Spirit Teaches and Brings to Memory

Acts 1:8 NKJV

8 But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”

Then a few days later, the Spirit comes upon them and the potential power of the Spirit to make them witnesses now rests upon them.

No one has ever recieved this gift prior to Pentecost.

They did not instantly receive complete knowledge of how the Spirit would work in them to achieve it’s stated purpose.

They were undoubtedly almost as surprised by the effects as anyone.

Can you imagine what they must have thought when they opened they began to speak in other tongues?

Of course the same Spirit that amazingly gave them the ability to speak in tongues, also gave them the capacity to recall the words of the prophet Joel, and to explain that THIS was that.

No one, including the prophet himself, could possibly have fully comprehended the full meaning of his words. That is, until their experience opened their eyes.

Imagine with me, the thoughts that must have went through their heads over the next 24 hours.

They can’t know what new phenomena they may be able to see and do as result of the Spirit’s empowerment.

A new convert can now be taught about the various gifts of the Spirit and Fruits of the Spirit.

Today we can give some scope to the range of things taught by the apostles and experienced by believers in times past.

I wish you could feel the anticipation and wonder that they must have felt.

After bravely standing up and declaring to a crowd, that they had crucified the Lord, conviction gripped hearts.

The preaching of the Gospel let thousands to repent, be baptized and receive the promise themselves.

They baptized about 3,000 people that day.

Radically transformed, they were “Born Again”. The abundant life that that Jesus had offered was now happening. Acts 2:42-47 characterizes the new culture that developed almost instantly.

The Healing of the Lame Man

Peter and John going to the temple to pray, fix their eyes on a man who in his 40+ years had never walked.

Peter said, “Look at us”.

The New King James Version Chapter 3

“Silver and gold I do not have, but what I do have I give you: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk.”

A crowd filled with wonder and amazement gathered again. Peter once again, preached Jesus,

The New King James Version Chapter 3

whom you delivered up and denied in the presence of Pilate, when he was determined to let Him go. 14 But you denied the Holy One and the Just, and asked for a murderer to be granted to you, 15 and killed the Prince of life, whom God raised from the dead, of which we are witnesses.

It’s through Him and through faith in His name that this man is healed.

“I know that you did it in ignorance, as did your rulers”

This all had to happen to fulfill prophecy.

“Repent therefore and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out”

Moses prophesied this....

“All the prophets, from Samuel and those who follow, as many as have spoken, have also fortold these days.”

Acts 4:1–4 NKJV

1 Now as they spoke to the people, the priests, the captain of the temple, and the Sadducees came upon them, 2 being greatly disturbed that they taught the people and preached in Jesus the resurrection from the dead. 3 And they laid hands on them, and put them in custody until the next day, for it was already evening. 4 However, many of those who heard the word believed; and the number of the men came to be about five thousand.

Acts 4:8–12 NKJV

8 Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them, “Rulers of the people and elders of Israel: 9 If we this day are judged for a good deed done to a helpless man, by what means he has been made well, 10 let it be known to you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead, by Him this man stands here before you whole. 11 This is the ‘stone which was rejected by you builders, which has become the chief cornerstone.’ 12 Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.”

v 11 -

Matthew 21:42 NKJV

42 Jesus said to them, “Have you never read in the Scriptures: ‘The stone which the builders rejected Has become the chief cornerstone. This was the Lord’s doing, And it is marvelous in our eyes’?

John 14:26 NKJV

26 But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you.

Before the Council

Acts 4:13–22 NKJV

13 Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were uneducated and untrained men, they marveled. And they realized that they had been with Jesus. 14 And seeing the man who had been healed standing with them, they could say nothing against it. 15 But when they had commanded them to go aside out of the council, they conferred among themselves, 16 saying, “What shall we do to these men? For, indeed, that a notable miracle has been done through them is evident to all who dwell in Jerusalem, and we cannot deny it. 17 But so that it spreads no further among the people, let us severely threaten them, that from now on they speak to no man in this name.” 18 So they called them and commanded them not to speak at all nor teach in the name of Jesus. 19 But Peter and John answered and said to them, “Whether it is right in the sight of God to listen to you more than to God, you judge. 20 For we cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard.” 21 So when they had further threatened them, they let them go, finding no way of punishing them, because of the people, since they all glorified God for what had been done. 22 For the man was over forty years old on whom this miracle of healing had been performed.