The Holy Spirit transforms people!  These are not just little tweaks but lives completely changed.  On the day of Pentecost, the Holy Spirit cut people to the heart, made them new in baptism, and the church was born.  Filled with the Holy Spirit they became the model of Christian community.  That work continues in us and in God’s church today!

Jesus gave a clear mission to His followers: You will be My witnesses. He also has given us all we need to fulfill that mission: the Holy Spirit. The same Spirit that descended like fire, gave the ability to speak in tongues, and brought 3,000 people to salvation in Jesus is at work today…in us and in our world.

In the course of one day, it is believed that each person makes 35,000 different choices and roughly 2,000 decisions per hour. How do we know if we make the right decision? The disciples had a choice to make for the disciple to replace Judas. They lifted it up in prayer and moved forward in action. No waffling or second guessing, they gave it to God and moved forward in decisive action.

The book of Acts is a history of the early Christian Church. In the opening verses we see the purpose statement of the Christian Church. We are told that we will be given the Holy Spirit and we will be witnesses of Jesus across the world. Jesus is particular and gives a framework for this witnessing. He says that it all starts where we are right now. It doesn't start by getting on a plane for 12 hours or riding in a packed van for 24 hours van. The mission of Jesus begins HERE.