Answer this question: How important do you think you are on a scale from one to ten (one being not important at all, ten being super important)? My guess is that most of you would ultimately conclude that our importance is at best a five, and many of you wouldn’t even rate yourself that high.
Pentecost Sunday reminds us that we need to look in the mirror again!
On Pentecost Sunday, we read (Acts 2) that the initial response to the Holy Spirit’s actions upon the disciples and Christians gathered to worship the Lord that morning, was to mock them. They said, “Are not all these who are speaking Galileans? And how is it that we hear each of us, in our own native language?” (Acts 2:7-8).… They then conclude, “They must be drunk” (v.13)
When the crowd of self-righteous religious people said, “Are not these who are speaking Galileans?” please note that that wasn’t a compliment. What they were really saying was this: “This can’t be an act of God because these people are ignorant Galileans, with no education whatsoever to speak about.” And because they couldn’t imagine that these “ignorant one’s” could be used by God in any fashion, they conclude that the group had to be drunk!
It’s Peter who stands us and says, “Hey, no one’s drunk here. What is happening, is what the prophets predicted long ago: God’s Holy Spirit is now poured out on the people of God, for the sake of the world. The Kingdom of God has exploded into the world in a new and wonderful ways!”
Yes, God used simple Galileans to begin this new movement. And the Spirit spread like wild fire to thousands who would have labeled their importance as a five or less. But through their experience, they came to learn that they weren’t “fives,” they were “tens!” They were the ones blessed by God, filled with the Holy Spirit, and now called to bend the world’s ways towards the kingdom of God!
So, let me ask you again: “How important are you?” And this time I’m going to give you the correct answer – YOU ARE A TEN!
One of my favorite stories on our importance comes from a book by S.D. Gordon. In this scene Gordon has the angel Gabriel asking Christ when He reached heaven what recognition the world has given of His divine suffering for its sake. Christ replied that only a few in Palestine knew of it. Gabriel doesn’t feel confident about the group Jesus left His ministry too and feels that more ought to know, and he asks, “What is your plan, Master, for telling them of it?”
Jesus replied, “I have asked Peter, James, John, Andrew, and a few others, to make it the business of their lives to tell others, and those others to tell others, until the last man in the furthest circle has heard the story and has felt the power of it.”
“But suppose they do not tell others – what then?” Gabriel asks.
Jesus answered quietly, “Gabriel, I haven’t made any other plans. I am counting on them.”
Never underestimate your importance. Never forget that you are a part of the greatest movement the world will ever know. Never forget that God looked down at you personally, and bestowed upon you, his Spirit, to move hearts and change the world.
Never forget that you’re a TEN!
~ God bless, Dan
P.S. For more than a year now, through the pandemic, I have been sending out two devotions a week. One of the reasons I have been able to do this, is because during the pandemic, I had more time, because I wasn’t able to get out to visit people and our shut-ins. Things are now opening up, and I can resume my visits again. Because of this, I will no longer be sending out a Saturday devotion. BUT, I do plan on still sending out a devotion midweek.
Blessings and have a great day!