Pentecost, the Church's Birthday

We all grew up celebrating birthdays (or at least most of us did), our own, those of our friends, then our children's, parents, grandparents, you name it.  Facebook even reminds us when someone we've "friended" has a birthday coming up.  The Body of Christ, also called in God's Word, "the Bride of Christ," which is the Church, composed of all believers from 31/32AD to the 2nd coming of Christ, has a birthday.  And most of us pay it little mind.  This birthday is probably the most important of birthdays, and it is recorded in the Bible, with its date and all.  Even God did not allow us to know the actual date of Jesus Christ's birthday (and if you think it was December 25th, you're sadly misinformed, that wasn't it).  Where Jesus never highlighted the actual date of his own birth, he certainly did highlight the birthday of his future Bride (cf. Acts 2:1-4; Revelation 19:7-9).  When is this birthday of the Bride of Christ, the Church, the Body of Christ?  It is on the day of Pentecost, and this year the birthday of the Church, the Body of Christ, is coming up on the 19th of May this year (2013).

For some related articles that delve into the symbolic and prophetic meaning behind this Holy Day God gave the Israelites as well as the Church to observe, see:

http://www.unityinchrist.com/messianicmovement/Feast%20of%20Weeks.htm

For two links detailing the birth of the early Church, see:

http://www.unityinchrist.com/history2/index4.htm

http://www.unityinchrist.com/history2/index3.htm

Finally, what is Jesus Christ's desire for his Body of Believers in these end-times we find ourselves living in?  See:

http://www.unityinchrist.com/prophets/Zephaniah/Zephaniah1.htm (and scroll to Zephaniah 2:1-2)

Pentecost 2012

Pentecost 2012 is here, 27th May 2012.   What does Pentecost, Shevuot mean, what is it's symbolic meaning?  See:

http://www.unityinchrist.com/messianicmovement/Feast%20of%20Weeks.htm

Also a new article about congregational or house-church prayer-groups has been added to the Worldwide Church of God section.  If you're part of a Sabbath-keeping Church of God, be sure to check it out.  I proto-typed one of these in a tiny Sabbath-keeping house-church, with astounding results.  It's based on Jesus' words in Matthew 18:19-20.

http://www.unityinchrist.com/wwcofg/Prayer-groupGuidelines.htm

Passover/Spring Holy Days

Passover/Spring Holy Days,

a time for some review,

a time for some new material

The Passover will be here really soon, Passover day falling on the 6th of April this year, starting at sundown on the evening of the 5th April. Some good old standby's for articles are the ones on the The Exodus From Egypt and The Last Six Days of Jesus Christ, and of course, the old faithful article about Leaven. You can access them by clicking on:

http://www.unityinchrist.com/lamb/exodus1.htm

http://www.unityinchrist.com/lamb/lastsix.htm

http://www.unityinchrist.com/messianicmovement/Leaven.htm

For all the various (375 of them) Sabbath-keeping Churches of God whose parent church was the Worldwide Church of God, the Worldwide Church of God section has been expanding. And the articles now included in it are very Passover appropriate. One four-part series is on the vital subject of Agape, and how with God's Holy Spirit, we're supposed to develop this godly love within us, or else our Christianity is hollow, empty. The other one, hot off the keyboard, is an article which concerns each and every one of us Sabbath-observing Church of God Christians. It is an article proving the Sabbath Commandment has not been abrogated. That one should interest all of you. But be careful, like the Word of God it is based upon, it cuts both ways, like the double-edge sword God's Word is. As such, at least for now, it is not aimed at Sunday-observers, although you folk can feel free to read it too. Go to these two links at:

http://www.unityinchrist.com/Agape/Agape%20I.htm

http://www.unityinchrist.com/wwcofg/Has%20the%20Sabbath%20Been%20Abrogated.htm

The core of what it means to be a Christian is in the article to be found in the first link, the one about Agape. The Sabbath not being abrogated issue is covered in the second link. Both are kind of hot potatoes for us, as time grows shorter to the Lord's coming, and we need to be taking these things (i.e. our Christianity) seriously. Have a good Passover and Days of Unleavened Bread everybody.