What to do after pentecost

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This Sunday marks the day called Pentecost Sunday. Before it was associated with the coming of the Holy Spirit it was a feast set up by God that counted 50 days after passover. Jewish celebration The Feast of Weeks! The Feast of Weeks was the second of the three great Jewish feasts. Its name signified that it concluded the period of seven weeks which began with the presentation of the first sheaf of the barley harvest during the Passover celebration (Lev 23:15–16 ; Deut 16:9 ). Thus it was originally an agricultural feast marking the end of the grain harvest and was celebrated during the month of Sivan (May/June).

Yet this Feast of Weeks was like no other! Acts 2 opens up tying chapter 1 together with this moment when the church would be birthed

There were about 120 gathered together as instructed by the Lord. Acts 1:4-8 says : 4 And, being assembled together with them, commanded them that they should not depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the promise of the Father, which, saith he, ye have heard of me. 5 For John truly baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence. 6 When they therefore were come together, they asked of him, saying, Lord, wilt thou at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel? 7 And he said unto them, It is not for you to know the times or the seasons, which the Father hath put in his own power. 8 But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth. ( Ac 1:3–8

They were together waiting for the promise. The Holy Spirit came like a mighty win and the the New Testament Church was birthed.

But what do we after Pentecost Sunday? Even today the celebration is high. We are here with great anticipation of a great move of God. And we should be! For God is the same yesterday , today and forever more. So what he did on the day of Pentecost he can do right now. Peter quoted Joel 2:28 28 “And it shall come to pass afterward,

that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh;

your sons and your daughters shall prophesy,

your old men shall dream dreams,

and your young men shall see visions.

29 Even on the male and female servants

in those days I will pour out my Spirit. Joel 2:28-29

So the question remains what do we do after Pentecost? For we saw after Peter preached the doors of the church were opened and 3000 souls were saved. Wouldn’t that be an exciting moment to see 3000 souls yield to the tug of the Holy Spirit and come and confess their hope in Christ!

Well the answer is right here in our face. Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. 39 For the promise is for you and for your children and for all who are far off, everyone whom the Lord our God calls to himself. (Ac 2:38–39).

This promise is for you and your children and everyone! Yes the promise is for the youth, the poor, the rich, the educated, the uneducated, the professionals, the gang banger, the prostitute, the drug dealer, the good the bad and the ugly! Yes for everyone! Say everyone! Its for the folks we don’t like and the folks we like!

The word says Peter talked to the curious and the inquisitive. Verse 40 said and many other words he bore witness and continued to exhort them. SAVE YOURSELVES FROM THIS CROOKED GENERATION! So we must examine this morning text so we know what to do after Pentecost. Look at verse 41 41 Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls. 42 And they continued stedfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers. ( Ac 2:41–42).

So the first thing we must do is Continue

What had been demonstrated to have success is outlined in one word CONTINUE. One of the things we must do in all areas of our lives is continue in the path of success! Once you figure out what working continue that. I can can say that the modern day church has definitely lost focus. Instead of seeing what worked on the day of Pentecost we are all over the place.

The words said the continued stedfastly in the apostles doctrine, and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers. This word stedfastly literally means to continue to do something with intense effort, with the possible implication of despite difficulty—‘to devote oneself to, to keep on, to persist in. SO despite difficulty we are to devote ourselves:

To the Word

To Fellowship

To the Lords Supper

To Prayers

The apostle doctrine is the study of the word. Now remember the word they had was the torah, the psalms, proverbs, the words of the old testament prophets and the spoken words of Jesus. They had what they needed to continue to study the words that were written concerning Jesus. Just as Peter had preached or Stephen would preach it was the references of the early scriptures that were necessary to keep the early church focused!

We must continue to study. We must examine the scriptures to remove any doubt of who Christ is. The more we study the more our faith increases. The more we study the assurance we have of the victory of Christ.

This practice of continue in a successful path is good for all parts of our life.

Fellowship was important because its indicates they stayed and communed in one accord. I shared this a few weeks ago of being with one accord. Having the mind of Christ when we come together. Not allowing divisions to interrupt our togetherness. Fellowship is the essence of Christian life. Its fellowship with God and with other believers in Christ! John wrote in 1 John 1 That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we looked upon and have touched with our hands, concerning the word of life— 2 the life was made manifest, and we have seen it, and testify to it and proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and was made manifest to us— 3 that which we have seen and heard we proclaim also to you, so that you too may have fellowship with us; and indeed our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ . (1 Jn 1:1–3).

In the beginning, Adam was placed in the garden to enjoy friendship and communion with God. When the creature chose to assert his own autonomy rather than live under the Creator’s gracious care, fellowship was broken. Hence Adam and Eve hid themselves from the Lord’s presence (Gn 3:8). Yet God immediately sought them out (v 9) and revealed his plan for the ultimate restoration of sinners through the work of the Redeemer (v 15).

The OT tells how God began to draw a special people into fellowship with himself. Enoch is described as a man who walked with God (Gn 5:22, 24). Noah, likewise, walked in communion with the Lord (6:9). And Abraham, the father of Israel, is called “the friend of God” (Jas 2:23). No OT saint had deeper fellowship with God than did Moses during his 40-day encounter with the Lord on Mt Sinai (Ex 24).

David wrote psalms that reflect a heart vitally in tune with the living God (Pss 16; 34; 40; 63).

1 Preserve me, O God, for in you I take refuge.

2 I say to the LORD, “You are my Lord;

I have no good apart from you.”

3 As for the saints in the land, they are the excellent ones,

in whom is all my delight.

4 The sorrows of those who run after another god shall multiply;

their drink offerings of blood I will not pour out

or take their names on my lips.

5 The LORD is my chosen portion and my cup;

you hold my lot.

6 The lines have fallen for me in pleasant places;

indeed, I have a beautiful inheritance.

7 I bless the LORD who gives me counsel;

in the night also my heart instructs me.

8 I have set the LORD always before me;

because he is at my right hand, I shall not be shaken.

9 Therefore my heart is glad, and my whole being rejoices;

my flesh also dwells secure.

10 For you will not abandon my soul to Sheol,

or let your holy one see corruption.

11 You make known to me the path of life;

in your presence there is fullness of joy;

at your right hand are pleasures forevermore. (Ps 16:1–11).

As a result of Christ’s finished work on the cross, God now makes his permanent abode in the believer’s heart (Jn 14:23). Hence the fellowship which now prevails under the new covenant is nothing less than the vital, spiritual union of the believer with Christ (Jn 14:20, 21). Fellowship with God is the goal of the Christian life (1 Jn 1:3), and this relationship will be perfected forever when we see our Savior “face to face” (1 Cor 13:12), when God dwells with his people in the heavenly kingdom (Rv 21:3).

The gospel restores fellowship not only with God, but among believers as well. Jesus’ last supper with his disciples illustrates the relationship between the vertical and horizontal dimensions of fellowship (Mk 14:22–25). In the upper room Jesus shared with his disciples a sacred love feast. The hearts of the Lord and his followers were knit together by a deep sense of love and commitment. Later the disciples discovered that their own hearts were strongly united out of their common loyalty to Jesus. Following the cross and the outpouring of the Spirit the church was born, that new society of people in fellowship with God and with one another.

This breaking of bread is not us eating chicken on Sunday. Its a reenactment of the supper the Lord had with his disciple. Do this in remembrance of me. Remember the disciples who saw Jesus on the road to emaus were awaken while they ate with the resurrected Jesus. The same thing should happened to us. As we eat the bread and drink the fruit of the vine we should have a moment. Never will forget what he done for me!

Then finally prayer. What a friend we have in Jesus, All our sins and griefs to bear! What a privilege to carry Everything to God in prayer! Oh, what peace we often forfeit, Oh, what needless pain we bear, All because we do not carry Everything to God in prayer!Have we trials and temptations? Is there trouble anywhere? We should never be discouraged— Take it to the Lord in prayer. Can we find a friend so faithful, Who will all our sorrows share? Jesus knows our every weakness; Take it to the Lord in prayer.

Prayer the true weapon for the saint should be the first thing not the last thing we do. Prayer changes things. A classic definition of Christian prayer is “an offering up of our desires unto God, for things agreeable to his will, in the name of Christ, with confession of our sins, and thankful acknowledgement of his mercies”

So what does all this get us? And awe came upon every soul! It changed the behavior of people. People had a sense of belonging. It was the beloved community. Peopel were generous, loving, kind to each other.

Folks were praising God! And the Lord added to the church daily!

Praise Him! Praise Him Praise Him Praise Him Jesus Blessed Savior Hes worthy to be praised!

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