Thought for Today
Acts 1:5 for John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now." . . . 2:41 So those who welcomed his message were baptized, and that day about three thousand persons were added. . . . 4:4 But many of those who heard the word believed; and they numbered about five thousand.
“It is commonly understood that on the evening of 27 October with the armies preparing for battle, Constantine had a vision which led him to fight under the protection of the Christian God.” (Wikipedia) This was the famous Battle of the Milvian Bridge in 312 AD. It is generally thought that the majority of Constantine’s force of about 25,000 men were Christians. Prior to Constantine’s consolidation of power, Christianity was not a religio licita, an officially approved religion in the Roman Empire. Constantine made Christianity the official religion of the Empire, supplanting the older Roman gods.
“Acts 11:26 . . . it was in Antioch that the disciples were first called "Christians." 22:4 I persecuted this Way up to the point of death by binding both men and women and putting them in prison . . .” “There is no consensus regarding the exact date of the crucifixion of Jesus, although it is generally agreed by biblical scholars that it was on a Friday on or near Passover (Nisan 14), during the governorship of Pontius Pilate (who ruled AD 26–36).” (Wikipedia)
How many followers of Jesus were there at the time of the Crucifixion? We don’t really have any definitive source data to tell us with any certainty. We know that Jesus called 12 men as his disciples. We know that following the betrayal by one of them that led to the Crucifixion, the remaining 11 chose a successor to complete the group. We know that the feeding miracles in the gospels indicate that thousands of people gathered at times to hear Jesus preach and teach.
But, during the Incarnation, during those 36 +/- years of Jesus’ earthly life, how many could be described as Christians or as Followers of the Way? I have read estimates of a few hundred casual followers. A few followers are described as disciples and others seemed to attend whenever Jesus was in their region. As we read the Acts of the Apostles, the spread of the good news seems almost explosive. Jesus’ message was spread east and west along the southern Mediterranean coast. We read of Paul’s epiphany on the Road to Damascus. Paul was traveling that road because the faith was already firmly rooted there. The verses above testify to the conversion of literally thousands at single events.
Within less than 300 years, Christianity was so pervasive within the Roman Empire that its emperor could openly declare himself a Christian, confident that enough of the military would support a Christian leader. Why? What accounts for the incredible growth?
Sunday, May 19, 2024, is Pentecost Sunday. Everywhere in Christendom, sermons will be preached on the events described in Acts Chapter 2. That chapter recounts a dramatic story of “2 a sound like the rush of a violent wind, and . . . 3 Divided tongues, as of fire”, of the 12 disciples receiving the Holy Spirit. Ultimately, Peter, a Galilean fisherman with no prior evidence of training in oratory, delivered a very powerful sermon. A sermon powerful enough to convert 3.000 people.
Pentecost has not always been accorded a great deal of attention on our Christian liturgical calendar. I do not remember any Sunday School lessons or pageants, any special attention paid to Pentecost in my youth. I was married and a father myself before I can recall a sanctuary filled with red ballons or festooned with red crepe streamers on Pentecost.
But, I believe that explosive growth of our faith is directly connected to the events in Acts Chapter 2. I have always worshiped in denominations within the Reformed Tradition. We put less emphasis on activities of the Holy Spirit than do some others. This week, however, I am reminded every day of the transformative and formative acts of the Holy Spirit on that first Christian Pentecost. Christians everywhere owe a debt of gratitude to our ancestors-in-the-faith and to the Holy Spirit. I plan to offer prayers of thanksgiving to God for their faith, their perseverance and the heritage they have passed down to us today. May we all be equally filled with the Holy Spirit.
Stay safe, watch for your own wind and tongues of fire, trust God,
Pastor Ray