1. Recalling the Disciples

Since Easter, we have focused our attention on the resurrection, and how the resurrected Jesus came to meet the disciples. Concerning this event there are two different records. One is by Mark and Matthew, who place the scene in Galilee, and the other is by Luke who says it occurred in Jerusalem. John in a sense synthesized the two by saying that Jesus appeared to the disciples at first in Jerusalem, and then in Galilee. I think John’s description might be the most trustworthy.

Without Jesus the disciples felt completely lost. During the previous three years they were always led by Jesus, and acted under His instructions. So, it seems they could not see their way clear without Him. Before such a flock of followers, Jesus the good shepherd appeared, an event which no doubt made them extremely joyful. Nonetheless, after the ascension, and in the passing of time, many of them became dubious. They began to doubt if the resurrected Jesus they met was not just simply a ghost.

Besides, they could not earn their living in Jerusalem because the majority of them had been Galilean fishermen. Therefore, they decided to go back to Galilee, and the life they previously lived. In that very place, Galilee, they again met Jesus, and they received their calling to be evangelists. For example, John records that when they had finished eating, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon son of John, do you truly love me more than these?” “Yes, Lord,” he said, “you know that I love you.” Jesus said, “Feed my lambs” (John 21:15).

If we were to read John’s Gospel alone, we might overlook the event which is described by Matthew: “Come, follow me,” Jesus said, “and I will make you fishers of men” (Matthew 4:19). We would interpret John’s record of Jesus’ words after the resurrection, not at the beginning of His ministry, as the disciples second calling.

The reinstated disciples set off again for Jerusalem because it was predicted by the prophet Isaiah: “In the last days the mountain of the LORD’s temple will be established as chief among the mountains; it will be raised above the hills, and all nations will stream to it” (Isaiah 2:2-3).

In chapter 1 of Acts, Luke records Jerusalem as the scene of the last appearance of Jesus, who gives this final instruction: “Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about. For John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit” (Acts 1:4-5). The disciples responded with a question: “Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?” (Acts 1:6).

To restore the kingdom of Israel was always a substantial matter for them. The conversation at the last supper shows it’s importance, “You are those who have stood by me in my trials. And I confer on you a kingdom, just as my Father conferred one on me, so that you may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom and sit on thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel” (Luke 22:28-30).

Jesus represents the kingdom of Israel as that of God, which would be founded in the last days of this world. Once God abolished the kingdom because of the people’s sins. Their country was ruled by foreign dominating powers, whose leaders were held under captivation, and many were dispersed. But, through the words of the prophets, God gave the promise of restoration. Therefore, Jesus began his ministry by saying “The time has come, The kingdom of God is near. Repent and believe the good news!” (Mark 1:14-15).

So the disciples asked if the time has come for Jesus to be enthroned, and whether the Jewish independence was about to be restored. Jesus’ answer was completely unexpected: “It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth” (Acts 1:7-8).

They were deeply disappointed because they imagined, that in any future kingdom, they would become leaders of the Jewish people, who would come from all over the world to Jerusalem to celebrate the restoration. So much so, Jesus’ words perplexed them. He ordered them to establish God’s kingdom here on earth by setting out from Jerusalem. And besides, the kingdom would not be that of Israel! They stayed totally disoriented. Meanwhile, Jesus ascended into Heaven.

2. First of all, The Disciples Prayed.

The disciples paused, totally lost in looking up at the sky. Just at that moment a two men in white robes stood by them, “Men of Galilee,” they said, “why do you stand here looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven” (Acts 1:11).

This message compelled them to prepare for the future return of Jesus, and feeling encouraged the disciples set off for Jerusalem. It was very important for them to understand the given circumstances and to recognize the nature of the tasks, even if they were not yet ready to minister to the Samaritans or the gentiles. So they began to pray, together, with other believers in Jerusalem.

In prayer they were awaiting the arrival of the Holy Spirit, the event promised by Jesus. Their praying took place in the house of a certain disciple, where the last supper had been served. There were not only the eleven disciples, but also Jesus’ family and other followers. It appears that Jesus’ family members did not necessarily believe that He was the Son of God until meeting Jesus after the Resurrection.

Peter, the disciple who had denied his relationship with Jesus at the tribunal, now played the pivotal role of the praying circle. Thomas, who was skeptical about the resurrection until he touched Jesus’ wounds, was there too. All the members who consistently did not believe or doubted His divinity, or even betrayed Him, were there. To some extent, all were unreliable and weak sinners. The church is similar to that prayer circle. Jesus trusted his work to such vulnerable people.

The second action they took was to chose another apostle as a substitute for Judas Iscariot, who had suicided after betraying Jesus. Peter says, “Therefore it is necessary to choose one of the men who have been with us the whole time the Lord Jesus went in and out among us, beginning from John’s baptism to the time when Jesus was taken up from us. For one of these must become a witness with us of his resurrection” (Acts 1:21-22).

I would like to draw your attention to Peter’s tone. He does not blame Judas’ for his betrayal. Peter knew very well all of the disciples did more or less the same as Judas by rejecting Jesus. The disciples would have been filled with remorse, rather than in need of reproach. Remorse, because they were not spiritually sensitive in seeking to help Judas return to the flock. He was abandoned. Peter might even have felt partially responsible for Judas’ suicide.

We consider that flock to be the origin of the Church. As for our church, we have only about 30 members, so small that we easily notice who are absent from the Sunday service. And, attending members feel sorry for their absence. Whoever are absent, we miss them.

Furthermore we are very regretful for those who left this church indefinitely. Yet, we are still waiting for the arrival of the Holy Spirit, which was promised by Jesus under such feelings of regret and separation.

3. Pentecost: The foundation of the Church as the Body of Christ

Acts 2:1-4 are today’s invocation verses, which gives us an almost tangible version of the coming of the Holy Spirit. In accordance with Jesus’ instructions the disciples were waiting and praying together. Ten days after the ascension, on the very day of Pentecost, something wonderful occurred. The Invocation verses describe what happened.

“When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them” (Acts 2:1-40.

Luke’s description of the arrival of the Holy Spirit was ‘a sound like the blowing of a violent wind’. The expressions capture comparisons between wind and God breathing as the Spirit, both of which we cannot see, but we can feel. ‘Fire’ alludes to the realistic existence of God, and ‘tongues’ relates to languages, two factors which gave the disciples the ability of preaching to people of many nations. As Luke later wrote, “When they heard this sound, a crowd came together in bewilderment, because each one heard them speaking in his own language” (Acts 2:6).

The incident of Pentecost tells us that the disciples who could not speak openly, all of a sudden became bold, authentic preachers. They, being filled with the Holy Spirit, began to spread the Good News fifty days after Jesus’ crucifixion. But the contents of the good news was challenging to the Jewish conservative society, of whom many claimed were the very people responsible for Jesus’ death.

The situations which surrounded the disciples had not changed. The powerful Jewish authorities consisted of High priests and Law teachers. The majority of the people considered the disciples to be a sort of freakish cultic group. To such an audience Peter commences to speak regardless of the risk of being arrested and killed. It was through the power of the Holy Spirit which enabled him to do so. Thus his speech profoundly moved many of them, and when the people heard this, they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the other apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?” (Acts 2:37).

The power of the Holy Spirit expedited the message around the world, and helped people to seek and find salvation. The role of the Holy Spirit was to convince the audience that the messages was authentic, and truthful. It was done through the disciples prayer and the presence of the Holy Spirit. The believers of the first generation were empowered by the Holy spirit to preach and encourage people to believe and call upon the name of God.

The word, and the outpouring of the Holy Spirit became contagious, changing the passive audience into believers, and they too would become followers and teachers. This process would commence a chain reaction. You are one ring of the chain, you have been changed by listening to the message, you became a believer and was Baptized in the name of the Lord. Now it is time for you to spread the good news.

One Pastor’s ministry does not have enough capacity, whereas preaching by many who are filled with the Holy Spirit is very powerful. And the Holy Spirit must be given to whose who seek it through prayer. So please, pray that you will be filled with the power of the Holy Spirit, and help to build the Church of this earthly world, which is our given task.

I ask you, who are not yet baptized, to receive the baptism. The act of Baptizing means to change the passive into the active. I ask you, who are already baptized, to become a church member. Because affiliation with the church allows us to participate in God’s work together. And I ask church members to be solid in their faith, constantly believing that God works through the Church and the indwelling Holy Spirit.

Indeed, it’s human to fail, but please overcome failures, and be cornerstones of the church. The church is not the place where we commemorate a decedent Jesus, but a place to bow in prayer in order to receive the Holy Spirit through Him, who lives in our hearts. Only then, will we be empowered to spread the good news of the Gospel to whole world.