After Pentecost!

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This past Sunday, Day of Pentecost was celebrated by Christians around the world.  In our region many churches were closed due to the Covid 19 pandemic, while others did open their doors to a limited number of congregants. Our door may have been closed to our buildings, but the Spirit of The Almighty and powerful Hoy Spirit of God almighty, was stirring up in many of us as many preached on facebook, or other media venues which were used. We know what happened on the day of Pentecost almost 2000 years ago, as His Spirit came down as was prophesied by the Prophet Joel in chapter 2:28-29. My focus this day in this writing, is not the day of Pentecost, but what did the church do with what they received?
Acts 2:42-47
In the New International Bible, this “pericope” is titled :
The Fellowship of the Believers

42 They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. 43 Everyone was filled with awe at the many wonders and signs performed by the apostles. 44 All the believers were together and had everything in common. 45 They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need. 46 Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, 47 praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.

The day of Pentecost was certainly a day to be remembered by the church and rightly so.

I want to focus on what the church was doing after Pentecost as is written in the scripture above.  We are in the first week of the Pentecostal outpouring experience, and we the church must be busy about the “Master’s business!”  The disciples began teaching, who? the 3000 plus that were saved on the day of Pentecost.  All of a sudden, in a 24 hour period the church grew by about 250%.  From 120 to 3120!  PTL!  Now their Doctorate earned in the school of divinity taught by Jesus Christ Himself was to be put to the test.  And one of the main focus was fellowship,  and breaking bread.  It is very important for us, His church, to be doing as Luke describes the church’s actions after the day of Pentecost and on.  The 3rd chapter we find miracles by the disciples, and on in every chapter after, the church was moving in the power they were privileged to have received!  So my challenge to us, is for this Midwest-Rocky Mtn. Region COGOP, is to move in the power of His Holy Spirit during this such difficult time.  When the church does return to its building to worship as one body, many new people will come out, if we have been about the “Master’s business.”  And our goal and task, is to teach them, to fellowship with them and break bread with them.  So let’s prepare, “Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.” 2 Tim 2:15 KJV

 

Bishop Dr. Jesse Yañez