Regional Synod of Canada - Reformed Church in America

Pioneer Christian Monthly

Date - May/84

Contributor - Henny Heeg

Title - Pentecost

Topic - Pentecost

Before His ascension the Lord Jesus had promised His disciples they would receive the Holy Spirit in Jerusalem. While they waited, they prayed for it. Although they had the promise, they still had to pray regularly for its fulfillment.

They did not just wait around passively. In addition to prayer, there was work to be done. The first thing that was to be accomplished was to fill the office of Judas the betrayer. In order that the Lord now might choose someone wh 0 would give himself in obedience to this calling, they cast the lot. It pointed to Matthias; unanimously the participants agreed to place him in the apostolic office.

In this way the apostles had closed the breach in the church's organization. In those days, while they were awaiting the Holy Spirit, this was not a thing of small importance. If, within the church, they did not live in complete accordance with the will of their Lord, the Holy Spirit would not be able to do His work. The Holy Spirit must be our main focus. That Spirit has to create new life within us and in the world. In the church however, we have to be obedient. Only then can we expect the powerful working of the Holy Spirit throughout the church. We can never expect this if we go our own way. Our life continues to be a patient awaiting of the Spirit.

Historical Background

There were three great Jewish festivals to which every male Jew living within 20 miles of Jerusalem was legally bound to come - the Passover, Pentecost and the Feast of Tabernacles. Pentecost means The Fiftieth, and another name for Pentecost was "The Feast of Weeks". It was so called because it fell on the fiftieth day, a week of weeks, after the Passover. The Passover fell in the middle of April; therefore Pentecost was at the beginning of June' By that time, traveling conditions were at their best. At least as many came to the Feast of Pentecost as to the Passover. Never was there a more international crowd in Jerusalem than at the time of Pentecost (Acts 2:9 - I 1). Jerusalem was filled with people in a festive mood, celebrating the end of the wheat harvest.

The Feast had two main significances: historical - it commemorated the giving of the Law to Moses on Mount Sinai; and agricultural - at the Passover the crop's first omer of barley was offered to God, and at Pentecost two loaves were offered in gratitude for the in gathered harvest

The Fulfillment

On the Feast day the disciples also were gathered together in Jerusalem in a room large enough for their number. While they were together there, they suddenly heard the sound of a mighty wind which seemed to burst into the room The sound filled the whole house (Acts 2:2). This was a very special sign, since there was no storm outside, and it lasted only a moment The Spirit is like the wind - uncontrollable, mysterious, powerful and seen only in His effects.

Having recovered from the initial shock, they saw flames above each other's heads. Of course, they really were on fire inside! The Spirit is also like a flame - cleansing and consuming and awesome. The Spirit of God's love had come to dwell in them. They were now joined to the Lord by the perfect bond of the Spirit.

Immediately the consequences of this indwelling of the Spirit became manifested in then-L By the Spirit they saw something of the depths of God, of the magnitude of God's love, of His eternal love in His Son. They glorified God in languages they never knew existed.' It was indeed a miracle of the Spirit'

The Gift is For All!

Notice the repeated emphasis on the fact that the Spirit was given to the whole group. It was not just for a few first class believers, but for the entire fellowship (Acts 2:4).

This observation helps us answer the most puzzling question about Pentecost. How could the Spirit "come" at Pentecost when He had always been in the world? Did not Jesus perform His ministry in the power of the Spirit (Luke 4:14)? Was not Jesus, indeed, conceived by the Holy Spirit (Luke 1:35)? Are there not many stories in the Old Testament of how the Spirit fell upon leaders and prophets of Israel? Was not the Spirit at work in the creation itself (Gen. 1:2)? What is the new thing, then that happened at Pentecost?

On the Day of Pentecost, the longing of the Old Testament was fulfilled. The Spirit came, not to some individual in a crisis, but to an assembled people. "They were all filled with the Holy Spirit." The Spirit was given them in a way in which He had never been given before. Never in the Old Testament was the Spirit poured out on all people; only to the chosen leaders was the Spirit given. And the gift was temporary. When the immediate crisis passed, the Spirit departed

Until the disciples received the outpouring of the Holy Spirit they were unable to face the world, they needed the Spirit of communion with God Without the Spirit promised by Jesus, they were unequipped to go out into the world.

That day Peter preached a long and fiery sermon to the people (read it for yourselves in Acts 2:14 - 40), and thus three thousand people were won for Jesus Christ' they were the first fruits of the great world harvest'

That Means Us Too!

Unless we too have the Spirit of God we will be ill-equipped to face the world. We are living in the last days now since we are awaiting His return. The Bible teaches that this period of time is marked by two features: the people of God will be more richly blessed than ever before; and they will also experience oppression more than ever before.

Because of the availability of the Holy Spirit the Comforter, we live in closer communion with God than ever before. If we are spiritually poor today, we have no one to blame but ourselves. Christ has ascended into heaven and the Holy Spirit has descended. His comfort is here; only our blindness can make us miss it His power is here, and if we lack it, it is due only to our unbelief.

Let us plug into the Source of Power. Be sure to read your Bible, and have your quiet time with God each day. Pray' It reminds me of my vacuum cleaner, unless I plug it into an electrical outlet the thing is a useless tool. We, too, must be fixated by God for our spiritual power. We must surrender completely and let God's Holy Spirit take over. Today every Christian can have the power of God. Claim it. You too, might be surprised what God has in store for you. If the Spirit is in us, it is inevitable that we will give glory and praise to God. 'For what other purpose are we on this earth than to do just that Praise God for the gift of the Holy Spirit'

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