eschatology, Church Age Begins (Acts 2)

The "Day of Pentecost" seems to mark the beginning of the Church Age.  Jesus has just ascended to heaven, and now as promised, He sends the Holy Spirit to indwell all believers in order to seal and secure their salvation, to change a believer from the inside out, as well as to help guide and empower them...

(Acts 2:1-12)  When the day of Pentecost had come, they were all together in one place. 2 And suddenly there came from heaven a noise like a violent rushing wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. 3 And there appeared to them tongues as of fire distributing themselves, and they rested on each one of them. 4 And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit was giving them utterance.

5 Now there were Jews living in Jerusalem, devout men from every nation under heaven. 6 And when this sound occurred, the crowd came together, and were bewildered because each one of them was hearing them speak in his own language. 7 They were amazed and astonished, saying, “Why, are not all these who are speaking Galileans? 8 And how is it that we each hear them in our own language to which we were born? 9 Parthians and Medes and Elamites, and residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, 10 Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the districts of Libya around Cyrene, and visitors from Rome, both Jews and proselytes, 11 Cretans and Arabs—we hear them in our own tongues speaking of the mighty deeds of God.” 12 And they all continued in amazement and great perplexity, saying to one another, “What does this mean?”

Some believers think that in order to fully become a Christian, or to PROVE that they are a Christian (that they have been baptized by the Holy Spirit) - they MUST speak in tongues.  As you read through the New Testament, realize from the examples given and that this is not the case.  Otherwise, apostle Paul would surely have spoken in tongues when Jesus blinded him on the road to Damascus!

The workings of the Holy Spirit isn't a cookie-cutter-template-of-procedures.  The Holy Spirit is God!  God is a being.  And God never changes.  But people do!  People still have a free will, and every situation is different and requires Truth, and God, to be revealed in a way that will speak to them (if and when they are open to hearing and seeing God and His Truth).  But the Truth - the message - will always be the same!

So with that said, next we see that there were some unbelievers watching the gathering, and when the believers all started speaking in tongues - this caught their attention.  When they began to mock this miraculous event, Peter - who is now filled with the Holy Spirit - is inspired and guided to preach the Truth.  Just before this, he was insecure, and had a knack for putting his foot in his mouth, and NOW (miraculously) the Holy Spirit gives Peter the confidence and the words to speak.

We know that these were the words of God because Old Testament scripture is used as well as Jesus' teachings.  He mentions the prophecy that will happen in the Millennium (something the Jews would have known and understood) are used to demonstrate that God is able to work in this same way right now - in the Church Age.

At the rapture, all believers will be removed from the earth.  Therefore, at the start of the Tribulation, all people will be unbelievers.  But during the seven years, all those who do become believers will be filled with the Holy Spirit in a mighty way.  At the end of the Tribulation, all unbelievers are removed from the earth, and only believers will enter the Millennium.  This will be the point in time when ALL MANKIND on the earth will be filled with the Holy Spirit!

After Peter establishes the Old Testament truths, he launches into the gospel message (again using Old Testament scriptures to support what he is saying - including God's promises in both the Davidic and Abrahamic covenants)...

(Acts 2:13-36)  But others were mocking and saying, “They are full of sweet wine.”

14 But Peter, taking his stand with the eleven, raised his voice and declared to them: “Men of Judea and all you who live in Jerusalem, let this be known to you and give heed to my words. 15 For these men are not drunk, as you suppose, for it is only the third hour of the day;16 but this is what was spoken of through the prophet Joel:

17 ‘And it shall be in the last days,’ God says, ‘That I will pour forth of My Spirit on all mankind;  And your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, And your young men shall see visions, And your old men shall dream dreams;
18 Even on My bondslaves, both men and women, I will in those days pour forth of My Spirit And they shall prophesy.
19 ‘And I will grant wonders in the sky above And signs on the earth below, Blood, and fire, and vapor of smoke.
20 ‘The sun will be turned into darkness And the moon into blood, Before the great and glorious day of the Lord shall come.
21 ‘And it shall be that everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.’

22 “Men of Israel, listen to these words: Jesus the Nazarene, a man attested to you by God with miracles and wonders and signs which God performed through Him in your midst, just as you yourselves know— 23 this Man, delivered over by the predetermined plan and foreknowledge of God, you nailed to a cross by the hands of godless men and put Him to death. 24 But God raised Him up again, putting an end to the agony of death, since it was impossible for Him to be held in its power. 25 For David says of Him,

‘I saw the Lord always in my presence;  For He is at my right hand, so that I will not be shaken.
26 ‘Therefore my heart was glad and my tongue exulted;  Moreover my flesh also will live in hope;
27 Because You will not abandon my soul to Hades, Nor allow Your Holy One to undergo decay.
28 ‘You have made known to me the ways of life;  You will make me full of gladness with Your presence.’

29 “Brethren, I may confidently say to you regarding the patriarch David that he both died and was buried, and his tomb is with us to this day. 30 And so, because he was a prophet and knew that God had sworn to him with an oath to seat one of his descendants on his throne, 31 he looked ahead and spoke of the resurrection of the Christ, that He was neither abandoned to Hades, nor did His flesh suffer decay. 32 This Jesus God raised up again, to which we are all witnesses. 33 Therefore having been exalted to the right hand of God, and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, He has poured forth this which you both see and hear. 34 For it was not David who ascended into heaven, but he himself says:

‘The Lord said to my Lord, “Sit at My right hand,
35 Until I make Your enemies a footstool for Your feet.”’

36 Therefore let all the house of Israel know for certain that God has made Him both Lord and Christ—this Jesus whom you crucified.”

After this message, we now see how the Holy Spirit works on convicting the unbelievers...

(Acts 2: 38-41)  Now when they heard this, they were pierced to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “Brethren, what shall we do?” 38 Peter said to them, “Repent, and each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. 39 For the promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off, as many as the Lord our God will call to Himself.” 40 And with many other words he solemnly testified and kept on exhorting them, saying, “Be saved from this perverse generation!” 41 So then, those who had received his word were baptized; and that day there were added about three thousand souls.

Over three thousand people became believers that day!!!  Notice the order of events:  first a person becomes a believer and at that moment, one is baptized (sealed) with the Holy Spirit.  This is the spiritual baptism.  Then that person should be physically baptized with water.  This is a public declaration - a symbol of what just occurred in their soul - a symbol of their relationship and association with Jesus, with His death and resurrection paralleling their spiritual death and being reborn, with having their sins washed clean.

In the next verses, we see how the Holy Spirit began to move in the hearts of the believers in several different ways...

(Acts 2:42-47)  They were continually devoting themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. 43 Everyone kept feeling a sense of awe; and many wonders and signs were taking place through the apostles. 44 And all those who had believed were together and had all things in common; 45 and they began selling their property and possessions and were sharing them with all, as anyone might have need. 46 Day by day continuing with one mind in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they were taking their meals together with gladness and sincerity of heart, 47 praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord was adding to their number day by day those who were being saved.

Today's takeaway:  when we become believers, we receive the gift of the Holy Spirit
- to seal us (protecting our salvation - Eph.1:13)
- to work in our hearts to produce fruit (love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control - Gal.5:22-23)
- to guide and empower us (as we allow - asking the Holy Spirit to fill us - Eph.5:18-20, rather than trying to quenching or grieving the Holy Spirit - 1 Thess.5:19, Eph.4:30).

As well, we are given different gifts in order to serve God and one another.  There are a few "lists" found in the New Testament...

(Romans 12:4-8)  For just as we have many members in one body and all the members do not have the same function, 5 so we, who are many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another. 6 Since we have gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, each of us is to exercise them accordingly: if prophecy, according to the proportion of his faith; 7 if service, in his serving; or he who teaches, in his teaching; 8 or he who exhorts, in his exhortation; he who gives, with liberality; he who leads, with diligence; he who shows mercy, with cheerfulness.

(1 Corinthians 12:8-10)  For to one is given the word of wisdom through the Spirit, and to another the word of knowledge according to the same Spirit; 9 to another faith by the same Spirit, and to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit, 10 and to another the effecting of miracles, and to another prophecy, and to another the distinguishing of spirits, to another various kinds of tongues, and to another the interpretation of tongues.

(Ephesians 4:11)  And He gave some as apostles, and some as prophets, and some as evangelists, and some as pastors and teachers

I believe these lists are general, in a sense that - there will be unique needs in various circumstances, and God can use each one of us in a unique way.  I also believe that we can over-complicate things and become confused when trying to figure out - what our SPIRITUAL gifts are.  It's pretty straightforward really.  The Holy Spirit will open your eyes to a need, and stir in your heart a solution that you need to act on.  Very often we see the need - but then expect someone else to act on it - meanwhile, it will be something that we can do with God's help.

Sometimes we will "enjoy" doing the task or service - but we should not let excuses get in our way.  I've heard people say, "I will NOT have joy if I have to do that!" or "Just the thought of doing that is making me nervous, so this is a sign that it's not for me!"  But, for example, there are people with the gift to sing, and they will admit that they get nervous every single time.

There will be times when we exercise our gifts that we WILL be nervous, or it WILL seem tedious.
To that we should ask:
- are we trusting God to guide and empower us (or are we doing these things in our own strength)?
- are we asking God to help us be content in all things (or are we doing these things to feel good about ourselves)?
- are we asking God to help us serve in order to do HIS will (or are we doing things to get something out of it)?
- are we wanting to do things to gain HIS approval (or are we doing things to gain the approval of men)?
- are we looking to find joy in God's presence (or are we allowing our bad attitudes to control us)?
- are we serving with God's love (or are we just doing our "duty" begrudgingly)...

I've been learning - when I have a bad attitude - I need to confess that.  When I'm not feeling "the love" - I can ask God to help me love!!!... We are to be serving God and one another with pure motives...

(Ephesians 4:12-13)  for the equipping of the saints for the work of service, to the building up of the body of Christ; 13 until we all attain to the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a mature man, to the measure of the stature which belongs to the fullness of Christ.

eschatology, Jesus' Resurrection & Ascension (Lk.24, Jhn.20, Mt.28, Acts 1)

Even though Jesus had told the disciples He'd only be "gone" for three days, they obviously didn't understand.  I think MAYBE they expected Jesus to make some sort of trip and then return;  so when He was crucified and "dead", they gave up all hope.  It was a group of women (followers of Jesus) who went to the grave to tend to Jesus' body...

(Luke 24:1-12)  But on the first day of the week, at early dawn, they came to the tomb bringing the spices which they had prepared. 2 And they found the stone rolled away from the tomb, 3 but when they entered, they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. 4 While they were perplexed about this, behold, two men suddenly stood near them in dazzling clothing; 5 and as the women were terrified and bowed their faces to the ground, the men said to them, “Why do you seek the living One among the dead? 6 He is not here, but He has risen. Remember how He spoke to you while He was still in Galilee, 7 saying that the Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and the third day rise again.” 8 And they remembered His words, 9 and returned from the tomb and reported all these things to the eleven and to all the rest. 10 Now they were Mary Magdalene and Joanna and Mary the mother of James; also the other women with them were telling these things to the apostles. 11 But these words appeared to them as nonsense, and they would not believe them. 12 But Peter got up and ran to the tomb; stooping and looking in, he saw the linen wrappings only; and he went away to his home, marveling at what had happened.

"Wondering" could probably be used in place of "marveling" - like - wondering if someone broke in and stole the body - since the disciples were shocked and terrified when Jesus appeared to them...

(Luke 24:36-39)  While they were telling these things, He Himself stood in their midst and said to them, “Peace be to you.” 37 But they were startled and frightened and thought that they were seeing a spirit. 38 And He said to them, “Why are you troubled, and why do doubts arise in your hearts? 39 See My hands and My feet, that it is I Myself; touch Me and see, for a spirit does not have flesh and bones as you see that I have.”

Even for our sake - it was necessary for Jesus to appear to the disciples - as they are the main "witnesses" to Jesus' resurrection.  With the Holy Spirit's inspiration, some of them would write down things they had experienced, things they had learned, and things they had witnessed...

(John 20:24-30)  But Thomas, one of the twelve, called Didymus, was not with them when Jesus came. 25 So the other disciples were saying to him, “We have seen the Lord!” But he said to them, “Unless I see in His hands the imprint of the nails, and put my finger into the place of the nails, and put my hand into His side, I will not believe.” 26 After eight days His disciples were again inside, and Thomas with them. Jesus came, the doors having been shut, and stood in their midst and said, “Peace be with you.” 27 Then He said to Thomas, “Reach here with your finger, and see My hands; and reach here your hand and put it into My side; and do not be unbelieving, but believing.” 28 Thomas answered and said to Him, “My Lord and my God!” 29 Jesus said to him, “Because you have seen Me, have you believed? Blessed are they who did not see, and yet believed.”

30 Therefore many other signs Jesus also performed in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book.

In one of the last conversations before His ascension, Jesus gave the disciples (and us) the "Great Commission" for the Church Age...

(Matthew 28:16-20)  But the eleven disciples proceeded to Galilee, to the mountain which Jesus had designated. 17 When they saw Him, they worshiped Him; but some were doubtful. 18 And Jesus came up and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. 19 Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”

Jesus promises to always be with us!  He would now be with all believers through the work and indwelling of the Holy Spirit.  Here is another account of what happened before Jesus' ascension...

(Acts 1:1-5)  The first account I composed, Theophilus, about all that Jesus began to do and teach, 2 until the day when He was taken up to heaven, after He had by the Holy Spirit given orders to the apostles whom He had chosen. 3 To these He also presented Himself alive after His suffering, by many convincing proofs, appearing to them over a period of forty days and speaking of the things concerning the kingdom of God. 4 Gathering them together, He commanded them not to leave Jerusalem, but to wait for what the Father had promised, “Which,” He said, “you heard of from Me; 5 for John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.”

BUT the disciples, being Israelites, were still fixated on having their covenants fulfilled, so they asked Jesus about it.  Jesus' answer is poignant!  NOW Jesus' response is totally different, since the disciples were to build up the Church and spread the gospel message.  The answer is for all of us in the Church Age is - there are no signs for when the  rapture will happen - for when the last seven years of the Jewish Age will BEGIN!  We are not even to be concerned about that.  We are to focus on living in God's will and spreading the gospel...

(Acts 1:6-8)  So when they had come together, they were asking Him, saying, “Lord, is it at this time You are restoring the kingdom to Israel?” 7 He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or epochs which the Father has fixed by His own authority; 8 but you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be My witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and even to the remotest part of the earth.”

As Jesus ascended to heaven, angels told the disciples an interesting fact about the second coming of Jesus.  Maybe that was to give the Israelites some comfort - some hope - that God will not forget the promises He made with them...

(Acts 1:9-11)  And after He had said these things, He was lifted up while they were looking on, and a cloud received Him out of their sight. 10 And as they were gazing intently into the sky while He was going, behold, two men in white clothing stood beside them. 11 They also said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into the sky? This Jesus, who has been taken up from you into heaven, will come in just the same way as you have watched Him go into heaven.”

Today's takeaway:  I heard a great sermon on the great commission.  The pastor had gone to the original Greek and said that "Go therefore" can be translated or interpreted to mean "As you go..."  As we live out God's will - we are to be witnesses.  Just by how we live and love our fellow Christians and love our "neighbors" should be a testimony.

One of the "easiest" ways I have found, in order to tell someone about Jesus is - whenever someone asks a question, I answer it openly and honestly and matter-of-fact-ly.  For example, if someone asks me what I did on Sunday, I WILL include the fact that I went to church!  If someone asks me how I have been doing, and I have been struggling through something but God is guiding me through that - I will tell them about that.  When they want to know more, they tend to ask.

And if they ask, "If your God loves you so much, why do you still suffer?"  My answer has several levels.  First of all, sometimes I suffer due to the consequences of my own actions, or the actions of someone else.  Sometimes I suffer because God is trying to get my attention and there is something I can definitely learn through the experience.  We should be learning and growing in every experience.  Sometimes I suffer because I am being tested, and through the experience my faith can grow stronger BY TRUSTING AND LEANING ON GOD - as well as be a testimony to someone.  If I say, "God is always there fore me" but never go through any hardships - I really couldn't make that statement!...

(1 Peter 1:3-9)  Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His great mercy has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4 to obtain an inheritance which is imperishable and undefiled and will not fade away, reserved in heaven for you, 5 who are protected by the power of God through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. 6 In this you greatly rejoice, even though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been distressed by various trials, 7 so that the proof of your faith, being more precious than gold which is perishable, even though tested by fire, may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ; 8 and though you have not seen Him, you love Him, and though you do not see Him now, but believe in Him, you greatly rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory, 9 obtaining as the outcome of your faith the salvation of your souls.