It Happened in That Upper Room
PENTECOST
The Day the Church Was Born
There is a building in Jerusalem which stands on the traditional site of the home where some believe the famous “Upper Room” was located. I have stood in a room which was believed to be similar to that Upper Room (see photo) three times on tours of the Holy Land.
This room, a kind of headquarters for Jesus and his followers, was upstairs in the home of Mary, the mother of John Mark (also known as Mark the Evangelist).
Tradition holds that this room also served as a gathering place for early Christians. This was the same room where Jesus shared his Last Supper with the disciples, the same room where the grief-stricken men huddled in fear following the crucifixion, and the same room where they were meeting 50 days later, trying to get organized in the wake of such life-altering events.
That’s when the Spirit swept through their hearts and minds like wind and fire and it became crystal clear what their message, mission, and new direction must be. This is the day the church was born!–Pentecost. Since that time, pilgrims have returned to this room again and again in remembrance of all that transpired in that sacred space.
But we don’t have to travel to Jerusalem to experience the presence and power of the Spirit in an Upper Room. You can take 14 steps up (or a short elevator ride) into our historic sanctuary–another upstairs room which has become holy ground to so many of us!
That’s where we will be celebrating the birthday of the church this Sunday! Happy Pentecost! I hope to see you there!
(Wear something RED!)
Grace and Peace,
Callie
