Regional Synod of Canada - Reformed Church in America

Pioneer Christian Monthly

Date - May/83

Contributor - Bert Zemke

Title - What Did Pentecost Do For The Disciples?

Topic - Pentecost

1. It welded them into a fellowship. Jesus said: "By this shall all men know that you are my disciples, if you have love one to another." Jesus claimed that all who were engaged with Him in the building of men into a fellowship were His friends, and that all others were His enemies.

But in spite of the fact that Jesus gave His energies to this high task, at the time of His death He seems to have made but little progress. Jesus Himself had to assume the role of a slave and wash His disciples' feet. If it would not have been for Pentecost this little organization would doubtless have melted like a snowflake in the sun.

But after this experience in the upper room, doctor Luke could say, "The multitude of them that believed were one heart and one soul." It was this devotion and love of one Christian to another, that was one of the most impressive characteristics of the early church.

2. Then, through Pentecost these disciples became literally obsessed by a passion for witnessing, They had an irresistible urge to share their experience with their fellows. You have to read the Acts of the apostles again, to experience this passion for witnessing.

3. This experience also gave to the disciples an incredible joy and hopefulness and courage that fills us with wistful wonder to this hour. They encountered the most deadly dangers unafraid. Opposed, arrested, publicly whipped, they knew neither discouragement nor resentment. They were possessed by a boundless optimism and a dauntless courage that were all but irresistible.

4. This experience brought to these disciples amazing power. In fact it enabled them to do what any sane man would have said was flatly impossible. Suppose one had said to a spectator who saw that little prayer-meeting crowd of one hundred and twenty on the way to the upper room in the temple, "There moves a group that is going to shake this entire city. They are going to shake the whole Jewish nation. They are going to shake the Roman world. They are going to breathe on all the subsequent centuries like a spiritual springtime". Who would have believed it? "Impossible", any sane man would have said. Yet, history declares that this actually did happen.

How did this group of believers come to be this kind of church?

They have not simply come upon new evidence of God or of the resurrection of Jesus; they have, rather, come to a new and compelling awareness of God Himself. They have come to realize that the Christ who was crucified is really alive. Not only so, He is both with and within them, individually. They know that in giving the Holy Spirit God has given Himself and taken up residence in them. Thus they tell us that the change that has come over them and has taken place in them has come from God, and God alone.

What does this experience mean for us?

It means that this same transforming and empowering experience of God is for you and me. This is to be the experience, not of the exceptional Christian, but of all Christians. If there is not a power that can remake us and equip us for the task of building the kingdom of God, then I see no hope for our church, for our community or for the world.

If then, this experience is available for us, how can we enter upon it? How do we avail ourselves of that mighty power called electricity? We do so by discovering the laws of electricity and being obedient to them. It is thus that we avail ourselves to the power of God. "We are His witnesses of these things; and so is also the Holy Spirit whom God has given to them that obey Him."

What does this mean in practical terms?

There are a few definite conditions we must consider concerning the gift of the Holy Spirit and how we are prepared for it. These conditions can be traced through the book of Acts. The Holy Spirit is poured out at four different times on four different groups of people. The first is in Acts 2 when the Holy Spirit was poured out on the 120 who had been close associates of Jesus at the time of His ministry. Certain conditions were evident in their lives. These can be enumerated in this way:

1. The had repented thoroughly. True repentance is an inner change of mind, resulting in an outward turning back, or turning around, to face and to move in a completely new direction.

2. They believed that Christ was crucified and risen from the dead.

3. They acknowledged Him as their absolute Lord.

4. They were in a state of obedience to His words.

These conditions were clearly evident in the disciples and apostle Peter's confession was the confession of them all. They believed that Jesus was the Christ of God. That He was their absolute Lord and that they were obeying His words are certainly evidenced by the fact that they had waited ten days following the ascension in obedience to His command to tarry. The power of the Holy Spirit was vividly experienced by these men and women.

The Samaritans, under the ministry of John and Peter, were the next to receive the gift of the Holy Spirit What prepared them for this gift? The preparation was accomplished under the ministry of Philip. In Acts 8:12 we have a summary of his preaching to the Samaritans: "They believed Philip preaching tidings concerning the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ" What did this preaching mean? It meant that Jesus Christ was the King of this Kingdom (See Acts 17:7) The lordship of Jesus Christ was a settled issue in the hearts of these Samaritans. There were two main epochs in their Christian experience. Under Philip they "receiver, the Holy Spirit' (vs. 17). The transformation was so apparent that even Simon wanted this amazing power.

In chapter ten of Acts we will observe in more detail the description of how the stage was set for the third outpouring of the Holy Spirit - on the household of Cornelius in the city of Caesarea. As before, we wish to see the condition that existed in the household of Cornelius which made it possible for God to pour out the Holy Spirit in such an abundant way. The necessary conditions are evident in this case as they were in Jerusalem and in Samaria. The order, however, varies slightly.

The first thing that is evident is genuine repentance in Cornelius. He was a man who had followed every bit of the light and revelation that he had received. In verse two it says that he "feared God . . . and prayed to God always". Later in the chapter Peter described the conditions of Cornelius' acceptance: "In every nation he that fears him, and works righteousness, is accepted with him." Not only was Cornelius considered a repentant man, but he was considered a cleansed man. This was strongly depicted in the vision that Peter had. Cornelius and his household, being Gentiles, were pictured in Peter's vision as four-footed beasts of the earth, wild beast, and the like. When the Lord told him to rise, kill and eat, Peter said, "Not so, Lord; for I have never eaten anything that is common and unclean." Then the voice of God spoke and said, "What God has cleansed, make not thou common." In other words, God looked upon Cornelius' household as a cleansed household, free from the contamination of the Gentile world.

If we look further for another element of preparation, we will notice that Cornelius acknowledged the lordship of Christ. He did not have the full knowledge of Christ but his attitude toward God showed that his heart already had enthroned the God of Israel as his Lord and Director. This is revealed by his continual life of prayer and, more specifically, by his attitude toward the angel that was sent to him. When the angel came, Cornelius said, "What is it Lord?" When the instructions were given, Cornelius carried out those instructions completely.

This brings up the other condition for receiving the Holy Spirit - obedience to the Word of God. Cornelius left nothing undone that God told him to do. He sent the delegation to Peter, who was staying in Joppa. The delegation told Peter, " Cornelius, a centurion, a righteous man and one that fears God, and well reported of by all the nation of the Jews, was warned of God by a holy angel to send for you into this house, and to hear words from you." (Acts 10:22) When Peter came, Cornelius said: ". . . you have been kind enough to come. Now then, we are all here present before God to hear all that you have been commanded by the Lord". (vs. 33b) Cornelius was ready to obey every word of God.

There was only one condition needed to make way for the outpouring of the Holy Spirit - the final proclamation that Christ crucified was now alive. This Roman centurion was already in a condition of repentance and cleansing. He was already committed unto the lordship of the God of Israel. He was already obedient to all the words that had been given him. Now Peter describes to him the ministry of Jesus Christ and says, "The word which He sent to the sons of Israel, preaching peace through Jesus Christ (He is Lord of all)". (vs. 36) Peter describes Jesus' life and death, His resurrection, and the fact that He is to be Judge of the quick and the dead. The closing testimony was this: "Of Him all the prophets bear witness that through His name every one who believes in Him has received forgiveness of sins." (Acts 10:43) Then this amazing experience of Cornelius' household was described. "While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit fell upon all those who were listening to the message." Thus in the heart and the household of Cornelius the conditions were right as in the case of the apostles and the Samaritans.

The gift of the Holy Spirit was poured out upon Jews, Samaritans, Romans and finally the Ephesians (Acts 19). God has promised to pour out His Spirit upon all flesh, whether it be apostolic or modern humanity. God is no respecter of persons. The blood of Jesus has made atonement for all mankind.

But those who seek this blessing must be in a state of full repentance. There can be no short cut in this matter. Man cannot exercise faith for this gift if his conscience is not clean and repentance is not sincere and full. And, of course, every Christian has put his faith in the crucified, risen Lord Jesus.

Of the four conditions already mentioned that make a person ready for the power of the Holy Spirit let me mention two more. The child of god must make an absolute surrender to Jesus as Lord. He must know that he has denied himself, that he has identified himself with the cross of Christ. He must put off and away the old manner of life, knowing that the old man has been crucified with Christ and that he no longer need to be in bondage to sin (Rom. 6:6).

This surrender must have a practical expression: commitment to obey the words and commands of Jesus Christ. He must be willing to love all men, to lay up treasures in heaven, to preach the gospel to every creature of Jesus. If the issue of Christ being Lord is settled, one should be ready to obey the Lord. Peter made this very clear when he said that God has given the Holy Spirit" to them that obey him".

When one is in this proper condition, he is able to exercise faith and receive from the Lord Jesus Christ the gift of the Holy Spirit.

The Lord Jesus is glorified now. The rivers of living water are flowing from Him who is the Rock of our salvation and the Source of satisfaction and power. If we are truly thirsty for this blessing, we may come to the Lord Jesus to drink - to receive the powers to be witnesses for Him. Jesus will freely give us the Holy Spirit's fullness. This fullness brings into the life the very love of God. This love is the fulfilling of the law. The graces and the gifts of the Holy Spirit will be manifested in our lives for His glory.

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