Empowered to Live

Understanding the moment: Fear, Misunderstanding of both Scripture and what the resurrection means. The departure of Jesus and not knowing what to expect. An internal gathering and prayer meeting that was quite safe. And then… Start with the end result of this event: Peter is speaking to a gathered crowd, and the first thing he does is quote Scripture. The impact of this encounter with the Holy Spirit causes an understanding of Scripture to help them identify and understand that this event is of God and not just an ecstatic hallucination. The connection to OT Scripture is important: it gives us both context and insight into the events that happened. Pentecost is the 50th day after Passover. It comes from the word 50. It is also the feast of the “first fruits” that comes after the first rain. It is also the celebration of the coming of Moses from Sinai with the 10 commandments. Exodus 19 there is fire that comes down and God called Moses up and gives him the 10 Commandments (Ex 20, ff) including three feasts they are to celebrate with God: Passover, first fruits, and harvest. Exodus 23:14 ff The day of Pentecost had come, they were together (in prayer) - first fruits, and giving of the law.now in the hearts of individuals and not just written in stone! ““For this is the covenant which I will make with the house of Israel after those days,” declares the Lord: “I will put My law within them and write it on their heart; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people.” Jeremiah 31:33 The wind is the Spirit (Hebrew: Ruah) and it separated the waters of the Red Sea, and God moves like the wind – Jesus: “The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear the sound of it, but you do not know where it is coming from and where it is going; so is everyone who has been born of the Spirit.”” John 3:8 The fire on Sinai, the burning bush in Exodus, the prophecy of John, and the individuality of the experience where God’s presence is on each one. The languages of praise: Tower of Babel to separate, and now to unify- also to show the extent by which God’s grace extended beyond just the Jews. Notice, however, the gift was not to preach, but to worship. Also the goal of this experience is not to exalt the greatness of man, but the greatness of God! God grows the church doing two things: inward transformation and outward proclamation. Let us all seek God more, and experience him by receiving his gifts.