The Pentecost day comes after 50 days after Passover.
It is also called the “Feast of weeks”. In the Old Testament, we read about the Feast of weeks that has three purposes:
- Commemoration of giving of the Law to Moses
- Thanksgiving to God for the harvest
- An offering of the first fruits
When Jesus was killed, all the disciples ran away and were afraid. But after Jesus appeared to them and have been with them for 40 days, He told them to stay in Jerusalem and wait for the Holy Spirit. So the disciples were praying and waiting for the Holy Spirit. On the Pentecost day, God sent the Holy Spirit on the apostles. Holy Spirit came all of a sudden. There was a sound like blowing of the wind. They saw tongues of fire coming on each of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke in other languages as the Spirit has enabled them1. People from various countries living there in Jerusalem at that time were astonished that these people were speaking in their languages.
Speaking in tongues has become a big controversial subject in today’s Church. Tongue (“Glossa” in Greek) means language. They spoke in the languages that they have never learned. Tongue does not mean blabbering with some unintelligible words. Those people from other countries have clearly understood what the Apostles were saying. Speaking in tongues is not a norm in today’s Church, but God will give that gift when there is purpose for it.
Peter seized the opportunity and preached his first sermon. We see the boldness in Apostles when they were filled with the Holy Spirit. Peter explained them how they were able to speak in different languages and quoted the Old Testament prophesies. He explained about Jesus, His life, death and resurrection. He showed them their sin and called for repentance. They were cut to the heart and followed what Peter told them.
Baptism followed their repentance. We don’t see unbaptized believers in the first Century Church. It was norm to get baptized as soon as they repented of their sins and accepted Christ into their hearts. You don’t go to heaven because of baptism, but baptism is a command of God. It is how we testify to the world that God has saved us.
Three thousand people were added to the Church that day. That is the power of the Holy Spirit.
We see four essential components of a believer’s life – Apostles’ teaching, fellowship, breaking of bread and prayer. We need to follow the Apostles’ teaching. We should not deviate from the orthodoxy. It is very important to meditate on God’s word daily. It is the spiritual food. Fellowship is another important aspect of our spiritual growth. God gave us the Church family for us to depend on each other, encourage, and comfort each other. As Heb 10:24-25 says, we should not neglect to meet but spur each other for good works.
Taking part in the Lord ’s Supper is another important aspect of a believer’s life. When we come to the table, we realize that Jesus paid the penalty for our sins and it is by His grace, He has given us this privilege. Also we realized our sinfulness and unworthiness. It is just because of His grace, we are able to approach Him and call Him as “Abba Father”. We also realize that we need to proclaim the death of Jesus until He comes back.
Prayer is another essential component of a believer’s life. It is like breath. We need to have constant communication with the Lord. When we pray, God does miracles. We need to pray individually, as families and also as a Church body.
The believers were together and kept everything in common. They sold their possessions and gave to those in need. They all enjoyed oneness and the Lord added new people every day. They had kingdom of God as top priority than their own personal preferences.
Application:
Have you repented of your sins? How about Baptism? It is the first step after your salvation.
Are you being filled with the Holy Spirit? Are you witnessing?
Are you devoted to the right teaching, fellowship, worship and prayer? How is your prayer life?
Do people notice the difference in your life?
You can listen to the entire message here ?
Footnotes:
1. Acts 2:1-4