FAITHFULWORD.ORG | TEACHINGS

[Exodus 34:22; Deuteronomy 16:10; Exodus 23:16; Numbers 28:26; Deuteronomy 16:16]; Acts 2:1-4; [Genesis 3:15]; Acts 2:38, 39; 10:38-40; Romans 10:9; Acts 10:41-48; 11:1-18; Acts 19:2-6, 20, 18-20; Mark 16:17-12; Luke 24:49-53; Acts 1:17-12; Romans 8:16, 17; Colossians 1:27; Acts 7:44-50; 17:24, 25; Ephesians 2:4-22

Acts 2 records the events of the day of Pentecost which is considered the birthday of the church. Originally the twelve apostles received the gift of holy spirit. Acts 10 records the Gentiles receiving the holy spirit. Acts 19 teaches of the “about 12” who received the holy spirit and what they received.

Pentecost was a feast for Israel that is also referred to as the Feast of Weeks, the Feast of Harvest and the Day of First Fruits. Pentecost means 50. It is derived from counting 7 weeks, beginning with the day after the weekly Sabbath during the Feast of Unleavened Bread. The day following the 7 weeks (or 49 days) was the Feast of Pentecost (the 50th day). Pentecost was a one-day feast. It was to be a holy convocation, a special Sabbath in which no service work was to be done. After completing the grain harvest, each man representing a family was to make a free-will offering by giving his first fruits of all God had blessed him. Pentecost was a festive time of great rejoicing. Fifty days after Jesus Christ was resurrected from the dead, the first outpouring of the gift of holy spirit occurred. Forty days after Jesus Christ’s resurrection and 10 days after his ascension, came the day of Pentecost. This particular Pentecost brought to a culmination the accomplished work of Jesus Christ’s life, suffering, death, resurrection and ascension to the Father. It marked the fulfillment of God’s purpose of the ages — to once again have a spiritual love relationship with man.. For the first time in history, man could be born again and have access to God in a love-relationship.

When the 12 apostles were gathered in the temple, they received the initial outpouring of the gift of holy spirit which was marked by speaking with tongues. When they did that, they spoke the wonderful works of God. When the Gentiles (as represented by Cornelius and his household) were taught how to be saved, they too spoke with tongues when the Holy Spirit was poured upon them. Acts 19 records how Paul taught the Ephesians about the holy spirit. Apollos had already taught them about being born again, but they had not received the spirit. When Paul taught them, the Holy Spirit came on them and they spoke with tongues and prophesied. It was normative in the first century church for those who were born again to speak with tongues.

The spirit of God is the undeniable proof that we are the children of God. With that spirit, we have sonship, a love-relationship by way of spirit with God. On our birthdays, we celebrate life. On the anniversary of Pentecost, we can celebrate spiritual life. God seeks the heart of man. His desire is for man to worship Him in spirit and in truth. The days of animal sacrifices and burnt offerings are gone. We are no longer separated from God but have complete access to the Father. God dwells in us by the holy spirit which He gave to each and every born-again Christian. God is not in temples made with hands, but is in us. We are God’s dwelling place!