Welcome to
Zion Bread of Life Christian Church

Sunday, 26th May 2024

Pastor Kathy Poon

Pentecost originates from the Shavuot Festival, one of the three major festivals of the Jews. It is the 50th day from the beginning of the first day (the day after the seventh Sabbath), so it is called Pentecost. In Judaism, this day is the day when Moses received the “Ten Commandments “ given by the Lord on Mount Sinai, so it is also the “Day of Thanksgiving Law”. This festival is also used to thank the Lord for His abundance and harvests .

Jeremiah 31:33 says, “But this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the Lord: I will put My law in their minds, and write it on their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people.” Ezekiel 36:26-27 also says, “I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will take the heart of stone out of your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will keep My judgments and do them.”

• Old Testament- law written on the stone tablet – suppression
• New Testament- Law written in the hearts – surrender

Acts 1:8 says, “But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” Acts 2:1-4 also says, “When the Day of Pentecost had fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. And suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. Then there appeared to them divided tongues, as of fire, and one sat upon each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.”

What is praying in tongue? 1 Corinthians 14:14 says, “For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays.” How does it work? Romans 8:26-27 says, “Likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. Now He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He makes intercession for the saints according to the will of God.”

What are the benefits of speaking in tongues?

1. Speaks mysteries – 1 Corinthians 14:2 says, “For he who speaks in a tongue does not speak to men but to God, for no one understands him; however, in the spirit he speaks mysteries.”

2. Edify ourselves, overcome flesh and lust – 1 Corinthians 14:4 says, “He who speaks in a tongue edifies himself.”

Galatians 5:16-25 says, “I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things that you wish. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law. Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law. And those who are Christ’s have with its passions and desires. crucified the flesh. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.

3. Glorify God and Build up others – Isaiah 61:1-3 says, “The Spirit of the Lord God is upon Me, because the Lord has anointed Me. To preach good news to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound; to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all who mourn, To console those who mourn in Zion, to give them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they may be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that He may be glorified.”