We left off last week by noting that the Upper Room was the place where the Saviour on the day of His resurrection met the frightened disciples and breathed the Holy Spirit upon them. That was a foretaste of what would happen when the ‘Promise of the Father’ was given and they would be endued with power from on high. “And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and saith unto them, Receive ye the Holy Ghost,” John 20:22.

I. THAT WOULD HAVE REMINDED THEM OF THE CREATION OF ADAM. 

“And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul,” Genesis 2:7. The Saviour in the Upper Room reminded them that without God’s power they were but as “dust and ashes,” (Genesis 18:27).

Note who was there. There was not a big crowd! “The number of names together were about an hundred and twenty,” verse 15. Here are the apostles. This was but natural.

II. NOTE THAT THE WOMEN WERE IN ATTENDANCE.

Women have often played a very important role in God’s work. 

“And he touched her hand, and the fever left her: and she arose, and ministered unto them,” Matthew 8:15.

“There were also women looking on afar off: among whom was Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James the less and of Joses, and Salome; (Who also, when he was in Galilee, followed him, and ministered unto him;) and many other women which came up with him unto Jerusalem,” Mark 15:40-41. 

“And certain women, which had been healed of evil spirits and infirmities, Mary called Magdalene, out of whom went seven devils, And Joanna the wife of Chuza Herod’s steward, and Susanna, and many others, which ministered unto him of their substance,” Luke 8:2-3.

Acts 17:12, 22:4; Php 4:3.

III. NOTICE ALSO THAT  THE FAMILY OF THE SAVIOUR WAS PRESENT. 

His brethren had not believed at the beginning of the Saviour’s ministry. “For neither did his brethren believe in him,” John 7:5. This shows how blind is man, even the most privileged! It also tells us where we ought to be once we are saved! 

Christianity is very much a ‘family’ religion. The apostolic band was made up largely of brothers and cousins — Peter and Andrew, James and John, James, son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus and James and John were the cousins of the Lord Jesus. 

Are you in ‘the gospel family’ today?