(May 15, 2024) Wayne Swift again calls it as it is, sharing some thoughts about those united first Christians who excelled in obeying a particular command of Jesus, and witnessed the birth of the church!

To excel in something, even a leisure pursuit – golfing, surfing, fishing – you have to follow a certain process.

Now when it comes to living as Christians – including whatever God wants us to be involved in – we are often quick to think that we can ‘produce the goods’ simply by wishing or hoping. And there are many times when we think all our dreams will come true without any effort or change on our part.

Our goal as Christians is pretty clear – to win people to Christ. But it takes prayer, time, involvement… and that’s the process before the event.

I recall a Christian who longed for one of his workmates to accept Jesus. Praise God that the process did happen… but it took two years of constant witnessing, getting him involved in a Connections Course, then accompanying him in an Alpha course. It was only at the course’s conclusion that the friend made his decision for Christ.

1. Pentecost
Prayer, time and involvement – personal effort – go together in the partnership we share with the Holy Spirit to win the lost. Like many of you I’ve read about the Acts 2 salvations – and I dream of the day when 3000 could get saved in a day in our nation (dare I say it – in my church, any church!). Well… I believe we will see that day!

Meantime as it’s Pentecost Sunday celebration this weekend, let’s look though at some of keys that the disciples had learned and exhibited before the big catch on the day of Pentecost, noting the prayer, time, involvement process –

• Dedication – Praying for souls: family, friends, neighbours.
• Determination – To witness Jesus, His resurrection and love for humanity .
• Duty – Matthew 28:18-20 great commission begins here… ‘our Jerusalem.’
  
  

2. Priority              
Jesus had challenged His disciples very clearly in John 14:15, ‘If you love me obey my commands.’

Acts 1 tells of the day Jesus gave His final instructions to His apostles on the Mount of Olives before ascending into heaven. He gave them this command: ‘Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about. For John baptised with water, but in a few days you will be baptised with the Holy Spirit’ (v4-5).

A few minutes later He was suddenly taken up before their very eyes, a cloud hiding Him from their sight (v9). And the eleven immediately did as Jesus had told them, they returned to Jerusalem (Acts 1:12).

This returning to Jerusalem was an act of prioritised obedience that would lead to many things being accomplished – the apostles and others uniting in prayer, the choosing Judas’ replacement, the gathering together awaiting that ‘clothing with power’ promised by Jesus (whatever it might be!).

And much, much more. My point here is that Christians should –

• Obey publicly –  Where everyone can see.
• Obey privately – Where those closest see all that happens.
• Obey personally – Where only God can see what you think.

3. Purpose
When they arrived, those apostles went upstairs to the room where they were staying to be joined by other believers including Mary, Jesus’ mother, other women, even Jesus brothers (Acts 1:13-14)

This was a togetherness, the initial unity of believers in Jesus as Saviour and Lord… and one whose commands are to be followed, obeyed.

A major result of obeying Jesus was the amazing outpouring of the Holy Spirit, the birth of the church, that mass response of 3000 conversions to Peter’s sermon, evangelism in Jerusalem and then beyond.

A major point here is this: Uniting with other Christians, especially those we may not really know as yet or those who don’t yet know us, calls for –

• Putting aside pettiness – Small mindedness, insignificances hinder causes.
• Putting aside personal ambition – The plans of others must outweigh ours.
• Putting aside any insecurity – Remember that our real security is in Jesus!

4. Preeminence
Now, in any dedicated prayer gathering there may be some preeminent matter that must be dealt with, even if it is temporarily pauses such concentrated praying. Peter, regarded as leader of this fervent group, just knew that he had to raise an important matter.

Acts 1:15Message describes his interruption this way: ‘This prayer meeting went on for several days. During this time, on a day when about 120 people were present, Peter stood up and addressed them as follows…’  

He then pointed out why a replacement of Judas had to be sought and added to the depleted apostolic team. But, Peter added, that such a person had to be known as a Christ-follower ‘… it is necessary to choose one of the men who have been with us the whole time the Lord Jesus was living 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).

Two men were nominated and so the praying took a particular direction – ‘Then they prayed, “Lord, you know everyone’s heart. Show us which of these two you have chosen to take over this apostolic ministry…”’ (verses 24-25). However long the interruption lasted, it was so worthwhile for a new apostle was added to the eleven – Matthias.

These days most churches only have one night of perhaps two hours allocated for prayer, and 30 minutes before Sunday service. Such prayer times are generally dedicated to the Sunday church service, that it will be a blessing and that souls will be saved, backsliders will be restored.

But there will be times when such caring prayers will be interrupted by the need to pray for something else –

• Asides must be allowed for – God has reasons for them.
• Asides refresh tired prayerers – Such ‘interruptions’ can be times of blessing.
• Asides are in the leader’s hands – Remember that such are authorised to ‘change the flow’!

5. Process
Over 40 days after His resurrection Jesus appeared to many. Paul mentions over 500 (1Corinthians 15:8). He particularly spent time with His eleven apostles (Acts 1:2-3) and before His ascension to heaven He instructed them to return to Jerusalem and await the Father’s gift of the promised Holy Spirit. Obediently they did so and were joined by many other believers.

No doubt they were all praying in the upper room about this mysterious gift, this promise of baptism by God’s Holy Spirit, and especially about receiving power to witness about His resurrection (Acts 1:8).

Whatever was going to happen, they wanted to share about the powerful resurrection of their Saviour and Lord! And the group continued praying much sincerely.

I’ve already mentioned that prayer, time and involvement are a process before an event. The result of this process of sincere believers committed to praying about fulfilment of Jesus’ promise would occur ten days later!

And it would become what many churches will celebrate this weekend – Pentecost Sunday, the initial outpouring of the Holy Spirit that led to 3000 people committing to Christ!

The lead up to that historic event called for obeying Jesus and –

• Prayer – They got back into after that aside.
• Patience –  They prayed fervently and patiently for another ten days!
• Perception – They perceived something incredible would be happening soon.

6. Passion 
Acts 1:15 tells that these believers who were all together in constantly praying were ‘a group numbering about a hundred and twenty.’

Acts 2:1 particularly mentions that on Pentecost Sunday ‘they were all with one accord in one place’ (NKJV). ‘One accord’ is homothumadon – unanimously minded. ie with one mind, with one passion.

This word is regarded as a favourite of Luke’s, used 10 times in Acts which is often the book of the apostles. It’s an adverb that highlights the uniqueness of that original Christian community. In these dark days, one can but state that similarly being united is definitely still an important key to getting God’s work done! calls for –

• Praying together consummates unity – It indicates being of one purpose!
• Praying is not restricted ‘telling God what to do’ – It opens the way to God telling us!
• Praying binds together those who submit to Jesus’ commands – It is a sharing experience!

7. Power
And it happened! On that Pentecost Sunday those determined, dedicated believers gathered in one accord were amazed and overwhelmed by what happened! Their prayer, time and involvement process had led to an incredible day in church history!

They were indeed baptised in the Holy Spirit! But it wasn’t merely a matter of being able to worship God in tongues (glossa)… it was more than that – they received that promised power to share about Jesus’ resurrection, initially as ‘witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth’(Acts 1:8)!

Acts 2:14-31 tells of that first witnessing in Jerusalem that followed through Peter’s preaching – 3000 listeners responded to his impacting verse 38 challenge of ‘Repent and be baptised, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.’                          
The final verses of Acts 2 tell of some of the new-born church’s activities… and God was praised as ‘the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved’ (v47). It was a time of –

• Alignment – They loved each other, so willing to help and share with each other!
• Achievement – They witnessed Jesus and His resurrection initially at home, then beyond.
• Affirmation – They soon learned that the Holy Spirit was as Jesus had promised – their friend!
  

8.   Presently
Let’s make this coming Sunday a time of rejoicing in our churches for all the Holy Spirit has helped us to accomplish! For all that’s been achieved already by God’s grace and our human efforts. But… let’s be freshly determined to believe for more souls won for Christ while there is still time!

I mentioned earlier that I can dream and envision thousands of souls being saved. Can you? Oh it probably won’t happen like it did that particular day in Jerusalem – but we need to pray that many will discover the only hope of the world in these troubled days. No one knows when our Saviour is returning… but wise Christians know that it’s closer than ever before!

We must keep witnessing Christ like the chap mentioned in my opening remarks. Let’s not be distressed that the process means prayer, time and involvement! God’s Holy Spirit is our comforter, our helper.

And if we want to impact our city, we must prepare. Our church’s corporate reputation is the sum of our personal reputation – 

• Your choices – They either add to or subtractfrom the body of Christ!
• Your choices – Every single day we all contribute positively or negatively! 
• Your choices – Nothing is done in isolation. In five simple words… Together let’s make a difference!

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Wayne and Ruth Swift pastor Resound Church, Scoresby, Victoria. Link: Web resound.church
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