このエピソードについて
A New Beginning
I read from Acts chapter 2 today and was impressed by the wonderful beginning and change that occurs in this chapter.
The setting was the Day of Pentecost. I found it interesting that this day is 50 days after the Passover, so quite a while had passed since the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. The Day of Pentecost is a Jewish festival day that celebrates the wheat harvest and also God giving the Law to Moses (thanks Chat GPT).
On this day, there was a sound like a great rushing wind. It was the Holy Ghost. People began to speak in tongues and understand tongues. Peter preached to the people and they desired to know what to 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.” (Acts 2:38)
3000 people were baptized and the church was formed.
What a great beginning this was! People joined the church. They sold their goods and parted them to all in need. They had all things in common among them. It says that many were added to the church daily.
How did this change start? I found it interesting that it started with a great understanding of language. Can you imagine what it would be like to understand everyone else? We live among people that share culture, but what about people on the other side of the world that have different languages and cultures. They live so differently and believe so differently. Often this leads to misunderstandings and conflict. What if we all understood, really understood, other people, including their intentions and their hearts?
I believe that when we really understand people, we can love them much more easily. The Holy Ghost filled these people’s hearts and they must have felt love, and there was a great understanding. With all this, no wonder they all wanted to repent and join into a covenant with God.
Are you ready for a new beginning in your life? Here are three things to think about regarding new beginnings:
- Seek new understanding
- Seek to repent
- Seek to make covenants or renew covenants with God.
I believe these things can fill us with the Holy Ghost and give us a wonderful new beginning, filled with the love of Jesus Christ in our hearts.
Please share in the comments your experiences with new beginnings. How did it start? What did it feel like?
