The Impact of Pentecost summary

Just weeks before the Day of Pentecost, the apostles had heard heard the Great Commission from the lips of Jesus. “Go therefore and make disciples [learners] of all nations …” (Matthew 28:19). They were to “make” disciples of Jesus even though he would not be present. Peter’s recounting of the events over the past few months brought about 3,000 new disciples on that day. The twelve apostles then started to disciple the new believers, who “devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and the fellowship, [and] to the breaking of bread and the prayers” (Acts 2:42 ESV).

Let us now look at verse 43: “And awe came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were being done by the apostles.” The apostles did the wonders and signs; they had “power from on high” (Acts 1:8) and they exercised that power (see also Acts 5:12, 19:11).Then in chapter 3 Luke was inspired to record just one of these miracles, and continued with its impact at least to the end of chapter 5. Why this one miracle out of the many of Acts 2:43? It is probably because there is a lesson to be learnt from this particular record. “Now Peter and John went up together into the temple at the hour of prayer, being the ninth hour [3 p.m.]” (3:1).

In a normal, everyday situation, guidance is given to Peter to tell the lame man at the gate of the temple to look at them both. “And Peter directed his gaze at him, as did John, and said, ‘Look at us.'” (Acts 3:4). The lame beggar they encountered on the way was hoping for a monetary gift but he got something greater. I found on the internet a sermon on this passage that Pastor Jerry Shirley had titled, “The Man Who Asked for Alms and Got Legs!”

“And he fixed his attention on them, expecting to receive something from them” (verse 5). Peter explained to him that he had a temporary cash-flow problem, yet “Such as I have give I thee” (Acts 3:6 KJV). I just love the familiar yet old-worldly flow of the Authorised version. “Peter said, ‘I don’t have a nickel to my name, but what I do have, I give you…'” (MSG). What did Peter have? Whatever it was, it worked! “And leaping up he stood and began to walk, and entered the temple with them, walking and leaping and praising God” (verse 8).

Peter was not a model disciple of Jesus, yet now he acted upon what he knew he had spiritually! Jesus had reminded his disciples on the night before he was crucified what he had taught them (see John chapters 14 to 16), so someone had been listening! He didn’t yet know the “all truth” of John 16:13, as much of this came through the apostle Paul later, but he knew enough.

• Peter knew that he had he had the authority of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, the Christian’s power of attorney.
• Peter knew he had the Comforter in him (John 14:17), for he had been in the Upper Room on the Day of Pentecost; he had been “endued”, “clothed with” like a garment “with power from on high.”
• Peter knew he had Christ within him and he was in Christ (John 14:20).

“And as they were speaking to the people, the priests and the captain of the temple and the Sadducees came upon them, greatly annoyed because they were teaching the people and proclaiming in Jesus the resurrection from the dead” (Acts 4:1-2). So they jailed Peter and John for the night as the court only met in the mornings, but 5,000 men “who had heard the word believed” (Acts 4:4). Peter and John were given a top-level audience the next morning, 70 leaders of the Jewish faith were in attendancel. “They inquired, By what power or by what name did you do this?” (verse 7).

Just as I like the familiar yet old-worldly flow of the King James Version in Acts 3:6, “Such as I have give I thee,” I love the KJV translation of Acts 4:13, “Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were unlearned and ignorant men, they marveled; and they took knowledge of them, that they had been with Jesus.” What a testimony from the opposition! Oh how we need men and women like that today!

In Acts 4, after Peter and John were released and kept on preaching, about 5,000 men became believers. So they were jailed again, and let go again. Rejoining the other apostles, they prayed and God acknowledged their prayer by a special miracle. “And when they had prayed, the place in which they were gathered together was shaken, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and continued to speak the word of God with boldness” (verse 31). What a marvellous token of God’s presence and power! “And with great power the apostles were giving their testimony to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and great grace was upon them all” (verse 33). Great power and great grace!

In Acts 5 Peter and John were again jailed, and this time an angel opened the door and let them, then locked the door behind them. Then the angel gave the apostles these marvelous words, “Go and stand in the temple and speak to the people all the words of this Life“ (Acts 5:20). The “words of this Life” does not refer to the Apostles’ Creed or the Articles of Faith of your fellowship. A number of translations capitalise the word “Life” to indicate that it was the resurrection life of Christ resident in the apostles since the Day of Pentecost that they were to speak about. “And every day, in the temple and from house to house, they did not cease teaching and preaching Jesus as the Christ” (Acts 5:42). What an example for today’s church to follow!