What is Pentecost? 5 Things to Know and SHARE - #HolySpirit

1. The Jewish name for Pentecost is Shavuot, or the Feast of Weeks (Leviticus 23:16), a feast in the calendar of Israel celebrating the giving of the Law on Sinai. This feast is still celebrated in Judaism as Shavuot. According to Jewish tradition, Pentecost commemorates God giving the Ten Commandments at Mount Sinai fifty days after the Exodus.
2. Pentecost is a Christian Feast Day remembering the outpouring of the Holy Spirit. Pentecost is from the Greek word 'Pentekostos', which means 'fifty' after Easter.  In some places the Church celebrated it as Whitsun – 'White Sunday'. This was a day for baptisms and those being baptised would wear white.  Pentecost was when God poured out the wisdom of the Spirit. 3.Pentecost is the fulfilment of promises.  Jesus said he would send another Counsellor, the Spirit of truth (John 16: 5-15). There are Seven Gifts of the sanctifying category; they are: wisdom, understanding, knowledge, counsel, fortitude, piety and fear of the Lord.
3. The Apostles and the Blessed Virgin Mary were in the Upper room when the Holy Spirit entered. The biblical passages describes three distinct experiences.

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1) a violent wind filled the house or breath as a symbol of the Spirit of God 
2) a fire or a single flame that separates and symbolically rests on each of them (Book of Acts)
“When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place.Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them.” ~ Acts 2:1-4
3) speaking in tongues
4. The story links back to the Old Testament story, in Genesis 11, when the people begin to build the huge Tower of Babel. God confused their language so they could no longer understand each other. At Pentecost, this Babel confusion is reversed.
5. Pentecost is the birthday of the Church. It marks the beginning of Christianity as a purposeful movement and a new community. When Peter preached immediately afterwards, around 3,000 people believed and were baptised.  
"Peter replied, 'Repent and be baptized. every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.'" ~Acts 2:38 "Those who accepted his message were baptized, and about three thousand were added to their number that day." ~ Acts 2:41 -