Living Between Pentecost and Christ’s Return
There are certain moments in redemptive history that stand above all others.
Christmas announces the birth of Christ. Good Friday proclaims His sacrifice.
Easter celebrates His resurrection. Ascension Day declares His reign in heaven.
Pentecost reveals the coming of the Holy Spirit. Yet the church still waits for one final great day — the return of Jesus Christ in glory.
The sermon reminds us that we are living “between number five and number six.”
We live between Pentecost and the Second Coming. The Holy Spirit has already come, yet Christ has not yet returned. This places the church in a unique season of history: a season of witness, grace, urgency, and hope.
The Meaning of Pentecost
Pentecost was not an accidental event. It was the fulfillment of Christ’s promise.
Before ascending into heaven, Jesus told His disciples that the Father would send “another Helper” who would remain with them forever. Ten days after Christ ascended, that promise became reality.
Acts 2 describes the dramatic arrival of the Holy Spirit through three powerful signs: wind, fire, and tongues. These were not random details. Each sign revealed something important about the work of God among His people.
The Sound of Mighty Wind
The first sign was the sound of a mighty rushing wind. The disciples heard it filling the entire house where they were gathered. Yet interestingly, nothing was destroyed. No furniture shattered. No walls collapsed. The power was real, but it was not destructive.
Throughout Scripture, wind often symbolizes the invisible yet powerful work of the Spirit of God. Jesus Himself explained this to Nicodemus in John 3. The wind cannot be controlled or fully understood, yet its effects are undeniable. You cannot see the wind directly, but you see trees bending under its power.
The same is true of the Holy Spirit. We cannot physically see Him, yet we see transformed lives, softened hearts, repentance, faith, and spiritual awakening. Pentecost teaches that salvation is ultimately the work of God. No believer simply wakes up one day and independently decides to save himself. Faith itself is a gift produced by the Spirit.
This truth humbles us. Every Christian testimony is evidence that the Spirit of God has been blowing through a human heart.
Pentecost and the Harvest
The sermon also highlights the timing of Pentecost. In the Old Testament, Pentecost was connected to harvest celebrations. Israel gathered to thank God for providing grain, food, and earthly blessings.
Yet the New Testament reveals a greater harvest — the harvest of souls.
The Holy Spirit came not merely to create emotional experiences, but to gather people into the kingdom of God. Pentecost marks the beginning of the great gospel harvest that continues today. Every believer saved by grace is part of that harvest.
This perspective changes how Christians view conversion. Salvation is not merely personal improvement. It is God gathering people into His eternal kingdom through the power of the Spirit.
The Fire of God
The second sign was fire. Tongues of fire rested upon each believer present in the room. Again, this was symbolic and deeply theological.
In Scripture, fire often represents both purification and judgment. John the Baptist declared that Christ would baptize with the Holy Spirit and with fire. The sermon carefully reminds listeners that Jesus is both Savior and Judge.
Modern Christians often emphasize only the comforting aspects of Jesus — His mercy, forgiveness, and compassion. Those truths are glorious and central to the gospel. Yet Scripture also teaches that those who reject Christ remain under judgment.
This tension appears clearly in John 3. Christians love verses 16 and 17 because they proclaim God’s love and salvation. But the following verses warn that those who reject the Son remain condemned already.
Pentecost therefore contains both invitation and warning. The Holy Spirit comes to bring salvation, but also to confront the reality of sin and judgment. The gospel is not merely advice for better living; it is the announcement that eternal destinies are at stake.
Tongues and the Power of Witness
The third sign was tongues. The believers began speaking in languages understood by people from many nations gathered in Jerusalem. The miracle was astonishing because ordinary Galileans suddenly proclaimed the mighty works of God in foreign languages they had never learned.
This miracle reveals one of the central purposes of Pentecost: the spread of the gospel to the nations.
The Holy Spirit did not come merely to create private spiritual experiences. He came to empower witness. Jesus had already told His disciples in Acts 1:8:
“You will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses.”
At Pentecost, fearful disciples became bold proclaimers of Christ. The Spirit transformed ordinary believers into courageous witnesses.
This remains the calling of the church today.
The Church Between Number Five and Number Six
The sermon repeatedly returns to the idea that we are living between Pentecost and Christ’s return. This is a powerful framework for understanding the Christian life.
The church is not waiting passively. We are called to witness actively. The same Spirit who empowered the early believers continues to work today.
Christians often underestimate the significance of their own testimony. Yet every believer has a story of grace. Every Christian can speak about forgiveness, mercy, answered prayer, transformation, and hope in Christ.
The sermon wisely emphasizes that believers should not remain silent. The Spirit gives opportunities to speak about Christ in daily life. Sometimes this happens through formal evangelism, but often it occurs through ordinary conversations, acts of compassion, faithfulness during suffering, and honest testimony about what Jesus has done.
The church does not exist merely to preserve traditions or maintain institutions. The church exists to proclaim the mighty works of God until Christ returns.
The Urgency of the Gospel
Another important theme in the sermon is urgency. Pentecost reminds believers that history is moving toward a final conclusion. Christ will return. Every human being will stand before Him.
That reality gives urgency to Christian witness. The gospel is not a hobby or side interest. It is the message of eternal life.
At the same time, the sermon avoids fear-based manipulation. Instead, it points listeners back to grace. Salvation is found entirely in Jesus Christ. No one is saved by personal goodness, moral achievement, or religious performance. Believers stand only by grace through faith.
This creates both humility and confidence. Christians cannot boast in themselves, but they can boldly proclaim Christ because salvation belongs to Him.
A Personal Reflection
One of the strongest moments in the sermon comes near the end when listeners are challenged to reflect on their own story. Has Christ changed your life? Has the Spirit opened your eyes? Have you experienced forgiveness and mercy?
For many believers, the transformation may not have been dramatic outwardly, but the inward work is real. The Spirit convicts, comforts, teaches, and renews. Pentecost reminds Christians that faith itself is evidence of God’s gracious activity.
This should lead believers to gratitude. The Christian life is not sustained merely by human determination. The Spirit continues to strengthen, guide, and preserve God’s people.
Preparing for Number Six
The sermon closes with a simple but powerful application: the best preparation for Christ’s return is faithful witness today.
We do not know when “number six” will arrive. We do not know the day or hour of Christ’s return. But Pentecost teaches us how to live while we wait.
We wait with hope.
We wait with boldness.
We wait with the Spirit.
We wait as witnesses.
The same Holy Spirit who came with wind, fire, and tongues continues to work through the church today. Until Christ returns in glory, believers are called to proclaim His mighty works to the world.
And so the question remains for every Christian:
How will we use the opportunities the Spirit gives us to speak about Jesus Christ before number six arrives?
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