Acts 1:8 is the vital point about Pentecost. Would it make any difference for our lives today if we knew the answer? Read the Bible, discover plans, and seek God every day. Bold, Men and brethren, he begins to explain what's happened. As I got up this morning, prepared to come over here, go through the day, same things that will be in my mind tomorrow, and next Thursday, and a month from today. How Believers Experienced the Spirit Before Pentecost, John Piper is founder and teacher of desiringGod.org and chancellor of Bethlehem College & Seminary. Did they doubt themselves? Of course, on the day that He died there had been an earthquake, the sun had turned to dark at midday, people had come out of their graves and it had set Jerusalem all abuzz. These are the ones who are not defiled with women, they are virgins, spiritual virgins. Copy. And every breath you take ought to be a prayer of thanks that you live and move and have your being in the Spirit of God. If we can make that decision and live with that reality that there is a God who lives, and before Him we stand every single day of our life and every major decision, every small decision of character, and the decisions that we make in the privacy of our own mind, and in our own actions that not everyone knows about, not even our mate, all are in accordance with righteousness and a desire for righteousness. Afterwards, though, they go about with the boldness described here. Matthew records that "when the disciples saw him walking on the lake, they were terrified. Suddenly, Jesus appeared in the middle of the group. The gospels and the book of Acts tell us that would-be zealots and messiahs had come and gone. This was something that was spiritual in nature, that bound them together and they prayed, they studied the Scripture, and they praised God, it says, and because of that, their example caused them to have favor with people and others were drawn to their example at that time. And . This is the threefold commission that is given to this group of disciples where they are to be witnesses of Him in the city of Jerusalem, and Judea, and Samariathe wider region of the country, look at it as kind of the wider counties of the country of Israel at the timeand then ultimately, to the end of the earth, to take the Gospel and to be a witness of God, to do this. Most people in the world have no experience of lasting joy in their lives. Pentecost (also called Whit Sunday, Whitsunday or Whitsun) is a Christian holiday which takes place on the 50th day (the seventh Sunday) after Easter Sunday. 2 For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death. Did they doubt what they were seeing? 38Whoever believes in me, as Scripture has said, rivers of living water will flow from within them. 39By this he meant the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were later to receive. It's God's Spirit that is the only thing that we can have to overcome those fears, because really, it's all the Church of God has ever had. What we are seeing here is again, the power of the Word of God. 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. And so Christ gives them teaching and He gives them understanding. So the Word of God is what Jesus took and explained, it is what the Church went to, to explain what was happening, and then, it is the Spirit of God. Put your hand into my side. "If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained." Expand This event is very significant because the Bible says when we are born again, we are sealed with the Holy Spirit; in other words, the Holy Spirit comes to live on the inside of us (Ephesians 1:13, 4:30). The world we grew up in and live in does not see things this way. And they continued steadfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, and in the breaking of bread and in prayers. We take that for the story that it is, and the gift of tongues, and the speaking of tongues that the Scriptures talk about but we don't see that as what we need to be doing in practice or in faith, but it is a dramatic story. (1 Cor., 148 pp., XI, 8-22). The bonds of trust among the disciples were beginning to be frayed. They got the courage and strength they needed and they came out of their hiding place, starting to proclaim Jesus's death and resurrection. Biblical Hermeneutics Stack Exchange is a question and answer site for professors, theologians, and those interested in exegetical analysis of biblical texts. But if you don't forgive their sins, they will not be forgiven. People should see that in us. Jerusalem was swelled with pilgrims, at this point in time, and this added to the drama of the moment. This morning let me close simply by returning to the Aswan High Dam for a moment. And over a three and a half year period they had had their lives transformed and then they'd watched Him die. And we can be about the work that we see that the Church did then and has always done, of taking the message of salvation and of repentance to life, to people who need that message. It's an encouraging sermon, it's very pointed and direct, that includes a dramatic call to repentance. Second, the OT believers experienced the new birth and indwelling of the Holy Spirit. We have a very involved, and very good, and a very detailed review process at many different levels of our writings, of our speaking in the United Church of God today. Not completely unraveled, but the doubt and the disbelief has an impact. We can deal with them. He was the one who was the leader of that doubt and fear and terrified approach, because he denied Christ three times, and he had to be pointedly taught by Jesus. He had a long way to come to be the one to stand up and to give the sermon on this day, but he did it. The ministry has had those two themes for the past two conferences. Being mentally separated from other people (because of being ashamed of lost of their 'cause') made them being afraid of people. 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. That's what the gift of the Holy Spirit is for us. "And they looked steadfastly in toward heaven," verse 10, "as He went up, and behold two men stood by them in white apparel." Were on a mission to change that. And we can have the power to believe that, and to grow together and develop together as a bride of Christ, and accomplish His work and His purpose and His will. From the Day of Pentecost, when they had been baptized by the power of the Holy Spirit, they were equipped to go into the world. Those in the flesh are devoid of the Spirit and cannot submit to God's law or please God. Asking for help, clarification, or responding to other answers. The disciples had to walk a week away to get to Jerusalem (Acts 1:12). 1 When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. answer choices. We all have signs, we take certain things as signs. 60 seconds. Before that from the OT time onward, the Holy Spirit would come on a person and it is not permanent. Do Christians receive the Holy Spirit upon conversion or not (Ephesians 1:13 vs. Acts 8:14-17; 19:1-7)? That Christianity grew, after such a brief inception, into the world religion we know to today is testimony to the power of the message Jesus preached. How was the Holy Spirit being seen (perceived) in Acts 8? We sometimes just kind of tail off when we get to the end of one of the Gospels and we know the events, Christ was crucified, Christ was risen, and we don't look at some of the details there. When people are filled with the Holy Spirit, they do not blink at evil. Every generation of God's people have done that. It says, "The eleven disciples went away into Galilee, to the mountain which Jesus had appointed for them. All of these qualities are to the divine nature, to godliness brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness, love. To subscribe to this RSS feed, copy and paste this URL into your RSS reader. If we begin to look at one another as less than trustworthy, then that has other consequences in relationships, and that's taking place among the disciples here at this moment. I have my own Star Trekkian-type of way to imagine how Jesus ascended. When did that become true? 19952023 All correspondence and questions should be sent to info@ucg.org. A Second Wind: A Biblical Exploration of Gods Mind of Justice, The Essential Jesus (Part 17): The Resurrection of Jesus. The best answers are voted up and rise to the top, Not the answer you're looking for? The Roman Empire was not anything to fool around with. Most people believe the disciples were assembled in the "upper room" when the holy spirit of YEHOVAH God descended upon them during that Pentecost of 31 A.D. About 10 days earlier, Christ had finally ascended for the final time and they were left alone. They looked upon them then as liars, charlatans, or fools, maybe a bit delusional. And the people of God in this period are to be a people born of the Spirit, baptized in the Spirit, filled with the Spirit, empowered by the Spirit to bear witness to "the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ." She went and told those who had been with Him as they mourned and wept." More likely, the believers assembled in one . So He begins to teach them from the Scriptures that they might understand, and that they might comprehend what He was and how He had fulfilled everything that they would have understood to one degree, and then even more they had begun to develop a fuller understanding of the prophecies of Isaiah, or Joel, or Jeremiah, or Ezekiel, the statements about the Messiah. Browse other questions tagged, Start here for a quick overview of the site, Detailed answers to any questions you might have, Discuss the workings and policies of this site. Peter says, "In the last days it shall be, God declares, that I will pour out my Spirit upon all flesh, and your sons and your daughters will prophesy." Today the Spirit still instructs us by the Word of Scripture and we ought to pray earnestly for an outpouring of God's enlightening Spirit so that the Scriptures really live for us and become intensely personal. Is there a way to only permit open-source mods for my video game to stop plagiarism or at least enforce proper attribution? At least part of the answer to that is found in the teaching on spiritual gifts in 1 Corinthians 1214, which we will soon begin to study in an evening series. It wasn't a common manifestation of the Spirit, but it was real then and it is today. This means that the disciples could not have Christ in them, as we born again believers have, until the day of Pentecost. And then they had seen that He was resurrected. The indwelling of the Holy Spirit occurs in every believer the moment they make Jesus their Lord. They'd likely not seen it. Instead of conflict, they were now collaborating. Was Galileo expecting to see so many stars? They had a very life is now, living in the present mindset that this was all going to happen in their lifetime, which is something that pertains to every group of people from that time forward, that looking for the appearance of the Kingdom, the return of Christ. To learn more, see our tips on writing great answers. 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. Instead, they turned the world upside down. Articles that are published in our magazine or scripting for our television programs goes through a very, very thorough review process. They gave him a piece of broiled fish and honey comb, He takes it and he sits down and eats in their presence. Before that the Holy Spirit came on people for specific gifts and purposes. Somebody will tap me on the shoulder and tell me what to do next, but you know what? And you have to understand that and realize that, that's what they were doing during that period of time as well. 5 For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit. "For as the new heavens and the new earth, which I will make, shall remain before me, saith the Lord, so shall your seed and your name remain.". But Thomas said, First, I must see the nail scars in his hands and touch them with my finger. Has 90% of ice around Antarctica disappeared in less than a decade? Peter was quoting Scripture and applying it to something that had happened and that is Jesus, His death and His resurrection. Again, the answer is yes. rev2023.3.1.43269. There's a lot of information in the details that we are given in chapter 28 verse 16. But they were terrified, and frightened, and supposed they had seen a spirit." And yet some doubted. 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. That's how we live the Word, that's how we drink in the Word, and it changes our life and it banishes the fear, gives us confidence in who we are and what we are to do. For if these things are yours and abound, you will be neither barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.". 2. Was the gift of the Holy Spirit promised only for the first-century Church, according to Acts 2:38-39? It is a remarkable period of church history, because right here we have a vision being fulfilled that Jesus Christ has for His Church. 2. Synopsis: When Jesus walked on the water to join the disciples in their boat, the Gospel mentioned that they were afraid - twice. They were with Him and they asked Him in verse 6, "Lord, will You at this time restore the Kingdom to Israel?" What's the next step?" The disciples stood gazing, and they didn't know what to do. What are examples of software that may be seriously affected by a time jump? Joh 1:13 who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but . That's a little-understood part of what was taking place. If these latter days are to be days of dreams and visions from the Holy Spirit, we had better pray earnestly for gifted Josephs to arise among us who can discern truth and error in such claims. This is it. The NIV adds the word "disciples," saying, "The disciples were astonished, while those who followed were afraid." But the word "disciples" is not in the Textus Receptus Greek text. Christ did not leave His disciples as orphans. Jesus said, Thomas, do you have faith because you have seen me? They were looking for power from on high. This makes it seem that the Disciples were astonished, but those who followed behind them were afraid. As His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue, by which have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises, that through these you may be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped corruption that is in the world through lust." Now let me suggest an analogy to illustrate the experience of the Spirit before and after Pentecost. After Pentecost, they were different people. I won't believe unless I do this! In one sense, all craftsmanship and artistic ability is a gift of God, just like our breath is. In Nehemiah 9, Ezra gives thanks to God for all his past benefits to Israel and says in verse 20, "Thou gavest thy good Spirit to instruct them and didst not withhold thy manna from their mouth." I happen to think that they, no doubt during this period of time, as the days go on they talked and they read. 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. Seventh, the saints of old experienced victory over fear by the presence of the Spirit. And what happened? Luke chapter 24. 8 Those who are in the flesh cannot please God. Luke 24:53 says that the disciples stayed continually at the Temple praising God. If we can learn to take on the divine nature and drink that in, in our lives, then we can banish doubt, uncertainty, and fear, unbelief, that will creep in at various times as we go through our lives, and stages in the developments of life. When I was 15 years old, I got on a bus from my little hometown of Cape Girardeau, Missouri. 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. And that is of people led by the Holy Spirit, knit together, everyone providing that which they can toward a community of faith, power, and love, sharing, looking out after one another and caring for one another. 1. We do well to read about these things, and ask ourselves the simple question: if they experienced so much of God's Spirit which was but a trickle of the reservoir, how much more should we enjoy under the dozen turbines of Pentecost? Jesus took all believers out of Hades ten days before Pentecost, when He ascended into the third heaven. The second obvious change in the lives of the disciples was in their spiritual strength. Peter says, "Repent, believe, be baptized, you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit." "And all who believed were together and they had all things in common. And then the 50th day came, the morning of Pentecost, and they were gathered together. In Revelation chapter 14, we are given an image of the firstfruits, called the 144,000 in this part of the Revelation. I kind of think that He kind of, you know, elevated, and rose, and they saw Him, and they saw Him and the clouds, and the clouds, and then all of a sudden just like that, [snaps fingers] He was gone, kind of like in a "Star Trek" just a flash of light. And Peter thence begins to quote Scripture. The Essential 100 Bible Challenge14The Cross Of Christ. That is how the mission of the Church is done and that is how then that vision of a community, of a Church, of a people who are rooted in the Word of God, who actually do care for one another, is accomplished; by no other means, by no other means. Christ Is Risen - An Easter plan by Matt Maher, The Essential 100 Bible Challenge14The Cross Of Christ. 3 For God has done what the law, weakened by the flesh, could not do. I must put my hand where the spear went into his side. Exodus 31:15 says, "The Lord said to Moses, 'See, I have called by name Bezalel . 157 views, 3 likes, 4 loves, 3 comments, 2 shares, Facebook Watch Videos from Mora Grace Lutheran Church: Music used with permission from CCLI John 7:37 On the last and greatest day of the festival, Jesus stood and said in a loud voice, Let anyone who is thirsty come to me and drink. "Let all that you do be done in love" (1 Corinthians 16:13). They thought that Jesus Himself didn't actually know that asleep people wake up? That they're not drunk, that this is of God. Four verses later Moses says, "Would that all the Lord's people were prophets, that the Lord would put his Spirit upon them" (v. 29). They were going up against a lot, just as we go up against our world today, and ourselves, and what Satan might throw at us. Jesus came in while the doors were still locked and stood in the middle of the group. have had the same God-given talent as the apostles and could learn any new language three days after arriving in the region. Again, what they thought that they were becoming a part of was a movement that was noble, that was good, there had been many movements of other Messiah-type figures at this period of time in Judea. Before Pentecost: What Were They Thinking? After Pentecost, a radical transformation took place. Consider this question, with what we have just read: how could people filled with doubt, even a measure of unbelief, fear, general fear, intense fear, heightened fear, abject fearfear takes many different forms and guises; sometimes we can control our fear, sometimes it overcomes us and we're just shaking in our bootshow could a people dealing with all of these emotions during this 50-day period of time be expected to do what Jesus told them here in verse 8, they would do, when they have problems figuring it all out at that particular moment? But how could the various prophecies found in Ezekiel, Joel and Zechariah be fulfilled if this were true? Chapter 4 takes as its starting point the gift of speaking in tongues from the narrative of Pentecost in Acts 2:1-13. . What was on their mind? On the day of Pentecost Peter said that in these last days "your young men shall see visions and your old men shall dream dreams" (Acts 2:17). 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