One recent Sunday, whilst about to preach about the Apostle Peter preaching on the day of Pentecost, I lost my voice, totally! Fortunately for the world-wide Christian Church this didn’t happen to Peter, as 3,000 believers were added to the fledgling church in Jerusalem on that day, 2,000 years ago.

 

For me, I needed congregational assistance to complete the service. Prayer and testimony were spontaneously given by a number of people, providing a wonderful conclusion to the service. I limped off the platform trying to recover my voice, thankful that “togetherness” and “unity of mind and purpose” won the day, as is so often the case at Burnside Family Church. I had a few points to further make on that Sunday, which now, in this article, I will attempt to share.

 

In Acts 2, regarding the events which took place on the day of Pentecost, when the promised Holy Spirit was given to believers in Jesus Christ, I noted the following:

 

1.

All the believers were “together” in “one place”. Can we recognise God’s pattern of action?               He operates through the unity of believers. For us, unity might just mean being there, together, in one mind and one body. Today, we call this a church service, and indeed, all activities we undertake in church.

 

2.

“Suddenly” things happened. God’s pattern of action can often be “suddenly”. Waiting can be a tiresome, low-energy exercise, but if you know that something promised will happen, then expectancy can raise enthusiasm and energy. The disciples were told by Jesus to wait for the Holy Spirit to come upon them, and “suddenly”, the waiting was over. Believing expectantly might be a good definition for faith.

 

3.

The coming of the Holy Spirit was a supernatural event (only God could do it). Tongues of fire dancing on the heads of 120 followers of Jesus, a rushing wind, and praise being proclaimed loudly in languages otherwise unknown all happened that day. Still today, the gift of the Holy Spirit is given when anyone believes in their hearts the message of the Gospel.

 

The Holy Spirit dwells within you and me to move, direct, protect and empower our lives as we live here on earth – an entirely supernatural event. Manifestations of the Holy Spirit in our lives involve both fruit and gifts, but not to be missed is “unity” as this is God’s pattern of behaviour.

 

4.

I have read the Acts 2 passage many times and have never lost the thrill and excitement of contemplating a living and powerful God who has come to dwell within each of us. Jesus came as a human being and there was a time 2,000 years ago, where we could find the physical footprint of God on earth. The Holy Spirit is the here-and-now for each believer.

 

5.

“Peter stood”…. but the scripture says he stood up with the eleven other disciples to preach that day.  I never saw that before. They stood together, they proclaimed together, and together, they all died preaching the Gospel, full of the Holy Spirit. God’s working pattern on earth is “unity”.