Acts 2: Proclaiming Jesus as the Messiah

Jerusalem was the center of the 3 Jewish feasts, one of them was the Feast of Pentecost, 50 days after the Passover. Acts 2 says that 10 days after the ascension of Jesus, foreign Jews from many places are in Jerusalem to celebrate Pentecost. In this occasion, the Holy Spirit came over the disciples and made them talk in other languages, attracting the attention of the foreigner Jews. Peter explained that they were in a very special moment in history - when prophecies are being fulfilled. He uses Psalm 16 as a prophecy to the resurrection of the Messiah, and Joel 2 to explain the coming of the Holy Spirit. Peter explained that Jesus is at the right or the Lord waiting for his enemies to under His feet as in Psalm 110. Peter said:

36 Therefore let all the house of Israel know for certain that God has made Him both Lord and Christ — this Jesus whom you crucified.”

Most of the listeners should have been 50 days before in the Passover when Jesus was crucified by their approval. Thus, given that everything Peter was saying were true, they became the enemies of the Lord. The logical question they made was: what can we do? Peter said:

8 Peter said to them, “Repent, and each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.

Let this gift of the Holy Spirit be with me, changing my life so that I become more and more like Jesus.

Acts 1: How can evil be so powerful if Jesus is alive?

 In Acts 1:6, the disciples are with Jesus after resurrection. However, Rome is still in power. We read:

  

6 So, when they had come together, they began asking Him, saying, “Lord, is it at this time that You are restoring the kingdom to Israel?”

Somehow that is the question that we do sometimes: "if Jesus is with me, how can evil still hurt me? how can evil hurt your people?". The answer was:

7 But He said to them, “It is not for you to know periods of time or appointed times which the Father has set by His own authority; 8 but you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be My witnesses both in Jerusalem and in all Judea, and Samaria, and as far as the remotest part of the earth.”

 The Holy Spirit will give power to me and to the church so that I and the church will witness that Jesus is alive.

How can evil be so powerful if Jesus is alive?

The answer must be that the evil will be subjected by the powerful kindness of the church. Certainly that I don't have power in me to witness Jesus alive. This power comes through the Holy Spirit.