Bourland Family Blog

When the day of Pentecost arrived, they were all together in one place. And suddenly there came from heaven a sound like a mighty rushing wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. And divided tongues as of fire appeared to them and rested 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

I am a day behind in writing up my posts for this journey through Acts. Just like the decision by the disciples (led by Peter) to replace Judas with Matthias, I am finding so much to look at and study about the filling of the Holy Spirit on those who were in the upper room.

The first of the interesting aspects of this moment was the fact that it happened at Pentecost which means “Fiftieth”. Also called Shavuot (“Feast of Weeks”). This was one of the 3 yearly feasts that the Jews had carried forward from the times of Moses. It happened on the 50th day after Passover. This is outlined in Leviticus 23:15-21.

The original meaning is “Harvest”. The primary Old Testament meaning was agricultural. Shavuot marked: 1) The completion of the grain harvest. 2) The offering of the first fruits of the wheat harvest to God. 3) Thanksgiving for God’s provision. The purpose of the feast is Israel acknowledging that the harvest belonged to God and that all blessing came from Him. In many ways, Passover looked backward to deliverance from Egypt, while Shavuot looked at God’s ongoing provision in the Promised Land.

So, when we look at why the Lord would choose Pentecost to pour out His Holy Spirit (Jesus’ ongoing provision), it makes so much sense.

There is so much more in the ‘rushing wind sound’ from Heaven, the tongue-like flames of fire resting on each in the room. The physical manifestation and Peter’s sermon from Joel will be tomorrow.

APPLICATION

In my application moment today, I am just so grateful for the Holy Spirit. The impact of the Spirit in my life and sanctification is unmistakable. The Lord has not only grown my faith by what He has shown me through the Holy Spirit, but He also gives me the direction I need in my day-to-day life and ministry. I love you Lord and am so undeserving of the gift of your Spirit.

Acts 1:21-26 (ESV)
So one of the men who have accompanied us during all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and out among us, beginning from the baptism of John until the day when he was taken up from us—one of these men must become with us a witness to his resurrection.” And they put forward two, Joseph called Barsabbas, who was also called Justus, and Matthias. And they prayed and said, “You, Lord, who know the hearts of all, show which one of these two you have chosen to take the place in this ministry and apostleship from which Judas turned aside to go to his own place.” And they cast lots for them, and the lot fell on Matthias, and he was numbered with the eleven apostles.

Verses 15 through 20 are regarding Peter standing up and talking about Judas and although they were all so upset about what he did, it also needed to be a fulfilling of scripture through the Holy Spirit to David in Psalms (The ones quoted in verse 20 are Psalms 69:25 & 109:8).

Then Peter talks about the requirements of a successor -> 1) They needed to have had participated in Jesus’ earthly ministry; from His baptism by John until His resurrection. 2) He had to have seen the resurrected Christ. Two names were put forward – Joseph (called Barsabbas and also called Justus), and Matthias. The disciples prayed saying “You, Lord, who know the hearts of all, show which of these two You have chosen to take the place in this ministry and apostle ship from which Judas has turned aside to go to his own place.

The next thing they did after prayer was to “cast lots”.

Casting lots was an ancient method of making decisions by what we would today call a form of drawing lots, something similar to rolling dice, pulling marked stones, or drawing straws. In the Bible, it was often used to determine God’s will in situations where people believed the Lord was sovereignly directing the outcome.

The Bible doesn’t give an exact description of the method. Scholars believe it may have involved:

• Marked stones or pebbles placed in a pouch and drawn out.
• Sticks or pieces of wood with markings.
• Something similar to dice.

The key idea wasn’t gambling or chance, but the belief that God controlled the result…and that is exactly what Peter and the disciples did here to see what God’s choice was in terms of either Barsabbas or Matthias. A key verse in the bible pointing to this is Proverbs 16:1&33 “The plans of the heart belong to man, but the answer of the tongue is from the Lord. The lot is cast into the lap, but its very decision is from the Lord.”

As we know from reading, God chose Matthias to replace Judas.

APPLICATION

I don’t see this much different that using a method of ‘lots’ to choose between two indiscernible outcomes or situations where partiality may come into play. That is what I think the case was here with Barsabbas and Matthias. The disciples did not vote, because there might have been human partiality that would have resulted in an earthly outcome versus the Lord’s intended outcome. This is equally as hard to believe because the Lord’s plans will always be accomplished. Thank you Lord for helping me to see the truth and understanding of this practice.

9 And when he had said these things [Refer to yesterday's post], as they were looking on, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him out of their sight. 10 And while they were gazing into heaven as he went, behold, two men stood by them in white robes, 11 and said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into heaven? This Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven.”
Acts 1:9-11

The number of things happening in this passage is a lot to pay attention to. Remember that yesterday, Jesus was telling the disciples that they would be His witnesses throughout the land and to the ends of the earth. The spectacle of Jesus ascending into heaven must have been quite a sight but it was not the first time that some of them had witnessed the divinity of Jesus manifested in this way…and it won’t be the last that He will pass through the clouds. Just as Jesus rose into a cloud, taking Him out of sight, He will return through the clouds when He returns.

What the two angels, in the form of men, said is important. I can just imagine the disciples’ mouths gaping open as they watched Jesus rise out of view and these angels with all of the patience of school hall monitor at the end of recess, telling the disciples to get to work.

The message is simple – “Using what Jesus did in His ministry but not merely looking upward waiting for Him to return; we are to live faithfully carrying out His mission until He comes again.”

Don’t just stare upward. Don’t remain frozen in amazement. Put into action the mission Jesus gave us. Our task is not to speculate about heaven but to proclaim the gospel to all who need to hear it.

APPLICATION:

I must always be on mission; seeking to listen to what God is calling me to at every moment and opportunity. The important piece is to ‘Act’ when I hear the Lord calling me to the purposes He has set me on this earth for.

6 So when they had come together, they asked him, “Lord, will you at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?”
7 He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or seasons that the Father has fixed by his own authority.
8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”
Acts 1:6-8

I am trying to imagine this scene when the disciples were together with the risen Christ. They must still be reeling from the fact that they see their Savior in their presence after they had laid Him to rest in a tomb just 43 days earlier. The question they asked about Jesus (The Messiah) restoring the nation of Israel was because of the prophesy of Ezekiel 36 and Joel 2 which connected the coming of the Kingdom with the outpouring of the Spirit whom Jesus had promised.

Jesus responds to them with the fact that it is not for them to know the times or seasons (eras) that the Father has set for His plans. We know that the earthly Kingdom comes with the return of Jesus, but we don’t know when that is. Then Jesus says that all important word that precedes important info in God’s Word…BUT. Jesus says that the disciples will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon them and that they will be His witnesses in all the surrounding areas and ultimately to the ends of the earth.

“Witnesses” in this context are people who tell the truth about Jesus Christ. The Greek word used means “one who dies for his faith”. The disciples know what the power of the Holy Spirit is like; they received this power when they went on the mission trip Jesus sent them on and other specific times of equipping when God was using them for His purposes. This power came in the form of saving, guiding, teaching, and miracle-working. I believe that the Holy Spirit still pours out these powers at His discretion even to this day.

APPLICATION

I need to live like Jesus could return any moment. I often think about how embarrassing and shameful it would be for the Lord to return through the clouds at the moment of sinful thoughts or actions. Although I don’t know when the Lord will come back, I know that I am indwelt by the Holy Spirit Who comforts me, guides me, and strengthens me to do the will of Jesus. It takes me keeping my nose in His Word, my thoughts in prayer, and an unending worship of the One who gave me eternal life.

And while staying with them he ordered them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the promise of the Father, which, he said, “you heard from me; for John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.” Acts 1:4-5

One of the things that has always reinforced the historical accuracy of Jesus and what the Bible has to say is the sheer number of people that saw Jesus after he rose from the dead. He appeared many times over 40 days after his resurrection; and here it is stated with him “staying with” his disciples (In a closer translation, it is “eating with”), He instructs them not to leave Jerusalem. I mean think about it, all throughout all the books of history they all support Jesus coming to this earth and many accounts of him and his ministry but you don’t see any books whatsoever from anyone living at the time or shortly after that refutes his presence. If you think about all the people that were in the vicinity of those who saw Jesus after he rose from the dead, you’d think that if it were not true, that there would be so many people who would refute or write counterarguments to what has been written. But that just simply isn’t the case. Multitudes of people saw Jesus, saw his miracles, and saw him after he rose from the dead.

It may sound like in the paragraph above that I am trying to convince somebody that Jesus is real…I simply don’t need to. When you place your faith and trust in the King of Kings, the Holy Spirit that is given to you at the time of salvation reveals God to you in ways that are indescribable. And not only are they indescribable, but they’re numerous and non-coincidental. The longer and longer I go in my sanctification, the more and more I see God’s presence, God’s power, and God’s love.

This is why I only focus on these two verses today, because wrapped up in these two verses is exactly what my title of this post is –> Multitudes of people saw Jesus before His death and after He rose again. Additionally, we know that here in ten days from this date that Jesus said these things in these verses, His and prophecy was fulfilled in that the little church of Acts received the Holy Spirit manifested through tongues of fire.

APPLICATION:

I am so grateful for God’s word. Here I am this morning, just sitting before my Bible, in prayer to the God of the universe, who in His great mercy and grace continues to encourage me, love me, and increase my faith. My life I live, I live dedicated to him alone. I only hope to achieve what He has for me here to do before He calls me home or returns again.

The most recent book of the bible I finished was Galatians, and the last book of the New Testament that I have to cover is Acts. I’ve been hopping around over the last month or so to different passages in God’s word based on ministry needs over that time. But now it’s time for me to really dive in for myself.

I just got back from a trip to Mexico to build a house for a family in need with a bunch (53) of middle school students and amazing leaders (36). And one of the things that we did while we were there was to identify something that we wanted to leave in Mexico and no longer do, to essentially, “Put Off” and then to prayerfully consider something we were going to do differently (“Put On”) when we got back home, that the Lord was putting on our hearts through his Holy Spirit. In my case, the thing I am ‘Putting Off’ is “Skating through life and ministry” and my ‘Put On’ is to “Dive In & Go Deep”.

In the first book, O Theophilus, I have dealt with all that Jesus began to do and teach, until the day when he was taken up, after he had given commands through the Holy Spirit to the apostles whom he had chosen. He presented himself alive to them after his suffering by many proofs, appearing to them during forty days and speaking about the kingdom of God. Acts 1:1-3

Here in the first couple of verses of Acts, we find that this is the second book that the apostle Luke wrote to Theopolis. I think the biggest things that stand out to me in just these first couple of verses as I get started is just Luke’s desire to call out the amazing proof of the resurrection of Jesus. How Jesus spent forty days appearing to several people and confirming his resurrection through walking into a locked room, showing the wounds from his crucifixion, and even eating and drinking to show that he was real in human form and had risen.

Lastly, the thing that he was doing after his resurrection was speaking about the Kingdom of God. Isn’t this exactly what we should be doing after we have been resurrected from our dead old lives? Even in his resurrection, Jesus was modeling for us exactly what he wanted us to do in our lives after receiving the beautiful gift of grace and mercy through his own sacrifice on the cross.

APPLICATION:

Well, hopefully this is s sort of obvious, but my application that I take away from just these first few verses in Acts is that I need to be living a life that is talking about the Kingdom of God in my resurrected life.