Have you ever had a day in your life where everything changed? A day when something momentous happened that meant your life would never be the same again. If you’re a parent maybe it was the day that you held your child for the very first time. From now on you are a parent responsible for this little person. If you are married maybe it was your wedding day. From now on you are committed and devoted to another person, no longer only responsible for yourself. Maybe it was your final day of school or when you graduated from university, finally able to start that career you have been dreaming of. The possibilities are endless. What is that day that changed everything for you?
Pentecost was the day that changed everything for the church. From this day forward things would never be the same. In the past, only specific individuals had been empowered by the Holy Spirit for certain, special moments in the history of redemption (have another look at Tuesday’s study if you have forgotten). Today, for the first time, the Holy Spirit was poured out on all believers. From now on it was not only those special, empowered individuals who received the incredible, life-changing power of the Holy Spirit, it was every single person who put their faith in Jesus Christ.
The scene would have been truly spectacular. Not long earlier Jesus had given the disciples a mission of epic proportions. This mission seemed impossible for the disciples but, knowing that it would be impossible for them to accomplish this mission on their own, Jesus had told them to wait in Jerusalem until they received the Holy Spirit to empower them.
On this day all the disciples had gathered together in the one place. Suddenly a sound like a great wind surrounded them and what looked like tongues of fire came to rest on each one. The spirit of the Lord came upon each and every one of them with great power, each and every person preaching the gospel with great power. Even in languages they didn’t know!
Imagine the scene. You are gathered together with the other disciples when suddenly this immense wall of sound seems to envelop you. It’s a sound you have never heard before. You can only describe it by saying that it is like an unstoppable and violent wind. Above each of the believers you see something that looks like a tongue of fire. All of the sudden you and everyone else gathered is filled with the Holy Spirit and begins preaching the gospel powerfully in all kinds of languages.
For the disciples and the Jews who believed they would have known immediately what had happened. Just like the Spirit of the Lord was poured out on the Old Testament prophets, each and every believer received the Holy Spirit. Where before this sort of Holy Spirit power was only poured out on particular individuals for a particular task, now this power had been poured out on all the believers who were gathered.
This wasn’t a total surprise. For hundreds of years the people of God had been waiting for the time that God’s spirit would be poured out on everyone. The prophet Joel, amongst others, had prophesied that the Holy Spirit would be poured out on all believers. Young and old, men and women, rich and poor. All would receive the Holy Spirit of God.
We live in an unprecedented age. An age where all believers are given the awesome power of God. An age where all believers have the great privilege of God dwelling within them. To borrow from the movie Spiderman: “with great power comes great responsibility.” God’s power is not given just for our pleasure or enjoyment. The Holy Spirit is given for a mission. As soon as the disciples receive the Holy Spirit they begin preaching the Gospel and sharing the good news of Christ. Because of their witness and the work of the Spirit at least 3,000 people came to faith in Christ that day.
If you believe in Christ, you have the incredible gift of the Holy Spirit within. Are you using this gift that God has given you for the sake of His Mission?
Discussion Questions For Families and Groups
- Share with each other some of the opportunities you have had recently to share the Gospel. How did it go? Seek to encourage each other even if you didn’t take advantage of the opportunity.
- Take time to pray for each other, that you would have the courage and wisdom to take advantage of every opportunity.
Prayer:
Write down your prayer points in the space provided. Use today’s reading to help you get ideas.
Adoration:
Confession:
Thanks:
Supplication:
- Pray for the work of evangelism by Christians around the world. Pray that God would fill all of His people with a passion for those who are lost. Pray that God would go before His people and soften hearts.
- Pray for all the Presbyterian churches in Queensland that are lacking a full-time minister. Pray that the elders and those who are leading in the church would be encouraged in their service. Pray that God would raise up men who can lead and serve these churches.
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