Jun. 5, 2019

Pentecost Acts 2:147 KJV

Imagine you are minding your business fishing and a man called Jesus call’s you to follow Him and instead of catching fish, He tells you He will make you fishers of men. So you drop everything to follow him. Over the next 3 and half years you witness Jesus doing some of the most amazing things you have ever seen.

Matthews Gospel tells us in chapter 4:23 Jesus went to Galilee, teaching in the synagogues and preaching the gospel (Good News) of the kingdom, healing all manner of sickness and disease among the people. Verse 24…And his fame went throughout all Syria: and they brought unto him all sick people that had divers (various) diseases and torments, and those possessed with devils and those which were lunatic, and those that had the palsy; and he healed them. Verse 25…And there followed him great multitudes of people from Galilee, Decapolis, Jerusalem, Judea and beyond Jordan.

Matthew chapter 5 shows Jesus with these multitudes up into a mountain and when he was set his disciples came unto him and he opened his mouth and taught them saying what are called The Beatitudes…Blessed are the poor in spirit for theirs’s is the kingdom of heaven…Blessed are they that mourn for they shall be comforted…Blessed are the meek for they shall inherit the earth…Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled…Blessed are the merciful (compassionate for the poor): for they shall obtain mercy…Blessed are the pure (without blemish, clean) in heart (ethical purity): for they shall see God…Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God…Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven…Blessed are ye, when men shall revile (hate) you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake…Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you.

He stayed around the least of society and wanted his disciples to understand service and how to serve. Preparing them for the time they would go out and do what He did…but they were afraid. They saw how the Sadducee’s and Pharisee’s hated Jesus and conspired to kill Him not aware of His Divine purpose even though he consistently told them.

In the Gospel of John, chapters 14-16 Jesus tells them He will be leaving but as any faithful friend would do for those that will be left, He tells them about the Comforter, The Holy Spirit so they would know how much He and His Father had prepared for them after Jesus was gone. In the 20th chapter of John verse 21…Jesus said to the disciples…Peace be unto you: as my Father hath sent me, even so I send you. Verse 22…And when he had said this, he breathed on them and saith unto them “Receive Ye The Holy Ghost”.

After Jesus endures the most brutal death on the cross and is resurrected, Acts 1:3-7 records what these mild mannered, timid, fearful men were told by Jesus before leaving them.  Acts 1:5…For John truly baptized you with water: but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence. Verse 6…When they therefore were come together, they asked of him, saying, Lord, wilt thou at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel? Verse 7… And he said unto them, It is not for you to know the times or the seasons, which the Father hath put in his own power. Verse 8… But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth. Verse 9…And when he had spoken these things, while they beheld, he was taken up; and a cloud received him out of their sight. Verse 10…And while they looked stedfastly toward heaven as he went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel; Verse 11…Which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven.

Acts 2…And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. Verse 2…And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. Verse 3…And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them. Verse 4…And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance. Verse 5…And there were dwelling at Jerusalem Jews, devout men, out of every nation under heaven. Verse 6…Now when this was noised abroad, the multitude came together, and were confounded, because that every man heard them speak in his own language. Verse 7…And they were all amazed and marvelled, saying one to another, Behold, are not all these which speak Galilaeans? Verse 8…And how hear we every man in our own tongue, wherein we were born? 

The men who were fishing for fish, through the POWER of The Holy Ghost have become the fear nothing, Spirit Filled with The Holy Ghost men and women that would change the world, just as Jesus did. Boldly proclaiming their witness of Jesus Christ and winning souls for the Kingdom of God.

Speaking in another language proved these unlearned men and women had to have some kind of something in order to accomplish this. The same is true my brothers and sisters. Pentecost Sunday is June 9th. Just why is all of this so important…because there are unsaved ones waiting for someone to boldly proclaim Jesus Christ to them and thru Him by accepting Jesus as your Lord and Savior, they will have life eternal and claim everything Jesus and the Beatitudes said they would have.

It doesn’t take a genius to realize things are happening quickly, Jesus could come back any minute, hour or day from now. Christians have a responsibility to witness to someone about Jesus and what He has done for you. The Holy Ghost will enable you to become all that Jesus knew you would be. Ask Him to fill you with the Gift of the Holy Spirit and become the powerful man, woman and child this world needs a word from. Allow yourself to be used for His purpose. Your life will never be the same.

Thank You Lord for Your Word.