The First Church

Last Sunday we learned about Jesus’s strong declaration and unique mandate given to His disciples: to bear witness of Him by bringing the Good News of Salvation, His Gospel, to Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, and to the ends of the earth. This was the ONLY mission given to the church, nothing more.

But before we begin, let us remind ourselves who we are as the Church of Christ. We are the assembly of believers, His Body, His Bride-to-be, a people redeemed by His blood and sealed with the Holy Spirit, set apart for God, called to walk together in Spirit and in truth, in biblical unity, avoiding division and disorder. 

Through the Holy Spirit we are guided, strengthened, and built up in faith, hope, righteousness, holiness, and above all in love, love for God and love for one another, so that we may accomplish God’s work on earth and honor Him, the Creator of the universe. It is important to remember who we are in Christ, our identity, before we can begin. And finally destined to spend eternity with Him.

Now, back to Scripture: "When the day of Pentecost had come » Act 2:1a

The day of Pentecost, derived from the Greek word Pentēkostē meaning “fiftieth,” is the Jewish Feast of Weeks, or Shavuot, which occurs fifty days after Passover. 

This feast was originally an agricultural celebration marking the end of the grain harvest. Later, it became connected with the giving of the Torah at Mount Sinai, which is significant for understanding the New Testament Pentecost as the giving of the Holy Spirit.

On that specific day, chosen by God, again to accomplish what the Old Testament was the foreshadow of the New Testament, all nations under heaven who came to celebrate this feast in Jerusalem where prepared to hear the true Gospel of Salvation.

the outpouring of the Holy Spirit empowered the apostles to preach the Gospel boldly, resulting in the conversion of about three thousand people. The harvest of souls was now ready to be reaped.

This moment is both significant and historical for the Christian community, because it marks the fiftieth day after Passover Sunday, commemorating the first outpouring of the Holy Spirit upon humanity. It opened the gates of heaven to those who believed in Jesus, and by extension, the first Church of Christ was born of the Spirit.

« they were all together in one place. » Act 2:1b

We see here their closeness, their eagerness to be together as one, praying for direction. From the moment Jesus ascended into Heaven, the disciples felt somewhat lost without their Master and Lord physically present with them. They knew they would face monumental challenges in advancing the Kingdom without Jesus’ visible guidance, finding themselves working in a hostile political and religious climate.

Their togetherness became their strength, their way to remain faithful to their mandate and purpose in Christ. Unity in prayer, being of one accord, and seeking the Lord’s direction for their lives, that was their goal.

But what about us today? Are we together, close enough to overcome our situations and difficulties? Are we the church the Lord wants us to be, praying, counseling, serving one another? Now is the time to live as One Body, seeking the Lord’s direction for our lives, both individually and collectively, for the spiritual condition of the church.

Overcoming by ourselves has always been difficult. But together, as Jesus wants us to be, things move forward more wisely and more effectively. And for what purpose? So that we may be living testimonies of Christ, bringing salvation to souls in all the nations. 

« And suddenly a noise like a violent rushing wind came from heaven, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting » Act 2:2

The sound is described as being like a powerful wind, which in biblical symbolism often represents the Spirit of God. The Hebrew word ruach means spirit, wind, or breath. Here, it signifies God’s active presence and power, preparing to bring order and life, just as in Genesis 1:2, when the Spirit of God hovered over the waters, ready to bring creation into being, separating light from the darkness.

It also recalls Genesis 2:7, when God breathed into Adam’s nostrils the breath of life, and man became a living soul. Just as the first creation began with God’s breath, so the new creation, the Church, began with the outpouring of His Spirit at Pentecost.

This imagery is further connected to Ezekiel 37:9–10, where the breath of God enters the dry bones and brings them to life. In the same way, the Spirit at Pentecost brings spiritual life, power, and boldness to God’s people.

The whole house being filled with this sound also echoes the Old Testament moments when God’s glory filled the Tabernacle and the Temple. 

But now God was fulfilling His promise in a greater way: “I will put My Spirit within you” (Ezekiel 36:27; Joel 2:28–29). His presence was no longer confined to a building, or a specific place, it was filling His people, the new temple of the Holy Spirit, the Church.

« And tongues that looked like fire appeared to them, distributing themselves, and a tongue rested on each one of them » Act 2:3 

The word « tongues » comes from the grec word « Glossa »

Literal sense is the physical tongue (the organ in the mouth). Ex.: Mark 7:33 “He put His fingers into his ears, and after spitting, He touched his tongue (glōssa).”

By extension – a language, speech, or dialect. Ex.: “And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues (heterais glōssais) as the Spirit was giving them utterance.” Acts 2:4

So in biblical usage, glōssa can mean both, The physical tongue, and A spoken language (whether human or, in some contexts, Spirit-given utterance).

In the Book of Revelation it is using the exact same word «Then the angel said to me, "The waters you saw, where the prostitute was seated, are peoples and multitudes and nations and tongues. (glōssais) » Rev 17:15. 

In English the word « language » come also from the latin word « Lingua » with has the same root as the physical tongue and the spoke intelligible language or dialect. Example: lingua Latina = the Latin language

So in both biblical Greek and in the roots of English/Latin, the tongue (organ) and language (speech) are inseparably connected. 

That’s why when the Bible speaks about “tongues” (glōssai), it naturally carries the idea of languages.

Now why fire? The fire of the Holy Spirit is a symbol of God’s purification, a holy and divine action that makes a person or thing acceptable to Him. Just as the fire in the burning bush revealed God’s presence when Moses was called (Exodus 3), it demonstrates God’s holiness and power. The bush burned but was not consumed, showing a miraculous sign: God’s presence can purify without destroying. 

This ultimately points to Jesus, who was fully man, living a sinless life and carrying our sins on the Cross, and fully God, possessing fully both the divine and human nature, able to defeat death through His resurrection and ascension into Heaven.

The pattern in Acts 2 continues this symbolism. The disciples received the fire in their tongues, representing first their purification, and then the Holy Spirit distributed the “tongues” individually to each of them. The tongues of fire rested on each one, empowering them for their mission and fulfilling Jesus’ command to go and proclaim the Gospel.

« And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with different tongues, » Act 2:4a

This is the accurate interpretation of this passage: God sent the Holy Spirit to fulfill the disciples’ divine duty, empowering them to speak in different languages to all the nations gathered in Jerusalem during Pentecost (Shavuot). The harvest of souls was ready to be reaped, not by the work of the law, but by the work of the Spirit. 

Through this, the promise Jesus had given earlier was fulfilled (Acts 1:6–8): “You will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” The first step, Jerusalem, was accomplished. The Holy Spirit came so that the mission of reaching every nation, by enabling them to hear in their own languages, could begin, bringing in the harvest prepared by God Himself.

« as the Spirit was giving them the ability to speak out. » Act 2:4b 

The outpouring of the Holy Spirit enabled the ministry of the apostles and the first disciples to speak boldly, without fear of persecution or even death, so that the truth of the Gospel could be proclaimed and souls could be saved. This desire to preach the Gospel comes only when the Holy Spirit is at work within us, empowering us to speak as the first disciples did. The Spirit gives us strength, discernment, direction, the right words, and the revelation of God’s sovereign will for understanding.

Another important aspect of this ability is that, when we are regenerated and transformed by the power of the Holy Spirit, born of the Spirit, we are no longer defined by nationality, ethnicity, tradition, or culture. We become a new creation, uniting Jews and Gentiles into one body. 

This began in Jerusalem at the feast of Pentecost, which is the primary biblical account of this transformation and the Spirit’s work in empowering the Church.

Jesus’s mandate is our foundation, the Apostles our model

The foundation laid by Christ, empowered by the Holy Spirit, and structured through the apostles remains the timeless model of discipleship. It serves as a biblical example of how believers are called to live, teach, and minister in the world.

The Holy Spirit guided, strengthened, enlightened, and empowered the apostles daily, working miracles and wonders through them, while growing the Church both numerically and spiritually. The Church of Christ was born to proclaim the Gospel of Christ to all nations.

Throughout history, believers have faced social, cultural, and political challenges, even persecution and death. Yet these trials are opportunities to deepen our relationship with God, grow in spiritual maturity, strengthen our daily faith, learn more from Scripture, and live out discipleship with faithfulness to the Gospel, love, and wise choices.

We see this in the first Jerusalem communities, united around apostolic teaching and vibrant fellowship. They glorified God for sending His Son, demonstrated His love and mercy through their words and deeds, and people were saved, not by their own strength or might, but by the Spirit of the living God.

The Holy Spirit continues to give us a burning passion for God’s work, a desire to share Christ, authentic conversions, and a vibrant community life. Like the early Church, we are enabled, equipped, and strengthened to witness, serve, and build the Kingdom of God, not with fear or trembling, but with peace and hope, eagerly anticipating Jesus’ return.