Lecturer: Rev. Edward Daniel Brotsky, D.D.

Copyright Edward Daniel Brotsky, 1988, 1995. All rights reserved.

This message was given by Rev. Edward D. Brotsky on University of Toronto Radio, CIUT 89.5 FM on August 23, 1987. It was broadcast on the Wordspirit program as part of the series,The Bible and Prophecy: A Messianic View.

2. The Amazing and Revolutionary Gift

1. The Message and its Phenomenal Results

Q: What practical benefits came to mankind out of those unusual phenomena of the "violent wind" and the gift of "languages" which you quoted from Acts chapter two? EDB: The disciples of Jesus apparently had not travelled outside of Palestine, nor learned those many languages mentioned in Acts chapter two. The disciples were evidently unknown to most, if not all, of the pilgrims, for the crowds listening to them, exclaimed:

Are not all these who are speaking Galileans? Then, how is it that we hear, each in our own language in which we were born . . speaking the wonderful works of God? (Acts 2:7-11 NKJV)

Peter became their spokesman. The content of his proclamation declared that their prophets had foretold of this wonderful day: "This is that which was spoken by the prophet Joel," said Peter (2:16). He declared that God made good His promises to Israel: Yeshua HaNatzri - Jesus of Nazareth, the son of David (Matthew 1:1) was accredited by Almighty God with miracles, wonders, and signs to be, indeed, the promised Messiah. He was put to death but raised from death and received back to the right hand of the eternal Father. There, Yeshua received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit whom He sent forth this very day into our lives. Therefore," Peter concluded and affirmed, "let all the house of Israel know assuredly that God has made this Yeshua ... both Adon and Mashiach (jycmw }wda) Lord and Messiah." (2:36)

The pilgrims, Jews and Gentile converts, exclaimed: "Men and brethren, what shall we do?" As a result of Peter's proclamation of the Good News and instruction what to do, three thousand souls became believers and obeyed the Jewish laws of "T'shuvah" and "T'velah" - repentance and immersion in the ritual baths. (2:41)

2. Definition of "Church"

Q: Was this what Christian scholars call "the spiritual birthday of the church"? EDB: Yes. Those Jews and Gentile converts who believed the Good News constituted the first "regenerated" body of a people "called out" by God to form an organism for which history coined the name "church" in the English language. In the Hebrew Scriptures, the "congregation" of Israel is called "haqahal" or "q'hillah" e.g. Neh. 7:66 and Deut. 33:4).

These two words are variously translated in the Greek Septuagint version by the words ("synagoge" and "ekklesia"). From the first word we obtain "synagogue" and from the latter, "ecclesiastical." But "ekklesia" means a "called out" people, an "assembly."

In the New Testament usage, the word means a people, both Jews and Gentiles, "called out" by God to form Messiah's body of regenerated men and women. (Titus 3:3-7; Eph. 1:22-23)

The original body of three thousand Jewish and Gentile believers on the day of Pentecost grew numerically very rapidly as a result of the pilgrims' return to their homelands and Synagogues where they spread the Good News.

The Apostle Paul found Gentiles in every Synagogue which he visited in Asia Minor, Europe and Greece, as the Book of Acts records. He also proclaimed the same Good News.

The Holy Spirit continued to give such distinctive "gifts" to believers as could not be learned or acquired in any divinity school. These "gifts" are recorded in First Corinthians chapters twelve to fourteen inclusive.

Local congregations needed gifted leaders. The Holy Spirit gave gifted men to every assembly - "apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers," as recorded in Paul's letter to the Ephesians, chapter four.

And so the "ekklesia or church" grew - a living organism demonstrating to the world a new kind of human being.

Q: How have those "regenerated" people demonstrated in practical ways what you have said in the beginning is a "universal blessing to all mankind"? EDB: The fruit of the Holy Spirit in a believer's life produces "love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, humility, and self-control" (Galatians 5:22-23 TEV). How desperately our world is in need of these virtues - this quality of life!

Since "God is Love" - eternal, His perfect love in a believer's heart dispels fear (I John 4:16-18). Sincerity, truthfulness and honesty are seen in flesh-and- blood (I Cor. 5:8). These people exhibit an attitude of love toward their fellowman, and they live to protect the property and welfare of their society (Philippians 2:4). If your neighbor is such a person, you do not need to lock your door at night!

The believer has his or her sins forgiven and wiped out forever. God declares: "I have blotted out your sins, for My own sake, and I will not remember them anymore against you." "Return unto Me, for I have redeemed you." (Isaiah 43:25; 44:22)

Over the past nineteen centuries, such forgiven and Spirit-filled men and women have gone as "ambassadors for Messiah" (II Cor. 5:20) to the dark continents and islands of the seas to tell their fellow-humans that "God so loved them that He gave His dearly beloved Son to suffer death for their salvation." (John 3:16)

Civilization has followed in the train of those ambassadors. Emancipated humans have sparked movements such as the Renaissance which brought mankind out of the Dark and Medieval Ages; the Reformation of the sixteenth century put this unique and priceless Holy Scriptures into the hands of individuals, and enlightened their darkness.

Every benevolent and philanthropic movement received its inspiration from this story of "the wonderful works of God" which happened during that Jewish harvest Temple service of Shavuot or Pentecost.

Even anti-Semitism finds defeat when it confronts that man or woman who is "born again" - "regenerated" and filled with the Holy Spirit. Many of these people in Europe hid Jewish lives from the Nazis during the holocaust, at the risk and often the actual cost of their own Christian lives.

All color barriers are broken down between people who have received Jesus the Messiah as their Savior. All class distinctions are dissolved in the family of Yeshua HaMashiach, Jesus the Messiah.

3. Universal Benefits for Mankind

Q: It seems to me that this historic message should touch all of us!

EDB: Yes, indeed, Malvern. Shavuot is not only an annual Israeli harvest Festival perpetuated down to our time. It is not only the traditional (Z'man Mattan Torah), "Season of the Giving of the Law" on Mt. Sinai, but the act of God on that historic Pentecost is available to us today.

By faith in the historical Yeshua - Jesus the Messiah - as having died for our sins, according to the Hebrew Scriptures, and raised from death, according to the same Hebrew Scriptures (I Corinthians 15:1-4), we may have the same experience. We may open our hearts - our whole lives - to the Messiah and own Him as our Redeemer and Lord. God will promptly give the gift of His Holy Spirit to every believer.

Our lives, too, may be transformed from fear to peace - from hate to love - from vice to freedom - from condemnation to forgiveness -- from an unknown destiny to a sure and everlasting hope of gaining God's Presence, our Maker Who performed all those "wonderful works."

Broken marriages may be restored. Broken friendships may be forgiven and mended. "Burned bridges" may be rebuilt. Broken hearts may be healed. A little bit of "heaven-on-earth" may be our experience, too!

This is the quality life which defines the Savior's imperative words:

"You must be born again." (John 3:1-7)

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