Coach's Contemplations

Having just celebrated Pentecost, there is one detail in the story that always stands out to me. Beyond the Holy Spirit filling the disciples with boldness of faith God uses the ordinary build His church.
 
 5Now there were staying in Jerusalem God-fearing Jews from every nation under heaven. … 7Utterly amazed, they asked: "Are not all these men who are speaking Galileans? 8Then how is it that each of us hears them in his own native language? 9Parthians, Medes and Elamites; residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, 10Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya near Cyrene; visitors from Rome 11(both Jews and converts to Judaism); Cretans and Arabs--we hear them declaring the wonders of God in our own tongues!"
 
The Holy Spirit moved the disciple to proclaim the salvation given through Jesus’ death and resurrection, but it also created faith in those visitors who heard the disciples. They then returned to their homes and the Holy Spirit led them to share their faith with their families, friends and neighbors. Most scholars believe this is how the church in Rome came into being. It was not planted by Paul or the other apostles, but by lay people who had heard the message of Jesus and believed. We later see the same thing happen when the Christians in Jerusalem are persecuted. They move to new countries and plant churches in their new home towns.
 
The Holy Spirit uses ordinary people to build and strengthen the church. He uses each of us to touch the lives and hearts of the people of our community. Showing them the love of Jesus and telling them of His Grace and Forgiveness. The Holy Spirit goes with those words and actions and gives faith to those who hear. Many of those people did not plan to be missionaries they fled for their lives and God used them along the way. Likewise God uses us. May, the Holy Spirit use each of us as his witnesses.