Kingdom Disciples

With the outpouring of the Spirit on the Day of Pentecost, the blessings for all nations promised to Abraham commenced . The gift of the Holy Spirit is described as “the promise of the Father” in the New Testament, which connects this gift to the Abrahamic covenant. The promises to Abraham and his seed are fulfilled in the New Covenant inaugurated by the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, and the gift of the Spirit is the guarantee that we will inherit all that God has promised.

Avec l'effusion de l'Esprit le jour de la Pentecôte, les bénédictions promises à Abraham pour toutes les nations ont commencé . Le don de l'Esprit Saint est décrit comme “la promesse du Père” dans le Nouveau Testament, qui relie ce don à l'alliance abrahamique. Les promesses faites à Abraham et à sa postérité sont accomplies dans la Nouvelle Alliance inaugurée par la mort et la résurrection de Jésus-Christ, et le don de l'Esprit est la garantie que nous hériterons de tout ce que Dieu a promis.

Jesus is the herald who announces the Good News and inaugurates the Kingdom, the process that will culminate in the final harvest . Jesus proclaimed the imminence of God’s Kingdom and called men and women to repent and turn away from unrighteousness in response to this new reality. He is the Messiah who inaugurates the redemptive act of God, and this will conclude with the great harvest of souls when Christ returns “ on the clouds of heaven .”

Jésus est le héraut qui annonce la Bonne Nouvelle et inaugure le Royaume, le processus qui culminera dans la moisson finale . Jésus a proclamé l'imminence du Royaume de Dieu et a appelé les hommes et les femmes à se repentir et à se détourner de l'injustice en réponse à cette nouvelle réalité. Il est le Messie qui inaugure l'acte rédempteur de Dieu, et cela se terminera par la grande moisson des âmes lorsque le Christ reviendra “ sur les nuées du ciel .”

The outpouring of the Spirit on the Day of Pentecost signaled the start of the Last Days and the time of fulfillment . The application of Joel’s prophecy to the events of the Day of Pentecost links the outpouring of the Spirit to the last days. The death, resurrection, and exaltation of Jesus inaugurated History’s final stage before the Day of the Lord, and now, he reigns and bestows the gift of the Spirit on his Church.

L'effusion de l'Esprit le jour de la Pentecôte a marqué le début des Derniers Jours et le temps de l'accomplissement . L'application de la prophétie de Joël aux événements du jour de la Pentecôte relie l'effusion de l'Esprit aux derniers jours. La mort, la résurrection et l'exaltation de Jésus ont inauguré la dernière étape de l'Histoire avant le Jour du Seigneur, et maintenant, il règne et accorde le don de l'Esprit à son Église.

Jesus has come in these last days to provide salvation for men, women, and children of all nations, and everlasting life in the age to come . After his resurrection, Jesus declared, “ All authority in heaven and on earth is given to me! Therefore, go and make disciples of all nations .” Christ sent his disciples to announce the salvation accomplished by his death “ to the ends of the Earth .” The promise of the Abrahamic Covenant to bless all nations is now being fulfilled by Jesus Christ.

La promesse de l'Esprit est vitale pour la rédemption de l'humanité et l'Alliance de Dieu avec Son peuple, l'Église de Jésus-Christ . Le Nouveau Testament relie “ la Promesse de l'Esprit ” aux “ Bénédictions d'Abraham ”, la promesse que Dieu bénira les nations à travers le Grand Patriarche. L'Esprit est le don que les croyants reçoivent “ par l'audition de la foi .” Cela fait partie de l'Alliance promise à Abraham, et l'apôtre Pierre relie ce don aux “ bénédictions ” pour les nations, les Gentils, dans son sermon prêché le Jour de la Pentecôte.

After completing his sermon, Peter summoned his audience to repent and be baptized “ in the name of Jesus Christ .” However, something more than just a call to accept the Gospel was transpiring in the passage. He concluded his sermon on a note of fulfillment and with a foretaste of things to come. It began with a citation from the Book of Joel , and it finished with a clause from the same passage, thus neatly bracketing the message.

The promise of the Spirit is vital to the redemption of humanity and the Covenant of God with His people, the Church of Jesus Christ . The New Testament links the “ Promise of the Spirit ” to the “ Blessings of Abraham ,” the promise that God will bless the nations through the Great Patriarch. The Spirit is the gift believers receive “ through the hearing of faith .” It is part of the Covenant promised to Abraham, and the Apostle Peter connects this gift to “ the blessings ” for the nations, the Gentiles, in his sermon preached on the Day of Pentecost.

The use of Joel’s prophecy by Peter on the Day of Pentecost links the arrival of the Spirit to the start of History's final era. With the Spirit’s outpouring, the “ Last Days ” began in earnest.  The Gift of the Spirit is the “ Promise of Father ,” and an integral part of the  New Covenant  prophesied in the books of  Jeremiah  and  Ezekiel . Its arrival pointed to a fundamental change of eras - The time of fulfillment had commenced  - (Joel 2:28-32, Acts 2:17-21).

The prophecy in the book of Joel sets the tone for Acts, including the signs and wonders that accompany the gospel  – Acts 2:17-21.  Jesus told the disciples to “ tarry in Jerusalem ”  UNTIL  they receive the Spirit, then to proclaim the “ kingdom of God ” in Jerusalem, Judea, and Samaria, and the “ uttermost parts of the earth .” The book of  Acts  records how the early church carried out this mission under the power of the Spirit.

The final paragraph of the second chapter of Acts summarizes the results of the Spirit’s outpouring. It describes the basic practices of the young congregation that resulted from the Spirit’s presence – Teaching, shared meals, fellowship, prayers, unity, and material support for individuals in need. The one unique feature is the holding of possessions “in common” under the administration of the Apostles.

On Pentecost, the Spirit of God descended on the disciples accompanied by audible and visual manifestations. As they were “ filled with the Spirit ,” they all began “ speaking in other tongues .” This caused confusion and questions among the Jewish pilgrims who witnessed the epochal event.

In  Acts , the activity of the Spirit is essential to the life and growth of the church. The church was inaugurated by the outpouring of the Spirit on the day of Pentecost, and the young faith spread quickly from Judea to Samaria, Syria, Asia Minor, Greece, and finally, to the heart of the Roman Empire.

The book of  Acts  lays stress on fulfillment. The things foreshadowed in the Hebrew scriptures are actualized when the disciples are “ filled with the Spirit and spoke in other tongues ” on Pentecost. This is the seminal event that marks the inauguration of the Church, the age of the Spirit, and the commencement of the final harvest.