DONT MISS THIS ONE EVEN IF YOU HAVE TO MISS DINNER! Those of the early church responded enthusiastically to Christ’s challenge to “Go into all the world and preach the Gospel to every creature.” Leaving all behind, and ventured into pioneer territory, not thinking of the cost. They had experienced the marvels of the life transforming power of the Gospel and were determined that the whole world should hear expeditiously. Not once, does it appear that they became overwhelmed by the vastness of the mandated task. They had been assured by the risen Christ upon His return to Heaven, that there was nothing to fear, as He would send the blessed Paraclete, the Holy Spirit, who would fill and empower them; making them equal to the task. Following His Ascension, they followed His instructions to the T, and waited in the appointed upper room, for the promised Helper and Enabler. As promised, not many days later, while in prayer, in one accord and in one place, there came that sound from Heaven as of a rushing mighty wind and filled all the house where they were sitting. The tongues of fire appeared and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost. What an incredible phenomena! At this point in time one might expect, they consulted with each other, as to who was the greatest and as to what these cloven tongues meant and would have discussed who had the most and the greatest abundance of the Spirit’s filling. One might think that there would have been great theological debates over these all important matters. Surely they must have debated such important issues as to how many angels could dance on the head of a pin. After all, was this not something that no one had ever experienced before? Were they not the elite? What about those who had not come to pray, were they not now much inferior? Surely they were the chosen ones and would have the first and last to say on the matter of a “rushing mighty wind”and the “cloven tongues of fire,” and also, would they not now be the chose ones since they had this gift of tongues, and furthermore; surely they would be now fully qualified, with the ability to sit on the right and the left hand of Christ in His kingdom! Who ever heard of such a thing as ‘tongues of fire’, surely the Jerusalem Post would pick up on this phenomena in a hurry. They would be celebrities over night! In view of the mentality of the church today and what we all to often see and hear, as the qualifying celebrity criteria for membership into the ‘Personality cult’ of the hour; they would have had good reason for having a colossal fund raising campaign and build a permanent memorial to themselves, as a lasting tribute to such heroic adventurers and achievers, and if not to qualify for the right hand of Christ’s throne, then for sure the left. Some insignificant soul must have forced his way through the mass of spectators and celebrities, through the ‘Press’ and daringly made a successful grab for one of the many microphones, and nervously shouted, “Are you sure this is what the fire and tongues is all about, and are you sure this fanfare is what Christ had in mind when He said the coming Holy Spirit will empower you to be witness to Me. Are you all certain that when He said ‘Go ye into all the world and preach the Gospel to every creature’, this is what He had in mind? No Beloved, these few humble tongue speaking and fire touched believers, set out immediately sharing the good news of the gospel of saving grace to the multitudes, who spoke many languages;who had come to Jerusalem for the great feast, from all over the world. They saw this as an unprecedented opportunity to make their Lord and Master, and even more, the risen glorified Christ known to the world. They were too busy gossiping the Gospel, this wondrous news; to sit and discuss, debate and argue the mattes of tongues and fire. How many angels could dance on the head of a pin could be fodder for theologians twenty one centuries ahead! The immediate and all encompassing enterprise at hand was, who wants to obey the command of the risen Christ and win these lost souls, and which direction do we take first. Some went in one direction and some in another. Peter took a deep breath of the invigorating and empowering Spirits dynamic presence into his spiritual lungs and immediately knew he was to announce, that there was going to be a city wide evangelistic campaign! He did not consult the press for the latest current event of the hour to spice up his sermon as one might expect, rather he drew heavily upon the Spirits anointing and proclaimed the message with power and authority from the Holy Scriptures. Telling these listeners that they were numbered among those who had crucified the Lord of glory and that they were to obey the word preached and repent of their sins. And with many other words did he testify and exhort, saying, Save yourselves from this un-toward generation....And great fear came upon every soul: and many wonders and signs were done by the Apostles...And they sold their possessions and goods, and parted them to all men, as every man had need.” In a few short years these unpretentious followers of the lonely Galilean, had spread the good news throughout the then known world. They traveled across land on foot and water by boat. They had no orchestra to accompany them and no public address systems to facilitate better communication, nor does it appear that they required a limousine or a five star hotel to accommodate them. Some were educated, some were not. Peter and his entourage were labeled unlearned and ignorant men. However, there was one qualification they all had in common, that was that they were serious about their Lord’s mandate. They were committed to His cause and nothing would deter them from obedience to His instruction and above all else they had the promise of the Father, the Holy Ghost. In speaking of those early days, Tertullian wrote: “We engage in these conflicts as men whose very lives are not our own.” This faithful band of dedicated followers of the Lamb, took Christ’s command seriously and completed the first phase of the program. - Dr. Steeves
Posted on: Sun, 07 Sep 2014 22:31:28 +0000
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