Gospel – Acts 1-2

Desert. On the way to Jerusalem from Dead Sea

Looking down from Mount of Olives. Present time there are may Jewish tombs

As I browsed through some photos I took from Mount of Olives about close to 2 years back, it brings me to the time where Christianity began. From this location, I could imagine the Old City of Jerusalem, built during Solomon’s time.

At that location was the grand 2^nd temple, improved by King Herod. That massive structure was many stories high and many people were worshipping the Lord there. The Golden Gate, which is now rebuilt centuries ago and sealed by a muslim king, was then open and the Lord Jesus Christ rode the donkey in the triumphant entry to Jerusalem and into the Temple. He rode from Mt of Olives, down the hill and up Mt. Zion into the golden gate and the Temple.

Then we know that Jesus was later crucified and resurrected just outside the Old City of Jerusalem. His resurrection was the victory that God needed to redeem mankind from the pangs of sin. The disciples then were astounded by the resurrection and some like Thomas had to see the nail prints on Jesus to believe in Him.

After 40 days, being seen by many disciples and witnesses, Jesus, together with His disciples were on this same hill that I was standing. He told them that they will be baptized by the Holy Spirit not long later, and that they shall be witnesses of Him.

Bible Passage:  Acts 1-2

The Golden Gate (rebuilt and sealed by Muslim King)

⁶ Therefore, when they had come together, they asked Him, saying, “Lord, will You at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?” ⁷ And He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or seasons which the Father has put in His own authority. ⁸ But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”

Acts 1:6-8

Even then the disciples wanted to know if Jesus will restore this physical kingdom of Israel, which all of them at that time yearned greatly for. However, Jesus answered them differently in that they have to wait for the coming of the Holy Spirit. After that Jesus was taken up by the clouds up to heaven from this hill and the angels say that He will come again in the future in like manner. From that vantage point, the disciples must have been awe struck seeing Jesus ascending into heaven, and probably they were wondering to themselves; “What next?”

However, despite Jesus leaving them, their master and Lord, they kept the faith. They listened obediently to the instruction of Jesus, albeit I suspect they do not exactly know what they were supposed to do as some of them or probably most of them were still thinking of the restoration of the physical Israel kingdom. They walked down the hill and up to Jerusalem and prayed for the Holy Spirit in the upper room of one of the houses there.

These all continued with one accord in prayer and supplication, with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with His brothers.

I would think that it would have been real difficult to pray in the upper room as there were 120 of them. The houses in Old City of Jerusalem are very small and cramp and the Old City has one of the world’s highest population densities.

Having walked through the streets of Jerusalem, the houses are side by side without any passage way. There are only a narrow few roads within the city, and the fastest way to walk in Jerusalem was actually to walk on the roof tops of the houses! I would guess, the disciples then had the faith in Jesus Christ and prayed in one accord.

Despite not really knowing ‘what next’ and having to squeeze together in the upper room, they prayed with faith for the down pouring of the Holy Spirit. 10 days later, the Holy Spirit was poured down and the disciples spoke in tongues and had wisdom and courage. It was an amazing miracle, nothing short of ‘shock and awe’; a phrase used by the Americans when they launched a lot of missiles and pyrotechnics during the beginning invasion of Iraq.

A road in the Old City

The disciples gathering together to pray with one accord can be likened to our spiritual meetings in church. We gather together in cramp confines and pray for the down pouring of the Holy Spirit.

Thankfully, we have air conditioning and kneeling pads which makes it much easier to pray unlike during the apostolic times. However, I would think one thing is different between us and the apostles then. It is the heart and faith in Jesus Christ. It is this oneness in hearts that enabled the 120 disciples to pray in one accord for 10 days earnestly and with faith that such a miracle happened.

Perhaps today in church, it is difficult to have this oneness in heart. I do find it rather sad that whenever there is fasting for the spiritual meetings or evangelistic services, not many people actually fast and turn up for the prayers.

If all of us in the church, could act like in the old testament times, to fast together as a church, perhaps such miracles will happen in church. When Nineveh repented from her sin, the entire population from young to old, from poor to noble and including the animals fasted, the Lord averted the destruction of this sinful city. It demonstrates this effectiveness of doing God’s Will in one accord with one heart.

Once the disciples received the Holy Spirit, there was a total transformation in their lives. Peter, who once rejected Jesus, is now no more the timid apostle. Being filled with the Holy Spirit, he boldly testifies of Jesus. His testimony was so moving and with the appropriate words, that the people were moved to repent and be baptized.

³⁶ “Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly that God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ.”
³⁷ Now when they heard this, they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “Men and brethren, what shall we do?”

Acts 2:36-37

I really marvel Peter’s testimony in Acts. It really shows the wisdom the Holy Spirit gave him and the courage to boldly testify Jesus even in front of the much more learned High Priests. Peter as we all know is uneducated, being a fisherman, but when he was filled with the Holy Spirit, he spoke sermons that even had the Old Testament scripture as witness to Jesus and His resurrection.

Likewise, in our times, the Holy Spirit still moves us to speak God’s Words. It is the Holy Spirit who guides us in what we say to our friends and relatives. There was many times I also marvel of the words I say to my friends and relatives when I have the chance to preach to them.

I marvel because those words I said did not go through my thinking process, as if I was not in control of my speech and it turned out to be the most appropriate words. I attribute this to the Holy Spirit speaking through me.

Being a ‘timid’ person from young, and known as ‘well behaved’ (basically means QUIET) student in class all my life, the Holy Spirit has helped me to speak about Jesus to my friends and relatives at appropriate times. Therefore, for those who are also as ‘timid’ as me, do try to preach Jesus boldly and the Holy Spirit will guide you in the talking.

A concluding verse for Acts Chapter 1 to 2:

Matthew 10:19-21 (New King James Version)

¹⁹ But when they deliver you up, do not worry about how or what you should speak. For it will be given to you in that hour what you should speak; ²⁰ for it is not you who speak, but the Spirit of your Father who speaks in you.