When I became a Christian, I was intrigued with Acts chapter 2. What happened on the day of Pentecost that literally turned Jerusalem upside down? 8,000 Jews were converted to Christ, Acts 2:41 and Acts 4:4. The wind, the cloven tongues like fire, the speaking in tongues, which was foreign languages. What was all of this about? The church that I was going to had a strong emphasis on Pentecostalism. I asked someone what Acts 2 was about, they told me that Acts 2 was about the Holy Spirit coming into the world. I had trouble with that answer because I knew there was something else, but I didn't know what.
In my quest for the truth, I discovered Acts 2:11. All that were filled with the Spirit were talking about "The Wonderful Works of God". I thought to myself what is the wonderful works of God? Is it about creation? The pastor of that church received some literature in the mail from Robert D. Brinsmead who published a theological magazine called Verdict. Verdict was a world wide publication that focused on the historical Gospel of Jesus Christ and all that it calls into question. The Pastor gave me a copy of the publication and asked me to read it and get back to him as to what it said. It was the most enlightening thing that I have ever read. I now knew that the "Wonderful works of God" was the Gospel of Jesus Christ. God was revealing the Gospel of Jesus Christ to the apostles in the power of the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost.
The 8,000 Jews that were converted to Christ became Christians because they heard about what Jesus had done to save them, which is the Gospel. Paul said, "Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God" Romans 10:17. The Gospel is the word of God. In the Gospel Jesus in our name and on our behalf fulfills all of the demands of God's law. In the Gospel Jesus atones for our sins and the sins of the whole world, 1 John 2:2. This is the "Wonderful works of God" Acts 2:11. We don't know how much the 8,000 Jews understood, but it was enough to turn them to Christ.
It was the Gospel that gave birth to the New Testament church. The disciples, now apostles, became fearless, powerful preachers of the Gospel, Acts 4:18-22. The Pharisees could not stop them. They went everywhere preaching Christ. Some sold all of their possessions and gave them to those in need, Acts 2:45. Nothing like this had ever happened in Jerusalem before and nothing since, Pentecost was a one-time event. The book of Acts is the result of the Gospel coming into the world in the power of the Holy Spirit.
In my quest for the truth, I discovered Acts 2:11. All that were filled with the Spirit were talking about "The Wonderful Works of God". I thought to myself what is the wonderful works of God? Is it about creation? The pastor of that church received some literature in the mail from Robert D. Brinsmead who published a theological magazine called Verdict. Verdict was a world wide publication that focused on the historical Gospel of Jesus Christ and all that it calls into question. The Pastor gave me a copy of the publication and asked me to read it and get back to him as to what it said. It was the most enlightening thing that I have ever read. I now knew that the "Wonderful works of God" was the Gospel of Jesus Christ. God was revealing the Gospel of Jesus Christ to the apostles in the power of the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost.
The 8,000 Jews that were converted to Christ became Christians because they heard about what Jesus had done to save them, which is the Gospel. Paul said, "Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God" Romans 10:17. The Gospel is the word of God. In the Gospel Jesus in our name and on our behalf fulfills all of the demands of God's law. In the Gospel Jesus atones for our sins and the sins of the whole world, 1 John 2:2. This is the "Wonderful works of God" Acts 2:11. We don't know how much the 8,000 Jews understood, but it was enough to turn them to Christ.
It was the Gospel that gave birth to the New Testament church. The disciples, now apostles, became fearless, powerful preachers of the Gospel, Acts 4:18-22. The Pharisees could not stop them. They went everywhere preaching Christ. Some sold all of their possessions and gave them to those in need, Acts 2:45. Nothing like this had ever happened in Jerusalem before and nothing since, Pentecost was a one-time event. The book of Acts is the result of the Gospel coming into the world in the power of the Holy Spirit.
