Pentecost Changed Everything
Moving to the Big Apple, New York City, was a shocking experience to say the least. Being in New York is unlike being anywhere else in the world. And if you’ve been there, you know. If not, you certainly can imagine.
Everything is new and different! One has to learn a new language – New York! On occasion people will ask me what it was like to live in New York, which we did for 6+ years. My standard response: “New York is the best of times and the worst of times. But it is a time!”
It’s the city that never sleeps. A place you can do anything anytime 24 hours a day. It’s both exhilarating and exasperating all at the same time. It takes time to get acclimated.
The newness of living, moving, breathing, and working in ‘the City’ is shocking to be sure. But in time, one becomes part of the fabric and acclimates into a “new normal.”
Perhaps you’ve had some shockingly new experience. Perhaps you’ve moved into a new job position or moved to a new locale. Maybe it was getting married or having a child. Whatever it is, if I asked, it probably wouldn’t take long for you to recall an experience that rocked your world because of its newness and intensity.
As we delve back into Acts 2 and explore the wonder the newness of Pentecost, its’ affect rested initially upon those first disciples of Jesus. Yet, it still has profound influence upon His people even this day!
While the fulcrum of God’s redemptive history centers on the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, Pentecost is that watershed moment affecting the life and mission of the Church. For at Pentecost (the Jewish Feast of Shavuot), the Church was born. And at Pentecost, the disciples experienced newness – a new power, a new method for outreach, and a new perspective on an established Jewish holiday.
In our last post (click here – Lori add link to it – #439), we noted that the power of the Holy Spirit, though not new, prior to Pentecost, in the sense that He empowered mainly prophets, priests, kings. It was now, at Pentecost, new in the sense that He now filled every follower of Jesus. In fact, as believers today we are all indwelt by the Spirit. Praise God. Yet, we need to, by faith, appropriate His power in order to be effective witnesses for Him.
A New Method Of Outreach
At Pentecost, the method for the mission of God’s people changed dramatically. For Ancient Israel was called to be a “kingdom of priests” (Exodus 19:6), bringing converts or proselytes into the worshipping community. Now at Pentecost, God’s people would take the good news of Jesus out to the nations. And the event in Acts 2 foreshadowed that ultimate reality:
And there were dwelling in Jerusalem Jews, devout men, from every nation under heaven. And when this sound occurred, the multitude came together, and were confused, because everyone heard them speak in his own language. Then they were all amazed and marveled, saying to one another, “Look, are not all these who speak Galileans? And how is it that we hear, each in our own language in which we were born? Parthians and Medes and Elamites, those dwelling in Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya adjoining Cyrene, visitors from Rome, both Jews and proselytes, Cretans and Arabs—we hear them speaking in our own tongues the wonderful works of God.” So they were all amazed and perplexed, saying to one another, “Whatever could this mean?” Others mocking said, “They are full of new wine” (Acts 2:5-13).
While men from every nation were represented in that day, note these were only Jews and proselytes (converts to Judaism). But God’s redemptive plan always included Gentiles (the nations other than Israel).
This coming of the Spirit at Pentecost is a watershed event in redemptive history, marking the shift of God’s redemptive purpose from a particular people, Israel, to all people who believe in Jesus! You see, this shift is a fulfillment of God’s promises He made regarding Gentile inclusion in the redemptive work of Messiah. In Isaiah 42:6, God promised Messiah would a “light to the Gentiles.” and in Isaiah 49:6, the prophet reiterated God’s plan, “Indeed He says, ‘It is too small a thing that You should be My Servant To raise up the tribes of Jacob, And to restore the preserved ones of Israel; I will also give You as a light to the Gentiles, That You should be My salvation to the ends of the earth.’”
Near the end of His earthly ministry, the Lord gave the disciples their marching orders:
And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen (Matthew 28:18-20).
In Acts 2, the nations came to them. After this momentous event, the disciples would eventually go out and bring the gospel to the nations, employing this new method for completing God’s mission. And they would accomplish His will, the new thing of going out, by walking in the power of His Spirit.
In my life, I had never handed out a gospel track on the street until my 30’s. And I never did prison ministry until my 50’s. These were new methods of ministry and fulfilling God’s calling on my life. How about you? What new place, person, or method will God have you engage in our present day going forward? I don’t know, but He does. The question is: Are you open to him moving you out into new and different engagements. For at some point in our witness, the Lord calls us to step out of the boat and walk, by faith, keeping our eyes on Him.
Perhaps that could mean you join a secular organization or club simply to be a witness. I have a friend who has joined a chess club for witnessing purposes. Maybe the Lord will call you into prison ministry or to a mission trip or food pantry or other ministry at your church.
A New Perspective
As Peter explains the events of the day to those who heard the disciples testimony, he reveals a new season of God’s redemptive plan that brings with it a new perspective:
But Peter, standing up with the eleven, raised his voice and said to them, “Men of Judea and all who dwell in Jerusalem, let this be known to you, and heed my words. For these are not drunk, as you suppose, since it is only he third hour of the day. But this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel:
‘And it shall come to pass in the last days, says God,
That I will pour out of My Spirit on all flesh;
Your sons and your daughters shall prophesy,
Your young men shall see visions,
Your old men shall dream dreams’ (Acts 2:14-17).
The “last days” refers to the beginning of the what we commonly call the “Church Age”, for God’s redemption in Christ began at Pentecost and continues this day.
There is no doubt that every year following this event, those disciples would never see Shavuot the same way. For they experienced the wonder and awe of the birthday of the Church on that day, a day that reverberates through history.
As you and I think about our witness here in May of 2023, we can be sure the Lord will provide us new opportunities, new platforms, and new people with whom to engage going forward. May this season of life be a time when each of us experiences a clearer perspective and renewed commitment to the Great Commission – for His glory and for the building of His Kingdom. Amen.
Those who accepted his message were baptized, and about three thousand were added to their number that day. – Acts 2:41