FAITHFULWORD.ORG | TEACHINGS

John 4:13, 14, 23, 24; 3:1-7; 7:37, 38; 14:10-21; 15:26 to 16:16; 20:19-22, 30, 31; Acts 1:1-12; 2:2-4, 22-38; [Ephesians 2:8; Romans 10:9; John 6:47]; Acts 2:39-47

Just as we have a birthday when we were born into the world, we have a spiritual birthday when we become children of God. On the day we confess Jesus as Lord and believe God raised him from the dead, we become members of God’s family, having access to all His promises. Much of what we learn in the scriptures is about spirit, becoming a child of God and the benefits and blessings of being part of God’s family.

We then learn how to live in light of that new nature of love, totally different from the way we were before.

When Jesus spoke with the woman at the well, he talked to her about how the Father seeks those who will worship him in spirit and in truth. Jesus spoke to Nicodemus about the two births — the natural one by water and the spiritual one (from God). He taught his disciples about the Comforter that would come and prepared them to receive the spirit when it came. After his resurrection, his instructions to his disciples were to return to Jerusalem and wait for the promise of the Father. He told them they would receive power from on high.

Acts 2 records the account of what happened on the day of Pentecost. The apostles did as Jesus had commanded by returning to Jerusalem and going to the temple daily. When Pentecost came, a sound as a rushing mighty wind filled the temple and the apostles did as Jesus had taught them (John 20:22). They breathed in and were filled with the spirit. The outward manifestation of that filling was that they spoke with tongues. This was the birthday of the church.

When those around them around them heard what happened to the apostles, their response was, “Men and brethren, what shall we do?” (Acts 2:37) Peter’s message to them is the same we carry to the world today. First of all, he told them to repent. Repent means to have a change of heart, to turn from one who is in charge of his or her own life and acknowledging Jesus as Lord. He then told them to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins. The promise to them was they would receive the gift of holy spirit. When they did so, about 3000 people were saved.

Their response to salvation was to continue stedfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, in breaking of bread and prayers (Acts 2:42). They hung out together because they were so blessed and could not help but praise God. These truths are still applicable today to God’s people. We are blessed to be part of God’s family and have eternity to be together.