Reflecting on Acts 2:14-41“I will pour out my Spirit on all people.” (Acts 2:17)
Peter quotes the prophet Joel, who is speaking about a time of national crisis.
Joel calls everyone together – the old, young, even nursing babies (Joel 2:15-17).
In that moment a radical blessing of God’s Spirit will come on all of them.
This represents the fullness of God’s presence, love, blessing and power.
All of them will receive this blessing, all who cry out to the Lord for help.
The inclusiveness of this blessing is what I am noticing.
In the Moses Covenant there were distinctions about who received the blessing.
God worked through the patriarchal, hierarchal structures of that time.
The blessing of God flowed through their cultural pecking order.
But not anymore: old, young, male, female, adults, infants, slave and free.
The hierarchies and separations we use are the result of the Fall.
Our minds cannot comprehend complete equality because of sin.
But Jesus sets us free from these worldly limitations and anoints everyone.
Everyone is called and equipped to lead, to love, to serve in His Name.
No matter who I am, or who you are, we all have His Spirit working in us!
PRAYER
Lord Jesus, the sad reality is that despite all of us receiving Your Spirit, Your church still separates and limits the work of Your Spirit. We need another Pentecost, when everyone receives and shares the blessing of God.