George, a friend of mine in times past, with a distinctive manner of speaking, often caused his friends mirth by the way he frequently and in his own way repeated the word "reepercushions". Now no more than an amusing memory, it happens to suit our purpose as we think of the church after Pentecost, and notice its repercussions on the world.
When the Lord came to earth He believed there would be wonderful repercussions resulting from His mission: "God so loved the world . . . that whosoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life." The account of the Holy Spirit of Jesus giving glorious life to His Church at Jerusalem on the Day of Pentecost tells of the striking, impressive and disturbing repercussions that followed. It is worth reading it carefully. "When the actual Day of Pentecost came they were all assembled together. Suddenly there was a sound from heaven like the rushing of a violent wind, and it filled the whole house where they were seated. Before their eyes appeared tongues like flames, which separated off and settled above the head of each one of them. They were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in different languages as the Spirit gave them power to proclaim His message."
By dwelling on the repercussions of Pentecost we rule out any silly idea of it being only a one-day event. By giving time, serious thought and prayer to it, by a willingness to allow its message to sink in, a paltry existence can be transformed into a life fulfilment.
The call from a chairman of a church synod to pray for "the disturbance of the Holy Spirit" acknowledges that He is very much alive and ready to disturb, to influence church life in His way. God's Holy Spirit cannot have changed one iota through the centuries and therefore is the same power alive and available today. That "the same power is alive and available today", alive and "kicking", is a powerful repercussion - a reaction after Pentecost.
It is a pity that so often the penny doesn't appear to have dropped, and Pentecost is not detonated afresh by prayer. St Paul, in his Epistle to the Galatians (Chapter 4 vv 19 - 23), deals with it by comparing the evil in the world with what Christ has done, is doing, and continues to do, by coming into the world Himself. No doubt we are weary of lists of evils in the world, but his list of what Christ gives through Pentecost will make the mouths of all true visionaries water with real hope:
"Love, Joy, Peace, Long-suffering, Gentleness, Goodness, Faith, Meekness and Temperance."
Just imagine what a difference it would make! What a big repercussion! W.W.