Pentecost – BradRiley.Org

Go and learn what this means, ‘I desire mercy, and not sacrifice.’ For I came not to call the righteous, but sinners.”

Matthew 9:13

As we begin the Season of Pentecost, let us take our marching orders from Jesus himself. In St. Matthew’s gospel Jesus tells His followers to, “Go and learn” what it means that He desires mercy over sacrifice. It’s my prayer that together we will learn what it truly means to be filled with mercy.

We talk a lot about being filled with the Holy Spirit, but until we understand the life of mercy Jesus desires of us we will fall short of realizing all that our Pentecostal experience of being filled really means. It’s all about transformation.

By the divine power of God dwelling in us, we can live empowered as little Christ’s in this world; it’s His plan; that we live as His merciful servants toward all humanity. Too often we settle for thinking God’s plan is all about believing and if we’ll only believe we’ll be alright. That’s only the beginning. He has so much more in store for us. We must go beyond belief and into the mystical, Pentecostal experience of the Holy Spirit within.

How do we do this you ask? It all begins with worship. Worship is spirit forming and Jesus said we must worship the Father in Spirit and truth (John 4:24). That truth begins with the knowledge that God is here among us, indwelling those who open themselves to Him.

Won’t you begin today? Tell Him He’s welcome in you!

Grace and Peace,

+Pastor Brad

Prayer

Merciful Father, you are welcome in me. Come and fill me unto overflowing. Teach me your ways of mercy that I may walk in them. Amen.

Image credit: https://dgaskins08.wordpress.com/2015/01/20/i-desire-mercy-and-not-sacrifice-mt-913-127/

When the day of Pentecost had come, they were all together in one place. And suddenly a sound came from heaven like the rush of a mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. And there appeared to them tongues as of fire, distributed and resting on each one of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.

Acts 2:1-4

Love doesn’t always look like what we think. We often think love looks like hugs and kisses, and smiles, but it can look completely different. On the morning of Pentecost, it looked like waves of mercy, blowing into the upper room and filling those who gathered in faith, overflowing them with the Spirit of God.

The gift of the Holy Spirit was a gift of mercy. Ever since the tower of Babel humanity had been separated by their languages, which caused them to scatter and create differing cultures. But, on Pentecost morning a new universal language was given – love. The Father showed how much He loved the world when He gave His only son for the life of the world. Now, He has given us His Spirit too, that we all may be one.

Mercy is the expression of God’s love. St. James tells us every good and perfect gift comes from the Father who does not change (Jas. 1:17). The gift of the Holy Spirit was for them that day, and for us too, and for all who will believe. The waves of God’s mercy are abounding with His love. He wants to fill us up till we overflow. And, when we overflow with his Spirit, His love and Spirit will flow out in mercy to our lost and broken world. And so we pray – come Holy Spirit, come.

Grace and Peace,

+Pastor Brad

Prayer

Father of all Mercy, fall on me today, for I need you. I need the fullness of your Spirit. Come in your strength, come in your power, come in your own gentle way, but come sweet Spirit, I pray. Amen.

Image credit: https://missionalpreaching.com/2015/05/21/pentecost-and-and-patterns-of-new-creation-acts-21-21/

Tag: Pentecost

Desire is Everything

Waves of Mercy