My ancestors were present on the day of Pentecost
As the church across the world looks forward to celebrating Pentecost, long-standing Embrace partner, and friend, Simon Azazian explains why the feast of Pentecost calls him personally to continue the mission of the early church in Jerusalem.
Almost every time I encounter a group from the West, and I introduce myself as “Palestinian Christian”, the following questions would instantly arise: “So when did you become a Christian?”
This misconception - that there are no Palestinian Christians or that all Palestinians are Muslims - keeps having a toll on me time and time again. Yet, in all of this, I figured out the best answer to this question; I would go on replying: “On the day of Pentecost, my ancestors were present in the Upper Room. During that week, they witnessed two amazing historical supernatural events: the first was Jesus giving them the great commission and ascending through the clouds up to heaven, and the second was the Holy Spirit descending down on them in tongues of fire”!
This usually comes as a big shock to the one asking the question, “When did you become a Christians?” They instantly become introduced to a new reality or section of history that they missed out on, because of the current political complications in this part of the world, whereby the image of Palestinian has to somehow be connected to terrorism. Yet almost every time, they would come to me after the meeting, and with tears they would ask for forgiveness, saying that they are sorry, they didn’t know of our story, as they have too been blinded by the ugly politics. We, Christian Palestinians, are known as the forgotten faithful.
Personally, I see that Ascension and Pentecost are so tied together; the Lord's ascent to heaven and His sitting in glory at the right hand of God the Father, gives me great joy because the Lord has established for us a place; as He invites us to share the glory of the Kingdom of Heaven. During this season we need to remember our true calling: “To be on a permanent march towards the Kingdom”, realizing that our struggle on this earth will soon be over. The Ascension of the Lord is a call to hope, and as we hope on this earth what has already been attended to us by the Lord Jesus, we live on this earth waiting for the hour of encounter, the hour of meeting the face of the beloved Lord; then, only then will man reach the full understanding of his existence and live true happiness.
Yet, as we see the disciples witnessing this ascension and realizing the beauty of what awaits them in heaven, they are still afraid. They go back to the upper room, and they wait for the promised strength; the strength that we all need in order to continue on with our journey in this world - as we are not of this world, but in it! Once the strength comes, they can proceed with the expansion of the kingdom, and we too can also part-take in that, because we have that same powerful “Holy Spirit” strength, and it is available for us every day.
Pentecost for me as a Palestinian Christian is the cornerstone of the founding of the Church; it is an integral part of Christ's work and the completion of His promises bringing all nations together. Allow me to share this thought with you; when man decided to build the Tower of Babylon, man worked against God to build and challenged His authority, so God gave man different languages which caused chaos and division. However, in Pentecost, while many where present in the upper room, God gave new languages, and then he brought peace and unity, as He cancelled discrimination, race, colour and brought together nations as brothers and sisters, and returned creation to the state it was from the beginning! When God created the world and wanted people to live with fraternity, cooperation, mutual services and sacrifices solely out of love, not out of personal benefits – in Pentecost, God gave man different languages, so that they can all partake in the expansion of His Kingdom.
My ancestors received the Holy Spirit in the upper room almost 2000 years ago. Today, my role is to continue what they started: preserve the kingdom of heaven by being Salt and Light. To be Light, because there is so much darkness around me. To be Salt, because not only does it give a good flavour, but because Salt preserves, and this is what we are doing, preserving the Kingdom of Heaven in Jerusalem since the day of Pentecost.