The Day After Pentecost

Peter was exhausted – but happier than he could ever remember. Yesterday was Pentecost, and the age of the Holy Spirit dawned. How did he feel the day after? Can you imagine just the logistics of baptizing 3,000 people? (Don’t worry. Archaeology has confirmed there were plenty of pools to baptize people in!) Still, if 12 Apostles baptize 250 people apiece, it was a possible thing. Of course, if it takes 5 minutes to baptize someone, that still adds up to over 20 hours of work! I suspect some of the 120 disciples in the Upper Room helped the process along.

What was left to be done? I’m pretty sure the day after Pentecost, they didn’t form a building committee, organize Life Groups, or plan potlucks! Those new disciples needed to hear the story of Jesus – what he said and what he did. The crowds met in the porches of the Temple to listen to the apostles teach just that. The Sermon on the Mount was repeated over and over. The stories of Jesus casting out demons and healing people were told again and again. It was new, and it was exciting. Above all, there must have been an air of urgency and excitement. A little over a week before, the apostles watched Jesus ascend into heaven. “He’s coming back! Are you ready?”

The priests, the Sadducees, and the Pharisees were frustrated. They had lost control. The love of the Christians filled the city.

“And day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they received their food with glad and generous hearts, praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved” (Acts 2:46 – 47).

It’s more than the day after the day after Pentecost, but Jesus is still coming back. What do we need to do to fan the fires of expectation and urgency into a flame?

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