Pentecost - Greater Is He

After Jesus' resurrection He appeared to the disciples at least three times (John 21:14).  During one of His appearances to His disciples, he said these words, "And, behold, I send the promise of my Father upon you: but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on high" (Luke 24:49).  Jesus encouraged the disciples to tarry in Jerusalem until they received the power of the promise.  We need this power more than ever today to be effective as His witnesses.

The coming of the Promise on the day of Pentecost (50 days after the resurrection of Christ) was to endue them with power or cause them, the disciples, to be effective witnesses.  We understand that most of the people were Galileans who lacked higher academic education and were not learned in speaking other dialects.  Yet, when the Promise came upon them they began to speak various dialects of the people who came to Jerusalem for the feast of Pentecost.  When the Holy Spirit came upon them, the disciples spoke the praises and wonderful words and works of God in several different dialects or languages.  The basic thrust of the disciples speaking the various dialects was to be witnesses for Christ and His finished work on the cross and His subsequent resurrection.  The Scripture validates this, "But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth" (Acts 1:8).

The disciples of that time continued sharing, speaking, living and witnessing to others the gospel of Jesus Christ.  They went to the known world and spread the glorious gospel.  From that day of Pentecost when thousands were witnessed to and added to the kingdom of God and Christ's church, many others were witnessed to throughout the known world of that day as the disciples dispersed throughout the land and other countries.  Today the gospel is continuing to the "uttermost part of the earth."  Our challenge, as His disciples, is to share the gospel daily with every person in our world.  Just as the disciples of that day needed to be "endued with power from on high," so do we the disciples of this day need to be "endued with power from on high," to witness to those we meet each day who need the Savior.

My mother shared with me of the time when my grandmother, Hettie (Hill) Thompson, was ministering with a group on the streets in Chicago back in the early 1900's and the Holy Spirit spoke through her.  A Chinese man came up to the group and in broken English said, "Your God say to me to be saved."  The group prayed with him and the joy of Christ's salvation came over the man as he joyfully lifted his hands to worship God.  The miracle of salvation in Christ was not hindered by lack of my grandmother's knowledge of speaking the man's dialect because the Holy Spirit knew how to speak to him.

Today, as disciples of Christ, we need the Holy Spirit as much or more than ever in our witnessing.  The gifts of the Holy Spirit for witnessing for Christ are as real today as ever.  The battle to discount Jesus Christ as coming in the flesh to live, die and rise again are prevalent against His disciples today.  The book of 1 John encourages us with these words, "Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them (the spirits of anti-Christ): because greater is he (the Holy Spirit to witness for Christ) that is in you, than he (the anti-Christ) that is in the world" (1 John 4:4).  Let us be encouraged to be involved in witnessing for Christ.  The Holy Spirit in us is greater than all opposing forces of anti-Christ and we have been given the charge to witness for Christ.  Stand strong and rest assured in the One that is greater than any others that would hinder or stop the witness of Christ.  He lived, laid down His life on the cross for the sins of the world, rose from the tomb and is alive forever more interceding for His disciples and those who need to trust Him to be saved.  TRUST HIM NOW!