Short Notes on Celebrating Pentecost Sunday

Pentecost literally means “50”. It is celebrated on the 50th day (the seventh Sunday) from Resurrection Sunday. It is a commemoration and celebration of the receiving of the Holy Spirit by the early church → the day the Holy Spirit descended on the apostles, causing them to speak in tongues.

The link between Pentecost and Evangelism

The disciples were told by Jesus to wait in Jerusalem for the gift of the Holy Spirit, from whom they would receive power to be His witnesses to the ends of the earth (Acts 1:3-8). Peter also preached the first sermon about Jesus on the Day of Pentecost, causing 3000 to be converted and baptised (Acts 2:41).

What is Singapore’s role in this?

Singapore is prophesied by Billy Graham in 1978 to be an end days Antioch.

• Overseas missions
  • Singapore is a wealthy nation with relevant professionals in their various fields and is hence favoured with a high sending capacity
  • Singapore has an advantageous geographical location and a powerful passport such that we may easily access our neighbouring countries, most if not all of which do not have Christianity as their major religion.
• Local missions → As of June 2021, 27% (1.45m out of our total population of 5.45m ) of our population are non-residents and they occupy the ranks of students, domestic workers, E pass holders, S-pass holders, work permit holders etc. Just think of how many non-residents we come into contact with in our daily lives, be it at work or in school. Thus, even with the travel restrictions due to COVID, we are able to do local missions with a regional/global impact.

Missions is a commission by God, a.k.a The Great Commission

Jesus said to His followers before He ascended to heaven, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptising them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age” (Matt 28:18-20).

Missions is our temporary necessity in this reality, but worship abides forever

John Piper writes in his book, Let the Nations Be Glad, “Missions is not the ultimate goal of the church. Worship is. Missions exists because worship doesn’t. Worship is ultimate, not missions, because God is ultimate, not man. When this age is over, and the countless millions of the redeemed fall on their faces before the throne of God, missions will be no more. It is a temporary necessity. But worship abides forever.”

Delve deeper

1. What is a particular group that God has placed in your heart to reach out to?
2. How may you cherish this burden in your heart?
3. What can you do for this particular group?

Written by Yan Yee, Marketplace Mentorship cohort of 2023