What Happens After Pentecost?
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Now that Pentecost is over what happens? Tonight we will study the book of Acts and some passages in the Epistles.
Culture Setting:
First thing that we must recognize is that as a whole, the Jewish people were a very religious people.
The worship of God was always a priority in the life of the Jews.
Remember that even in antiquity, that the Jews along with the other tribes of Israel placed the tabernacle/temple in the midst of them as a reminder that God was to be the centermost thing and being in their lives. Their life was to evolve around God meaning that God was first.
The Jews worshipped God everyday, they did not have certain days of the week in which they worshipped God. In some form or another they daily went to prayer at the temple or the local synagogue. Truth: there are some today who think that the Jews only worshipped on the Sabbath (Saturday), this is inaccurate, they rested on the Sabbath, but they worshipped God everyday.
By the time we get to Jesus time, we see that this was a norm and continual practice, even by Jesus himself:
I was daily with you in the temple teaching, and ye took me not: but the scriptures must be fulfilled.
The key word in this scripture is daily. The Jews attended worship on a daily basis. Unfortunately, the times have changed for us where we don’t go to church on a daily basis. Historically, even the early church got to a point in their daily worship that they were not able to go the temple or the synagogue. Reason being is that because the early Christians in particularly the apostles preached and witnessed about Jesus when they went to the temple/synagogue. Eventually, the tension became so intense between the adherents of judaism and christianity that the Christians had to start having meetings in their homes because they were put out of the temple and the synagogue. Around 70 A.D. the temple in Jerusalem was destroyed by the Romans.
So please take note that worship for the early christians was just not restricted to one day a week, two days a week, three days a week, four days a week, for the early church it was a custom and a norm for them to worship and meet everyday, because it was part of their jewish background. Please remember that the early church, up until the conversion of the Samaritans and the Gentiles comprised of a 100% of jewish constituents.
Further proof can be found for daily meetings and worship sessions even after Pentecost:
And they continued stedfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers. And fear came upon every soul: and many wonders and signs were done by the apostles. And all that believed were together, and had all things common; And sold their possessions and goods, and parted them to all men, as every man had need. And they, continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart, Praising God, and having favour with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved.
They continued stedfastly. Consistency, they devoted themselves to being taught by the apostles. What did the apostles teach? They taught what Jesus taught them, they taught who Jesus was, they also preached repentance and remission of sin.
The apostles doctrine is not just limited to Acts 2:38, the apostles doctrine isn’t all about Jesus’ name baptism. That’s just a small fraction, Jesus taught very little on baptism, yes Jesus gave the command to go and baptize:
Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.
And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.
So we have two scriptures here in which Jesus gives the commandment to baptize. But notice in the scriptures (for those who have studied the scriptures), Jesus didn’t spend all of his time teaching about baptism, there were other things that he taught though. He did spend a lot of time talking about repentance and the kingdom of God. Jesus did give them a lot of instruction on how they were to worship God, on one occasion Jesus taught the disciples to pray, on another occasion Jesus taught on love, on several occasions he taught parables about the kingdom of God. These were the things that he wanted his disciples to teach. They (especially the Apostles) were tasked with revealing and preaching the truth and fulfilment of prophecy through Jesus Christ. How? By studying the Old Testament scriptures and how those scriptures were fulfilled through Jesus Christ.
There was even an occasion that the Lord taught them how to heal. Believe it or not, before they had even received the Holy Ghost, Jesus gave on one occasion the 12 disciples power to heal, and then on another occasion he gave 70 disciples power to heal. So guess what, after Pentecost the bible says in Acts 2:43:
And fear came upon every soul: and many wonders and signs were done by the apostles.
They were doing what Jesus taught them to do. Which brings me to make a good point here: if we want to really be blessed of God, if we want God to really move then we have to do what Jesus tells us to do.
Historically, the Upper Room, which was the same room in which Jesus had the last supper with the disciples, the same room in which the 120 disciples received the baptism of the Holy Ghost, became headquarters for the early church. However, please note that for a very long time, the apostles/disciples still attended daily religious services at the temple or their local synagogue.
So after Pentecost we see the following things:
All believers devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching.
They fellowshipped and shared meals together (including the Lord’s Supper).
Signs and wonders (miracles) were performed by the hands of the apostles.
They met together in one place and shared everything they had.
Some sold property and possessions and shared the money they made with those who were in need.
They worshiped together at the Temple each day, met in homes for the Lord’s Supper, and shared their meals with great joy and generosity.
Praised God and had favor with all people.
Each day, the Lord added to the church those who would be saved.
So we see that everyday, the early church worshipped, everyday they were consistent with their efforts, everyday they wanted to experience a move of God. Consistency! God wants us to work on consistency, matter of fact let’s pray this prayer “Lord help me to be consistent in my worship and my service to you”. Lord help us to worship you everyday, helps us to pray everyday, help us to fellowship everyday, help us learn your word everyday, help us to witness everyday, help us to praise you everyday, God give us an encounter everyday! Consistency!
If we are not careful, it is easy for us to fall back into the life style we were living before the encounter. I’m not just talking about sin either, we can fall right back into the same torpor or complacency.
So What Happens After Pentecost? Consistency!
Constant preaching, teaching, learning.
Constant fellowship, and love shown for one another.
Constant signs and miracles performed.
Everyone was constantly on one accord.
They consistently went to the Temple (everyday) for worship and fellowshipped in their homes.
God consistently gave them favor with all people.
The Lord consistently added to the church daily, such as should be saved.
Howbeit many of them which heard the word believed; and the number of the men was about five thousand.
Peter and John in the previous chapter goes up to the temple for the time of prayer. At 3 o’clock in the afternoon, Peter and John go up to the temple to pray and while in transit, they met a begger who was crippled. They wanted to do good for this man but they didn’t have any money to give him. So they give him something way better than money.....they present Jesus to him. How? By the authority of Jesus Christ (the name.....the name of Jesus gives us power and authority) they command this man to rise up and walk. This man, hears and responds in faith and then leaps up to his feet and walks. Many that saw this knew it was a miracle because this man had been crippled all his life.
The people began to rejoice and magnify God because a miracle occured. The bible says they begin to run to the porch of Solomon so that they could get a good look at what happened. The people were looking at Peter and John trying to figure out how they accomplished this. Peter sees this interest from the people and knew this was the perfect time to preach the gospel. Peter says “why look at us as though by our own power or piety we made him walk.” Peter says essentially “the same one you disowned, the Holy and Righteous One Jesus is the one responsible for this man’s healing” On the basis of faith in His name, it is the name of Jesus that has strengthened this man. So Peter begins to preach what was written in scriptures concerning the Messiah. In the process of his sermon the Sadducees and the temple guard come upon them and arrested them and put them into prison.
However, the bible says that many who saw this miracle and then heard Peter preach about the death, resurrection, and glorification of Jesus believed and the bible says that five thousand came to believe.
After their arrest, Peter and John are threatened by the Sanhedrin and are told explicitly not to speak anymore to anyone about this name or about this person Jesus. See they were responsible for putting Jesus to death and were trying to cover it up. But with boldness of the Holy Ghost (the Holy Ghost will give you a boldness to stand) they say “whether it is right in the sight of God to give heed to you rather than to God, you be the judge; for we cannot stop speaking about what we have seen and heard”.
Peter and John are threatened some more and are released from prison to return back home.
Revival breaks out:
After Peter and John are released, they return and report back to the church what had happened to them. Instead of getting upset, instead of caving into the pressure and doing what the world wanted them to do, they prayed about their situation.
So Peter and John tells the church about the threats and then the church tells God about the threats and God replies to the prayers.
And now, Lord, behold their threatenings: and grant unto thy servants, that with all boldness they may speak thy word, By stretching forth thine hand to heal; and that signs and wonders may be done by the name of thy holy child Jesus.
His answer to their prayers.....God gave them more power! God fills them all over again with the Holy Ghost!
And when they had prayed, the place was shaken where they were assembled together; and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and they spake the word of God with boldness.
And the multitude of them that believed were of one heart and of one soul: neither said any of them that ought of the things which he possessed was his own; but they had all things common. And with great power gave the apostles witness of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus: and great grace was upon them all.
And by the hands of the apostles were many signs and wonders wrought among the people; (and they were all with one accord in Solomon’s porch. And of the rest durst no man join himself to them: but the people magnified them. And believers were the more added to the Lord, multitudes both of men and women.) Insomuch that they brought forth the sick into the streets, and laid them on beds and couches, that at the least the shadow of Peter passing by might overshadow some of them. There came also a multitude out of the cities round about unto Jerusalem, bringing sick folks, and them which were vexed with unclean spirits: and they were healed every one.