Free Mark's Story by Tim Lahaye, Jerry B. Jenkins Page A

the disciples to his natural place of leadership, stood in the midst of the throng and said, “Men and brethren, this Scripture had to be fulfilled, which the Holy Spirit spoke before by the mouth of David concerning Judas, who became a guide to those who arrested Jesus; for he was numbered with us and obtained a part in this ministry: (Now this man purchased a field with the wages of iniquity; and falling headlong, he burst open in the middle and all his entrails gushed out. And the field where Judas killed himself has already become known to all dwelling in Jerusalem as the Field of Blood.) It is written in the book of Psalms: ‘Let his dwelling place be desolate, and let no one live in it’; and, ‘Let another take his office.’ ”
    This last caused much murmuring among the assembled, and Peter continued. “Therefore, of these men who have accompanied us all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and out among us, beginning from the baptism of John to that day when He was taken up from us, one of these must become a witness with us of His resurrection.”
    The gathered proposed two names: Joseph called Barsabas, who was surnamed Justus, and Matthias. Peter led them in prayer, saying, “You, O Lord, who know the hearts of all, show which of these two You have chosen to take part in this ministry and apostleship from which Judas by transgression fell, that he might go to his own place.”
    The disciples cast lots, and the lot fell on Matthias. And so he became the twelfth apostle.

     

    T EN DAYS AFTER J ESUS had ascended into Heaven and thus fifty days since Passover, the time came for the Jewish celebration of the Feast of Weeks or Harvest, also known as Pentecost. It followed Passover by “seven weeks of weeks,” or forty-nine days. This fiftieth day signified one of three annual feast days, during which the entire nation of Israel was to come to Jerusalem.
    Mark loved all the ceremonial feast days, for Jerusalem came alive with pilgrims from all over Asia and Israel—including his cousin Joses, now a grown man with curly hair and a full beard. Most exciting to Mark was that the disciples were again joined by the hundred twenty or so, and Peter announced that they would be meeting the next morning in a building not far from the temple.
    Mark pleaded with both his mother and Peter to be allowed to attend, and while his mother left it up to Peter, the latter informed Mark that the meeting involved “private matters.” Mark was disappointed, but through messengers, he and Joses agreed to meet near the temple. At least Mark would be in the city, for he found it impossible to stay far from Peter and John and the rest of the disciples.
    While searching for Joses he kept in sight the building where the disciples were meeting. All those who joined them seemed to display the same resolve in their countenances, and Mark was struck that—as Peter often said—they seemed of one accord.
    About an hour later the entire assemblage poured out of the meeting room and down the stairs into the crowded city. To a man and woman, they beamed, and they all seemed to be speaking in different languages. What was this?
    Mark rushed to Peter. “What is going on?”
    The apostle could barely contain himself. “While we were praying and singing, suddenly there came a sound from the sky like a mighty wind, and it filled the entire place! There appeared atop each of our heads divided tongues as of fire. Immediately we all began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave us utterance. John Mark, you know I am not an educated man, and yet I too have been blessed with this ability!”
    Mark noticed that the milling crowds from every nation were confused, because they seemed to hear this group speak in their own languages.
    They marveled, saying to one another, “Look, are not all these who speak Galileans? And how is it that we hear, each in our own language in which we were born?”
    Peter said, “Look! Parthians and Medes and