The disciples walked closely with Jesus for three years. They saw Him rejected, persecuted and crucified. Jesus surprised them when He rose from the grave at the resurrection. Death could not hold Him, and He spent forty more days with them before His ascension into Heaven.
One time when He was eating with them He said, “Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about” (Acts 1:4) and “You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth” (Acts 1:8).
This happened at Pentecost, the birth of the church. The disciples were all together in one place. Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house. They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of the. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke in other tongues so that everyone could hear what was said in their own language. At first the people from other nations thought the disciples were drunk, but Peter said, “It’s only 9:00 in the morning.” With power Peter didn’t have before, he explained, “Let all Israel be assured of this; God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Messiah” (Acts 2:36).
When the people heard this, it broke their hearts and they felt helpless. They asked, “What shall we do?” and Peter said, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit” (Acts 2:38).
THINK ABOUT IT
This is why Jesus said “wait.” All this was new to the disciples. Do you think they felt the power of the Holy Spirit come into them? Remember when the woman touched Jesus’ garment? He asked, “Who touched me?” It seemed like a silly question because the crowd was pressing against Him. But He said, “I felt power leave me.” So if Jesus felt power leave Him, I think the disciples felt the power come into them. It’s what made Peter so bold in his preaching! He grew to be the rock of the gospel. The disciples all received power to boldly carry the message of salvation. They weren’t running scared anymore.
The same power is available to everyone who believes. As Peter said, “Repent and be baptized . . . and you will receive the Holy Spirit.”
PRAY ABOUT IT
Thank you, Father God, for your message of the good news. Thank you that those who believe and are baptized can have the same power as Peter and the disciples. Empower us with the same confidence as the disciples. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
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