On the day of Pentecost following the resurrection of Christ and His ascension back to the Father in heaven, the Holy Spirit fell upon the 120 of Christ's followers who were gathered together in the upper room of a house in Jerusalem, resulting in the formation of the body of Christ and the birth of the church. And these Spirit-filled believers immediately began to glorify God and to testify concerning the Lord Jesus. Furthermore, through their testimony 3,000 more souls were added to the church on that very same day. All this marked the beginning of the church of God on earth.

Within that first Christian century the church spread far and wide and even reached the very center of the Roman Empire: Rome itself. First through the apostle Peter and then through Paul and the other apostles the gospel of Jesus Christ conquered the known world at that time. The Scriptures provide a glorious record of the power of the glorious gospel of Christ. Indeed, the church is the church triumphant. All glory be to God on high!

May this short historical account of the first acts of the Holy Spirit carried out through the early church inspire all of us who bear the name of Christian to press on towards the completion of God's purpose through His church. Moreover, may we be as faithful as the early church was in bearing the testimony of Jesus!