For many believers, Pentecost brings to mind the dramatic scene in Acts 2—the rushing wind, tongues of fire, and the disciples filled with the Holy Spirit. But as Rabbi Schneider reveals in his powerful teaching, the roots of this day run far deeper—and its true meaning is even more intimate.
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“Virtually all of us are familiar with the term Pentecost,” Schneider says, “but how many of us are familiar with the title of that holy day from the Hebrew Bible, which is Shavuot?” Known in the Old Testament as the Feast of Weeks, Shavuot originally celebrated the wheat harvest and the offering of first fruits to the Lord. “Israel every year… would present the first fruit of that harvest to the Lord. And in doing so, they were acknowledging that it was God that was blessing them.”
But this feast carries another, more profound layer. According to Jewish tradition, it was also on Shavuot that God revealed Himself at Mount Sinai, thundering His voice to an entire nation. “Approximately three million Jews who were alive at the time heard His voice and saw His glory,” Schneider shares. This moment marked a covenant encounter between God and His people.
Fast forward 1,500 years, and the disciples were once again gathered—celebrating Shavuot. They weren’t anticipating the extraordinary. “They had been doing the same thing every year… already celebrating by the time we get to Acts 2, for 1,500 years.” But something changed that day. “The Lord didn’t speak to His people as He did on Mount Sinai… from a faraway place… But in Acts 2, the Lord went beyond speaking from the heavens to come inside and inhabit the human soul.”
This shift—from God speaking externally to dwelling internally—is the heartbeat of Pentecost’s power. “If you love Jesus, He lives in you. This is the mystery of the gospel. Christ in you, the hope of glory,” Schneider declares.
Rather than chasing signs or external manifestations, Rabbi Schneider urges believers to recognize the Spirit within. “He’s closer to you than your next heartbeat. He’s closer to you than your own breath.” The real challenge, he says, is to stop searching “out there” and to realize that “God is not so far away… He’s in your heart.”
To access this reality, Schneider emphasizes the need for spiritual discipline. “We relate to the world through our senses… But we need to stop looking outside, and we need to… turn our focus inside where Christ is.” He encourages taking time each day to sit before the Lord, even if just for 15 minutes. “Don’t even talk to your spouse first. Don’t talk to your kids first. Give the Lord the first 15 minutes of your morning.”
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Ultimately, Pentecost isn’t just a historical event or a spectacular outpouring. It’s an invitation to live from the inside out—led by the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit.
Abby Trivett is content development editor for Charisma Media.
