The Holy Spirit helped move the disciples from fearful to bold. At the Last Supper, Jesus had predicted that all the disciples would desert Him. Peter responded by declaring that He never would, and the other disciples vowed the same. (Mat. 26:31-15).
At Jesus’ arrest, all the disciples scattered. Peter followed Jesus to the courtyard next to Jesus’ trial, but there he denied Jesus three times. John was the only disciple at the cross; the rest were hiding behind locked doors. (John 19:26)
Doubting the Resurrection
The women who went to anoint Jesus’s body were the first to discover the resurrection. They ran and told the disciples. Peter and John did go to the tomb and look, but then returned home. (John 20:1-11). They needed the Holy Spirit even to believe Jesus was alive.
John 20: 19 That Sunday evening the disciples were meeting behind locked doors because they were afraid of the Jewish leaders. Suddenly, Jesus was standing there among them! “Peace be with you,” he said. 20 As he spoke, he showed them the wounds in his hands and his side. They were filled with joy when they saw the Lord! 21 Again he said, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I am sending you.” 22 Then he breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit.[1]
Luke 24: 49 “And now I will send the Holy Spirit, just as my Father promised. But stay here in the city until the Holy Spirit comes and fills you with power from heaven.” [2] Jesus had given the disciples a portion of the Holy Spirit to enable them to believe in the resurrection and to be obedient, staying and waiting for the baptism of the Holy Spirit.
Emboldened by the Spirit
Ten days after Jesus’ ascension and during the Festival of Pentecost, God sent the gift of the Holy Spirit. Acts 2: 4 And everyone present was filled with the Holy Spirit and began speaking in other languages, as the Holy Spirit gave them this ability. [3] God enabled the disciples to speak in the various languages of the Jewish pilgrims in Jerusalem, as they celebrated Pentecost.
Jesus had given the disciples the mission of taking the good news of the Gospel to all nations. They were to begin in Jerusalem and spread out. They were to make disciples and baptize them in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Then they were to teach these new disciples to obey all Jesus’ commands. (Matthew 28:19-20, Acts 1:8) They couldn’t do this from behind locked doors.
So, the Holy Spirit took the disciples from fearful to bold. Peter, who only a few weeks before had denied even knowing Jesus, now boldly stepped up and publicly preached about Jesus. Acts 2: 14 Then Peter stepped forward with the eleven other apostles and shouted to the crowd, “Listen carefully, all of you, fellow Jews and residents of Jerusalem![4] The other disciples joined Peter as they told the Good News about Jesus to Jewish pilgrims in their own language.
The Holy Spirit continues to empower and strengthen believers today. He can give us words to speak to give witness to our faith so that we can continue the same mission the disciples had. To learn more, listen here:
https://podpoint.com/light-of-christ-church-podcast/pentecost-the-church-in-transition
[1-4] Tyndale House Publishers. (2015). Holy Bible: New Living Translation. Tyndale House Publishers.