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2025 Ascension Day and the Day of Pentecost
“Those Who Seek by Faith, Be Born Again by the Holy Spirit and Save the World”
On May 29, approximately 7,800 Churches of God worldwide held services to commemorate Ascension Day. On June 8, the Day of Pentecost was held around the globe.
Ascension Day commemorates the ascension of Jesus Christ, observed 40 days after Resurrection Day. After witnessing Jesus’ ascension, the early Church members gathered and devoted themselves to prayer. On the tenth day—Pentecost—they received the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit of the early rain marked a turning point in the spread of the New Covenant gospel beyond Israel to the world (Ac 1:6–15; 2:1–11).
Members of the Church of God all around the world took part in these successive festivals with the hope of receiving even greater blessings of the Holy Spirit than the early Church and delivering the joyful news of salvation to all humanity.
Ascension Day: The Holy Spirit Works Through Prayer
Forty days after the Exodus, Moses climbed Mount Sinai at God’s command, following the crossing of the Red Sea. This event foreshadowed Jesus’ ascension 40 days after His resurrection, affirming for New Testament saints the hope that they too would be resurrected and ascend like Jesus (Ex 19:1–6, 10–11; 24:15–16; 1 Th 4:16–18; Heb 9:14–15).
Heavenly Mother prayed that the hope and blessing of ascension, which Christ Himself exemplified, would be spread to Samaria and to the ends of the earth, bringing joy into the lives of all mankind. She prayed that Her children would pray with one heart, focus on God’s word, and unite in love in spreading the gospel. She hoped they would achieve the gospel work under the blessing of the Holy Spirit which is seven times greater than 2,000 years ago.
General Pastor Kim Joo-cheol explained the origin and meaning of Ascension Day from both the Old and New Testaments, emphasizing the power of prayer and faith. He recalled, “The members of the early Church devoted themselves to prayer according to Jesus’ command and received the Holy Spirit on Pentecost.” He continued, “Believe that if you pray, God will surely answer. Ask for the gifts of the Holy Spirit and, by the power of God, plant the hope of ascension in those living empty lives. If we strive with ceaseless prayer, God will fulfill our desire to preach the gospel to the 8 billion people in the world.” (Mt 7:7–11; Mk 9:23–29; 1 Th 5:15–18; Jas 1:5–6; Deut 4:7).
After the service, Heavenly Mother blessed the members by saying, “During the festivals, God answers our prayers with even greater blessings. So pray diligently, receive the abundant latter rain of the Holy Spirit, and fulfill all your wishes.” The members deeply engraved Mother’s words in their hearts and entered the Prayer Week with earnest devotion. Mother continually prayed day and night, setting a heartfelt example, longing for every prayer and desire of Her children to be answered by the Holy Spirit.
Day of Pentecost: Blessings of the Holy Spirit and the Passion for the Gospel
Around the world, members prepared for Pentecost with ten days of prayer both early in the morning and in the evening, fervently asking for the blessings of the Holy Spirit. In the Old Testament, Pentecost, also known as the Festival of Weeks, commemorated Moses ascending Mount Sinai to receive the first Ten Commandments 50 days after the crossing the Red Sea. In the New Testament, Jesus ascended 40 days after His resurrection, and on the 50th day, the early Church received the early rain of the Holy Spirit. The book of Acts records the explosive growth of the early Church following Pentecost, as thousands came to believe in Jesus as the Christ even in one day. (Ac 2:37–41; 4:1–4; 6:7; 19:20).
On this day, Heavenly Mother prayed that Her children would be clothed with the Holy Spirit of the latter rain, grow into mature faith, and soar like eagles to deliver the joyful news of salvation to all mankind. General Pastor Kim Joo-cheol said, “Even though it wasn’t easy to preach about Jesus to Jews who had worshipped Jehovah for thousands of years, the apostles boldly evangelized after receiving the Holy Spirit.” He added, “Today, countless people around the world are waiting to hear the news of salvation. God has given us the opportunity to save humanity. Let us preach about the Saviors of this age—the Spirit and the Bride—with fervent devotion” (Mt 28:18–20; Mk 16:15–16; 2 Ti 4:1–8; Rev 22:17–19).
Heavenly Mother once again encouraged the members, “Many people live weary lives without hope. Let us lead them with compassion to Zion, the place of salvation, and conduct a movement of the Holy Spirit to share the citizenship of heaven.”
Believing that all their prayers had been answered through the blessings of the Holy Spirit, the members resolved to spread the message of salvation, which is awaited by the world, with even greater strength and zeal.