Christ’s Ascension and The Day of Pentecost

For how many days after Jesus died and rose again did he show himself on earth? How did he show that he was really alive, not a ghost? His body was gone Many people saw him (more than 500) His friends touched him, talked to him He ate and cooked

Go back to Jerusalem and wait for the Holy Spirit. Where did he go with his friends after 40 days? To a small mountain near Jerusalem What did he tell his friends to do? Go back to Jerusalem and wait for the Holy Spirit. What did he tell them the Holy Spirit would do? They would be filled with power. They would be his witnesses in Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria and the ends of the earth.

What happened after he finished talking to them? He went up into the sky behind a cloud. We call this The As_ _ _ _ _ _n, which means ________. c e n s i o going up

The Day of Pentecost The festival of Pentecost is 50 days after the festival of the Passover. It is the harvest festival. Many Jews from many countries visited Jerusalem at this time.

Where were the believers on the Day of Pentecost? Gathered together in one place, praying. What did they hear? A noise like a strong wind blowing. What did they see? What looked like tongues of fire which touched each person there.

What did they start to do? Talk in other languages. What were they talking about? The great things God had done.

A large crowd gathered because they heard the noise. Why were they so excited? They heard all the believers speaking in their own languages, even though they were ordinary Galileans. But what did some people say? These people are drunk!

The Holy Spirit has filled him with power, as Jesus promised. Peter stood up to talk to the crowd. Is this the same Peter who denied Jesus 3 times? What has happened to him? Why is he so brave now? The Holy Spirit has filled him with power, as Jesus promised.

Peter’s Message – Acts 2:15-17,21 These people are not drunk, instead this is what the prophet Joel spoke about: ‘This is what I will do in the last days, God says: I will pour out my Spirit on everyone. Your sons and daughters will proclaim my message; ….. And then, whoever calls out to the Lord for help will be saved.’

God’s Message told by Peter -Acts 2:22-24 22 "Listen to these words, fellow Israelites! Jesus of Nazareth was a man whose divine authority was clearly proven to you by all the miracles and wonders which God performed through him. You yourselves know this, for it happened here among you. 23 In accordance with his own plan God had already decided that Jesus would be handed over to you; and you killed him by letting sinful men crucify him. 24 But God raised him from death, setting him free from its power, because it was impossible that death should hold him prisoner.

22 "Listen to these words, fellow Israelites 22 "Listen to these words, fellow Israelites! Jesus of Nazareth was a man whose divine authority was clearly proven to you by all the miracles and wonders which God performed through him. You yourselves know this, for it happened here among you. Israelite - a person from Israel Divine – belongs to God You know it, you can’t deny it –you saw it yourself – His life was a very public witness that He had Divine authority.

23 In accordance with his own plan God had already decided that Jesus would be handed over to you; and you killed him by letting sinful men crucify him. Jesus death was not an accident – it was God’s plan Even though it was God’s plan, those who rejected him were still guilty of his death. Peter is not trying to please his audience, he is making sure he tells them the truth.

24 But God raised him from death, setting him free from its power, because it was impossible that death should hold him prisoner. Here is GOOD NEWS!

32 God has raised this very Jesus from death, and we are all witnesses to this fact. 33 He has been raised to the right side of God, his Father, and has received from him the Holy Spirit, as he had promised. What you now see and hear is his gift that he has poured out on us. 36 "All the people of Israel, then, are to know for sure that this Jesus, whom you crucified, is the one that God has made Lord and Messiah!"

Speaking other languages Lord and Messiah How do they know? The way he lived, the many miracles they saw him do He rose from the dead, and they saw him They can see that the Holy Spirit has now come on the believers and changed them. Speaking other languages Bold Talking about Jesus

The Day of Pentecost Old Testament – New Testament – the Day the Law was given. To celebrate the harvest of wheat The nation of Israel was God’s people. the Day the Spirit was given. Now there will be a harvest of people God’s Spirit rested on each person individually, Jew and non-Jew

S Suddenly It is God who controls the time H Harvest There is a purpose – to bring people to know God E Expectation We should expect that God will give us the Holy Spirit so that we can have the power to share the Good News.

Pray that God’s Holy Spirit - will fill you, - will purify you, - will give you grace to share his message, - and grace to live a life that pleases God.