THE PURPOSE AND POWER OF PENTECOST
Part 2 of 2
Acts 1:5-8
Acts 2:1-4; 12-18; 32-33
What in the world is Pentecost???
The word “ Pentecost” designates the 50th day after Passover, which was a Feast Day. Also known as the Feast of Weeks or Feast of Harvest.
It was on this day, in the Book of Acts, that the Holy Spirit was poured out on 120 Followers of Christ who were gathered in an Upper Room in Jerusalem. It was on this day that the Church was born in a Blaze of Glory.
Some Time ago I read this statement from the pen of Dr. Jerry Vines (FBC Jacksonville, former Pres. SBC) and I have never forgotten it. It said that The Average Christian And The Average Church are Somewhere Bogged Down Between Calvary and Pentecost. They have been to Calvary for Pardon, but they Have Not Been to Pentecost For Power. Bethlehem means God With Us. Calvary means God For Us. But Pentecost means God In Us. Dr Vines said, Those statements transformed my understanding of the person and the work of the Holy Spirit. I believe that the average Christian is much like the Ephesians believers when the Apostle Paul came to them in Acts 19:2 and said to them - Did You Receive The Holy Spirit When You Believed? They Replied that they didn’t even know that there was a Holy Spirit. Many Christians do not understand the role of the Holy Spirit and they have not appropriated the power of the Holy Spirit in their own personal life.
J. B. Phillips, who gave us the familiar paraphrase of the New Testament, wrote , What We Need Today Is Again The Wind And The Flame Of Pentecost.
One Baptist Preacher said, “Pentecost is not a Denomination, but is an Experience every Blood – Bought Child of God Should Receive.”
We are privileged to live in a generation when God is Again pouring out His Spirit in a Mighty Way.
The Rain of the Holy Spirit is falling on the Dry, Religious Ground of our day to give Sweet Refreshing to Weary-Hearted Christians and Also to prepare the Precious Fruit of the Earth for Harvest.
The Promise of Pentecost. In Peter’s sermon Acts 2:38-39 NIV 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."
In effect he said this outpouring of the Spirit is not a Special Blessing for a Special Few in a Special Age.
Many of us have allowed the Devil and Religious Tradition to Rob us of the power of God.
The promise of the Holy Spirit is for all people who receive the call to repentance.
Since God is still calling men to unto Salvation, THE PROMISE IS GOOD NOW!!!
Dr. John R. Rice, the famous fundamentalist Baptist preacher, said, “There is an experience after Salvation, called the Baptism with the Holy Ghost. All Saved people do have the Holy Spirit. When someone is saved, the Holy Spirit puts him into the Body of Christ. But besides that, Christians ought to be filled with the Holy Spirit and special Soul-Winning Power. Saved people are not always filled with the Holy Spirit, They Ought to Be, and Can Be, but many are not.“
What Was the Promise of Pentecost? -- It was The Pouring Out of the Holy Spirit upon all Flesh, both Men and Women.
Luke 24:49 NKJV 49 Behold, I send the Promise of My Father upon you; but tarry in the city of Jerusalem until you are endued with power from on high."
Dr. R.A. Torrey said, “The infilling of the Holy Spirit is a definite and distinct experience. A Christian will know whether he has received the Spirit or not.
The Promise Fulfilled. Ten days after Jesus ascended into Heaven He sent the Blessed promise of the Father and the Faithful Ones who had obeyed and waited in the Upper Room were filled with the Holy Spirit.
Peter’s Sermon Declared, “This is it!!!” This is the fulfillment of the promise!
I. THE PURPOSE OF PENTECOST. One word portrays the purpose of Pentecost – “HARVEST.” Harvest is at the Heart of Pentecost!!!
Joel 2:23-25 NKJV 23 Be glad then, you children of Zion, And rejoice in the LORD your God; For He has given you the former rain faithfully, And He will cause the rain to come down for you-- The former rain, And the latter rain in the first month. 24 The threshing floors shall be full of wheat, And the vats shall overflow with new wine and oil. 25 "So I will restore to you the years that the swarming locust has eaten,
Two things are necessary for the Harvest 1)Early (former) Rain, which prepared the soil for the planting at Seed-time. 2) Latter Rain, which Matured the Crop for Harvest.
Joel 3:9 KJV 9 Proclaim ye this among the Gentiles… V 12 Let the heathen be wakened…V 13 Put ye in the sickle, for the harvest is ripe: come, get you down; for the press is full… 14 Multitudes, multitudes in the valley of decision…
It’s Time to Reap the Harvest!!! The Rain of the Holy Spirit is preparing the Fruit of the earth for the Harvest.
On the Day of Pentecost, when the Holy Spirit was poured out, Peter cast the net and 3,000 souls got saved and came into the Kingdom.
God Has Not Given Us The Holy Spirit To Enjoy Alone, While The World Around Us Rushes On Toward Hell.
WE DARE NOT FORGET THE NEEDS OF LOST PEOPLE, The People God Loves, The People Christ Died For, The People Christ Commanded Us to Evangelize.
There’s so little time left!!! When are we going to WAKE UP, forget our silly Religious Games and Mean Business for God???
Souls are Hanging in the Balance. Some will fall and Topple into Hell unless We go in the Power of the Spirit and Rescue them.
II. THE POWER OF PENTECOST. Acts 1:8 NKJV But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth."
We must have the power of the Holy Ghost today!!!
The Modern Day Church, For The Most Part, Has Lost The Power Of God.
Most Denominations are nothing more than Social Clubs, Civic Organizations with a Religious Tint.
Just like Samson in the Bible, They don’t know that the Spirit of God has left them. They still have the form of Religion but have no power.
Samson laid his head in Delilah’s lap. He Lost his power with God and could do nothing but live a Defeated life. He was Blind, He was Bound, He was Grinding in Circles at the Mill of his enemies.
Religious Tradition ROBS people and churches of the Power of God and leaves them Grinding at the Millstone in Weakness and Defeat. They are Blinded by the Devil, Bound up in Mickey Mouse Religion, Worst thing is they don’t even know it.!!!
But it’s a New Day of Restoration!!! God is Restoring the Power of the Spirit to the Church!!!
Consider 3 Major Powers of Pentecost
A. WORSHIPPING POWER. The Holy Spirit will help you to Worship God in Spirit and in Truth. The chief aim of man is to worship God. But the Devil has deceived people concerning worship. Go to church and sit in a cold pew & *stare at the Back of someone’s head, Barely Whisper as you pretend to sing a hymn, Then listen to a 15 minute homilie about some religious theme that means nothing to you, You have to fight to stay awake, and still Call it Worship. You are just a Spectator, an Observer.
Real Worship Demands Participation. The Holy Spirit will help you to Worship God in the Spirit. He will Help you Lift Your Soul To God And Touch His Heart with Your Heart.
B. WARNING POWER. The Holy Spirit will help you Warn people of the Dangers of Hell and the Lake of Fire. How in the world can people claim to love God and serve God when they have NO CONCERN FOR LOST PEOPLE around them?
If You Have Much Of The Holy Spirit In You, You Won’t Be Able To Sit Still, You’ll have to Go and Warn people about Sin & Judgment & the Reality of Hell and Eternal Separation from God.
There is a Lake of Fire, and Unbelievers, those whose Names are Not in the Lamb’s Book of Life, will be Cast into the Lake of Fire.
When you are filled with the Holy Spirit of God, There will be a Holy Drive Within You To Point People To Christ so they can be Delivered and Set Free.
If your Neighbor’s House was on fire, would you just sit back and have a Word of Prayer for them??? Would you Just Fold Your Hands and Quietly Say, “Lord wake them up before they lose everything and perish in those flames???” NO! Of Course Not!!!
Out of Love for Humanity and Respect for Life, you would Go Warn them and Say, “Get Out, You are in Danger of Perishing, Come to Safety while you Can!!!”
In the Same Way, Out of Respect for Christ who Died for them, and out of Love for Lost people, Through the Power of the Holy Spirit, The Spirit –Filled Christian Warns the Lost.
D. WITNESSING POWER. Acts 1:8 NKJV But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth."
Through the Power of the Holy Spirit, You can be a Fearless, Flaming Witness for Christ. Instead of being Weak, Vacillating, & Scared of Standing Up for Christ, The Holy Spirit will "take the Chicken out of your life" and will Set You Free From Fear.
The Power of the Holy Spirit will give you BOLDNESS, CONFIDENCE, and COURAGE to Witness for Christ and Share your Faith with Others.
Have You Received Your Pentecost? In Acts 2:38, Peter said, “The Promise is unto you.” If you are a Christian, if you are Saved, The Gift of the Holy Spirit is for you!
Jesus is God’s Special Gift for the world, for the Sinner, For God so Loved the World that He gave His Only Son …
The Holy Spirit is God’s Special Gift for the Christian. Jesus Said in Luke 11:13, How much More shall your Heavenly Father Give the Holy Spirit to them that Ask Him.
Receiving Jesus will give you Power to be a Child of God.
Receiving the Holy Spirit will give you Power to Serve Christ by being His Anointed Witness.
Let Us Not Be Satisfied Until We Receive the Promise.
Let us Reach out with arms open wide in Faith, and Say, Yes Lord, I take what you give, Fill me with the Holy Spirit!
