Let me throw this out to you to see what you think. This morning the word “Pentecost” kept coming to me, so I pulled out my copy of WHAT THE BIBLE IS ALL ABOUT, by Henrietta Mears to see what this word meant and how it would be discussed. In 1966 I was watching one of Billy Graham’s televised sermons and it was offered free to viewers to help understand the Bible, so I sent off for it. This now tattered paperback has aided me while teaching Sunday schools for all ages, while teaching at a Christian school, and general Bible studies for over 60 years. This book gives simple reviews of every book in the Bible.

In being involved in varied churches through the years, I’ve found the Book of Acts seems especially controversial. It’s a sad fact because of how people view the life of Jesus and how we’re supposed to model our lives by His.

The Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John), set forth the Son of Man, who came to die for our sins. The Acts shows the coming of the Son of God in the power of the Holy Spirit. The Gospels set forth what Christ began to do. The Acts shows what He continued to do by the Holy Spirit through His disciples.

The Gospels tell of the crucifixion and the risen Savior. The Acts portrays Him as the ascended and exalted Lord and Leader.

In the Gospels we hear Christ’s teachings. In the Acts we see the effects of His teachings on the acts of the disciples.

Acts records the acts of the Holy Spirit through the apostles. The Holy Spirit is mentioned about 70 times. The work of the Holy Spirit is in every chapter of the book of Acts. Witness is used over 30 times.

The heart of the book tells us to be witnesses. Salvation comes to this world through Christ alone (Acts 4:12), so men must know Him. Christ’s plan includes us. Are we witnessing for Christ? Christ alone can save the world, but Christ cannot save the world alone. This is His plan. If we have no witness for Christ, we should search our hearts. “For out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaks,” Matthew 13:34. We give ourselves away by how we talk, don’t we?

Christ had told His disciples that He would send the Spirit, and “He shall testify of me” and you also shall bear witness because you have been with me from the beginning,” John 15:26, 27. This promise of Christ’s was fulfilled on the day of Pentecost when He poured forth the Holy Spirit upon the disciples, Acts 2:16, 17, 33… and from that moment, as they bore witness to the Savior, the Holy Spirit bore witness at the SAME TIME in the hearts of their hearers, and multitudes were brought to the Lord.

Now stay with me on this. It’s not hard stuff. It’s saying multitudes of people from different countries with different languages all heard the same thing but each in his own tongue! Isn’t that cool!

Read it in Chapter 2, that they (the disciples) were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in different languages. So, they didn’t do that on their own. It was through the Holy Spirit that they were given the ability for this speech.

Now the listeners were Jews living in Jerusalem, devout men from every nation under heaven. When the sound occurred, a crowd came together and were confused because of what was happening. Their first thought was these disciples were drunk.

Miracles are hard to really realize, even today. It’s like you get an Xray showing you have cancer. You ask for prayer. You go again for an Xray, and no trace of cancer is found. Instead of believing a miracle took place, you try to reason it out that the first Xray wasn’t correct in the first place. People don’t want to give God credit for a miracle. He created the world, and for over 2,000 years, miracles including healings have been documented. So, why would He stop the miracles at this time in history? According to the inspired Word of God (the Bible) the Comforter was sent by Jesus to us, as we witness for Him until He comes again. You know what I think? I think Satan has wanted us to question the existence God and His Son, so the word “Spirit” and “Ghost” of Holy Spirit and Holy Ghost has been turned into a scary apparition, phantom, or ghoul. Right?

There really are two forces on this earth: good and evil. One teaches us about peace and to love one another. The other teaches destruction, misery, pain. I believe both are fighting for you. One to love you. The other to destroy you. Recognize this and make your choice who to follow.

Anytime you study the Bible, always ask the Holy Spirit to reveal what you need to understand about His Word, and He will reveal Himself to you. Keep the faith. Have a blessed day! (Remember, for the most part, I’m sharing from Mears’ book, and I always check it with Scripture.)