Today is Pentecost Sunday which commemorates the 50th day after Easter Sunday. Pentecost is derived from the Greek word Pentekoste which means 50th. It would typically mark the 50 days after Jesus was resurrected. Luke 24:36-49 is about the Lord Jesus dining with His disciples. The disciples gave Jesus some broiled fish. The disciples were frightened at the vision of the risen Lord. Jesus allowed the disciples to feel Him to see He was in His resurrected body. After that, we read in Luke 24:34-49 about the disciples would have to wait before the great commission can begin.
Peter was later restored to fellowship in John 21. Jesus was told to feed the sheep. However, it was probably time Peter was reminded of one painful truth–the denials done were because of the weakness of the flesh. Jesus soon spoke the summary of the law of Moses, the prophetic books, and the Psalms about Him. Jesus’ death and resurrection proved the proficiency and accuracy of the Scriptures. It was finally time for the disciples to be further immersed in the truth of the Scriptures, so they might understand it better. It was necessary to point back to the Old Testament before the New Testament can be fully understood. The New Testament is the fulfillment of the Old Testament. Jesus never came to break the law but to fulfill what man couldn’t.
The lesson was to stay in Jerusalem. Jesus said in Luke 21:49 to stay in the city until they are clothed with power from on high. This was the promised gift of the Holy Spirit. Soon enough, we would read of the ascension into Heaven. We read more of the ascension from Luke. Luke wrote the Book of Acts after all. It was a letter to the Greek scholar Theophilus. We have the disciples asking in Acts 1:6 when Jesus will establish His kingdom. Jesus replied in Acts 1:7-8 the simple answer that it’s not for them to know the times or seasons that the Father has fixed, but that the apostles will receive the power of the Holy Spirit. That’s why they were told to wait. They had to receive the power of the Holy Spirit before they can become witnesses to Jerusalem, to all of Judea, to Samaria, and unto the end of the Earth.
Later, Matthias replaced Judas Iscariot who was mentioned again. Judas Iscariot was mentioned that his body fell after the suicide. The field where Judas Iscariot died was later called Aceldema or the field of blood. It was in fulfillment of Psalm 69:25. Psalm 41:9 also mentioned that Judas Iscariot’s despicable deed was allowed to happen for a reason–to fulfill Scripture. John 17:12 even calls Judas Iscariot the son of perdition. There were two candidates namely Justus (Joseph called Barsabbas) and Matthias. The casting of lots happened and the lot fell on Matthias. J. Vernon McGee also comments that this was most likely votation over the Holy Spirit’s choosing. Nothing is recorded of Matthias’ ministry for a reason. I think this Matthias was a true believer. However, McGee believes that the Holy Spirit chose Saul of Tarsus to replace Judas Iscariot instead.
Speaking in tongues, not babbling
We have the coming of the Holy Spirit in Acts 2:1-13. The next verses up to the end were all about Peter’s first sermon at Pentecost. Acts 1:14 tells us that Mary the earthly mother of Jesus and the earthly maternal half-brothers were in one accord in prayer. Two of the maternal half-brothers became known namely James and Jude. Mary showed herself as that ideal other to imitate yet again when she was praying with the disciples. The Holy Spirit would descend showing a supernatural influence. This was 50 days after the Feast of the First Fruits.
This wasn’t speaking in tongues like the Charismatics claim to do. Instead, we’re talking about speaking actual languages without having to study them. Today, we need to go to a language school to learn another language. There are several widely-spoken languages today. We have English, Mandarin, Hindi, Spanish, French, Modern Arabic, Bengali, Russian, Portuguese, Urdu, Indonesian, German, Japanese, Nigerian Pidgin, Marathi Indian, Telegu Indian, Turkish, Tamilian Indian, Yue Chinese (dialects of Hong Kong and Macau), and Vietnamese to name several spoken languages. The apostles didn’t need to master them–the Holy Spirit made them speak in tongues!
Acts 2:7-11 mentions the amazement. This was speaking actual languages, not vain babblings in today’s Charismatic Movement. Several men like the late Asa Alonso Allen and the late Tony Alamo (who was controversial for being a sexually immoral pervert who “wed” several underaged women) were fraudsters. We can see the Apostles speak the languages of the Parthians, the Medes, the Elamites, Mesopotamian, Judean, Cappodocian, Pontusian and Asian, Phrygian and Pamphylian, Egyptian, and the languages of some parts of Libya belonging to Cyrene, and the visitors of Rome. This was really a supernatural work. I bet Joseph the Dreamer had to study Egyptian while he was working from Potiphar’s house up to when he became Egypt’s chief minister. Moses had to study Egyptian when he was raised in the royal house. The apostles had supernatural learning that we can’ have today. I would need to study hard to learn another language but not the Apostles!
There was the false accusation of being filled with new wine. The reason has to be that the event was that hard to imagine. If a person spoke in several languages at once–I would have my senses surprised. I’m led to think Matthias, though his ministry was unrecorded, was also a beneficiary of this one. Perhaps Matthias served as a deacon for Peter. Peter would soon preach his first sermon on Pentecost. Peter now had God’s green light signal which led to his sermon. Peter would cite Joel 2:31-32 to point towards the fulfillment of prophecy to start his sermon.
Peter’s sermon was different from the so-called massive “conversions” today. It was really empowered by the Holy Spirit. Peter was just energized and more than ready to preach. Peter convicted the sinful crowd of their sin. This crowd was drawn to him. Peter was now preaching about the crucifixion and the resurrection. Peter then told them to repent and then get baptized (this isn’t about baptismal regeneration). Acts 2:41 later tells us that many people who received the word were baptized. First, it was believing in Jesus. Second, it was baptism. Baptism was for the repentant believer. That’s why infant baptism can’t count as valid. The Bible always commands baptism for repentant sinners, not infants who can’t understand repentance. Sadly, the practice of infant baptism in Roman Catholicism teaches that people are supposedly “born again” in this practice. However, some Protestant Christian denominations still practice infant baptism as a dedication ceremony without believing that the infant has become born again.
The big event here is that the apostles were to rely on the Spirit. Christians today may not experience supernatural miracles today. However, one can easily be misled without prayer and guidance. One can’t restrain any ongoing struggles except by the power of God. This Pentecost Sunday, it would also be time to think that a Christian should have no one but God to thank for any good work that they’ve done or any sin avoided. It’s all the work of God. True, Christians must do their part and not be passive. However, being active without the Holy Spirit’s guidance will not be very ideal and can lead to disappointment instead.
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