A Series on Spiritual
Turning Points: A Catalytic moment
(Click on the
link below to read the verses.)
Acts 1:1-14; Acts 8:1-4
During the summer before my freshman year of
college, my parents helped me to get ready. They gave me two hard shell
Samsonite suitcases. My mom taught me how to iron my shirts and gave me an iron.
Dad set up a checking account for me. But the last instructions that he gave me
were to write them a letter every week.
Just before Jesus was taken up into heaven, he gave the
apostles these instructions.
8 But you will
receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you. And you will be my
witnesses, telling people about me everywhere—in Jerusalem, throughout Judea,
in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” NLT Acts 1
Now, one might think that the apostles would have returned
to Jerusalem and begun to strategize how to accomplish the mission that Jesus
had given them. They could have worked on a mission and vision statement; or
brainstormed goals and objectives. Instead, they returned to the upper room
where all they did was pray.
However, God must have had a plan in mind because he
brought the world to them. Ten days after Jesus ascended into heaven, Jerusalem
was jammed with devout Jews from all over the world celebrating Pentecost. Most
of them would not have spoken either Hebrew or Aramaic.
At the same time, the apostles were filled with the
Holy Spirit and spoke in different languages – languages that the visiting Jews
would have understood. Also, fire appeared over the apostle’s heads. A crowd
came to see what was happening. So, Peter stood and spoke to them about Jesus.
That day about 3000 people believed and were
baptized. Following this, the apostles spoke in the Temple every day, and even went
house to house, sharing that “Jesus is the Messiah”. The result was that
“the number of believers greatly increased”.
About this time, there were some men from a
synagogue who created trouble for the disciple Stephen. False accusations were
made. Because of this, Stephen was arrested and brought before the Sanhedrin –
the leading religious and political Jews. He concluded his defense by accusing
them of killing Jesus, the Messiah.
With blind rage, they dragged Stephen outside the
city limits, as the law required, where they brutally stoned him to death. This
opened the floodgates of persecution for those who already hated the church. But
it also led to the spread of the Gospel.
1 A great wave of
persecution began that day, sweeping over the church in Jerusalem; and all the
believers except the apostles were scattered through the regions of Judea and
Samaria. 4 But the believers who were scattered preached
the Good News about Jesus wherever they went. NLT Acts
8
When I went to college, there were no cell phones,
no texting, no emails. Even long-distance phone calls were rare. So, what was the
main method of communication? It was writing a letter. Staying in touch with my
parents was important.
12a Then the apostles
returned to Jerusalem… 13a When they arrived, they
went upstairs to the room where they were staying. 14 They
all joined together constantly in prayer, along with the women and
Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brothers. NIV Acts
1
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