At Children’s Church this Sunday, June 5, the children will be celebrating a birthday. “Whose birthday,” you ask? You may be thinking, “I want to make sure we send a present or a card.” “ I don’t want to forget the child’s special day!”
Forgotten birthdays are certainly disappointing, even sad. Our birthday celebrations help validate our existence on the earth and help us feel loved and significant by our family and friends. My daughter-in-law, on her 17th birthday, experienced first hand what it feels like to be forgotten. You have to believe me when I tell you her parents are wonderful, loving, and caring people. But, on this particular birthday for Rachel, the important day slipped by. She thought with all the silence there must be an elaborate plan for a surprise party or something else unique in the works. She treasured those thoughts. As the day rolled on and Mom and Dad had both been busy, and gone, and then back home again, but there was no mention, and not a word about her birthday. She feared the worst. It was evening by now and the true fact smacked her right between the eyes. They did forget. No surprise, no secret reveal, no balloons hidden in a closet somewhere, just the cold, empty reality that her parents were oblivious to the date on the calendar. Her grandparents, who lived a several hour drive away, called that night to wish her a happy birthday. So, now the cat was out of the bag and Rachel’s parents were of course horrified when they overheard the conversation with the Grands. Apologies, and attempts of making it up to her ensued, and I”m pretty sure she made out well with birthday gifting during those next few years!
Relax though… This Sunday’s birthday celebration does not belong to one of our kids, it belongs to the Church. This Sunday the Church celebrates Pentecost. Wendy will be presenting the story of Pentecost to the children as a birthday party for the Church!
On Pentecost we remember how miraculously and powerfully the Holy Spirit fell upon Jesus’ disciples and other followers as they waited in the upper room. Jesus told them not to leave Jerusalem, but to wait there for the gift the Father promised them. The disciples did what Jesus asked. And within a few days as they sat waiting and praying, there was a sudden disturbance, like a rushing wind. The Holy Spirit powerfully swirled around all those believers. Tongues of fire hovered around them. Immediately the believers there began to proclaim about Messiah Jesus in languages that were not their own. People who spoke different languages and dialects heard and understood for the first time this joyous news! And.... the New Testament church was born.
So, the Pentecost story told in Acts chapter 2, is quite the opposite of Rachel’s experience. Jesus' promise of a gift and the Father’s birthday party to the church was not forgotten! On that monumental day of Pentecost, the Holy Spirit gave the early church gifts of forgiveness, truth, new life, and power. The Holy Spirit offers those same gifts today. Pray that we as a church will allow the Holy Spirit to fall afresh on us this Pentecost Sunday, to empower us boldly to proclaim the gospel. Pray that our children will grow in their understanding of the work of the Spirit in their lives, that He will flow generously over their lives.
Guess Who's Having a Birthday?
At Children’s Church this Sunday, June 5, the children will be celebrating a birthday. “Whose birthday,” you ask? You may be thinking, “I want to make sure we send a present or a card.” “ I don’t want to forget the child’s special day!”
Forgotten birthdays are certainly disappointing, even sad. Our birthday celebrations help validate our existence on the earth and help us feel loved and significant by our family and friends. My daughter-in-law, on her 17th birthday, experienced first hand what it feels like to be forgotten. You have to believe me when I tell you her parents are wonderful, loving, and caring people. But, on this particular birthday for Rachel, the important day slipped by. She thought with all the silence there must be an elaborate plan for a surprise party or something else unique in the works. She treasured those thoughts. As the day rolled on and Mom and Dad had both been busy, and gone, and then back home again, but there was no mention, and not a word about her birthday. She feared the worst. It was evening by now and the true fact smacked her right between the eyes. They did forget. No surprise, no secret reveal, no balloons hidden in a closet somewhere, just the cold, empty reality that her parents were oblivious to the date on the calendar. Her grandparents, who lived a several hour drive away, called that night to wish her a happy birthday. So, now the cat was out of the bag and Rachel’s parents were of course horrified when they overheard the conversation with the Grands. Apologies, and attempts of making it up to her ensued, and I”m pretty sure she made out well with birthday gifting during those next few years!
Relax though… This Sunday’s birthday celebration does not belong to one of our kids, it belongs to the Church. This Sunday the Church celebrates Pentecost. Wendy will be presenting the story of Pentecost to the children as a birthday party for the Church!
On Pentecost we remember how miraculously and powerfully the Holy Spirit fell upon Jesus’ disciples and other followers as they waited in the upper room. Jesus told them not to leave Jerusalem, but to wait there for the gift the Father promised them. The disciples did what Jesus asked. And within a few days as they sat waiting and praying, there was a sudden disturbance, like a rushing wind. The Holy Spirit powerfully swirled around all those believers. Tongues of fire hovered around them. Immediately the believers there began to proclaim about Messiah Jesus in languages that were not their own. People who spoke different languages and dialects heard and understood for the first time this joyous news! And.... the New Testament church was born.
So, the Pentecost story told in Acts chapter 2, is quite the opposite of Rachel’s experience. Jesus' promise of a gift and the Father’s birthday party to the church was not forgotten! On that monumental day of Pentecost, the Holy Spirit gave the early church gifts of forgiveness, truth, new life, and power. The Holy Spirit offers those same gifts today. Pray that we as a church will allow the Holy Spirit to fall afresh on us this Pentecost Sunday, to empower us boldly to proclaim the gospel. Pray that our children will grow in their understanding of the work of the Spirit in their lives, that He will flow generously over their lives.