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Gaze with the
faithful as they watch their beloved Leader’s triumphal entry back into heaven.
Follow along with them as they head back to Jerusalem, into the upper room
to await the promised Comforter.
As the disciples, who had
watched Christ’s triumphal entry into Heaven stand with their eyes upward,
the two angels who had accompanied Christ appear to them: “Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye
gazing up into heaven? This same Jesus, which is taken up from you into
heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven.” Acts 1:11
One by one the disciples
lower their eyes to the earth. Their Lord is gone from them. Pensively they
leave the mount of Olivet and head back to Jerusalem. They go directly to
the Upper Room as Jesus had instructed them to do. They would wait and pray
until the promised Comforter comes to them.
Jesus’ admonition to His
disciples was that they were to remain in Jerusalem until the Holy Spirit,
whom John the Baptist had foretold should baptize them, giving them the
power to carry out His commission: Mark
16:15 And he
said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every
creature.
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Waiting For
The Comforter
Assembled together in
the upper room are Peter, James, John, Andrew, Philip, Thomas, Bartholomew,
Matthew, James and Judas the sons of Alphaeus, and Simon Zelotes. And with
them are the faithful women, Mary Magdalene, the other Mary, Salome,
Cleopas’ wife, as well as Mary, the mother of Jesus, and Jesus’ brothers.
All in all, about one hundred and twenty men and women are assembled, with
a united purpose. Here they all wait, praying, expecting and thinking, and
worshipping daily in the temple…. They await the promised Comforter.
Bold Peter remembers: As
Peter kneels before God, praying and waiting, he recalls a time he would
rather forget. It was on that crucial day of Jesus’ trial: “I don’t
care if everyone leaves You, I will not. You can count on me!” Oh
how those words stung in his mind just now. Not an hour after this bold
declaration, he crumbled under the accusation of a maiden girl who pointed
him out as one of Jesus’ followers. His face burns now at the memory… How
could Jesus have chosen him to be among those who are now waiting,
expecting the promised Comforter? But then, in a flash, comes another
scene: Peter remembers the rooster’s crow, and Jesus’ look. It was not a
look of accusation, or of anger, only of grief, and love, and pity. Peter
remembers the words of Jesus: “Simon, Simon,
behold Satan hath desired to have thee, that he may sift thee as wheat: but
I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not.” And now he
remembers another scene. He remembers the tears of repentance he cried that
night in the Garden of Gethsemane. He remembers the feeling, like a river
flowing with pure sweet water, the feeling of peace. No longer is he
Simon the coward. He is Peter the rock. And in reverence now, he lies
prostrate before God, waiting and praying for the promised Comforter.
Thomas, the Doubter recalls: Oh
if only he could erase those words from the records, from his mind! “Unless
I see for myself the scars of the nails in His hands, and put my finger
into those prints, I will not believe.” How could he not have
believed that his Lord had arisen? Would he ever be able to erase the
permanent title: “Doubting Thomas?” But now, as he bows before the Lord
in this Upper Room, he recalls a happier scene: Instead of putting his
fingers into Christ’s scars, when he saw Him there--in this same room days
before—Thomas had thrown himself at Christ’s feet. Tears had washed away
all his doubt. “My Lord, and My God!” he had exclaimed. He
would serve His living Lord for the remainder of his life. Yes. He would
even die for Him if he was called upon to do so. His mind is brought back
to the reason he is here. He is waiting for the promised Comforter.
Bartholomew (Nathanael)
Reflects: “Can any good come out of Nazareth?" Those words echoed in Bartholomew’s mind as he
kneels before God this day. Many times since meeting Jesus, he had
regretted those words, but they were his words. And now he reflects on a
more pleasant scene. He recalls Jesus’ voice as he approached Him that day:
"Behold, an Israelite indeed, in whom
is no deceit!" He reflects now on the feeling of
comfort, of peace, of belief that swept over him, upon hearing those words.
He reflects on his reaction that Jesus knew him. "How could You
possibly know me? I have never ever laid eyes on You in my life.” And
now again, he hears Jesus’ voice: "Before
Philip called you… I saw you." Bartholomew pulls his
mind back to the reason for his being here. He was waiting for the promised
Comforter.
Andrew and Philip think back: Each
with his individual, but similar thoughts, Andrew and Philip are taken back
to the day they heard John the Baptist’s words: Behold! The Lamb of God! They recall the
scene at Jesus’ baptism when John said: I saw a dove descend from the
heavens… And I heard God's voice, saying: 'This is
My beloved Son. Hear Him.' Each recalls his desire to meet
and follow The Lamb of God, which they did, introducing their friend
Nathanael to Jesus. Their hearts are now united, waiting for the promised
Comforter.
James and John look back. These
two brothers now seek God’s face, waiting, believing and praying. “Sons of
Thunder” they were called. Each pictures in his mind that day that they
were with Zebedee, their father, mending their nets. They hear again the
voice of Jesus: "Follow Me!" Without
hesitation they left their nets, their fishing, and their father to follow
Jesus. James recalls how he and his brother once sought to be chosen
by Jesus to sit on either side of Him in His Kingdom. His face burns now at
this selfish request and the mild rebuke of Jesus when He said that THAT
honor would be reserved for the most deserving. He pulls his mind back to
the Upper Room. He is in the presence of God now. He misses Jesus’ physical
presence, but he is waiting for the Comforter that He promised.
John too recalls those
memories. John remembers
the many times that he was close to Jesus. More Jesus’ age than a lot of
the other disciples, he thought of Jesus as his brother. He recalls now,
with shame, the day of Christ’s trial. He and Peter did not flee as had the
other disciples. And he alone, without Peter, was allowed into the inner
court during the trial. Oh how many times he has replayed that scene. How
he wishes he had not been so cowardly and had stood up for Jesus. But now a
peace comes over him. Jesus knew his human failures and weaknesses. Jesus
forgave him. John lifts his eyes and searches the room. There was Mary,
Jesus’ mother, and now HIS mother. He recalls Jesus’ dying words at the
cross: “John, You are my faithful friend. You have been like a close
brother to me. I am committing my mother into your care. Please look after
her. See how she mourns.” Mary and John’s eyes meet. With a feeling
of love and commitment, John bows his head again. He is expecting the
promised Comforter.
James and Judas (sons of Alphaeus), Simon
(Zelotes) and Matthew, silently seek: Always
faithful, but never predominate, these disciples are lost in their own
individual thought. Each regrets that he didn’t stand up for Jesus at His
trial. Each knows that he is forgiven. Each was there when Jesus showed up
without warning in this very room, and shared in the breaking of bread,
after His resurrection. Each, in reverence, now waits for the promised
Comforter.
Jesus’ brothers recall: Oh
how glad they are to be amongst the faithful who are meeting in the Upper
Room. They regret that they had not believed their older Brother, Jesus,
earlier in their lives. Growing up, they knew Jesus was different. They saw
His gentle ways, experienced His love and unselfishness, heard His talk of
His Heavenly Father. They heard John the Baptist’s declaration: “Behold! The Lamb of God!” and saw the
Dove land upon Him. They witnessed His miracle of turning the water into
wine. They followed His activities and miracles. But, enough reflection.
They are here now and they are waiting for the promised Comforter.
Mary, the mother of Jesus
reviews: Mary was always one who pondered. She keeps
things stored up in her heart. She thinks now of how she felt when she
first heard the news from the angel that she had been chosen to be the
mother of God (Jesus). She smiles, thinking of Jesus as a twelve-year old
with an adult response to her scolding, after He had been located in the
Temple: "Why did you seek Me? Did you
not know that I must be about My Father's business?" Yes,
His Father’s business: that of seeking and saving the lost, she among them.
With warmness she thinks of all the other things she stored in her heart.
Meeting John’s eyes a few minutes ago, her mother-heart swelled within her.
Jesus had been sensitive to her grief, even in His dying moments. She is
now John’s mother. He is her son. With folded hands she lifts her eyes
heavenward. “Oh my Son, send us soon Your promised Comforter. How we need
it.”
Mary Magdalene, the other Mary,
Salome, Cleopas’ wife bow in expectation. They,
each in her own way, recall the trip to the empty tomb. They recall their
joy when they met Jesus, and their excitement when they carried the news to
the disciples. Each recalls the scepticism they read on the disciples’
faces, and the spontaneous reaction of Peter and John—running to tomb to
witness for themselves.
Mary Magdalene: Her
heart wells up with love and gratitude that Jesus pulled her out of the
gutter. She remembers the rebuke of Judas as she broke the alabaster box
and poured the expensive perfume on Jesus’ head. New tears come to her eyes
at the recollection of the tears she spilled on Jesus’ feet. She touches
her beautiful head of hair as she relives the experience of drying Her
Savior’s feet with that hair. Oh how she would miss His presence. But NO,
she won’t. He is sending something better, a presence that can be with her
at ALL times. She is anticipating the promised Comforter.
At times the congregation of one
hundred and twenty men and women would leave the Upper Room and assemble in
the nearby Temple, where they worshipped the Lord, always waiting,
expecting and thinking. They await the promised comforter. They await
the Power that Jesus promised to give them to give them to carry out His
commission of taking the Gospel to the whole world. They await the day
of Pentecost.
The Day Of Pentecost
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Acts 1:15-2:4
Christ’s followers await the
day of Pentecost: This day, the day for which the believers
had been assembled together, was a day when the ‘firstfruits of
Christ’s church, the harvest of thousands of souls would be
celebrated.
It is ten days now since Jesus
Christ had been physically taken from them. The one hundred and twenty
men and woman, headed by the twelve Disciples of Christ, are assembled
in the Upper Room, united in their purpose.
They await the outpouring of
the Holy Spirit. It may seem strange to those who do not
understand God’s forgiving power that it is Peter--Peter, no
longer a coward, Peter, no longer impulsively jumping into things, now,
Peter, the Rock--who is leading the congregation of believers
assembled together, waiting. It is this Peter who stands up before the
group and goes over the happenings of the past days, reminding them of
David’s prophecy concerning Judas, how he had been counted as part of
them, but how he had sold his Lord, then killed himself; he reminded
them of how the money was spent which Judas had thrown down, to buy a
field, which was labeled, “The field of blood.” Peter
announces that a replacement for Judas must be picked.
Judas’ replacement picked. Amongst
those assembled, two devout men, Joseph Barsabas Justus, and Matthias
are chosen. The group spend much time praying over these two men.
Finally a vote is taken; a decision is made as to which of them would
be counted in with the other eleven disciples. Matthias is chosen as
the twelfth disciple. The time of waiting is over.
Stand in awe!
Amazing things are about to happen.
Outside, people from all over the
world have gathered in Jerusalem for the celebration of the “Day of
the Firstfruits.” Devout men and women, with their families, have
come from Arabia, Crete, Asia, and even as far away as Rome for this
festivity. It is a celebration when the Jews bring to God the best of
their harvest—the first fruits. The assembly place is in
and around the Temple. Families are gathered in groups, dialogue among
adults and chatter of children float through the air. Excitement at meeting
old friends and being introduced to new ones add to the clamour of the
festive occasion. Hundreds of foreign and strange languages mingle
together, adding to the cacophony.
Acts 2: 1- 4: “And when the day of Pentecost
was 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 all the house where they were sitting....and there
appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it 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.”
The Upper Room prayer group is
oblivious to the tumult around them. Each is intent on the purpose for
which they all had gathered: waiting for the promised
Comforter. Suddenly, a sound, like the wind of a tornado
penetrates the ears of all, the selected group, and the multitudes of
people gathered for the festivities. All conversation ceases. The crowd
stand in awe. It is a sound like they have never heard before. They
gather closer. What is happening?
Then, to add to the mystery, as
the crowd watch, little tongues of
fire sit upon the shoulders of each of the believers,
now having come into sight and mingled with the mass. The visitors can’t
believe their eyes or their ears. They look again. They listen. Each
group of people is hearing language they can understand. How can
this be? “How is it that we hear in our
own language?” -- Parthians, Medes, Elamites, Mesopotamians,
Judaeans, Cappadocians, those from Pontus, and Asia, from Phrygia, and
Pamphylia, Egypt, Libya Cyrene, Rome, Jews, Cretes, Arabians, all are
hearing in their own language, the wonderful works of God.
Acts 2:5-13
Peter speaks. The crowds
listen. Scoffers scoff:
“These are Galileans. How
is it that we can understand what they are saying? They are talking as
if they had been born with our language. How can this be? Whatever can
it mean?” Families huddle together. All ears are on Peter as he stands
before them. He speaks directly to the locals, the men of Israel.
“Listen to what I have to say, oh
you men of Israel. Hear the words of Jesus of Nazareth. You witnessed
His miracles, wonders and signs that God did through Him. But you took
Him and after a mock trial, accused Him, condemned Him as a guilty
criminal. You crucified Him. You thought you had gotten rid of Him, the
fanatic, as you accused Him of being. But Death could not hold Him; it
had no power over Him—the sinless One. God raised Him up again. You
leaders of Israel should know that. You are taught in the Law and in
the writings of David that Death had no hold over the Lord.
“You men and brethren know that
the patriarch David both died and is buried and his tomb is with us
still. But he foretold that Christ would be raised up again and would
sit on the throne of God. You should remember in your reading of David
that Christ would not remain in hell, but would be raised up to sit on
the right hand of God. He also promised that He would send down His
Holy Spirit. And THIS is what you are seeing today. Jesus Christ, whom
you crucified, is here today by the presence of His Holy Spirit.
“Listen, oh you men of Israel.
Remember His words: ‘Be saved. I have come
to seek and to save that which is lost.’ “
All ears were on Peter, listening
to what he was saying. Whispers fluttered through the crowd. Amazement
and perplexity were written on their faces. “What can this all mean?
Nothing like this has ever happened in the history of man!” Some
trembled.
The locals, those who knew Peter
and had witnesses his many faults and remembered his denial of his
Friend at the trial, and knew the other Disciples of Christ, snickered
amongst themselves. “Oh yea! This is no miracle. These men have had too
much new wine.”
The tumult began anew. The crowd
began to go back to their celebrations. But wait! Peter was
speaking again.
“Men of Judea, and
all ye that dwell at Jerusalem, be this known unto you, and hearken to
my words: For these are not drunken, as ye suppose, seeing it is but
the third hour of the day. “
He went on, “This same Jesus, the one you put to death, He is Lord and
Christ. ‘Repent, and be baptized every one
of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye
shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost’.”
The scoffers become quiet. The
smirk suddenly disappears from their faces. Silence reigns. Many of
them fall to their knees. “What shall we do?
“Repent, and be
baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission
of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.” Acts 2:38
And the Church is born.
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Helen Dowd
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Scripture is
taken from King James Version of the Bible, or from New King James
Version.
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