2008-08-22
01. Our previous teaching dealt with Jesus’ burial, resurrection, appearances and ascension.
02. The present teaching deals with the outpouring of the Holy Spirit and the immediate results thereof.
03. Before we deal with this subject, let us briefly scan the contents of the Book of Acts. This Book, written by Luke (who also wrote the Gospel of Luke) covers a period of about 30 years, starting with the ascension of Christ, and is an accurate historical record of the early church. It describes how the Gospel was like a fire, lit in Jerusalem and gradually spreading all over the known world, just as Jesus had said it would. Salvation was first of all presented to the Jews and then to the Gentiles. The first 12 chapters deal mostly with Peter’s ministry who, though sporadically reaching out to the Gentiles, was mostly involved with the Jews. Chapters 13 to 28 again, centre around Paul’s ministry who started off by serving the Jews but later drastically changed direction, focussing on the gentiles. Paul is therefore seen as the apostle to the gentiles. The Book of Acts also confirms that the work of Christ was of God.
04. Our study of the Book of Acts will be similar to our previous studies in that we will not deal with all it contains, but focus on portions we consider to be more beneficial to our grasping of the deeper message of this unique book.
05. We have already, in our study of the Gospels, dealt with most of the contents of the first chapter of Acts, which describes the ascension of Christ. The rest of chapter one tells us that when the disciples returned from the Mount of Olives where they witnessed the ascension of Jesus, they went to the upper room and united in prayer. Peter, who had had a personal encounter with the risen Christ and had been re-commissioned by him, now took up the lead of the group that numbered about 120. At his instigation, and under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, they chose Matthias as apostle in the place of Judas who committed suicide when he was overcome by guilt because of betraying the Lord Jesus.
06. Let us now read chapter two, verses 1 to 13:
When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. 2 Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. 3 They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. 4 All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tonguesas the Spirit enabled them. 5 Now there were staying in Jerusalem God-fearing Jews from every nation under heaven. 6 When they heard this sound, a crowd came together in bewilderment, because each one heard them speaking in his own language. 7 Utterly amazed, they asked: ‘‘Are not all these men who are speaking Galileans? 8 Then how is it that each of us hears them in his own native language? 9 Parthians, Medes and Elamites; residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, 10 Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya near Cyrene; visitors from Rome 11 (both Jews and converts to Judaism); Cretans and Arabs—we hear them declaring the wonders of God in our own tongues!” 12 Amazed and perplexed, they asked one another, ‘‘What does this mean?” 13 Some, however, made fun of them and said, ‘‘They have had too much wine.”
Pentecost was also called the Festival of the First Harvest and was a feast of giving glory to God for blessing the crops. The Jews held this feast 50 days after the Passover Feast. Now see how God made the Old Testament to be fulfilled in the New. Jesus had sown his own life on the cross at the Passover Feast. Forty days then lapsed till his ascension and another ten till this very Day of the Harvest. That is 50 in all. On this day the first fruits of the spiritual harvest, namely the salvation of souls would come to pass. The Old Testament Feast of the Harvest was actually pointing to this New Testament reaping of souls for Gods new Kingdom.
Why did God use the symbols of wind and fire to give a visual illustration of what was happening in the spiritual realm? As the Lord had previously told Nicodemus, the Spirit is like wind because it is a mighty unseen power that blows where ever it wishes. Fire, likewise is a fearsome force. No man can withstand it. When God descended onto Mount Sinai to speak to Israel, he came down in smoke and fire (Ex 19:16) When these two forces combine as when a strong wind blows on a fire in dry grass, it becomes a roaring force. Everything either flees before it or is devoured. That is how the people of God would be once the Holy Spirit would fill and take possession of them. They would be moved by that mighty indwelling Wind and Fire. Their tongues would be moved and set afire to spread the Good News of salvation all over this globe. Wherever their words would fall, a fire would flare up. They would hasten in many different directions by that unseen Power and wherever they go, the fire would spread.
Also note that all 120 of them were filled by the Holy Spirit and not only the apostles. Every one that had this thirst to be filled by God and that waited obediently and expectantly, received a moving heart and a tongue on fire. They got what they were looking for.
We usually get what we look for; what we pursue after. If you are looking desperately for riches, you will get it. If you are looking hard enough for fame and position, you will get it. Likewise, if you look for the baptism of the Holy Spirit you will receive it and the Wind and Fire of God will burn up all the rubbish within, then send you forth to make disciples of the peoples of this world.
If it is 2 o’clock in the morning and you are overcome by a desire for alcohol and you go to the right door in your area and beat it with both your fists and keep on and on, that door is going to open and you will get your bottle of strong drink and put it to your lips and quench your craving. And if you are desperate with thirst for the Holy Spirit and you fall down on your knees and pound on the door of heaven by prayer, that door is going to be opened and your whole inner being will be drenched in the Holy Spirit. Then it will not be necessary for any one to plead with you to go out and save souls, you will brush aside all that is in your way to get to the lost.
Let us continue. When Moses was sent by God to deliver Israel from Egypt, the Lord provided Aaron to act as his spokesman because Moses excused himself from going, saying he could not go because he was not a good speaker. Well, Aaron was a bit of a help. But now look at God’s glorious provision on the day of Pentecost: he gave to each willing speaker a special language that he had never learnt so that he could fulfill that desire in his heart to give testimony of the great things he had seen and heard under the ministry of Jesus. Jesus has all power in heaven and earth to equip everyone of his disciples to be his witness.
Now they burst out through the doors behind which they had been hiding because of fear for the priests and scribes. They mixed with the vast multitude of people that had gathered when they heard the roaring wind and each one used his language gift to magnify his Lord. The people in the crowd each heard his own language and gathered around the speaker he understood and drank in the glorious Gospel of the crucified and risen Christ. What a mighty miracle. These people had come to Jerusalem from all over the world and they would each one take back his personal testimony to his family and friends at home.
07. As can be expected, some of those present, mocked, saying that too much wine caused them to speak in other tongues. How foolish! Too much wine causes a person to speak incoherently, in a slur. Normally he would be swearing and talking a lot of nonsense, but praising God? Never. The wine bibber is never a God worshipper.
08 Now let us read further. We read verses 14-36.
Then Peter stood up with the Eleven, raised his voice and addressed the crowd: ‘‘Fellow Jews and all of you who live in Jerusalem, let me explain this to you; listen carefully to what I say. 15 These men are not drunk, as you suppose. It’s only nine in the morning! 16 No, this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel: 17 ”‘In the last days, God says, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your young men will see visions, your old men will dream dreams. 18 Even on my servants, both men and women, I will pour out my Spirit in those days, and they will prophesy. 19 I will show wonders in the heaven above and signs on the earth below, blood and fire and billows of smoke. 20 The sun will be turned to darkness and the moon to blood before the coming of the great and glorious day of the Lord. 21 And everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” 21 And everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.’
22 ‘‘Men of Israel, listen to this: Jesus of Nazareth was a man accredited by God to you by miracles, wonders and signs, which God did among you through him, as you yourselves know. 23 This man was handed over to you by God’s set purpose and foreknowledge; and you, with the help of wicked men,put him to death by nailing him to the cross. 24 But God raised him from the dead, freeing him from the agony of death, because it was impossible for death to keep its hold on him. 25 David said about him: ”‘I saw the Lord always before me. Because he is at my right hand, I will not be shaken. 26 Therefore my heart is glad and my tongue rejoices; my body also will live in hope, 27 because you will not abandon me to the grave, nor will you let your Holy One see decay. 28 You have made known to me the paths of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence.’ 29 ‘‘Brothers, I can tell you confidently that the patriarch David died and was buried, and his tomb is here to this day. 30 But he was a prophet and knew that God had promised him on oath that he would place one of his descendants on his throne. 31 Seeing what was ahead, he spoke of the resurrection of the Christ, that he was not abandoned to the grave, nor did his body see decay. 32 God has raised this Jesus to life, and we are all witnesses of the fact.
33 Exalted to the right hand of God, he has received from the Father the promised Holy Spirit and has poured out what you now see and hear. 34 For David did not ascend to heaven, and yet he said, ”‘The Lord said to my Lord: ‘‘Sit at my right hand 35 until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet.”’ 36 ‘‘Therefore let all Israel be assured of this: God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ.”
Peter is using the following arguments to convince his listeners that Jesus was indeed sent by God to be their redeemer:
- The miracle of speaking in unknown languages was prophesied by their own prophet Joel (Joel 2:28-33)
- God accredited him as Christ by the miracles he performed through him of which they were fully aware.
- He was crucified, not because of weakness, but because it had been so fore ordained by the Father.
- David, their former beloved king, prophesied in one of his Psalms that the grave would not keep Jesus bound for He was Gods favoured One (Ps 16:10).
- They were witnesses of the fact that God had raised him from the dead.
- The outpouring of the Holy Spirit was the proof that God had exalted Him to sit at his right hand and would henceforth make his enemies to be the footstool of His feet.
Having given all these proofs that Jesus was sent by God, Peter showed them their folly for having crucified the One that God had now exalted. This brought about tremendous conviction of sin.
09. Let us read from verse 37-41:
When the people heard this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and the other apostles, ‘‘Brothers, what shall we do?” 38 Peter replied, ‘‘Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. 39 The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off—for all whom the Lord our God will call.” 40 With many other words he warned them; and he pleaded with them, ‘‘Save yourselves from this corrupt generation.” 41 Those who accepted his message were baptized, and about three thousand were added to their number that day.
Many of these listeners might have been amongst the multitude that had gathered at Pilate’s palace shouting “Crucify, crucify Him.” Now, less than two months later, they pleaded to know what to do to be reconciled to God. What was Peters answer?
- Repent. This means to turn right around. An unconverted person is following the devil and his own ideas and desires on a road that leads to eternal damnation. Repenting means to turn your back on all these things, face Jesus, trust Him to forgive you and lead you step by step to heaven.
- Secondly he told them to be baptized. Baptism in the Name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit is an open confession of faith in this triune God.
- Thirdly he gave them a promise that they too would receive the Holy Spirit as confirmation from God that He had forgiven their sins and accepted them as his very own. Note that there is a difference between receiving the Holy Spirit as the indwelling God when you are born-again, and being baptized in the Holy Spirit which is the Holy Spirit imparting Himself in fuller measure to you to enable you to be a bold and effective witness for Christ.
Having concluded his message, Peter witnessed a mighty miracle as three thousand people stepped forward joyously to be baptized as an outward demonstration of their inward renewal.
10. Now for the last passage of Scripture before we close. We read verses 42-47:
They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. 43 Everyone was filled with awe, and many wonders and miraculous signs were done by the apostles. 44 All the believers were together and had everything in common. 45 Selling their possessions and goods, they gave to anyone as he had need. 46 Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, 47 praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.”
Here we have the result of true repentance and faith in Christ:
- Devoting themselves to the teaching of the apostles. In our days it means devoting yourself to the studying of God’s Word by reading it and listening to it being taught.
- Gathering together as believers, enjoying one another and building up one another by teaching, encouragement, prayer and worshipping God.
- By eating together and taking the Lord’s Supper together.
- Experiencing God’s miracle working power in their midst.
- Sharing their supplies and provisions with one-another.
- Being held in reverence and favour by the unsaved.
11. What a wonderful blessing the Lord Jesus brought to us by His suffering. Bless his Name.
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