There are lots and lots of Christmas songs, many Easter songs — and a few Pentecost songs. Maybe if more people knew what it is we celebrate at Pentecost, we’d have more songs about it. “The Very Same Power” is a good one to add to the collection of Pentecost songs. You might notice it uses the same melody as “The Very Same Jesus”, which we looked at earlier. (You can visit that song post to learn more about bot of these songs.) But for now, please give this song a sing-along listen, then come right back and join me for a chat on why Pentecost offers a lot to celebrate.

Worst days to find a place to park at church

When do churches fill the most seats? Usually Easter. Then Christmas draws the second largest attendance. Third place seems to be Mothers Day. (Reason offered is that Mom tends to get her way on that day, and so is able to get the rest of the family to go to church with her.)

I checked where “Pentecost” appears on the attendance meter, and found no answer — though I did see a well-written article arguing that Pentecost should get more respect.

So, Easter is huge, Christmas Eve does well — and Pentecost does not even show up, which suggests a few ideas.

1. People don’t understand why Pentecost is a big deal.
2. God’s enemy wants to keep Pentecost’s greatness a secret.
3. If you want to get a good parking place, visit church on Pentecost, not Easter.

Why Pentecost is not considered a big deal

Is Pentecost a big deal? For many years it was not a big deal to me. Actually, I knew almost nothing about it. I recall learning in Sunday school that on Pentecost the disciples looked like candles, with a flame flickering up from their heads. Wind blew. A lot of people who were there that day thought the whole experience was odd. Pentecost was not a big enough church holiday to get us time off from school like Christmas or Easter did. And, as far as Bible stories go, Christmas and Easter perfectly frame the life of Jesus with his birth and his death, resurrection and ascension. What more needed to be said?

I do not recall it ever coming up in Sunday school that if the enemy had known how important Pentecost would be, he never would have permitted Jesus Christ to be crucified.

I had no idea how badly the enemy wants to keep everyone he possibly can from learning why Pentecost should be among the happiest celebrations of all.

It appears the Lord’s enemy works overtime to try to keep Pentecost a secret.

Why Pentecost is a big deal

At Christmas
we celebrate Jesus being born.
At Easter
we celebrate Jesus Christ’s victory at the cross, where he got up from the dead and won back through obedience and huge sacrifice what Adam had lost through sin.
At Pentecost
we celebrate the fullness of “the goods” Jesus won at Calvary being poured out on God’s people for the first time.

We have much to celebrate!

Pentecost grandly marks the day all mankind was given the means to go from death to life, full, abundant, everlasting, strong and powerful. That was the day God’s gift of holy spirit was made available to empower anyone and everyone who would receive it.

Thanks be to God! Thanks be to His wonderful Son, Jesus Christ!

About 1500 years before Jesus came, Moses said, “I wish that all the LORD’s people were prophets and that the LORD would place His Spirit on them!” But that time was not yet. All Moses could do was “wish”.

Possibly about five hundred years before Jesus was born, the prophet Joel did more than wish. He prophesied, saying, “And afterward, I will pour out My Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your old men will dream dreams, your young men will see visions. Even on My menservants and maidservants, I will pour out My Spirit in those days.”

Moses wished for — and Joel prophesied of — a day to come when the Lord would pour out holy spirit on His people.

Then Jesus was finally here and announced the spirit was coming, “… I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever— the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you. (John 14:16-18 NKJV)

A better modern English translation for “give you another Helper” might be “I am going to send you the one who will come with strength and power.” Jesus was not going to send us someone to pat us on the back and blot our tears. Rather, SPIRIT OF TRUTH. And STRENGTH and POWER. That’s what he promised. Holy spirit power, God’s gift to all people.

Man’s greatest blessing — and the devil’s worst nightmare — arrived on Pentecost.

Finally that great day came … Pentecost. We don’t have to guess if this is what Joel was talking about. In Acts 2 Peter stood up and declared “This fulfills what Joel said …”

As we come to understand the importance of Pentecost, we stand in awe at what the Lord has done. It is cause for tears of joy mixed with eager anticipation of what lies ahead. We see “more than conquerors” (from Romans 8) in a new, brighter light. He was talking about you and me.

We have things in common with Peter and the rest of the apostles that were there at that Pentecost. The power they received and manifested starting that day and through the rest of their lives — we have the very same power.

God bless you lots
-Dale R.

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Download this song sheet

Lyrics – The Very Same Power
Song: Traditional

1. ‘Tis the very same power,
‘Tis the very same power,
‘Tis the very same power
They had at Pentecost.
‘Tis the power, the power,
The power Jesus promised should come.

2. While with one accord assembled,
While with one accord assembled,
While with one accord assembled,
Where the lord would have them meet,
Came the power, the power,
The power Jesus promised should come.

3. With cloven tongues of fire,
With cloven tongues of fire,
With cloven tongues of fire
And a rushing mighty wind,
Came the power, the power,
The power Jesus promised should come.

4. It was while they all were praying,
It was while they all were praying,
It was while they all were praying,
And believing it would come,
Came the power, the power,
The power Jesus promised should come.

5. Some thought they were fanatic,
Some thought they were fanatic,
Some thought they were fanatic,
Or were drunken with new wine.
‘Twas the power, the power,
The power Jesus promised should come.

6. Three thousand were converted,
Three thousand were converted,
Three thousand were converted,
And were added to the church,
By the power, the power,
The power Jesus promised should come.

7. The martyrs had this power,
The martyrs had this power,
The martyrs had this power,
As they triumphed in the flames.
‘Twas the power, the power,
The power Jesus promised should come.

8. Our fathers had this power,
Our fathers had this power,
Our fathers had this power,
And we may have it too.
‘Tis the power, the power,
The power Jesus promised should come.

9. Tis The very same power,
‘Tis the very power,
‘Tis the very power,
They had at Pentecost.
‘Tis the power, the power,
The power Jesus promised should come.

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