They had come up against the two most powerful authorities of their day in their world. Why, then, does Luke include these verses? God's Word and Spirit give us power to overcome and to change to accomplish the work of God. The same Jesus who's been taken up will come in a like manner as you saw Him go into heaven." They left the selection of these leaders to the people, but they did set the qualifications. They have two sons, who are both married, and four grandchildren. 30 He is the reason you have a relationship with Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God, and righteousness and sanctification and redemption, 31 so that, as it is written, Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord (1 Corinthians 1:26-31). "And all who believed were together and they had all things in common. 2 While they were serving the Lord and fasting,the Holy Spirit said, Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them. 3 Then, after they had fasted and prayed and placed their hands on them, they sent them off. Pentecost is a Christian holy day that celebrates the coming of the Holy Spirit 50 days after Easter. They gave him a piece of broiled fish and honey comb, He takes it and he sits down and eats in their presence. Articles that are published in our magazine or scripting for our television programs goes through a very, very thorough review process. And Peter thence begins to quote Scripture. And had they seen anything near that type of an ecstatic demonstration, it might have been in a form by someone doing something by their form of religion that they didn't identify with. This page is best viewed in an up-to-date web browser with style sheets (CSS) enabled. A firstfruit is one who follows Christ. We can internalize that and think that through. He made it clear that the Holy Spirit played a key role in their appointment. And continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they ate their food with gladness and simplicity of heart, praising God and having favor with all the people, and the Lord added to the church daily those who were being saved.". At the end of the 40 days, Jesus was taken up into heaven. Anyone anywhere in the world with an Internet connection will be able to use and print out the NET Bible without cost for personal study. And therein, lies a key to the understanding of what had taken place with these individuals here. First, I note the wording of the first part of verse 13: When they had entered Jerusalem, they went to the upstairs roomwhere they were staying(Acts 1:13a, emphasis mine). We will handle them by the Word of God and the Spirit of God. Church services on this day are marked by red robes and banners signifying the fiery winds of the Holy Spirit. Some Christian denominations consider it the birthday of the Christian church and celebrate it as such. Having said this, our Lord ascended into heaven. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age (Matthew 28:18-20, emphasis mine). Its commencement is found in the Gospels. In his last face-to-face meeting with the Ephesian elders, Paul spoke to them about their responsibilities as shepherds. Long before modern advertising, the Bible had its own versions of "before" and "after." 3 To the same apostles also, after his suffering, he presented himself alive with many convincing proofs. 3 And tongues spreading out like a fire appeared to them and came to rest on each one of them. 13 When they had entered Jerusalem, they went to the upstairs room where they were staying. Please consider upgrading your browser software or enabling style sheets (CSS) if you are able to do so. Our Lords last words sum up the focus of the first 11 verses of Acts: They are to be His witnesses, beginning in Jerusalem and ending in the remotest part(s) of the earth. Number one was the Roman Empire. The publication of this material is a grace ministry of Community Bible Chapel. We give ourselves to that devotion, to that devoted study and the process of taking on the nature of God. It is a remarkable period of church history, because right here we have a vision being fulfilled that Jesus Christ has for His Church. That's been the hallmark of our feature. At the end of John, you remember, John says, there were so many other things that He did in his life and no doubt probably part of that 40-day period that it would take volumes to teach it, and to record it during this period. Long before modern advertising, the Bible had its own versions of before and after. In Genesis, we have a picture of man before the fall and after. In the Book of Judges, we have Gideon as a fearful and reticent man (before), and then we have Gideon after as the brave warrior. These are the ones who follow the Lamb wherever He goes. Ascension, in Christian belief, the ascent of Jesus Christ into heaven on the 40th day after his Resurrection (Easter being reckoned as the first day). They determined that others needed to be appointed to oversee this ministry. But some doubted." The empty tomb and the absence of a body is further evidence of our Lords resurrection, and to this the Holy Spirit will bear witness. Furthermore, He no longer comes and goes but rather remains permanently. There was doubt. 14 All these continued together in prayer with one mind, together with the women, along with Mary the mother of Jesus, and his brothers (Acts 1:12-14). The NEW ENGLISH TRANSLATION, also known as THE NET BIBLE, is a completely new translation of the Bible, not a revision or an update of a previous English version. The religious leaders were quick to take note of the limitations of the apostles, and yet had to reluctantly acknowledge something powerful about their ministry: 13 When they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and discovered that they were uneducated and ordinary men, they were amazed and recognized these men had been with Jesus. 4 While he was with them, he declared, Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait there for what my Father promised, which you heard about from me. We can deal with them. It's an informed sermon. And when those come in, how do we process them? Based upon Pauls words in Ephesians 3, I am inclined to assume what a portion of this conversation may have been: 4 When reading this, you will be able to understand my insight into this secret of Christ. He spent days and days, and weeks and weeks doing that, bringing new dimension of understanding to the Scriptures that they had never had. The second power that they'd run up against was that of the Jewish authorities. In the midst of all of the gnats, let us not miss the camel of this text, namely that the Holy Spirit was soon (not many days from now, verse 5) to come upon them, empowering them to carry out the Great Commission. He went on to show that, "It's not for you to know the times or the seasons, which the Father has put in His own authority, but you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you. 15 In those days Peter stood up among the believers (a gathering of about one hundred and twenty people) and said, 16 Brothers, the scripture had to be fulfilled that the Holy Spirit foretold through David concerning Judaswho became the guide for those who arrested Jesus 17 for he was counted as one of us and received a share in this ministry. 18 (Now this man Judas acquired a field with the reward of his unjust deed, and falling headfirst he burst open in the middle and all his intestines gushed out. Only Paul matches Luke in the proofs he supplies for the resurrection: 3 For I passed on to you as of first importance what I also receivedthat Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures, 4 and that he was buried, and that he was raised on the third day according to the scriptures, 5 and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve. And there wasn't a Jew in Jerusalem, not a rabbi, not a priest who'd ever understood Joel or the Psalms in that way, nor would they have ever dreamed of applying it to what had happened just weeks earlier, with the arrest, crucifixion, and death of this Man called Jesus of Nazareth. And let's look at it beginning in verse 36, this is after His resurrection, "As they said these things," this is the two that He had appeared to on the road to Emmaus, "Jesus himself stood in the midst of them and said to them, 'Peace to you.' 2Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are from the NET Bible. (2 Corinthians 3:4-11). What was on their mind? All the gods of doubtand I say gods with a little g, because doubt, and guilt, and fear can really separate us from Godthe gods of doubt, and fear, and unbelief have all been shredded by Jesus Christ. in 1971. That's what this day is all about as a firstfruit. The ministry of the Holy Spirit does not commence in Acts, it continues in Acts. You know, before we ever get to that rushing wind that came in, it's good to think about this question, because it has a direct application to you and I today. He now consistently refers to them asapostles.The termdiscipleis now employed when reference is made to new believers in Acts. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. But they saw Him for a period of time, and that's how I like to imagine it. It is celebrated on the Sunday 50 days after Easter (the name comes from the Greek pentekoste, "fiftieth"). He seals us in Christproof of the promise that we are forever in God's presence ( Ephesians 1:13-14 ). 14 And because they saw the man who had been healed standing with them, they had nothing to say against this (Acts 4:13-14). I am inclined to think that verses 12-14 are an apt description of the apostles activity during the entire 50-day period preceding Pentecost. Their disbelief would extend not only to the idea that the dead could come back to life, as He did, but then they doubted the truth of these witnesses. Simply because there were 10 days of waiting, watching, and praying before Something Big happened to the church. In verses 12-14, Luke tells us what the apostles were doing while they waited. Trials hit us that will shake our faith, test our faith. "And fear came upon every soul," and this was a different type of fear. They need to see within us, Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ was born to be a King, and He will return as the King of Kings in the Kingdom of God. And then it came to an end, it came to a close. That's the famous road to Emmaus experienced from the book of Luke, "and they went and told it to the rest, but they did not believe them either." As the story goes in Acts, just before his departure, Jesus reiterates to his disciples that they should wait for the Spirit. 8 And when he comes, he will prove the world wrong concerning sin and righteousness and judgment 9 concerning sin, because they do not believe in me; 10 concerning righteousness, because I am going to the Father and you will see me no longer; 11 and concerning judgment, because the ruler of this world has been condemned (John 16:7-11, emphasis mine). Somewhere along the line, the apostles were enlightened by our Lord concerning the mystery of the church. And then this dramatic miracle takes place, festive occasion. There they encountered the proconsul, Sergius Paulus. The Holy Spirit will come upon you shortly to empower you to carry out this task, so wait in Jerusalem until you receive this power.. The. From this point on, with very few exceptions (Acts 14:14; 15:12, 25), it was always Paul and Barnabas, or Paul and Silas, orPaul and his companions.It was evidence of the Spirits working through Paul that seems to have triggered this exchange in roles of Paul and Barnabas. The apostles stayed in Jerusalem, as instructed, and they devoted themselves to prayer, along with those who were closely associated with Jesus in His earthly ministry. And you have to understand that and realize that, that's what they were doing during that period of time as well. He explained Pentecost to the people of Jerusalem. Pentecost, also called Whitsunday, (Pentecost from Greek pentecost, "50th day"), major festival in the Christian church, celebrated on the Sunday that falls on the 50th day of Easter. When you read what Peter said about these prophecies from Joel and the Psalmstrust me, folks, Peter's sermon would not have passed doctrinal review by the Jewish doctrinal committee of that day. Pentecost starts in a locked room with believers waiting. They might have fidgeted a bit and wondered, "Well, should we go fishing?" The Bible teaches the following concerning how the Holy Spirit was involved with the formation and the functioning of the church. Luke begins by informing his readers that the Book of Acts is the second volume of his account of the life and ministry of Jesus. On the Day of Pentecost prophecy was fulfilled. In verse 14, it says, "Then later He appeared to the eleven as they sat at the table and He rebuked them, rebuked their unbelief and hardness of heart because they did not believe those who had seen Him after He had risen." 8We do, however, find a reference tothe twelvein both Acts 6:2 and 1 Corinthians 15:5. As we came here this morning, to services, and as we gathered here this morning ourselves, there is a very important lesson for us to learn as well. Up until this point, Paul (known as Saul until now) was clearly Barnabas assistant. He enjoys hunting, travel and reading and spending time with his grandchildren. When the apostles3press Jesus to tell them the time when the kingdom of God will be established, Jesus graciously refuses by informing them that this information is outside their authority there is no need to know so far as they are concerned. So Jesus had to rebuke them. Every generation of God's people have done that. In times past, though I have not seen this as much lately, we saw the before and after of advertising for weight gain. But isnt Pentecost and the coming of the Holy Spirit really a matter of authority, a legitimate matter of authority? What I would like to underscore is the role of the Holy Spirit in our Lords giving of the Great Commission. Then follows a marvelous after photo, which displays a beautiful person, so different from the before photo. It was completed by more than twenty biblical scholars who worked directly from the best currently available Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek texts. Pentecost is the festival when Christians celebrate the gift of the Holy Spirit. Second, we learn that the Great Commission, which our Lord commanded His apostles, was given through the Holy Spirit (1:2). Let us give thought to the way Luke prepares us for what is yet to come. Ben Hadad, the king of Syria, was threatening war against Israel and its King, Ahab. They had not been a part of anything like that before. Barnabas and Saul arrived at the island of Cyprus and had traveled as far as Paphos. In 2 Peter chapter 1, 2 Peter chapter 1, Peter writes, "Grace and peace be multiplied to you and the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord. It was originally an agricultural festival, marking the beginning of the wheat harvest. Pentecost is a special day for any Christian, but it is emphasised particularly by Pentecostal churches. I must tell you that the most problematic passage in Acts 1 is the final paragraph which describes the selection of Matthias as the twelfth apostle. Maybe a few more decided to go to Jerusalem on Pentecost to see what was going on, and the town was bursting at the seams, and from all these nations that we're told about here and areas. And it just caused them to proverbially tear their clothes and rush at them and ultimately to the point of Stephen and they stoned him. This is the dimension that was given on Pentecost, and what this day is all about for those of us who are the firstfruits. We should also observe that among this group were the brothers of our Lord (Acts 1:14). So, let's continue our Book of Acts Bible Study. Not only the wording of verse 13, but also what we know of these 40 days, suggests that this is where the apostles had been staying since our Lords death. We can accomplish the work of God, and we can then be the firstfruits who follow the Lamb and who know their God and do mighty deeds and mighty exploits. And so they didn't really think about that, and yet all of a sudden it came upon them. And of course, one of the most dramatic scenes in all the Bible occurred with the descent of the Holy Spirit upon the gathered disciples, and the speaking in tongues, and a mighty rushing wind that we find it hard to imagine what it was like, because it's not part of our custom to try to pray that down today like some other denominations and religious forms do. Acts 1 is the before section of this great book. 5 For John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now. 6 So when they had gathered together, they began to ask him, Lord, is this the time when you are restoring the kingdom to Israel? 7 He told them, You are not permitted to know the times or periods that the Father has set by his own authority. When you look and you understand what was taking place, here are people who've been terrified, they had been doubtful, unbelieving to one degree or the other during this previous 50-day period. That is the vision that Jesus has for His Church as articulated by the apostle Paul in Ephesians 4:16, and they had it at this moment. Show us which one of these two you have chosen 25 to assume the task of this service and apostleship from which Judas turned aside to go to his own place. 26 Then they cast lots for them, and the one chosen was Matthias; so he was counted with the eleven apostles (Acts 1:15-26). But on that 50th day, from the morning after Christ's resurrection, a lot had happened. This was just three and a half years, and in really a few weeks, seven weeks and a day of intense thought, emotion, that they had to grapple with and deal with as they came into the presence of one another on the morning of Pentecost. No lots were cast here, nor did they need to be. I remember taking my little bag and walking over and kind of looking around, and sitting down on a bench. But let's go back, let's look at a few of these scriptures in a little bit more detail and see exactly what had been taking place among the disciples during this period of time, that brought them to that morning of Pentecost. To seek this knowledge is to go outside the boundaries of their authority.4. Consider these elements: First we find the doctrine of the Trinityin the first chapter, which speaks of the Father (1:4), the Son (1:4, etc. It was a mighty, powerful machine, the most powerful that the world in that day had ever seen. And there was fear of the unknown, of what was going to take place, fear of the future. I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. When I was 15 years old, I got on a bus from my little hometown of Cape Girardeau, Missouri. 11 Now look, the hand of the Lord is against you, and you will be blind, unable to see the sun for a time! Immediately mistiness and darkness came over him, and he went around seeking people to lead him by the hand. 1. Before the church could begin Jesus had to die, rise again, and then ascend into heaven. In days gone by, I have sided with those who found the selection of Matthias as an example of fleshly action hastily taken. ), and the Holy Spirit (1:2, 5, 8, 16). It is the day, 40 days after the Resurrection, when Jesus returns to his Father. This should also be our focus before Pentecost and before Jesus Christ's return. Pentecost is the festival when Christians celebrate the gift of the Holy Spirit. It's the fourth of the spring feasts that marked the end of the barley harvest and the start of the wheat harvest (usually around June). 7 But if the ministry that produced deathcarved in letters on stone tabletscame with glory, so that the Israelites could not keep their eyes fixed on the face of Moses because of the glory of his face (a glory which was made ineffective), 8 how much more glorious will the ministry of the Spirit be? Now it has become popular to carry this theme over to homes, where pitiful or plain houses are transformed into palatial homes. Today's Scripture reference comes mainly from Acts 2:12-21. That is what we shall seek to discover in our study. 11 For if what was made ineffective came with glory, how much more has what remains come in glory! Third, Luke makes it emphatically clear that the power to carry out the Great Commission is the power that the Holy Spirit will bestow (1:4-5, 8). What is Pentecost? Let's go into Luke's account. Jesus' followers were all together when a sound like the blowing of a mighty wind came from heaven and filled the place where they were staying. He boasted of his victory over Israel, and we read, The king of Israel replied, Tell him the one who puts on his battle gear should not boast like one who is taking it off (1 Kings 20:11).2, The point is that one should not boast before his victory, but should wait until after. The elixir, the antidote to our faith, to every one of our problems, if we could see a miracle; and we like signs, but miracles, well, they're a little harder to come up with. Go, therefore, make disciples of nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded, and lo, I am with you, always, even to the end of the age.'" Before Pentecost: What Were They Thinking. There is additional evidence that our Lord spoke to the apostles about the mystery of the church during these 40 days. The Feast of the Ascension ranks with Christmas, Easter, and Pentecost in the universality of its observance among Christians. He said He wouldn't and He didn't, even though there was a moment in time when they thought that they were orphaned, as they stood gazing up and looking and wondering, "What do we do next. Our sins will find us out. The betrayal of our Lord was no accident, and it did not catch God off guard. Even though they had seen miracles, again, another indication to us always to remember that miracles are important, miracles can be faith-builders, but miracles by themselves will not do it all. The reason is that Luke ceases to use the termdisciplesto refer to the eleven or twelve in the Book of Acts. It is also called Whitsun, but does not necessarily coincide with the Whitsun Bank Holiday in the UK. Acts 2:17-18 KJV [17 . Bold, Men and brethren, he begins to explain what's happened. They'd likely not seen it. 12 Then they returned to Jerusalem from the mountain called the Mount of Olives (which is near Jerusalem, a Sabbath days journey away).
