That first Pentecost was a grand and glorious day. It was a new beginning. On that special day, God's people were reborn through the outpouring of the Holy Spirit. It was an extraordinary event.

As Luke's Gospel reports it, all kinds of marvelous things took place on that day. As Jesus' disciples were all gathered in one place, there was first the sound of a mighty wind; then tongues of fire appeared and rested on each one of them. They were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in all kinds of languages, yet somehow they were all able to understand one another. More astounding than all this, was that barriers that had long existed between people of different nationalities were broken down that first Pentecost. Think of it, three thousand souls were added to the church that d…