Among all the miracles contained in the books of the New Testament, the most astounding miracle is the birth of the Church. From a small group of discouraged, confused, fearful, and hesitant believers in Jesus emerges the enduring foundations of the Christian church. How did this happen? What enabled this tattered remnant of disciples to be reenergized with new vision, purpose, and power, in becoming the continuing presence of Jesus Christ on earth?
Before Jesus was taken up to heaven, He had given clear instructions to His disciples. “Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about. … in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.” (Acts 1:4-5). And in prayer and anticipation they waited, not knowing what to expect.
Then on the fiftieth day following the Feast of Passover, “Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting.” It was as if the door to heaven had been left open and all the energy and power of God’s presence filled the room. “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 2:2-4).
From that moment on, everything had changed, and life became different for all of them. The people gathered in that prayer room became the first evidence of the awesome power of God’s transforming Spirit. The circumstances and challenges outside the room were not changed, but the people in the room were forever changed.
What happens next was then and remains even today, the sure evidence of God’s kingdom and reign breaking into the world. This group of transformed people began talking to one another with a new language of understanding, forgiveness, and love. What they now hear and speak is the Jesus language of “agape” love, with which they can finally deeply listen and lovingly speak with a new understanding of the other. This was a miracle, for they, like us, had for many generations been prone to selfishly talk over, past, and about one another.
But now, overwhelmed with the Jesus-love that had suffered and died for all of them, they discovered a new way of hearing one another, which in turn, birthed and strengthened their relationships. This new language of Jesus-love caused all of the false boundaries and barriers that separated them to be swept away, enabling them to be joined together as One People of God. This momentous miracle event gave proof that LOVE is the one reality that is understood and appreciated in every language of humanity.
From that day forward, these early Christian believers devoted themselves wholeheartedly and sacrificially toward building a distinctive community of faith, love, and peace, which would be unique in a world wrapped in the evil darkness of fear, hate, and selfish motives.
The miracle of Pentecost was that the followers of Jesus were set free from the pride-filled, selfish need to control or dominate others, and became capable of warm, inclusive love (agape). They were set free to love each other and were filled with a sincere and sacrificial love for all people in the world.
It is worthy to note that nowhere in the Gospels do we read that the disciples expressed love for Jesus or each other. At no point do they say, “We love you, Lord.” And yet Jesus constantly told them of His and the Father’s love for them.
The closest we have is Peter’s verbal expression of friendship (phileo love), and he had to be asked outright for that. Even when pressed with the direct question in John 21, “Simon, son of John, do you truly love (agape) me?” Peter sidestepped Jesus’ use of the word “love” and responded that the Lord knew he was His friend. Twice Jesus asked the same question and each time Peter responded with an affirmation of his friendship. And finally, the third time Jesus used Peter’s word for friendship and once again Peter defended his friendship.
This leads me to believe that prior to the experience of Pentecost and the Holy Spirit’s fire of love burning within them, the disciples were incapable of profound “agape” love. It took the miracle of Pentecost’s Holy Spirit baptism to produce this ability in the disciples to “truly love” the Lord and others. This remains as operational truth, even today, for all of us who claim to be Jesus’ disciples.
Dear friends, the small group of believers that gave birth to God’s kingdom community on earth are our spiritual ancestors. We too are the recipients of that Holy Spirit. We are the present inhabitants of the God’s kingdom community that was established on earth that day.
It is amazing what God can do and does in the midst of His earthly community. God calls us to be a community of prayer, worship, praise, love and caring for others. And when we children of God gather, who knows what God might do among us. But know, that when the Spirit of God moves in our midst, everything is changed in us; especially our seeing, hearing, and feeling about others.
Stuart Briscoe – “All that Christ is, he is in us, and all that he is in us, he wants to be through us. The invitation of the New Testament is simply, Let him.”
>>> Let him, … Let him, … Let him. <<<
“Healing Rays of Righteousness” – June 1, 2022
Ray M. Geigley
Healing Rays of Righteousness 
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