ACTS 2: 1-47
THE REVIVAL OF PENTECOST
[Joel 2:28-29 / Psalm 16:8-11]
The revival at Jerusalem on the day of Pentecost is the greatest of all time. No revival has been so sudden, so tremendous in its immediate effects and none so lasting in its results. One hundred twenty disciples of the Lord Jesus Christ were suddenly immersed in the Holy Spirit. Their characters were wonderfully enriched. New bold gifts of speech, spiritual insight and spiritual understanding were conferred on them. A tremendous increase in zeal, love and devotion was conveyed to them. Within a few hours 3,000 men and women were converted. The New Testament Church was established. Every day conversions took place; some days scores, other days hundreds and even thousands were added to the ranks of the disciples. This event did not last for a season, but for years this gracious work continued in Jerusalem. It also spread abroad. The revival birthed missionaries who went out in all directions. These missionaries birthed revivals which lead to the formation of New Testament churches in other areas. Every city of importance in the Roman Empire experienced the influence of the movement of God during the years that followed. This outpouring not only began the spread of Christianity throughout the whole known earth, it’s influence has reached our own era as well. Such were the effects and results of the revival at Pentecost.
It is called the day of Pentecost because it occurred on the fiftieth (Gk, Pentekostos) day after Passover (Lev. 23:15f) or the day after the seventh Sabbath. The Holy Spirit came in a mighty downpour on the disciples on the first day of the week or Sunday. Though it was the Feast of Weeks also know as the Festival of First-fruits, the reason for the celebration was the anniversary of the giving of the Law at Mt. Sinai (Ex.19:1). It was one of the three great annual pilgrimage festivals when all Jewish males would assemble in Jerusalem to worship God. So Jews from all over the diaspora or scattering were present when the fulfillment of the promise suddenly happened.
Even though the Holy Spirit had been present and actively working during the O.T. era, He now comes with visible and unforgettable evidences of wind and fire. Wind is a sign of God’s Spirit as both the Greek and Hebrew words for spirit can also be translated depending on the context (Ezek. 37:9-14). Fire was also a symbol of the divine presence as seen in the numerous O.T. events such as the burning bush (Ex. 3:2-5), the pillar of cloud by day and fire by night that guided Israel in their wilderness journey (Ex. 13:21), the consuming fire on Mt. Sinai (Ex. 24:17), and the pillar of fire that rested over the tabernacle in the desert (Ex. 40:38). God once again is present among His people in a mighty way. [Walter Kaiser, Jr. Revive Us Again. Broadman & Holman Publ. Nashville, TN. 1999. pp. 186-188]
Four encouraging features of Pentecost provide preparation for the time when God sends a similar outpouring of the Holy Spirit to revival the church once again.
I. THE INDWELLING OF THE SPIRIT IS THE FULFILLMENT OF GOD’S PROMISE, 14-21.
II. THE INDWELLING OF THE SPIRIT BEARS WITNESS TO LIFE OVER DEATH, 22-36.
III. THE SPIRIT INDWELLS THROUGH REPENTANCE, 37-41.
IV. THE INDWELLING SPIRIT LEADS HIS CHURCH, 42-47.
After “the Holy Spirit” fell upon the prayers in the upper room they immediately began powerfully sharing Jesus with wonderful boldness. Many of the estimated million plus in Jerusalem for Pentecost scoffed at them or responded to the witness in their native language with questions of wonder. Peter turned 180 degrees from the intimidated, swearing and frightened disciple of less than two months ago at Jesus’ Passover to address the crowd in newborn boldness.
Peter thundered that the outspoken disciple’s flowing powerful witness was not the result of drink but were under the full influence and control of the Spirit of God. This event was a sign of the promised Spirit prophesied by Joel 800 years earlier (v. 16). What had God promised through His prophet Joel? There are three basic elements prophesied in Joel 2:28-32 quoted here in Acts: (1) the distinctiveness of this outpouring, (2) the extent of this out pouring and (3) the result of this outpouring.
While no yielded believer in the O.T. had been without the aid and work of the Holy Spirit, what happened at Pentecost was climactic and exuberant. This new, outward and mark coming of the Holy Spirit was extremely extravagant in comparison with what can now be regarded as a scarcity of His work and ministry. The word “pour out” in Hebrew readily depicts Jesus’ use of rivers of living waters, a veritable down pour or immersion of the Holy Spirit (Mt. 3:11, Mk. 1:8; Lk. 3:16-17). This down pouring of the Holy Spirit simultaneously baptized all living believers into the body of Christ (1 Cor. 12:13).
This coming of the Spirit does not mean that there is not still to come an ultimate and final down pour of the Holy Spirit in the end times as Isaiah (32:15; 44:3) and Ezekiel (11:18-19; 36:26-28; 37:12-14; 39:28-29) predict. As with many end times prophecies there is an inaugural fulfillment that guarantees the final fulfillment.
At Pentecost the Holy Spirit was released throughout the entire world. The extent of this downpour was upon “all mankind” (v.17). Joel’s promise continues to become even more explicit, indicating that the Spirit would come upon all without distinction; on sons and daughters or without reference to gender or sex, on young and old men or regardless of age, or race and ethnic origin. Men-women, old-young, Jew-Gentile; all believers would receive this outpouring.
There were three results. The first was that those immersed by the Spirit would prophesy (v.18), that is, interpret spiritual truth. The second and thriid results are visions and dreams. Even today God is revealing Himself in these ways, but He will do so in a far greater way as He prepares His world for harvest before the rapture of His church.
The purpose of the outpouring of the Spirit is seen in verse 21. “And it shall be that everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” God would send His born again believers to share salvation through Jesus Christ through Spirit empowered and convicting witness.
“The fulfillment of the promise of God’s Spirit is the best response for overcoming all our doubts and barriers for serving Christ. The poor band of disciples that had suffered such doubt during the hours of the crucifixion –and for some, even up to Pentecost itself–were suddenly awakened to an inexplicable transformation by the gift of the Holy Spirit.” All kinds of intellectual doubts and emotional blockages burst open before the healing and convincing presence of the Holy Spirit. “Consequently, we can affirm without fear of contradiction that the greatest argument for the reality and effectiveness of revival and renewal in the church is the majestic work of the Holy Spirit in lives that only recently had been filled with everything but the power of God.” (Kaiser p.191).
Note how God’s Word was the standard Peter used to judge this experience (2:17-36). So it must be with all revivals. God’s Word, not my experience, must interpret what is happening.
II. THE INDWELLING OF THE SPIRIT BEARS WITNESS TO LIFE OVER DEATH. 22-36.
Peter now moves to His main theme, the proclaiming of Jesus as Lord and Messiah starting in verse 22. The “mighty works and wonder and signs” performed by Jesus of Nazareth need no elaboration for they were fresh in the minds of all. Yet this Jesus had “been put to death on a cross” (v.23). But a higher court intervened and reversed His human executioners decision. They put Jesus to death but “God raised Him up again.”
As the crowd mulled over what they had just heard and witnessed, Peter asks them to call to mind what David says quoting Psalm 16:8-11 in verses 25-28. Had not David prophesied that God would raise the Christ from Hades and decay? Is this promised event not the very foundation of the hope that all will be raised?
And if the exalted Christ was raised to the right hand of the Father, and He most certainly was, then the promised Holy Spirit could be poured our in abundant measure, as they were witnessing (v. 33). In other words the resurrection of Jesus Christ is the reason the Holy Spirit is poured out. “Therefore” God has powerfully affirmed and demonstrated Jesus to be both ‘Lord and Messiah’ who they crucified (v.36).”
If this assurance about the ultimate triumph of Christ over death and the grave gave David such joy and assurance, how much more can the gift of the Holy Spirit likewise produce at least the same assurance in us? Nothing, not even death, can stop those enabled by the Holy Spirit.” (Ibid. p. 192).
III. THE SPIRIT INDWELLS THROUGH REPENTANCE, 37-41.
“When the Holy Spirit comes He changes people. Consider what the 120 disciples had been before Pentecost. Even the twelve did not seem to thrive all that well during the three years of our Lord’s teaching and influence.
But look at the same group of disciples on and after this day of Pentecost. Peter, who could not confess his Lord even before a servant girl, much less to the soldiers gathered around a fire, is now facing thousands of scoffing, jeering, and hostile men without one hesitation or apology. How can we account for such a remarkable turnabout except for the changing work of the Holy Spirit when persons repent?” [Ibid. 192]
Peter called for this change of life when he proclaims in verse 38; “Repent, and each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.”
Peter had another command in verse 40; “be saved from this perverse generation.” Both his generation and ours are crooked and exceedingly wicked.
“And if we do not soon do something to extricate ourselves from its clutches, the end of all of us will be all too sad to describe in detail. The words of Acts 2:19-20 from Joel 2:30-31 give us enough of an idea of the terror of those final days before our Lord’s second coming to motivate even the hesitant.
Believe on Jesus & receive gift of the Holy Spirit For only He can give us the power “to be saved from this evil generation, thus making us different from the ordinary run of men and women.” (Ibid, p. 193).
IV. THE INDWELLING SPIRIT LEADS HIS CHURCH, 42-47.
Many revivals in the Old Testament and in modern history were brief. Some would last for a few weeks, while others would last for a year or two. But so decisive was the work of God on this occasion that it has continued to affect the church, and in some cases even the culture itself, right down to the present moment.
The fellowship the believers enjoyed is remarkably described in verses 42-47. High on the list of priorities was a whole new appetite for hearing and acting on the teaching from God’s Word. In our day, the hunger for God’s Word is about as low as it can get.
Isn’t this a sign that we are ripe candidates for revival? Isn’t Peter’s call for repentance, for turning to Jesus Christ & away from the world, a message that the twenty-first century church needs to hear?
This community of faith also highly valued “breaking bread and praying” together. It is difficult to continue taking the Lord’s Supper while we violate the terms of that ordinance of God by not confessing our sins to one another especially those of grudges against one another.
Only when we are clean before the Lord and before each other can we expect what the early church saw by way of the supernatural manifestation of the power of God. What characterized these revived Christians was the song on their lips, gladness in their hearts, and praise for their Lord. No wonder, then, that the Lord added “to their number each day those who were being saved” (v. 47). And so it has ever been: when the people of God get right with Him and with each other, the number of new converts that are won under these revived and renewed conditions exceeds anything seen in any other period of history.” (Ibid. P. 194).
God used CHARLES G. FINNEY, one of this nation’s powerful preachers, to bring about the second great awakening in America during the 19th Century. Finney described one of his services where revival fell from heaven. “I had not preached, I should think, more than a quarter of an hour, when all at once an awful solemnity seemed to settle down upon them; the congregation began to fall from their seats in every direction, and cried for mercy. If I had had a sword in each hand, I could not have cut them off from their seats as fast as they fell. Indeed nearly the whole congregation were either on their knees or prostrate, I would think, in less than two minutes from this first shock that fell upon them.”
The divine power of the Holy Spirit in revival is not always so overwhelming. Finney also said:
“I was powerfully converted on the morning of the 10th of October, 1821. In the evening of the same day I received overwhelming baptisms (in-filling) of the Holy Ghost. I found myself so endued with power from on high that a few words dropped here or there is casual conversation were the means of immediate conversion.” [It was not mere emotional excess. God then moved them to minister out of the power of that revival experience.]
Let me remind you that God’s empowers not just His preachers but also His people. Quiet witnessing in Holy Ghost power can be just as effective as preaching in bringing people to Christ. Though we may not have these results, our responsibility is to be certain we and our church are so surrender to God’s leadership that the Holy Spirit can dominate, control and thus fill us with His power.
CONCLUSION
Although Pentecost cannot be historically repeated any more than the resurrection of Jesus Christ can be repeated, we must learn to experience the ongoing power of Pentecost: the divine in-filling of the Holy Spirit. Believers all receive the Holy Spirit, but then we must be filled with His powerful presence to have power for ministry.
The Holy Spirit is a gift and not something we seize. At Pentecost the gift was preceded by days of Bible study and prayer among the disciples (Acts 1:14-16). Should those preparing for a new movement do any less?
The question those deeply moved by Peter’s spirit-filled message asked was, What shall we do? Then he proclaimed, Believe on Jesus & receive gift of HS. For only He can give us the power to be saved from our evil generation & to be different from ordinary men & women.
The Holy Spirit still evokes this question. How do you choose to respond?
