Acts 2:4-8,11

Acts 2:4-8,11 And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance. And there were dwelling at Jerusalem Jews, devout men, out of every nation under heaven. Now when this was noised abroad, the multitude came together, and were confounded, because that every man heard them speak in his own language. And they were all amazed and marvelled, saying one to another, Behold, are not all these which speak Galilaeans? And how hear we every man in our own tongue, wherein we were born? we do hear them speak in our tongues the wonderful works of God. Just like Jesus had promised, the Holy Spirit came and indwelled the disciples. But unlike the disciples, we do not have to wait for the Holy Spirit to indwell us. When we are saved, the Holy Spirit comes into our hearts and lives within us immediately. But this was the beginning of God’s church. Peter and John began to preach about Jesus to all of the foreign people who were in Jerusalem for the Passover celebration. And a wonderful miracle happened. As the disciples spoke, the Holy Spirit translated their words so that all these different people could understand what they were saying in their own languages! The disciples spoke in their language, but the different people heard them in their own language! And what did they hear? They heard the wonderful words of God! God’s Words truly are wonderful!

Acts 1:9-11

Acts 1:9-11 And when he had spoken these things, while they beheld, he was taken up; and a cloud received him out of their sight. And while they looked stedfastly toward heaven as he went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel; Which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven. After Jesus had given His disciples His final instructions, He went back to heaven. But here in the beginning of the book of Acts, Jesus did two wonderful things: He did not just leave his followers alone. He left them with a Comforter, the Holy Spirit of God. And secondly, He told them that He would come back again. Often we feel like the disciples. When we leave someone that we love, we are sad. But we aren’t that sad if we remember that we will see them again. That is exactly what Jesus was telling His disciples. He was not leaving them alone and He was going to come back again. And when Jesus comes back again, if won’t be as a baby in a manger, it will be as a conquering King! I can’t wait to see Him!

Acts 1:4-8

Acts 1:4-8 And, being assembled together with them, commanded them that they should not depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the promise of the Father, which, saith he, ye have heard of me. For John truly baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence. When they therefore were come together, they asked of him, saying, Lord, wilt thou at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel? And he said unto them, It is not for you to know the times or the seasons, which the Father hath put in his own power. 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. Jesus had been the disciples’ leader for over three years. But then He was so suddenly executed. The disciples didn’t have a leader. Jesus had just told Peter to feed His lambs. But Peter wasn’t the leader that he would be someday. Jesus told His disciples to wait there in Jerusalem until the Holy Spirit would come into their hearts. The Holy Spirit of God would direct them and give them God’s power. Then they would tell everyone else about the good news of salvation in Jesus. Just like the disciples, we need God to direct us. We need God’s Holy Spirit to live inside of us. We do not have to be alone with our thoughts. We have the Holy Spirit within us to guide us! And Jesus descrfibed the Holy Spirit perfectly: He is our Comforter.

John 21:10-15

John 21:10-15 Jesus saith unto them, Bring of the fish which ye have now caught. Simon Peter went up, and drew the net to land full of great fishes, an hundred and fifty and three: and for all there were so many, yet was not the net broken. Jesus saith unto them, Come and dine. And none of the disciples durst ask him, Who art thou? knowing that it was the Lord. Jesus then cometh, and taketh bread, and giveth them, and fish likewise. This is now the third time that Jesus shewed himself to his disciples, after that he was risen from the dead. So when they had dined, Jesus saith to Simon Peter, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me more than these? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my lambs. When Jesus appeared this third time to the disciples they were in turmoil. Their lives had totally changed. The leader that they had been loyally following for three years had been executed. But now He was alive again! Things were getting really weird. Jesus had promised them that the Holy Spirit was coming to comfort them, but even this was all new. Peter had gone back to doing the only thing that he knew to do: fishing. And now here was a great miracle of a whole boatload of fish caught! And now that they were together with Jesus on the shore eating breakfast, things seemed almost normal. Then Jesus gave Peter a job to do. Jesus told Peter to feed His lambs. Jesus wanted Peter to take care of others who were weaker than he was. But Peter had denied the Lord three times! He did not feel like he was not leader material. But Jesus knew his heart. Jesus knew that he was leader material. Are you like Peter? Do you wonder if all of this church stuff is real? Do you wonder what you will do when you grow up? Just like Peter, you need to trust Jesus and to do what Jesus asks you to do. Help others who are weaker than you are. Do what Jesus would do if He were here. If you do, you will never be sorry that you did!

John 21:3-6

John 21:3-6  Simon Peter saith unto them, I go a fishing. They say unto him, We also go with thee. They went forth, and entered into a ship immediately; and that night they caught nothing. But when the morning was now come, Jesus stood on the shore: but the disciples knew not that it was Jesus. Then Jesus saith unto them, Children, have ye any meat? They answered him, No. And he said unto them, Cast the net on the right side of the ship, and ye shall find. They cast therefore, and now they were not able to draw it for the multitude of fishes. After Jesus’ resurrection, He wasn’t with the disciples all the time like He had been for the last three years. And I am sure that they missed Him being with them. So Peter did the only thing that he knew to do: he went fishing. He went back to the job that he had had all of his life. After Peter denied the Lord three times, he was ashamed. He was confused and went back to where he was comfortable. When Jesus appeared to the disciples while they were in their fishing boat, they didn’t expect to see Him. And when He gave them fishing advice, a miracle occurred! They caught so many fish that they couldn’t handle them! When John told Peter that it was Jesus there on the shore, Peter jumped into the sea and swam to the shore. Jesus had breakfast cooking on a fire and spoke kindly to Peter. Peter was not a good leader yet. But Jesus knew that he would be someday. And he was. And just like our story, Jesus knows what you will be someday. He knows that you can do wonderful things if you will let Him and if you will believe in Him. And you will!