This post is written by Bob Wilson as a companion for Unit 29, Session 3 of The Gospel Project for Adults, Volume 10: From Many People to One People (Winter 2023-24).

Clean water is of great importance in our everyday lives, yet it’s often taken for granted. Most of us turn on the faucet and expect access to safe and clean drinking water without a second thought.

Similarly, the Holy Spirit in the life of a Christian is often forgotten. We’re so used to having the Spirit’s presence that we forget the amazing blessing that it is to us. Looking to the arrival of the Holy Spirit on the Day of Pentecost is a good reminder of how important the Holy Spirit is for God’s people. Pentecost (the Jewish celebration of first fruits held fifty days after Passover) marked the fulfillment of Jesus’s promise to send the Holy Spirit to empower His followers to be His witnesses to the ends of the earth. On that day, the Holy Spirit audibly, visibly, and experientially descended upon the disciples, and they began to speak in other languages. God used this as an opportunity to gather a great crowd of people around them, amazed and bewildered. It is a moment of great significance that we often forget about. Pentecost was not just a historical event but a work of God that is important to our everyday lives as disciples.

The arrival of the Holy Spirit on Pentecost marks the birth of the Church. Before that day, the disciples were a small group of followers of Jesus, but after the Holy Spirit came upon them, they were transformed into a bold and powerful community of believers. They went out into the world preaching the gospel and performing miracles in the name of Jesus, and the church began to grow rapidly.

Today, the church continues to grow and thrive, and we owe it all to the work of the Holy Spirit. As believers, we are not only part of this global community of faith, but local bodies where we are taught in the Word, fellowship with other believers, and serve. We are part of the church because the Spirit came and filled believers before us that were faithful to be witnesses and make disciples. Now we have the responsibility and empowerment to carry on the work of being Christ’s witness because of the Holy Spirit in us.

The arrival of the Holy Spirit on Pentecost empowered the disciples for ministry. When they were filled with the Holy Spirit at Pentecost, the disciples were given the boldness, wisdom, and discernment to share the gospel with anyone, anywhere. They were able to perform miracles and speak in languages they had never learned through the power of the Holy Spirit.

Today, the Holy Spirit continues to empower believers for ministry. We are called to share the gospel with those around us, and the Holy Spirit gives us the words to say and the courage to say them. We are also called to serve others, and the Holy Spirit gives us the gifts and talents we need to fulfill our callings.

The arrival of the Holy Spirit on Pentecost reminds us of God’s faithfulness. The disciples had been waiting for the promised Holy Spirit for many days, and when the Holy Spirit came upon them, it was a powerful reminder that God keeps His promises.

Today, we take comfort in the fact that God is faithful. He has promised to be with us always, to guide us and protect us, and to give us everything we need to fulfill His purposes for our lives. When we face difficult circumstances or feel overwhelmed, we can look at Pentecost and be reminded of God’s faithfulness.

The Day of Pentecost is an essential moment in the life of the Church and holds great significance for us as Christ’s followers today. It marks the birth of the Church, empowers us for ministry, and reminds us of God’s faithfulness. Let us not neglect to seek to live by the Spirit and always be thankful to Christ.

Bob Wilson is the lead pastor of First Baptist Church in Meridianville, Alabama. He and his wife, Christa, have six children.