The first acts of a newly-crowned king say a lot about the way he intends to reign. Good rulers open up their treasuries to the poor, share out delicacies, set aside parks, announce a holiday, etcetera. New rulers have all the riches of their empire at their disposal. Sharing them out is one way of showing off their new power and expressing their care in one act.

When the Apostle Peter announces to the crowd on the day of Pentecost that the Jesus they crucified has been exalted to God's right hand, he is saying that there's a new king. The day of coronation has arrived; the King has inherited his rightful place and received from his Father the crown, the sceptre, and the keys to the treasury. When Peter's sermon closes a few verses later, the crowd is trembling in fear and asking what to do. They understand that Jesus' exaltation means he is King of heaven and earth. Peter is explaining this in verse 33 by pointing out the true origin of the signs that had brought the crowd together.

The sound of the rushing wind and the tongues of fire represented the holy presence of God and the fringes of his power. Peter is explaining that these phenomena – followed by the convicting preaching of all these Galilean fishermen telling the wonders of God in languages they had never studied – were signs from God. Through Christ God was ushering in the era of the last days and pouring out his Spirit on the most unlikely people. Jesus had ascended to heaven, inherited the Holy Spirit, and was now claiming the world and beginning to transform it. His royal Spirit was turning rural fishermen into world conquerors whose message should be believed.

Our Lord began his heavenly ministry in this generous and powerful way. He thereby says a lot about how he intends to reign all along. Our King was willing to begin right in the midst of his enemies – even among those who crucified him – and offer them amnesty. He made them tremble, yet promised that if they would repent and believe in him, he would forgive them and let them share in his kingdom's glorious Spirit. Do you sense what that was like for them? Does Jesus' ongoing ministry come to you today with the same power? It should, for the Spirit is the same.

Jesus Christ poured out the Spirit who had been with him from womb to tomb to throne. The Spirit of God had empowered the Son of God every day in the work of salvation. Jesus did not pour out a Spirit of weakness from a man who died on a cross. Rather, he poured out the Spirit of the Lord, of the King – the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, of counsel and power, the Spirit of knowledge, and of the fear of the LORD. This Spirit was now sharing in Christ's victory and his accession to the throne. He became the royal Spirit, the one who could take the actual redemption obtained by Christ and apply it in fullness to Christ's enemies for whom he had died – including you and me today. We too live in the era of the ruling Christ.

Dwelling in our hearts today by faith alone, this Holy Spirit unites us with Christ in his death and resurrection. He who was born, who ministered, gave his life, rose, and ascended - he is the one who walks with us and empowers us by his Holy Spirit. He unites your life to his.

The Christian's daily life is empty without Pentecost. Our fears and struggles and weaknesses will surely always overcome us unless we have received and rely upon the outpoured Holy Spirit. The courage of Peter to preach among the enemies of Christ must also be ours as we witness in this world. We serve a higher power, the highest power, a king whose power unites heaven and earth together for us. Though we are on earth he enables us to act as those united to heaven. He makes us fearless followers of his and powerful workers in his kingdom. Though the signs of the rushing wind and the tongues of fire don't need to be repeated, the same Spirit, the same royal Christ, and the same power is at work and available today. As Christians from all nations we should know Christ as our exalted King because he has poured out his Spirit on us. He will enable us to live for him courageously and to speak of him graciously and powerfully.