THE PURPOSE OF PENTECOST!

 

Acts2 and John 16

 

INTRODUCTION.

 

Pentecost has it roots in the OT and not the NT.

The word ‘Pentecost’ lit. means fiftieth – it was the 50th day after Passover – it also marked the completion of the barley harvest and was sometimes called the Feast of Harvest – it was also 7 weeks since Passover and consequently it is sometimes called the Feast of Weeks.

 

It was a holiday – Holy Day – a day on which every man in Israel was to bring two freshly baked loaves to be waved by the Priests before the Lord. This was symbolic of thanking God for the harvest.

 

So 50 days after Passover – and also 50 days after Jesus resurrection and 10 days after His ascension.

 

Pentecost is the birthday of the church – it marks the day when, in the words of the prophet Joel, “God poured out his Spirit on all flesh …” — from that point on we talk about the Age of the Spirit — does that mean that the Spirit was inactive prior to Pentecost? Not at all!!

 

1. THE ROLE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT IN THE OT.

 

Spirit can bring to mind images of ghosts/haunted houses … BUT in Heb. and Gk. > breathe/wind indicating power and activity > this Spirit is not an impersonal force but has personality, emotion, will and intellect.

 

So in the OT we have the Spirit as active in the creation of the universe // one who controls the course of nature and history // communicates and reveals God’s truth and will // equipped people for leadership -Moses, Joshua, Samuel, Elijah and Elisha // enabled or skilled others with practical ablility – artists and craftsmen //….

 

There is much we could say about the activity of the Holy Spirit in the OT – many examples of God’s Spirit at work. ALSO the prediction in the OT that there would be a new and dynamic and different activity in the future

 

Thus ..

This OT prophesy is fulfilled on the Day of Pentecost.

 

2. THE SPIRIT IN THE MINISTRY OF JESUS.

 

As we read through the gospel we see how the Holy Sirit is active in the life of Jesus // at his baptism // leading him into the desert to be tempted // in the synagogue in Nazareth Jesus reads from Isa.

 

Jesus refers to the Spirit not only in regard to his own ministry but to the future when the Spirit would come –

 

 

Jesus promised that the Spirit would come – he told his disciples to wait in Jerusalem to receive the gift of the Spirit….

 

The Holy Spirit duly came at 9:00 am on the day of Pentecost –  What did it mean??

 

 

 

3. THE ESSENCE OF PENTECOST.

 

It is easy to get caught up in the sound of rushing wind, the flames of fire over each disciples head and the gift of languages and to miss the essence of the event. Those where the trimmings – but the coming of the Spirit was an epoch-making event — this was the dawn of something new.

• The HS came to give each disciple a clear understanding of who Jesus is – and his central place in God’s plan. [viz. to glorify Christ]
• to enbolden and empower the disciples to be witnesses [Acts 1:5,8] // —– ——— we see this graphically illustrated in the life of Peter who at the crucfixion was timid and cowardly but from Pentecost on was bold and unwavering in his commitment to Christ.
• the HS is to glorify Jesus TO his people, IN his people and THROUGH his people — and NB — this gift of the HS is promised to ALL who repent and are baptised, from the moment their discipleship starts…..

 

4. SPIRIT BAPTISM

One of the critical questions that is often asked regarding the HS is this — Does a person become a Christian and then at a later stage receive the HS?

 

Spirit Baptism – 1 Cor.12v13 has been at the centre of much debate for many years. There were and still are those who claim that it is necessary for Christian to believe and be saved [we all agree] and then at a later stage, in a second experience receive the baptism of the Spirit.  This gives rise to a kind of two tier Christainity or even a two stage salvation.

 

 

There are 7 ref.s to baptism of the Spirit.

 

	Baptiser	Subject	element [en-in]	Purpose [eis-into]
Matt.3v11	John Jesus	People People	water Spirit	repentance
Mark 1v8	John Jesus	People People	water Spirit	repentance
Luke 3v16	John Jesus	People People	water Spirit	repentance
John 1v33	John Jesus	People People	water Spirit	repentance
Acts 1v5	John Jesus	(disciples) (disciples)	water Spirit
Acts 11v16	John Jesus	(believers) (believers)	water Spirit
ICor. 12v13	(Jesus)	(believers) (believers)	Spirit	into one body

 

 

It is not the Holy Spirit’s baptism but Christ’s baptism with the Spirit. It is the same word [ei] that is used on all 7 occassions.

in the same v13 we read “… we were all given the same Spirit to drink”

In John 7 Jesus promised to send the Spirit – he referred to the Spirit as HE not IT. The Holy Spirit is the Comforter, the helper, the Advocate. He is a person – you can’t have a little bit of him. You either have the Spirit or you don’t have the Spirit. As Romans 8v9 makes clear:-

However, you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit,

if indeed, the Spirit of God dwells in you.

But if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ,

he does not belong to him.

It is not possible to be a Christian without the Baptism of the Spirit and there is only ONE Spirit Baptism and that is at conversion. It is the Son of God who places all believers into the sphere of the Spirit’s power and person. We are placed into a new enviroment, a new relationship with God and with all other believers.

 

This does not mean that we can not have subsequent spiritual experiences – we do have highs and lows in our spiritual walk with God. And we need to be constantly be being filled with the Spirit as Paul says in Ephesians.

BUT the purpose of Spirit Baptism is to bring about conversion and place us within the Body of Christ – the Church.

 

Q> BUT the disciples became believers and then at a later stage received the HS!

The only reason the first disciples went through a two stage, two level pattern of experience was that they became believers before Pentecost BUT for you and me we receive the HS at conversion.

 

Q> What about the speaking in tongues?

No time now — Thursdays in June 12th, 19th, 26th. !!!

Tongues is not normative for all Christians – Two different words are used making it unclear what exactly happened in NT!

On the day of Pentecost the gift seem to be more to do with the Gift of EARS [hearing] than speaking! The practice of Tongues speaking today in the vast majority of cases doesn’t have WIND or FIRE!

Besides ACTS the NT doesn’t mention tongues except in 1 Cor. where its practice was abused – It was not a sign of deep spirituality as Paul tells the Corinthian Christians that they are like children and must grow up.

 

In the following verse – in the gk. the “no” answer is inherent in the way the question is structured>

 

The Corinthian Church was very gifted but it was clearly very immature!!

 

Which brings me to my last point about the gift of the Holy Spirit

 

5. WHAT IS THE MARK OF SPIRITUAL LIFE.

 

We live in a world where spiritual /emotional experiences are becoming more and more popular – there is more and more interest in the supernatural/ the paranormal/ very much part of New Age teaching.

 

 

Now Christians too claim to have all kinds of experiences – the problem is that experience is a slippery word. Also these experiences are happening to people who are imperfect/ Christians maybe, but still tainted by sin //saved by grace but still not sinless!!

 

 

And even if I, as a Christian, have an experince it doesn’t automatically make me a better/ more spiritual Christian.

 

 

Q> Am I saying that spiritual experince is of no value? NO! NO! NO!  —-

 

BUT if our Christian life is a seeking of one spiritual high after another // hopping from one meeting/conference to another to get another fix then we are simply like “spiritual grasshoppers”

 

The mark of SPIRITUALITY is not how many spiritual ‘highs’ you have had.

Pentecost would have meant little to Peter, James and John and the others if the next day they had returned to their fishing boat and never talked of Jesus again – except for an hour a week at the local synagogue!!!

 

The supreme purpose of the Spirit coming at Pentecost //and into the life of every believer at the point of conversion// is to Glorify Christ! [Spirit’s ministry ‘floodlight’ away from himself to Christ]

The Spirit’s purpose in us Christians is to glorify Christ IN/THROUGH us –

• to glorify Christ
• to lead us into the truth
• to empower us to be witnesses
• to make us like Jesus

 

 

Spiriuality is not based on:-

• my intellectual ability to manage knowledge
• an exciting personality
• emotional experiences
• spiritual giftedness

 

Rather it is a life of following Christ – obeying his commands – being a witness to him – a deep Spiritual life – characterised by the fruit of the Spirit

 

A life that surrenders to the will of God – when the Spirit of God moves in my life I don’t resist/quench his work in favour of doing my own thing – this is possible.

 

Deep spirituality is not something that come suddenly or easily – it is characteristic of the one who has ‘Walked with God’ – often along dofficult and painful path of life and who hasn’t become bitter but better!

 

What do we want from The Spirit??

• He is called the comforter – we sometimes think him therefore come to make us comfortable!! NO – — if that is your desire you will not know deep spirituality.

Do you want exciting emotional experiences?? these alone will not develop deep spirituality

 

The Spiritual experience we should desire is the daily experience of walking with Christ – and if he gives us wonderful mountaintop moments along the way – that is great – and it is his preogative – we can’t demand them –

 

If we are going to be lead into the truth – read the Bible the Spirit inspire!

If we are going to become like Christ – we must spend time in pray to Him each day.

If we are going to be empowered to be his witnesses – we need to set about that task –

The Purpose of the Holy Spirit’s coming is to glorify Christ by:-

• Leading us to Christ
• making us like Christ
• using us to bring other to Christ          {end with poem by Eddie Askew ‘Day by Day}