The Blessing of the Pentecost Enjoyed in Mark’s Upper Room (Acts 2:1-4) 05/17/2020
The Answers of the 1st, 2nd, 3rd RUTC:
The Blessing of the Pentecost Enjoyed in Mark’s Upper Room (Acts 2:1-4) 05/17/2020
God gave the Israelites three feasts when they were passing through the wilderness and gave a promise concerning three blessings that the saved person would enjoy. The three feasts are the Feast of the Passover, Pentecost, and Tabernacles. If the Passover is the answer to our past problems, then we can say that Pentecost is the answer to our present problems, and the Feast of Tabernacles is the answer to our future problems. If we are unable to enjoy the answers to these three problems, then we will continuously be deceived by Satan. Our past problems are mostly related to scars. It may seem that these scars will be forgotten with time, but it remains in the unconscious and subconscious. It affects my today in decisive moments. It repeatedly creates conflict and failure. This is the present problem. If this is repeated, there will be unknown worry, anxiety, and fear concerning my future. This is a problem of the future. This is the reason Job who was blameless, upright, and God-fearing (Job 1:1) crumbled at once to Satan (Job 3:25-26). What kind of conflicts and problems do you currently have? God gave answers to all the problems we face. That is the blessing of the Pentecost. Let us think about what the blessing within the Pentecost is and think about the meaning of the blessing of the Pentecost that started from Mark’s Upper Room.
- The core of the covenant of the Pentecost is the blessing of the Holy Spirit that the saved person must enjoy.
We are conflicted as we live on earth even if we were surely saved (internal conflict hidden inside me, family conflict, conflict due to financial problems, conflict in the school or workplace, and even conflict in the church). These conflicts may have come from the hidden scars inside me or may have come from various circumstantial and reality problems. The problem is that there is a being that digs into these conflicts and causes me to fall into discouragement, breakdown, rage, despair, and failure. That is Satan (Ephesians 6:11-12). We cannot overcome Satan’s scheme with our strength. He knows too well where he needs to touch for us to crumble. That is why God tells us to enjoy three blessings of the Holy Spirit. This is the core of the covenant of the Pentecost.
1) He will come as a “Helper” and be with us forever (John 14:16-18).
In English, it uses terms such as helper or counselor. Parakletos in Latin means “called to one’s side.” In 1 John 2:1, He is introduced as an advocate who helps when we fail.
① There is a most important work He first did (John 14:26).
He made known who Christ is and said that He will remind us of every blessing Jesus taught us. Even the Devil knows who Christ is. However, it is the works of the Holy Spirit that allows us to realize that Christ has finished all the problems of my life when there are problems and conflicts in my daily life. Christ has surely freed me from all my problems and curses, trampled the authority of Satan that is behind that, and stayed with us through the Holy Spirit to change everything to everything into evidence.
② Peace is the first blessing that comes when we realize Christ through the help of the Holy Spirit (John 14:27).
Believe that the Holy Spirit is with me within me when praying and pray to receive the help of the Holy Spirit. Thanksgiving will come unwittingly, and the peace of God will guard my heart and mind (Philippians 4:6). Waiting for the Holy Spirit to give you peace when you resolve to do something and start, is a life that is guided by the Holy Spirit.
2) There is spiritual evidence that arises in my field when the Holy Spirit works in me like this.
That is the Kingdom of God (Acts 1:3). We need to enjoy this within myself, my family, work, and in all fields. Especially when you do not have peace in you, realize that the forces of darkness are at work, and fight a spiritual battle.
3) There is a work this Holy Spirit desires to lastly do through me (Acts 1:8).
He desires to give me a different power, a heavenly power, and use me as a witness to save the world.
① This is the blessing that these people actually experienced in Acts 2.
My inside changed because the power of the Holy Spirit like wind and fire was at work. Fear, worry, and shame is no longer mine (verses 1-3). Following the Holy Spirit allowing them to speak, their mouths to share the Gospel opened as well (verse 4). The multi-ethnic people from 15 and more countries started to be visible (verses 9-11). Afterward, 3,000 disciples arose through them (verse 41).
② What it the final important part? It says they considered gathering in the temple as rightful, broke bread in their homes, and praised God.
They enjoyed the favor of all people in their own place and the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved (verses 46-47).
- The blessing to hold onto in this is the mystery for my family to be used within the works of the Holy Spirit.
We must hold onto times like this where we are unable to go to church as an opportunity to enjoy the blessing that was enjoyed in Mark’s Upper Room.
1) Mark’s Upper Room was a house that was prepared to be a house that could be offered to be used by God whenever.
① Mark’s Upper Room, to be specific, was Mark’s mother’s house. She was a woman who lived alone with her son.
Jesus chose this woman’s house when looking for a place for communion with his disciples before He died on the Cross. It was God’s choice (Mark 14:14-16). She obeyed. It was a sudden request but accepted it as God’s will. Later on, Mark’s Upper Room church started as the disciples gathered there and prayed and experienced the works of the Holy Spirit (Acts 1:13-14).
② Mark was a young adult at this time. Due to his mother’s devotion, Mark became a figure that was used by God.
In the future, Mark becomes Paul’s first mission team member. Although there was a temporary conflict because he faced many difficulties in the first mission trip (Acts 15:38), later on, he becomes Paul’s coworker until Paul’s very last moment (2 Timothy 4:11). The small devotion of a mother raised the son to stand in the line of the evangelist of that age.
③ There is the instance of Simon from Cyrene (Libya) who was forced to carry Jesus’ cross (Matthew 27:32).
His son Rufus also becomes one of Paul’s important coworkers in the future, and God blessed him to where Paul confesses that his wife is “my mother.”
2) Mark’s Upper Room was a house that concentrated, prayed, and enjoyed the works of the Holy Spirit when the Early Church members were being persecuted.
Peter meets a Roman centurion while praying at Simon the tanner’s house (Acts 10:1-9). While Paul was looking for a place to worship and pray in Philippi, he receives the invitation of Lydia (Acts 16:13-15). At this time of worshipping at home, pray for the Holy Spirit to be at work in my house and to become a house that is used for evangelism and missions.
3) As the works of the Holy Spirit took place in Mark’s Upper Room, it became a house that healed and raised many people. This is a Mission Home.
There was a room called sarangbang in slightly large houses which housed guests in Korea, and America had the same called Hospitality Room. May each of our houses become one that heals and saves people through the works of the Holy Spirit.
Conclusion – Mark’s Upper Room that was used for the works of the Holy Spirit to take place, is a blessing and evidence that we individually and our house must enjoy.