Distressed? Call On His Name!

It caused a visceral reaction in all of us when we heard George Floyd calling for his mother to help him as his life was literally being choked out of him.  From the time we are young children, we instinctively know to call out to the person we trust and that loves us most, to rescue us in our moments of deep distress.  On the day of Pentecost, the disciples received the promised Holy Spirit (Acts 2:1-8; 14-24; 37-39).  And Peter was emboldened to speak to the crowd who had gathered around these Holy Spirit filled disciples.  Peter told them that Jesus, whom they killed, was the Messiah and that the disciples had received the promised outpouring of God’s spirit on His people (Joel 2:28-32).  And now the Lord offered forgiveness and salvation to anyone who repented and called on His name.  Those who called on Him would receive salvation through the power of the Holy Spirit.   I pray that you would be a witness for Jesus so that anyone who wants the salvation of the Lord would know that they only have to turn their heart to Him and call on His name.  

When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them.

Now there were staying in Jerusalem God-fearing Jews from every nation under heaven. When they heard this sound, a crowd came together in bewilderment, because each one heard their own language being spoken. Utterly amazed, they asked: “Aren’t all these who are speaking Galileans? Then how is it that each of us hears them in our native language? (Acts 2:1-8) The disciples were together in one location in Jerusalem in accordance with Jesus directive for them to stay until they received the Holy Spirit. 10 days after Jesus ascended into heaven, the Holy Spirit came like a mighty rushing wind.  The disciples saw the Holy Spirit in what looked to them like tongues of fire and He gave them the power to speak in the native tongues of those in the crowd around them.  Because Jews and proselytes from many countries were in Jerusalem for Pentecost, the first act of the Holy Spirit was to enable these disciples to speak in every language of the crowd that had gathered around them in astonishment. 

Then Peter stood up with the Eleven, raised his voice and addressed the crowd: “Fellow Jews and all of you who live in Jerusalem, let me explain this to you; listen carefully to what I say. These people are not drunk, as you suppose. It’s only nine in the morning! No, this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel:

“‘In the last days, God says,

I will pour out my Spirit on all people.

Your sons and daughters will prophesy,

your young men will see visions,

your old men will dream dreams.

Even on my servants, both men and women,

I will pour out my Spirit in those days,

and they will prophesy.

I will show wonders in the heavens above

and signs on the earth below,

blood and fire and billows of smoke.

The sun will be turned to darkness

and the moon to blood

before the coming of the great and glorious day of the Lord.

And everyone who calls

on the name of the Lord will be saved.’

“Fellow Israelites, listen to this: Jesus of Nazareth was a man accredited by God to you by miracles, wonders and signs, which God did among you through him, as you yourselves know. This man was handed over to you by God’s deliberate plan and foreknowledge; and you, with the help of wicked men, put him to death by nailing him to the cross. But God raised him from the dead, freeing him from the agony of death, because it was impossible for death to keep its hold on him. (Acts 2:14-24) Peter, who denied Jesus three times after His arrest and interrogation, spoke boldly about Jesus after receiving the Holy Spirit.  Just as Jesus had commanded them, the disciples remained in Jerusalem and they received the power of the Holy Spirit, who enabled them to be witnesses for the Lord.  The Holy Spirit still has that same power to gift and enable us to be used in service to Christ and to be transformed so that we become more like Him.  It is through the Holy Spirit that we will know what to speak to those who need to know Jesus and tell them the good news of the salvation that Jesus offers to everyone. 

When the people heard this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and the other apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?”

Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off —for all whom the Lord our God will call.” (Acts 2:37-39) The message is still the same for anyone whose heart has been moved to turn back to God and ask “what shall I do to be saved?”  If anyone will repent and publicly profess their faith in Jesus Christ, they will be saved. And they will receive the transformational power of the The Holy Spirit!  

What a day Pentecost was!  The Holy Spirit came with power upon the disciples and empowered them to speak about Jesus to those who gathered around them.  And the Bible says that because of that, about three thousand were added to the church on that day.  It is a simple message that still resonates and saves the lost today. And  the Lord still wants us to share it with those around us today who are living in distress.  A new life of forgiveness and salvation is available right now…. to anyone and everyone who repents and calls on the name of the Lord!

Rev. Glenn

For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.  ~ John 3:16