One of the glories of Pentecost is wine. When the Holy Spirit breaks out in the upper room, and the crowds gather together, their first inclination is to think a frat party has gotten out of control. Peter is quick to deny the accusation, but we should notice the fact that the Holy Spirit is not so concerned about the reputation of the disciples.
But the irony of Pentecost is that Wine is precisely what God had promised. When Peter stands up he quotes from Joel 2, but just prior to that God says: “Be glad then, you children of Zion, and rejoice in the Lord your God; For He has given you the former rain faithfully, and He will cause the rain to come down for you –the former rain, and the latter rain in the first month. The threshing floors will be full of wheat, and the vats will overflow with new wine… Then you shall know that I am the Lord your God, in your midst.”
Pentecost is the celebration of new wine. It is God’s victory dance, rejoicing over his Son, and pouring out all of his joy and vigor onto us. Before us now is bread and wine. You are about to eat and drink Christmas. You are about to eat and drink Good Friday. You are about to eat and drink Easter. You are eating and drinking the Ascension. This is Pentecost before you bread and wine, and you are what you eat. God is making you into a new family. Look around you. These are your mothers, your fathers, your sisters, and your brothers. This is mind blowing, this is insane, this is glorious. This is the work of the Holy Spirit. Therefore come in faith believing the promises of God.
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