Let’s look at the miracles that happened as a result of the Acts 2 outpouring.
Pentecost doesn’t only bring preaching; it brought incredible unity. Perhaps the first miracle was getting religious people to get along in peace and harmony!
Acts 2:42-47
They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. Everyone was filled with awe at the many wonders and signs performed by the apostles. All the believers were together and had everything in common. They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need. Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.
The Lord’s desire has always been to dwell on earth with his people. Even more so than establishing a temple, the Spirit desires to dwell in the middle of brothers and sisters who are living in unity of spirit and unity of purpose.
That was certainly the case in the book of acts. They devoted themselves to four things: the apostles teaching, prayer, fellowship, and the breaking of bread. When I here preaching on these verses, it’s rare that the same emphasis is put on feasting together as praying together, but I would propose that the Lord put all of those together for a purpose. Indeed, doing life together, although a little more challenging during this age of COVID-19 and social distancing, brings about a unity of purpose that testifies to the power and glory of Jesus.
If Pentecost passes and we are not more unified as Christians than ever before, we should question if the Holy Spirit ever visited us. The visitation of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost was a partial answer to the prayer Jesus offered in John 17:20-23:
My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one — I in them and you in me—so that they may be brought to complete unity. Then the world will know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.
It’s easy to submit to and serve fellow believers who go to our church and share our same ethnic background, but the real sacrifice of following Jesus comes when we must choose to work with those of different denominations and cultures, those who still love Jesus but practice their faith a little different than us.
Take a little time today to wait on the Lord with another believer, to pray with someone you don’t pray with every day. It might become the most enriching experience of your week.
Father, we desire to be unified just as you are unified with Jesus and the Holy Spirit. We deeply desire to demonstrate our discipleship to the world through our love. Spirit, develop us into servants who prefer unity of the Spirit and serving one another to competition and petty doctrinal divisions. Jesus, let us be a beautiful, complete, diverse, multifaceted bride for you that is ready for you on the day of your wedding. We desire to be one and welcome your return. Come, Lord Jesus.