PrivacyPolicyTerms ofUse. ), Two angels suddenly appear near them. 4 So Barnabas and Saul,sent out by the Holy Spirit, went down to Seleucia, and from there they sailed to Cyprus (Acts 13:1-4, emphasis mine). 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). The gospels and the book of Acts tell us that would-be zealots and messiahs had come and gone. So that when they came to that morning of Pentecost and this mighty event takes place, they were ready then to move into the experience provided, and that extra dimension of power that the Spirit of God would give them and did give to them, and Peter takes the lead to give the sermon of his life. And I sat, and I sat, and I thought somebody will come along and tell me what to do. Pentecostal Christians believe in the direct experience of the Holy Spirit by believers during all of their services. Before long (Acts 5:3-4), the Holy Spirit will be identified as God. They remind us that most of the twelve apostles disappear in Acts and the Epistles, and not just Matthias. In Colossians chapter 1, Colossians 1:27, Paul writes, "To them, God will to make known what are the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles which is Christ in you, the hope of glory." And they did, and thousands were added to the Church that day. Every minister's dream, to give one sermon and thousands of people get baptized and join the Church in one day, every minister's fantasy. 9. Long before modern advertising, the Bible had its own versions of "before" and "after." When Jesus arose from the dead, He did not remain with them continually, as He once did. 19 This became known to all who lived in Jerusalem, so that in their own language they called that field Hakeldama, that is, Field of Blood.) 20 For it is written in the book of Psalms, Let his house become deserted, and let there be no one to live in it, and Let another take his position of responsibility. 21 Thus one of the men who have accompanied us during all the time the Lord Jesus associated with us, 22 beginning from his baptism by John until the day he was taken up from usone of these must become a witness of his resurrection together with us. 23 So they proposed two candidates: Joseph called Barsabbas (also called Justus) and Matthias. Pentecost was unmistakable because of its three distinct phenomena, which served to make it perfectly clear that Jesus had indeed come to His people by His Spirit. People passing by at first thought that they must be drunk, but the apostle Peter told the crowd that the apostles were full of the Holy Spirit. If Jesus is the vine and we are the branches, then the Spirit is the sap equipping us for the Christian life. 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. What Is Pentecost in the Bible & Why Is It Important? - Word by Word Four fishermen - Peter, Andrew, James and John - are landing their catch when they are approached by Jesus. 9 For I am the least of the apostles, unworthy to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God (1 Corinthians 15:3-9). At the end of the 40 days, Jesus was taken up into heaven. And when they saw Him they worshiped him. And it is also the mission of the Church, we see right here, it has begun. 19952023 All correspondence and questions should be sent to info@ucg.org. 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. Jesus promised authority within the boundaries of what God purposed, because the coming of the Spirit was the promise of the Father (verse 4). 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. Did they doubt that it was real? 13 ThenPaul and his companionsput out to sea from Paphos and came to Perga in Pamphylia, but John left them and returned to Jerusalem (Acts 13:9-13, emphasis mine). They stood there, transfixed. Church services on this day are marked by red robes and banners signifying the fiery winds of the Holy Spirit. The search for Judas replacement was prompted, at least in part, by the consideration of some Old Testament Scriptures (Psalm 69:25; 109:8). And they continued steadfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, and in the breaking of bread and in prayers. And it is in that, we reach the real nexus, the real critical point of our life before God, where we recognize that, with the Holy Spirit, we are taking on the very nature of God, the divine nature. Acts 2. 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. This is implied in Acts 1:3, but it is clear in particular instances, such as when Jesus appeared to the disciples who went fishing with Peter in John 21. Sunday Before Pentecost. A sermon for Pentecost - Durham Cathedral. Let's go into Luke's account. Apparently, two angelic figures appeared to them as the disciples were kind of watching Christ go. And then even when we see in the days after Jesus' final ascension, a roughly 10-day period, when they came to make a decision to replace Judas, they read Scripture, they applied it properly, God blessed the decision. Now it has become popular to carry this theme over to homes, where pitiful or plain houses are transformed into palatial homes. It is the Spirit of God working through weak and even foolish (in the eyes of the world) men that reveals the power of God, and brings glory to Him, not us: 26 Think about the circumstances of your call, brothers and sisters. Between Easter and Pentecost: 50 Forgotten Days the - ChurchLeaders 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. Fourth, the Holy Spirit is portrayed as the Author of the Old Testament Scriptures.He is the One who inspired the words of David in the psalms: 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 (Acts 1:16). And so Luke's account brings this together. They didn't believe that He had risen, they didn't believe that they had been seen, that He had been seen, and therefore, then they would not believe these eyewitnesses. 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.. 5 Not that we are adequate in ourselves to consider anything as if it were coming from ourselves, but our adequacy is from God, 6 who made us adequate to be servants of a new covenant not based on the letter but on the Spirit, for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life. The Holy Spirit confirms the apostles testimony, especially their claim that they have seen Jesus Christ risen from the dead. The Day of Pentecost Explained The Book of Acts - Pentecost It is not my purpose here to allow these matters to sidetrack our consideration of the argument of this text. Shavuot, also called Pentecost, in full ag Shavuot, ("Festival of the Weeks"), second of the three Pilgrim Festivals of the Jewish religious calendar. (I wonder if they were waiting for that cloud to move out of their line of sight. 28 Watch out for yourselves and for all the flockof which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God that he obtained with the blood of his own Son (Acts 20:28, emphasis mine). They must not attempt to carry out the Great Commission without Pentecostal power. Acts 1, consistent with the rest of the Book of Acts, reminds us that it is not about us; it is about God. Darris is the Associate Media Producer for the Church. 5 Now this secret was not disclosed to people in former generations as it has now been revealed to his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit, 6 namely, that through the gospel the Gentiles are fellow heirs, fellow members of the body, and fellow partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus (Ephesians 3:4-6, emphasis mine). Though the emperor, a man named Tiberius, had been holed up on an island called Capri or Capri for a number of years in absentia, the empire was running quite well on its own. What Happened at Pentecost? Pentecost is regarded as the birthday of the Christian church, and the start of the church's mission to the world. They gave him a piece of broiled fish and honey comb, He takes it and he sits down and eats in their presence. One of these qualifications was that each man manifested evidence of the Spirits presence in his life. 8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the farthest parts of the earth. 9 After he had said this, while they were watching, he was lifted up and a cloud hid him from their sight. We've just read it. Pentecost children's version - dltk-kids.com There is a great difference between before and after.. I like that phrase. They looked upon them then as liars, charlatans, or fools, maybe a bit delusional. And the tomb was empty, and the disciples had seen Jesus, and the authorities were beside themselves trying to figure it out, looked for the body. This information, this timing, is something that falls entirely within the Fathers own authority. The idea of 10 days to do nothing is desperately needed in the church today, and this is the perfect time of year to embrace that very thing. The disciples had seen what would happen because Christ was arrested and had come before the high priest. They were alone. In verses 12-14, Luke tells us what the apostles were doing while they waited. We just get a few snippets from the gospel accounts, at least, of this 40-day period. The decision to proceed with the process of replacing Judas was seen as obedience to Psalm 109:8, thus leading to its fulfillment. During those 40 days, He provided them with many convincing proofs that He had indeed risen from the dead. 13 When they had entered Jerusalem, they went to the upstairs room where they were staying. And so they had become a part of something that again, they were still trying to understand. And Peter thence begins to quote Scripture. It is. Day of Pentecost And Skepticisms 10 As they were still staring into the sky while he was going, suddenly two men in white clothing stood near them 11 and said, Men of Galilee, why do you stand here looking up into the sky? It was a mighty, powerful machine, the most powerful that the world in that day had ever seen. 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. In times past, though I have not seen this as much lately, we saw the before and after of advertising for weight gain. And it brings it down to the end of the chapter. And this dramatic miracle took place, of wind, and fire, and language, and hearing, and people took notice. The second power that they'd run up against was that of the Jewish authorities. There was doubt. And then going on here, in verse 44, "He said to them, 'These are the words which I spoke to you while I was still with you, that all things must be fulfilled which were written in the Law of Moses, and the prophets, and the Psalms concerning Me.' As I read the early verses of chapter one, I am also impressed with the realization that Luke provides us with some powerful evidences of the resurrection of our Lord from the dead: To the same apostles also, after his suffering, he presented himself alive with many convincing proofs. 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. The apostles sought greater knowledge. A further matter of interest is that during this 40-day period, our Lord spoke with the apostles concerning the things pertaining to the kingdom of God (1:3). It was a gentle rebuke, if a rebuke at all. That's what this day is all about as a firstfruit. But she said, "Go ahead Ruth, you go home too," and Ruth says, "Your God will be my God, wherever you go, I will go." Jerusalem was swelled with pilgrims, at this point in time, and this added to the drama of the moment. This is the dimension that was given on Pentecost, and what this day is all about for those of us who are the firstfruits. What they needed was power, power to proclaim the gospel so that men would believe and be saved. The Holy Spirit would internally indict sinners regarding the righteousness of Christ because He cannot be seen any longer. What is Pentecost? Why Does It Matter? - Mark D. Roberts 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.'" Somewhere along the line, the apostles were enlightened by our Lord concerning the mystery of the church. We are no exception today, as we wait and look for the time when the Kingdom will be restored. John has another set of accounts, and then he kind of ends and he leaves it wide open. The same things were going through their minds that go through our minds. Bold, Men and brethren, he begins to explain what's happened. It's always fun to try to imagine how this happened. So if I can come back to the question that I asked, what was going through their mind on that morning of Pentecost? Our sins will find us out. That's what He did. There they encountered the proconsul, Sergius Paulus. Mark chapter 16, verse 9, now, "When He rose early on the first day of the week," speaking of Christ's resurrection. Transcript Darris McNeely Beyond Today Presenter 7 Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles. It had been organized quite well and in that remote backwater of Judea, the Roman government kept things in order. Find the date for Pentecost 2014 in the multifaith calendar. As the first volume ends with the Great Commission, the second volume begins with it (verse 8). When I got off the bus from my hometown, I was in this large room, this large terminal, it was as larger, even larger than this room here, which for me, from my small town was a pretty big thing to walk into, and I did, first time I had ever traveled. For if these things are yours and abound, you will be neither barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.". Luke chapter 24. 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). God's Word and Spirit give us power to overcome and to change to accomplish the work of God. I've got to find out where that next bus leaves, and what time." 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. But all of this in the midst of a troubled, terrified, frightened mindset that they were having to work through, during these days between the resurrection and Pentecost. Pentecost was the occasion which God chose to bestow this power on His apostles. We all have signs, we take certain things as signs. We should also observe that among this group were the brothers of our Lord (Acts 1:14). Let us seek to answer this question by observing what happened. This is Peter's first sermon since Jesus left for heaven. And then they had seen that He was resurrected. That's a little-understood part of what was taking place. Far more people than they could have ever imagined and Peter gets up and gives the sermon of his life. 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. Bible Chronology - The Day of Pentecost If you go back to Matthew chapter 28, chapter 28 and verse 16, let's just read a few of the accounts of that period following the resurrection, that the Gospel accounts tell us and there's more there. Apostle Peter explains the meaning of what was happening on the Day of Pentecost. 8We do, however, find a reference tothe twelvein both Acts 6:2 and 1 Corinthians 15:5. 9He does not forbid taking any action until Pentecost; He merely forbids the apostles to leave Jerusalem (in carrying out the Great Commission) until after Pentecost. 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 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. And when those come in, how do we process them? Let me last observe that Acts 1 is the beginning of the doctrine of the Holy Spirit in Acts. What Did Christ Teach the Disciples Before Pentecost? "And all who believed were together and they had all things in common. What do we do now? 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. It's an encouraging sermon, it's very pointed and direct, that includes a dramatic call to repentance. Christ did not leave His disciples as orphans. The feast has been celebrated 40 days after Easter in both Eastern and Western Christianity since the 4th century. In verse 38, after everyone has calmed down, they realize theyve been involved and they were responsible for the death of Jesus. 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. Because Pentecost is the day on which the Apostles and the Blessed Virgin Mary received the gifts of the Holy Spirit, we tend to think of it as an exclusively Christian feast.But like many Christian feasts, including Easter, Pentecost has its roots in Jewish religious tradition.The Jewish Pentecost fell on the 50th day after Passover, and it celebrated the giving of .
