During our evening gathering on Sunday, we discussed the events of Pentecost recorded in Acts 2:1-41. As we reflect upon the significance of the “pouring out” of the Holy Spirit on that day, a key question to ask is this:
What exactly is “new” about the New Covenant?

There is much that can be said about the newness of the New Covenant. As we contrast life under the two covenants, people often focus on the various Old Covenant duties and restrictions that are no longer a part of the New Covenant, such as those associated with temple sacrifices, holy days, food laws, and circumcision.

One aspect of this that Jesus revealed to the woman at the well in John 4:21-24 was the fact that Old Covenant believers were required to live and worship in a particular place, but with the giving of the Spirit, New Covenant believers would be enabled to worship anywhere in the world. Israelites were called to be a light to the nations by virtue of being situated at the major thoroughfare between the great superpowers of the ancient world, but Christians are called to take the light of the gospel to the ends of the earth. The presence of the Holy Spirit with His people transforms their “come-and-see” mission into more of a “go-and-tell” mission.

Directly related to our global mission is the personal holiness of the new people of God. As we look at what the Old Testament prophets most anticipated about the New Covenant, the holiness imparted by the Holy Spirit is central (Ezek 36:26-27; Jer 31:31-34). The work of the Spirit that was foremost on the mind of Moses (Num 11:16-30) was the power to “prophesy” (i.e., to boldly proclaim God’s truth to others), and it was this aspect of the New Covenant that the prophet Joel focused on in Joel 2:28-32. By quoting from Joel at Pentecost, Peter indicates that the gift of speaking in tongues (i.e., declaring God’s mighty deeds in languages that others could understand) testifies to this primary purpose of the pouring out of the Spirit: to empower every believer to bear witness to Jesus (Acts 1:8). May this mark every member of every church in this age of the Holy Spirit!

Blessings in Christ,

Pastor Evan

See a related follow-up article here: "The People of God"