For centuries, from the
beginning of the Christian Church just fifty days after the Resurrection of
Christ, the Holy Spirit has continuously inspired the faithful members and
granted them the spiritual prerequisites for salvation. The fiftieth say after
the Resurrection of Christ, the Day of Pentecost, the
Holy Spirit made His official entrance into the Church. This took place "When
the say of Pentecost has come, they (the Apostles) were all together in one
place. And suddenly a sound came from heaven like the rush of a mighty wind,
and it filled all the house where they were sitting.
And there appeared to them tongues as of fire, distributed and resting on each
one of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak
in other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance" (Acts 2:1-4).
This miraculous event changed the attitude of the Apostles and others, who
because of fear of arrest and punishment by the Jews were together in the
"upper room."
This attitude of fear and doubt was reversed, turning into courage and the
bold faith to preach to all people. These Apostles and their disciples
immediately became heralds and preachers of the Gospel of Christ. Despite their
belief that the Lord had risen from the dead and
appeared to them, showing them the wounds of His hands, walking with the two to
Emmaus and speaking to them often, the Apostles were fearful and unable of
themselves to face the people and begin their commission. From the day of the
arrest of Christ, the Apostles showed great weakness. They not only were unable
to fight against the false accusations and slanders, but some also scattered
and went into hiding. Even Peter, the pillar of the apostles, denied under oath
that he even knew Christ.
Such was the condition of the Apostles and other disciples
of Christ up to the day of Pentecost and the descent of the Holy Spirit. All
these weaknesses were foretold by Christ, especially on the day before His
arrest. But what an abrupt change came over the Apostles and disciples on this
day of Pentecost. Fear and doubt turned to courage and strong faith. They
recalled all that Christ had taught them; their conviction became deep and
abiding. Their intention, spiritual power and attitude toward the killers of
Christ was the substance of their steadfast preaching.
How did the Apostles receive so abruptly this changing power? How did the
Apostles receive strength and durability? This changing power
cane from the Holy Spirit. He recalled to their minds the inexhaustible,
eternal source of the Wisdom of the Christian Message. This changing Power came
upon the Apostles and disciples on the day of Pentecost with the descent of the
Holy Spirit. It engulfed them "like the rush of a mighty wind. . . And
there appeared to them tongues as of fire. . .
distributed and resting on each one of them. And they were all filled with the
Holy Spirit" (vs. 2, 3,4). This changing
Power transformed them into great heralds and preachers of the Word of God. The
Apostles emerged boldly from their hiding place into the open to preach, teach,
and heal everyone in the name of Christ, "and began to speak in other
tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance" (v. 4).
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