The Capitol Hill neighborhood was also the center of the gay community for the entire Northwest . Even the churches were gay theologically and in orientation . Four of the closest churches to my building all had gay pastors — Episcopal , Lutheran , Congregational , Baptist , with St Joe ’ s , the local Catholic Church who hired an all openly gay staff . What would happen when my neighbors discovered that I held a traditional view of marriage ( between a man and a woman )? In a neighborhood that rejected the authority of the local government , who would willingly deny themselves , pick up their cross and follow Yeshua ?
As I sat in my office in early 2006 , I remember asking and thinking , “ What do I do now ?” Where do I find the strength , and the wisdom I need to lead my people to advance God ’ s kingdom in the face of such hostility and indifference ?
A year or so into this challenge , by God ’ s loving providence , I preached through the first eight chapters of the book of Acts . There I witnessed the kehilah ( church ) in an even more hostile environment , hated by the Jewish leaders , ignored by the Roman overlords . Yet daily they grew in numbers . What did they have that we didn ’ t ? From this , HaShem opened my eyes to this treasure in plain sight , the gift Yeshua promised to His followers , and a gift poured out upon the disciples 10 days after the promise on the day of the Feast of Pentecost .
The Holy Spirit — The Ruach Ha Kodesh ! But wait a minute , didn ’ t the disciples already have the Holy Spirit within them ? After all , no one comes to the Messiah except through the Holy Spirit and by wooing them . In fact , no one becomes aware of their sin apart from the work of the Holy Spirit deep in their hearts .
So , on the day of Yeshua ’ s ( Jesus ') ascension into Heaven , what did the disciples lack ? They had the presence of the Holy Spirit , but they did not have the Power ! On Pentecost they received the power of the Holy Spirit that burst them out of their holy huddle to descend upon the streets of Jerusalem to proclaim the Gospel . It was this power that transformed Peter from the braggart who caved on the day of Yeshua ’ s arrest , to the powerful preacher whose inaugural sermon brought 3.000 Jews to repentance and new life in their Messiah . Peter even promised this gift to “... you and your children and for all who are far off — far all whom the Lord our God will call .” ( Acts 2:39 )
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