This Sunday is Pentecost Sunday.  In it we remember God’s sending the Holy Spirit.  John the Baptist prophesied, “I baptize you with water for repentance. But after me will come one who is more powerful than I, whose sandals I am not fit to carry.  He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire.”  (Matthew  3:11)  The Spirit, God’s great gift of His presence to the church, was given during a harvest celebration.  The firstfruits of the coming harvest were brought and offered during the Pentecost celebration.  Firstfruits for the church extend beyond the harvest of the produce of the land.  We see in Acts the firstfruits of the harvest of the people of the land.  Acts 2:41 reads:  Those who accepted his message were baptized, and about three thousand were added to their number that day.  God’s church has grown and continues to grow today and some day it will become a countless number from every nation and tribe, people and language.  Another firstfruit of the Spirit is described in Romans  8:15 - For you did not receive a spirit that makes you a slave again to fear, but you received the Spirit of sonship.  And by him we cry, “Abba, Father.”  The indwelling Spirit that we have received is the firstfruit of an even more intimate relationship that we will one day share with Jesus when we see Him face to face.