In the second and third chapters, Jesus dictates seven letters to John for church bodies in seven cities. In the first chapter of Revelation, John sees the ascended, glorified Jesus Christ in Heaven.

I suggest to you that Revelation 2–3 is a continuation of the Book of Acts. It seems strange that God would leave us no comment about the remaining nineteen centuries and counting. The Book of Acts only covers about thirty years. God never leaves Himself without a witness in the Scripture. Perhaps he gazed at the clouds every day, wondering, “Is this the day? Will my Lord return today?” Jesus did not come back during John’s lifetime, but John was given a gift that went beyond the visions of Isaiah and Ezekiel: John saw the end of the world and the Kingdom of God. In his eighties, John was exiled to the Island of Patmos for the Gospel of Jesus Christ. John the son of Zebedee lived to be an old man. It’s interesting that while John did not tarry until Christ’s return, he did see Christ’s return take place. He might have been the youngest of all the disciples. John was still quite young when Jesus said those words. Then went this saying abroad among the brethren, that that disciple should not die: yet Jesus said not unto him, He shall not die but, If I will that he tarry till I come, what is that to thee? Jesus saith unto him, If I will that he tarry till I come, what is that to thee? follow thou me. Instead He says, “What does that matter to you, Peter? Just follow me.” He turns around and sees John standing by, and he asks, “What about him?” Jesus doesn’t tell them the answer to that question. Yet, at the end of John’s Gospel, Peter is disturbed by the news that he will be martyred. They probably didn’t imagine that they would help change the world for all time. They certainly did not suspect that we would know their names here, on the other side of the world, 2000 years later. I’m sure that when they dropped their nets, Peter and Andrew had no appreciation for the great work God would do through their lives because they simply agreed to follow Jesus. Back when Peter and his brother Andrew were just young fishermen, Jesus called to them and said, “Follow me.” He told them He would make them fishers of men, and indeed He did. “Follow me.” Those were the words that began all this in Peter’s life. And when he had spoken this, he saith unto him, Follow me. This spake he, signifying by what death he should glorify God. Verily, verily, I say unto thee, When thou wast young, thou girdedst thyself, and walkedst whither thou wouldest: but when thou shalt be old, thou shalt stretch forth thy hands, and another shall gird thee, and carry thee whither thou wouldest not. After Jesus asks Peter three times to feed His sheep, Jesus speaks and warns Peter that when he is old, he will be bound and martyred. We see here Peter’s opportunity to contradict the three times he denied Jesus during the Lord’s trial. Jesus asks Peter three times, “Do you love me?” and three times after Peter’s affirmation, Jesus tells him to feed His flock. There is an interesting scene with Jesus, Peter, and John at the end John’s Gospel. The original disciples of Jesus were beaten, imprisoned, and eventually killed, but the saving power of God continued to move through populations of Jews and Gentiles alike.

The good news of Jesus’ resurrection and His sacrifice for our sins burned westward into Europe and eastward into India and south into Africa. During the next 50 years, the message of the Gospel spread throughout the Holy Land, Turkey, Greece, and Italy despite all opposition. The once foot-mouthed Peter became the primary speaker, preaching to a Jerusalem filled with Jews in town for the feast, and Acts 2:41 tells that 3,000 souls were added to their number that day. As the disciples declared in other tongues the works of God, crowds gathered. Men who had hidden in fear only 50 days before now spoke boldly, moved by the Holy Spirit. On Pentecost, the Old Testament feast of Shavuot, the Holy Spirit both alighted and lit up the disciples that were gathered together. The Church was birthed fifty days after Jesus Christ rose from the dead. And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance. And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them. And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. Print this article The Birth of the ChurchĪnd when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place.

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