Word of Salvation – Vol. 34 No. 19 – May 1989

 

The Outpouring Of The Holy Spirit

 

Sermon by Rev. D. Groenenboom on Acts 2:14-21

(For Pentecost)

Reading: Joel 2:18-32: Acts 2:1-21.

 

If there is one topic that is high on the world’s agenda for discussion, it has got to be equality.  In fact, over the last 250 years the idea of equality and equal rights has had a vast effect on the development of western society.

What we need to see today is that God is also concerned about equality.  We see that demonstrated here in Act 2:

“In the last days”, God says, “I will pour out my Spirit on all people.”

God is not prejudiced.

He shows no partiality.

When it comes to us standing before God, He does not have one set of rights and responsibilities for group A” and another set of rights and responsibilities for group “B”.  Before God we are all on an equal footing.  Whether you’re British, Australian, Swahili, Mexican, Russian, man, woman, princess, plumber – God sees you as you are: the same as everyone else – as one who needs His mercy and love in Jesus Christ His Son.

God always dispenses His blessings in the same way.  Once a person is redeemed, it does not mean that distinctions begin to appear, because God pours out His Spirit on ALL the redeemed of His Son.

In the O.T., before the coming of Christ and this glorious Pentecostal outpouring, it was quite different.  Very few people indeed had that Spirit poured out on them.  Not because God viewed them as lesser people, with lesser capabilities and lesser rights, but because in His wisdom He wanted it that way.  For then, the Holy Spirit was only poured out on those anointed to rule as King, or on the Prophets, who would declare God’s will to His people; or on the Priests, who were the appointed mediators between God and His people.

Then, in the O.T., we find that the Spirit’s ministry was a ministry of “types” and “shadows”.  People were only seeing God’s wonder and grace very dimly.

And so whilst Christians today take for granted that God has given them His Holy Spirit as a constant comforter and counsellor, such privilege and blessing was not commonly enjoyed by believers in O.T. times.

The prophet Joel was the one who gave the O.T. covenant community a forward vision in this regard.  For he said that the time would come when God would grant His Spirit to all people.  All those who worshipped, loved and served Him.

Joel does not say that God would just “give”.  God would “pour out” His Spirit on all believers.  Instead of just prophets, priests and kings enjoying this blessing, all believers would have a new closeness to God; a rich new warmth in their relationship with their Saviour.

And Peter says: “THIS IS IT!  IT HAS HAPPENED!

GOD HAS KEPT HIS PROMISE AND GIVEN HIS SPIRIT TO ALL HIS PEOPLE!!

SONS, DAUGHTERS, YOUNG AND OLD.

ALL BELIEVERS WILL HAVE HIS CONSTANT PRESENCE, AND IT IS THE OUTPOURING OF THE HOLY SPIRIT WHICH ACCOUNTS FOR THESE WONDERS WE NOW SEE AND HEAR!

No, it was not the drunkenness of men, but the sovereign almighty hand of the exalted Christ!

And with this glorious event, that fledgling church entered into the last days.  Yes, even then, the last days had begun, and we are still in them.  Let us remember that: the last days are not merely the days which will immediately precede the second coming of Christ the King.  Rather, in the Bible, the term “the last days” indicates the whole span of time in between the Cross and the return of Christ.  THOSE are the last days, not just the so called “end times”.

We do not have to wait for the last days, dear people, they are here!  We are in them, for since this Pentecostal event the end times have begun, and the ever-onward movement of Christ’s Kingdom heralds the approach of the returning Lord.  And that same Lord has called His people – all of them to be prophets!  People who declare God’s will to others; people who speak for God to the world.  Not fortune-tellers, or crystal-ball-gazers; not people who can plot the agenda of the world’s history to come.  But people who will call others to repentance and faith in the Christ to come.

That lays before us not merely the responsibility to witness and share our faith; to be a prophetic people with a prophetic mindset.  To stand up in the spirit of the O.T. prophets and call this world to faith in God in humility, in justice, and in righteousness.

Imagine if every Christian took that responsibility as seriously as Tutu, or Boesak, or Solzhenitsyn, or Martin Luther King.  I cannot agree with everything these people say, but you would certainly agree that if people stood up and spoke out as these men have done, this world would be a different place.

For the Spirit of Pentecost instils in us a spirit of justice, of righteousness and humility – so evident in the life of our Lord Jesus Christ, and so necessary in the lives of His people.

Further, we should see that it is not only in the lives of God’s people that it becomes clear that we are living in the last days.  It is also seen in the natural forces of the world: (read vv.19-20).

We must remember that this event occurred only 7 1/2 weeks after the skies had been darkened at Jesus’ crucifixion.  So at this point the listeners would certainly have pricked up their ears.

Yet these signs and wonders that we read of in vs.19-20 are most probably connected with “the great and glorious day of the Lord.”  That is, the time directly preceding the return of Christ, when He will come as judge of all, and set up His Kingdom in the new heavens and the new earth.  They will be a sign that the returning Lord is coming in judgement.

When we refer to “the signs of the times” as described in Matt.24, we do realise that those signs have been occurring right through the period of the last days.  Similarly, signs of judgement have often been seen; times of great catastrophe and natural disaster, driving people to seek deliverance in God.  But the signs of Act 2:19-20 appear to be very special indeed.

From Peter’s words it is quite clear that when that great day of our Exalted Lord’s return comes, signs of the judgement of God will certainly appear.  They will not tell us the day or the hour of Christ’s return, but they will certainly show that his return is very close indeed.

But please don’t be under the impression that because the sun is bright and the moon is clear, that the Lord’s return will be some time in coming.  For the repeated emphasis throughout the N.T. is that the Lord will return as a thief in the night, and so we must be prepared.

So tell me, are YOU ready?  Are you aware that the only way to escape God’s wrath is to believe in Christ?  To believe that Jesus Christ has taken your sins and your guilt upon Himself, and on that basis you may be forgiven?  Don’t be fooled, we are living in the last days NOW!  It means that Christ can return at any time.  Yes.  Christ the judge, who knows every act we have ever done; that same Christ who has taken upon Himself the sin and guilt of all believers.  Are you prepared?  Do you believe?  Do you seek your only hope of reconciliation with God in Jesus?

You see, that’s the other great truth Peter proclaims here.  That everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved!

The Christ has poured out His Spirit upon His Church; the Spirit bestowed great gifts on all the people, and His first and foremost gift and act is to bring to men and women the salvation, the redemption, the liberation of Jesus Christ the Saviour.

Of course, it is through the atoning and wrath-bearing sacrifice of Christ that salvation is won for His people.  Nevertheless, it is the Holy Spirit who applies that salvation to the hearts and lives of Christ’s elect.

But if the Scriptures say that man is hostile toward God, and cannot of himself draw near to Him (nor does he even want to), how is it possible that people can call upon God’s name and be saved?  How can people seek God’s salvation if their hearts are steeped in sin?

The answer is found in this Pentecostal Holy Spirit.  For the Spirit we see poured out here works in the hearts and lives of men and women so that the walls of sin and rebellion which separate man from God are broken down.  The blinding scales over their eyes are removed.  They are confronted with the awful reality of their own sim to such an extent that they do not rest until they find peace with God through Jesus Christ.

It is the Spirit who opens their hearts, enabling them to call upon God for salvation.  That’s what we see in Lydia’s conversion.  Have a look with me at Acts 16:11-15.  In vs.13 we see that Paul and his companions were speaking to ‘some women who had gathered by the river’ vs.14.  Lydia was one of those listening, and we read in the same verse that the Lord opened her heart to respond to Paul’s message.

Here in Acts 2, we find that same Spirit at work, convicting these listeners to the extent that they were cut to the heart and said, “Brothers, what shall we do?”

That same Spirit opens the spiritual eyes of men, women, boys and girls so that today they too, will call upon God’s name for deliverance.

You may well be offended by that.  Because it means that you are so removed from God that you don’t even have the ability within yourself to turn to Him, or to see Him, or to love Him.  In fact, were it not for the Spirit’s working already in your heart, you would not even see the necessity of seeking redemption in Christ.  You would not even be listening to this sermon.

But please, don’t be offended.  For even though in our natural state we can only resist and rebel, the love and the mercy of God is such that he has solved our problem.  For whilst we cannot draw near to God ourselves, HIS SPIRIT draws us to God.  Whilst we cannot ourselves see the riches of His mercy, the Spirit enlightens us by giving eyes that can see our need and God’s solution in Christ.  Whilst we cannot hear God ourselves, the Spirit of Christ opens our ears and cures our deafness so that we may hear and understand the Gospel of Grace.

By ourselves, we are helpless and hopeless, but Christ is our HELPER!  He has become the sacrifice that took God’s wrath off us.  He has become the atonement for all our sin.  And He has poured out His Spirit that we may not only see, but hear and believe.

So pray to God that His Spirit may work in your heart, and that you may believe in Christ, and that by believing you might have life in His name.

No doubt about it.  Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.  That is God’s PROMISE!  And here at Pentecost we have proof positive that God KEEPS His promises!

Joel gave his prophecy some 800 years before this event transpired.  When God promises something, he DOES it.  He keeps His promise.  The Holy Spirit WAS sent, exactly as Joel had prophesied.  Similarly, Jesus prophesied that after He had returned to the Father, the Holy Spirit, the comforting Counsellor, would be given to his disciples forever.

It happened on this day of Pentecost.

And so when the Scriptures declare a salvation to all who call upon the name of the Lord, WE CAN BELIEVE IT!!  God KEEPS His promises, and not one of them will fail – EVER!

So turn to Him.

Remember, we live in the last days.  The Lord of heaven and earth is returning.  Each day His return draws nearer and He will come at the least expected hour.

Are you ready?

Are you prepared?

Congregation, let us give thanks that through the work of this Holy Spirit we can know God.  Our hearts have been changed from arrogant rebellion to adoring praise to God in Christ.  Let us be thankful that God has freely poured out His Spirit on all His people, no matter who or what we are – as long as we are in Christ we have received that gift of the Holy Spirit.

Let us then be witnesses to Christ and His redeeming love as God’s prophetic people.  Let us proclaim, in every way possible, that this Jesus Christ is LORD of heaven and earth.  That He has poured out His Spirit, and yes, He is coming soon.

Maranatha!

Amen