(The Greatest Rescue continued)
7: Master Rescue Squad
Mission Accomplished
Many people saw Jesus during the 40 days after His resurrection. His mission on the earth accomplished, He now passed the torch to His followers with these words of instruction and enpowerment:
And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. 19 Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen. —Matthew 28:18-20 NKJV
Then Jesus was taken up into Heaven and sat down at the right hand of God the Father.
And He led them out as far as Bethany, and He lifted up His hands and blessed them. 51 Now it came to pass, while He blessed them, that He was parted from them and carried up into heaven. 52 And they worshiped Him, and returned to Jerusalem with great joy, 53 and were continually in the temple praising and blessing God. Amen
—Luke 24:50-53 NKJV
Rescue Squad Empowered
Jesus told them to go back to Jerusalem and to wait for the power. So 120 people waited in an upper room in a prayer meeting that lasted 10 days, and then the power came.
When the Day of Pentecost had fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. 2 And suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. 3 Then there appeared to them divided tongues, as of fire, and one sat upon each of them. 4 And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance. —Acts 2:1-4 NKJV
The Spirit of God came from Heaven and filled the 120 people. Jesus' friend, Peter, boldly preached to those who had crucified Jesus:
17 ‘ And it shall come to pass in the last days, says God, That I will pour out of My Spirit on all flesh; Your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, Your young men shall see visions,
Your old men shall dream dreams.'21 'And it shall come to pass That whoever calls on the name of the LORD shall be saved.’
22 “Men of Israel, hear these words:
Jesus of Nazareth, a Man attested by God to you by miracles, wonders, and signs which God did through Him in your midst, as you yourselves also know— 23 Him, being delivered by the determined purpose and foreknowledge of God, you have taken by lawless hands, have crucified, and put to death; 24 whom God raised up, having loosed the pains of death, because it was not possible that He should be held by it.
36 “Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly that God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ.”
37 Now when they heard this, they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “Men and brethren, what shall we do?”
38 Then Peter said to them, “Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. 39 For the promise is to you and to your children, and to all who are afar off, as many as the Lord our God will call.”—Acts 2:17, 21-24, 36 NKJV
And that day 3,000 people gladly heard, believed, and were baptized. And this was the beginning of the church, those rescued from evil to rescue others.
7: Master Rescue Squad