Pentecost: a response story

Introduction

The aim is to link up the Pentecost story to Jesus’ last days and to emphasise the ‘awe and wonder’ of the events in Acts 2.

Preparation

Be enthusiastic as you tell it! Try to experience and communicate the wow! factor of this weird – but wonderful day.

Development

Have you ever thought what weird but wonderful things God does for us? I need reminding that what he does is not only weird but wonderful too. So can you remind me? In this story, every time I say ‘Weird’, can you say ‘But wonderful’? I think that would be really weird but wonderful. You’re right!

What a weird – but wonderful time it was! We’d followed Jesus and seen him do things that were weird – but wonderful. We’d watched him get arrested and die on the cross. Then there was that weird – but wonderfull Sunday when he came back to life! After a picnic on the beach which was weird – but wonderful, Jesus took us up a hill outside the city here, and he said good-bye, promising he would be with us always – what a weird – but wonderful thing to say when he just ‘ disappeared!

So we kept meeting together to try to work out what weird – but wonderful thing was going to happen next. And about a week after Jesus had left us, something weird – but wonderful did happen!

We were all in a room in Jerusalem, when suddenly there was this weird – but wonderful noise, like a rushing wind. It was coming from heaven, and the noise filled the whole house. Filled each of us up too – it was like we were floppy balloons being filled with air! Weird – but wonderful!

And then we saw with our own eyes what looked like flames resting on each one of us. Weird – but wonderful.

And we were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and we started speaking in languages we didn’t know we could speak. Weird – but wonderful.

And people from different countries in the street heard us and were amazed that they could understand what we were saying. Some said we were drunk. Others said Weird – but wonderful.

Then Peter got up and told everyone that this was God’s Holy Spirit at work, helping us all to have Jesus alive in us. And the crowds believed him. And do you know, about three thousand people became Christians that very day and the church was born. And the same Holy Spirit helps us to have Jesus alive in us today! Weird – but wonderful.

Yes, you’re absolutely right!