Pentecost// upholding our covenants

The Day of the Pentecost

1. Briefly describe the meaning of the day of Pentecost.
1. The Pentecost was called “The Day of the Harvest” in the times of the Old Testament. This was a time for people to gather to celebrate the first crops and such of the season. It is very fitting that missionary work was underway during this celebration and not only was the new food of “the harvest” celebrated, but the new member of “The Lord’s vineyard” were celebrated. The teachings of Paul touched the hearts of 3,000+ saints and they received baptism and then the gift of the Holy Ghost to be one in covenant with each other and The Lord.
2. List 2-3 of Paul’s teachings on this day.
1. On this day Paul taught a teaching that God has previously taught: “it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams: And on my servants and on my handmaidens I will pour out in those days of my Spirit; and they shall prophesy:” (Acts 2:17-18). This teaching is a promise form God. God is recognizing and verbalizing that His holy Spirit will be available to utilized by “all flesh.” The Paul is teaching this to the people to teach them of the love and mercy that God has; He is making this amazing blessing available to all.
2. Paul teaches the saint to “...Save yourselves from this untoward generation.” Peter has already taught the principle of baptism and about the gift of the Holy Ghost that follows the ordinance of baptism, so now they are calling the people to action by exporting them to obey and follow God.
3. In what ways did Peter fulfill his role as a special witness of Jesus Christ?
1. Peter fulfilled his role as a special witness of Jesus Christ by testifying of Jesus’ resurrection and teaching the importance and meaning of it. This teaching and testimony brings souls unto Christ, Him who he was called to witness for. This role is further fulfill as Peter teachings the saving ordinance of baptism: "Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost” (Acts 2:38).
4. What gifts of the Spirit were made manifest on the day of the Pentecost?
1. The gift of tongues, visions, prophecies, and signs were all given as blessings on this day (Acts 2:17). The gift of having the Holy Spirit “seen and heard” (Acts 2:33) were give on this day we well to witness to the saints who were being taught by Peter and Paul.
5. How did the people respond to what occurred on this day?
1. Those who listened and felt of the Holy Spirit, acted right away (Acts 2:41). These saints were baptized and upheld their baptismal covenants well by “[continuously being] steadfast (Acts 2:41) and continued in daily learning from the prophets and apostles, prayer, sabbath-day worship of breaking bread, and temple worship (Acts 2:41-46). These saints praised God because they understood the covenant that they were privileged to make with God. These saints were of His elect.
2. Now that we have the examples of these elect and righteous people (found in Acts 2 of the New Testament), how do we continue to uphold the covenants that we made with God at the time of our baptism?