines Day and such supposed Christian festivals.
Most people never reflect on why they believe what they believe or do what they do. In a world filled with popular customs and traditions, few seek to understand the origin of things. Most generally accept common religious practices without question, choosing to do what everyone else does because it is easy, natural and comfortable.
The importance attached to this festival is that it is the ‘birthday’ of the church. Another reason given is that the Ten Commandments were given to Moses on that day. This is another false belief. If you read Exodus 19, and count the number of days from Passover to the giving of the Ten Commandments, you will see that they don’t add up to fifty.

Leviticus 23:9-22 describes the third annual Sabbath or Feast of Firstfruits. This day is sometimes called Pentecost or the “Feast of Weeks.” Again, this Holy Day was twice commanded to be observed forever (vs. 14, 21). It is not surprising then that we would find the Feast of Pentecost mentioned in the New Testament, in this case, prominently and multiple times. The New Testament Church kept this Holy Day every year. Messiah promised to build His Church (Matt. 16:18). The fulfillment of this promise is recorded in Acts 2:1—and it occurred on the Feast of Pentecost. It states, “And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place”

Notice that “they were all with one accord in one place” on this annual Holy Day. There was no doubt in anyone’s mind that they should be keeping this day. Had anyone believed that the New Testament did away with the Holy Days, they would have missed all that happened. Messiah knew exactly what He was going to do on the day of Pentecost. He made sure that the disciples understood what He meant by “…but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days hence” (Acts 1:5). No wonder the previous verse says Yahshua “commanded them that they should not depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the promise of the Father” (vs. 4).

The word “accord” means “to have one mind.” These early disciples, all 120, (Acts.1:15), were united in their desire to seek the face of the Lord. Unity was the mark of the early church, and it should mark us as well. If we want the Lord’s presence and power in these days, then Yahweh’s people have to walk together in unity. We need another Pentecost today! We need a movement in these days like the early church enjoyed in those days. But, if that is to happen, there must be unity among Yahweh’s people. Let me show the ways in which the early church was united. We should seek unity in the same areas.

UNITED IN PURPOSE
They waited on the Lord together. This same characteristic should mark the church. In Phil 1:27 – We are told to “strive together”. This phrase means to work together as a team! We are to work together, for the glory of Yahweh, carrying out His will in the world. We each have different functions, (1 Cor.12:7-26), but we should all have the same goal. There are some who seek to increase their importance, like Diotrephes, who loved to have pre-eminence among men. (3 John).  Don’t get caught up in their tricks, do what He has called you to do and be what He has called you to be!  That is why we need to ‘walk with all lowliness, and meekness, with long suffering, forbearing one another in love; (Eph. 4:2) We may have different ideas, but once an agreement is reached, we should break out of the crowd and stand together! Satan is a divider, Messiah unites.

UNITED IN PRAYER
They prayed together. They prayed with and for one another. Nothing builds unity in a church more than carrying one another’s burdens to the Lord in prayer (Gal. 6:1-5). There is a bond that develops between people who pray together. When we pray for others, we are less focused on ourselves and our own problems (Phil. 2:1-4).

UNITED IN POWER
They were “all filled with the Holy Ghost”. The unity of the early church came about because they had the right attitude to Yahweh and were filled with the Spirit of Yahweh. This unity produced amazing results: They preached the same message (Acts.2:11), they believed the same things (2:41-44), they carried the same burdens (2:44-45; 4:34-35). They loved the same things (Acts.2:46-47).
One of the problems in the modern church is that the members are in all different stages of spiritual development. Some are saved but immature. Some are saved and growing. Some are saved and Spirit-filled. Some are not even saved. This diversity creates difficulty in the family. There is no way around diversity, but Yahweh’s will for us is that every single saint should be filled with the Spirit (Eph. 5:18). To be filled means “to be controlled”. When He controls me and you, we will walk together in His power for His glory!

UNITED IN PERFORMANCE
“…all were filled…and began to speak…” – Each one was busy doing their part!
Yahweh saved no one to sit and relax, He saved all to serve (Eph. 2:10; James 2:18).  A faith that does not work is not real faith. No task is unimportant or small- each is vital to the success of the church. Hur stayed beside Moses holding Moses’ hand during the war with the Amalekites (Ex. 17). Bezaleel did all the articles of brass and gold for the tabernacle (Ex. 31:1-5). Many followers wrote the letters which Paul dictated.
Are you doing what He wants you to do?  Are you doing all you can do?

In the church, the Holy Spirit makes Witnesses out of the weak (Acts 1:8).
Yahshua said in Acts 1:8 ...you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be My witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and even to the remotest part of the earth.".
It was before the ascension of Yahshua and before Pentecost that the disciples received the Holy Spirit.
In John 20:19-23 it says, "When therefore it was evening, on that day, the first day of the week, and when the doors were shut where the disciples were, for fear of the Jews, Yahshua came and stood in their midst, and said to them, "Peace be with you." And when He had said this, He showed them both His hands and His side.  The disciples therefore rejoiced when they saw the Lord.  Yahshua therefore said to them again, "Peace be with you; as the Father has sent Me, I also send you."  And when He had said this, He breathed on them, and said to them, "Receive the Holy Spirit.  "If you forgive the sins of any, their sins have been forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they have been retained."

Notice that after they receive the Holy Spirit, and after Pentecost, that is when they speak with authority and with power. One of the immediate results of being filled with the Holy Spirit is speaking Yahweh's word with boldness. The rest of Acts is how world was turned upside down by the preaching of the gospel by people who had received the Holy Spirit, who had the Holy Spirit upon them, and who had been filled with the Holy Spirit.
Consider the weakness of the disciples.
Peter lied and denied He knew Yahshua. Thomas doubted Yahshua' own words about His resurrection. The disciples deserted Yahshua in His hour of difficulty. Yet, this tiny group of cowards, liars, and deserters turned the world upside down. Not because of their words, or wisdom, or might.  It was because of the Holy Spirit who filled them and empowered them to speak the Word with boldness.

We need another Pentecost! It will come when walking and working together! Snowflakes are fragile things, but when they stick together they can stop traffic!