My Heart Rejoices and My Tongue Glad - Part 815

Reading the gospels -- Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John -- is inspiring in that these share the very good news message of Jesus and His kingdom. These detail His life on earth -- He who knew no sin becoming sin for us -- providing us with insights into what we should believe, and about His gift of salvation. These four accounts of the life of Jesus collectively share as a narrative of the greatest love story ever told. If you are new to believing in Jesus by faith, and seeking His righteousness, I would highly recommend reading these for your personal edification. 

However, don't stop reading once you are finished the four gospels because there is so much more that we need to know. The book of Acts, for example, shows us how Jesus' disciples shared their knowledge of Jesus, and His kingdom in practice, proclaiming His good news message to all that would listen. Acts also reveals how the disciples were led by the Holy Ghost to apply the truths that they had learned from walking daily with Jesus -- essentially taking Jesus' teachings and putting them into practice. 

"But the Comforter, [which is] the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in My name, He shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you." (John 14:26)

When we seek Jesus and His righteousness, we are seeking His wisdom and knowledge. This is why it is critical that we read and understand the book of Acts.

Therein, we read that Jesus commanded the disciples to "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." (Acts 1:4-5)

Indeed, Jesus told the apostles that He had chosen -- that they "shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you, and ye shall be witnesses unto Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth." (Acts 1:8)

Yes, Jesus ministry, as Peter alluded to in the first chapter of Acts, "beginning from the baptism of John, unto that same day that He was taken up from us, must one be ordained to be a witness with us of His resurrection" did not end at the cross. (Acts 1:22) In fact, the cross -- where the veil between God and man was torn from top to bottom -- was only the beginning. 

We see this on the day of Pentecost. Judas had already been replaced with Matthias, and now, "numbered with the eleven apostles." (Acts 1:26) The scriptures state also that on the day of Pentecost "they were all with one accord in one place." (Acts 2:1) And what happens? 

"And suddenly, there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting, and there appeared unto them cloven tongues, like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them, 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?" (Acts 2:1-11)

What did these hear? They heard about the wonderful works of God. As expected, these were amazed because they heard about our Lord God and Saviour in their own language from people who would have had no prior ability to speak in other languages. Why do you think it happened this way?

Well, had it been any other way, God would not have received the glory. Even though some mocked, thinking the apostles had been drinking  -- even though it was only the third hour of the day -- one thing was for sure. Only God could give them an ability to speak in the language(s) of those around them. As stated in Joel, "Ye shall know that I am in the midst of Israel, and that I am the Lord your God, and none else." (Joel 2:27)

Peter, standing with the eleven clarifies to the that these men are not drunk. He then states: 

"And it shall come to pass in the last days," saith God, "I will pour out of My Spirit upon all flesh, and your sons and daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams; and on my servants and on my handmaidens, I will pour out in those days of My Spirit, and they shall prophesy. And I will show wonders in heaven above, and signs in the earth beneath, blood, and fire, and vapour of smoke. The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before that great and notable day of the Lord come; and it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the Name of the Lord shall be saved." (Acts 2:17-21, Joel 2:27-32)

God wanted to let "all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God that made that same Jesus, whom ye have crucified both Lord and Christ." (Acts 2:36)

Peter continues, saying, "Ye men of Israel, hear these words, Jesus of Nazareth, a man approved of God among you by miracles and wonders and signs which God did by Him in the midst of you, as ye yourselves also know; Him being delivered by the determinant counsel and foreknowledge of God -- ye have taken and by wicked hands have crucified and slain -- whom God hath raised up, and loosed the pains of death; because it was not possible that He should be holden of it. For David speaketh [earlier] concerning Him:

"I foresaw the Lord, always before my face, for He is on my right hand, that I should not be moved. Therefore, did my heart rejoice and my tongue was glad; moreover, also my flesh shall rest in hope ... because Thou wilt not leave my soul in hell, neither wilt Thou suffer Thine Holy One to see corruption. Thou hast made known in me the ways of life. Thou shalt make me full of joy with Thy countenance." 

Then Peter began to speak freely about the patriarch David -- that he is both dead and buried, and his sepulchre is with us unto this day, "Therefore, being a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him, that of the fruit of his loins, according to the flesh, He would raise up Christ to sit on His throne. He seeing this before spake of the resurrection of Christ that His soul was not left in hell, neither His flesh did see corruption. This Jesus hath God raised up, whereof we all are witnesses. Therefore, being by the right hand of God exalted, and having received of the Father the promise of the Holy Ghost, He hath shed forth this, which ye now see and hear. For David is not ascended into the heavens, but He saith Himself, " The Lord said unto my Lord, Sit Thou on My right hand, until I make Thy foes Thy footstool." (Acts 2:29-35; Psalm 16:8-11; John 13:31-32; Psalm 110:1)

What happened next? Those that heard this message were pricked in their heart. Convicted, they asked, "Men and brethren, what must we do?"

Then Peter said unto them, "Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost, for the promise is unto you and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call." (Acts 2:38)

Then they that gladly received His Word were baptized and the same day there was added unto them about 3,000 souls. 

"And they continued steadfastly in the apostle's doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers." (Acts 2:42) Colossians 1:28 states: "To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. Whom we preach warning every man, and teaching every man in all wisdom that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus." In other words, like the day of Pentecost when the day was fully come, the day has come that we can receive -- in this covenant of grace -- His gift of salvation bought by the shedding of the precious blood of Jesus on the cross.

As an aside, note that earlier in Luke, Jesus rejoiced in spirit, saying, "I thank Thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that Thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes; even so, Father, for so it seemed good in Thy sight. All things are delivered to Me of My Father; and no man knoweth who the Son is, but the Father; and who the Father is but the Son, and he to whom the Son will reveal Him."  My glory rejoices!

Turning then to the disciples, Jesus said to them privately, "Blessed are the eyes which see the things that ye see: for I tell you that many prophets and kings have desired to see those things which ye see, and have not seen them; and to hear those things which ye hear, and have not heard them." (Luke 10:21-22)

Let him who hath ears to hear, hear. Stand in the offering plate.