“O Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good: for his steadfast loves endures forever. Say also: ‘Save us, O God of our salvation, and gather and rescue us from among the nations, that we may give thanks to your holy name, and glory in your praise. Blessed be the LORD, the God of Israel, from everlasting to everlasting.’ Then all the people said ‘Amen!’ and praised the LORD.” 1 Chronicles 16:34-36

Yesterday, we celebrated Pentecost, we remembered the baptism of the Church of Jesus Christ which was born out of the Resurrection of Easter morning. The portion of the psalm above, written by King David is most appropriate for us (believers/followers of Christ) who have in the past few months: 1) journeyed through Lent looking deeply within themselves to discover, admit, confess, ask forgiveness and turn from all we found that separates us from the fullness of the potential of the possibilities available in life with Christ; 2) remembered the sacrifice of our Lord and Savior who was arrested, abused, beaten, suffered the humility of crucifixion and death on the cross, who was sealed in a tomb; 3) celebrated the resurrection of Christ who was not defeated by earthly death, who released the captives and ushered them into eternal life with the Father; 4) remembered the appearances Christ made in his resurrection body then ascended to the father telling his disciples to wait for the Holy Spirit; 5) we learned to pray while we wait, to ask for that which God promises and be expectant of the answer; and 6) we see the result – the promised baptism of the Spirit of God upon His church that empowers us as individuals and as the church to go and make disciples; to feed the hungry, clothe the naked, house the homeless, welcome the stranger, care for the sick and the dyeing, visit the prisoner; to gather together in fellowship, to pray, break bread, sing and worship together, to go here, there and everywhere in the name of Jesus Christ exhorting all to repent, be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ so that sins may be forgiven and the gift of the Holy Spirit may be received. It’s the day after Pentecost, am I in the streets? Or still in the Upper Room? Go – share the gift of grace with others, tell the story of Jesus in your life. Simply – before I met Jesus I was __; then I met Jesus; now I am _____. Go, make a difference in someone else’s life today!