Thursday, June 4

THURSDAY, JUNE 4, 2015

2 Samuel 22:21–23:23

Acts 2:1–47

Psalm 122: 1–9

Proverbs 16:19,20

 

 

In Acts 2, we read about the outpouring of the Holy Spirit, as Jesus promised earlier in Acts 1:8:  “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”  This promise would start to bear fruit immediately on this Pentecost day.  Once timid and too quick to speak, Peter gave powerful testimony that day of Jesus’s identity as the Messiah, and 3,000 people came to trust in Christ as Lord and Savior that day.

 

There are several brief lessons to take away from this great chapter:

 

1.       Take God at His Word and proclaim His truth.  Having earnestly prayed for 10 days, Peter and his fellow disciples recognized that Scripture pointed towards the living Christ.  They trusted in God’s faithfulness and provision, seeing all the pieces to the puzzle fall together with the Crucifixion and Resurrection.  Jesus took care to reassure and prepare His disciples in those 40 days before His Ascension.  Peter boldly proclaimed the fulfillment of prophecy in the life, death, and Resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ.  His inclusion of Scripture here provides an excellent example of how Christ-followers may rely on the sufficient Word of God as their guide and motivation for seeking and proclaiming truth.

 

2.       Recognize that power for ministry comes from God alone.  Throughout the Book of Acts, we find strong examples of the Holy Spirit’s empowering of the early disciples for ministry.  His presence at Pentecost through “tongues of fire” emboldened the disciples, giving them confidence to step outside the Upper Room into Jerusalem, which teemed with Jews gathering for the Feast of Weeks.  In Acts 4:24–31, we read about the disciples’ prayer and God’s reply:  “After they prayed, the place where they were meeting was shaken.  And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God boldly.”  Later, Paul would acknowledge that “our competence comes from God.” (2 Corinthians 3:5)  To the Thessalonians, Paul observed:  “… We know, brothers and sisters loved by God, that he has chosen you, because our gospel came to you not simply with words but also with power, with the Holy Spirit and deep conviction.” (1 Thessalonians 1:4,5a)

 

Many times, we may approach ministry and service opportunities tentatively, wondering if we have the capacity.  This calculation places the onus for ministry on our shoulders, instead of trusting in God’s gracious provision.  God’s love and concern for people, demonstrated most clearly in His sending the Lord Jesus Christ as the only payment for man’s sin, far surpasses our own, and we do well to lean completely on Him.  God desires for His people only to commit to His purposes and seek the filling of the Holy Spirit so that we may serve as fully competent ambassadors for our heavenly King.

 

3.       Anticipate opposition.  Even during these first days of the Church, the disciples faced opposition and skepticism.  Despite the suggestions that their speaking in tongues had resulted from drunkenness, they persisted and trusted God at His Word.  The early disciples did not remain cloistered in the Upper Room or even in Jerusalem.  The disciples’ faithfulness in spite of severe opposition would encourage others to consider their truth claims.  Given their willingness to suffer and die for the Gospel, outside observers would have to consider the validity of their claims, given their total self-abnegation.

 

4.       Set a course for godly action.  Peter urged the people to place their faith into action:  “Repent and be baptized.”  The Gospel’s proclamation would require a response, a willful commitment to truth and to allegiance to the Lord Jesus Christ.  The faith would grow due to the presentation of “Christ crucified” rather than “fine-sounding arguments.”  The truth would indeed set God’s people free, but first they would need to take it to heart and turn from self to the living Christ (repentance).  Baptism would provide an outward sign of this inward change and bring encouragement to their fellow believers.

 

Then, the disciples built a community around the Word, love, and fellowship in the Holy Spirit.  Their commitment to the Lord Jesus Christ compelled them to lessen personal allegiances to the greater good:  for both the Church and their fellow believers.

 

 

Lord Jesus, thank You for living a blameless and holy life and giving Yourself for our sake.  We trust in You today and gladly receive the gift of Your righteousness.  Thank You for preparing us adequately to serve You through sending the promised Holy Spirit.  Give us the boldness and faith that the early disciples experienced.  Help us to overcome fear and weakness through Your all-sufficient grace.  May Your Name be glorified in all the earth!  Amen.

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