And being assembled together with
[them], He commanded them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait
for the Promise of the Father, "which," [He said], "you
have heard from Me; "for John truly baptized with water, but you
shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now."
Therefore, when they had come together, they asked Him, saying,
"Lord, will You at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?"
And He said to them, "It is not for you to know times or seasons
which the Father has put in His own authority. "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." Now when He had spoken these things,
while they watched, He was taken up, and a cloud received Him out of
their sight.
Acts 1:4-9 NKJV
Quite a few years ago while playing softball on my
church league team, I had occasion to break my wrist rather severely
on a collision at home plate. The result was having my entire arm
put in a cast even up to and past my elbow for a period of six weeks
or so. This was probably one of the more uncomfortable periods in my
life because I was told to do absolutely nothing with that arm or
hand until the cast came off.
You can imagine my relief when the time finally arrived
where the doctor felt the bones had healed enough for the cast to
come off. Of course, having never broken anything before it came as
a severe shock to find out that although the bones had healed, the
result of being totally immobilized for that length of time was that
my arm was completely useless! The muscles had weakened to the point
that I could barely lift my arm much less do anything with it. What
followed was a few weeks of serious physical therapy in order to
build up the muscles to the point where they were before the
accident.
Wanting to do something and not having the power to do
it was a pretty helpless feeling for me, and in a way, when I read
this passage about Jesus leaving the disciples I think in a way they
may have felt the same. They had witnessed, and been a part of,
some very powerful moments in the last three years and yet they were
facing the loss of what to them was the source of that power. It is at this point that Jesus tells them that He
is going to send them a helper in the person of the Holy Spirit in
just a few days.
It seems they did not at first understand exactly what
Jesus was saying to them for they asked if that would be the day the
kingdom would be restored. I wonder if this was the point where they
knew something needed to be done, but like my useless arm, also knew
they didn't have the power to perform it. Jesus goes on to explain
that the plan was for them to be witnesses of all they had seen, and
the Holy Spirit would be the source of the power they would need to
accomplish that task.
I can't help but wonder, though, if even with the words
of Jesus in their ears were they really prepared for the events that
occurred on the Day of Pentecost just ten days later.
When the Day of Pentecost had
fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. And suddenly
there came a sound from heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind, and it
filled the whole house where they were sitting. Then there appeared
to them divided tongues, as of fire, and [one] sat upon each of them.
And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with
other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance. 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.
Acts 2:1-6 NKJV
Can you even begin to imagine what this must have felt
like to them? From the setting, it would seem the disciples were all
together in a house when all of a sudden this sound occurs that obviously
could be heard by not only the disciples, but the city of Jerusalem
as well. Then what appears to be balls of fire appear and sit on
each of them, and they begin to speak in different languages!
Because it was Pentecost, Jerusalem was filled with Jews from other
nations of the world, yet each of these heard the disciples speaking
in the language of their countries.
Now some might think that the disciples knew what was
happening and just “went with the flow” but I have a feeling
these men were as shocked as the people around them. Imagine having
coffee with some of your friends and suddenly you hear the sound of a
hurricane type wind and balls of fire appear sitting on each of you
and you begin to speak in a language you never even studied! I would
have to say Jesus wasn't exaggerating when He said they would
“receive power”. The best part of this, however, is that this
was not a gift to just the disciples but a gift to the Church which
means anyone who accepts Jesus as Lord and Savior receives this same
Spirit to indwell and empower to serve Him.
Pentecost is considered by most as the beginning of what
we call the Church Age, or the birthday of the Church as we know it.
Many believe that the rapture of the Church will happen on it's
birthday also, which will result not only in the removal of all
believers, but of the indwelling gift of the Holy Spirit as well.
The removal of the Holy Spirit seems to be supported by a passage in
Paul's letter to the Thessalonians concerning the end of the age, and
the beginning of that period of time called the tribulation. Some of
them had heard that this time had already begun yet Paul tells them
that “He who now restrains” must first be removed. Most scholars
identify the restrainer as the Holy Spirit at work in the body of the
Church, and the removal refers to the rapture of all believers at the
end of this age.
And now you know what is
restraining, that he may be revealed in his own time. For the mystery
of lawlessness is already at work; only He who now restrains [will do
so] until He is taken out of the way.
2 Thessalonians
2:6-7 NKJV
Anyone who has studied the events of the period of time
the Bible calls the tribulation cannot help but be appalled by what
occurs when evil is “unrestrained”. Yet does all that happens
during that time not show just how powerful the presence of the Holy
Spirit in His believers right now is? The only thing that is holding
back Satan's forces from destroying the entire world is the power of
the Holy Spirit, and that same power is alive inside of each of us
who believe.
It was a helpless feeling for me to want to use my arm
and yet not have the power to do so. There have been many times when
I also wondered if I had the power to do something I knew God wanted
me to do. It's at these times we need to remember just how powerful
the Holy Spirit inside of us is, and we need never fear that we
somehow lack the power to accomplish any task He sets before us.
For God has not
given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound
mind.
2 Timothy 1:7 NKJV
Keep watching.
