Outpouring of the Holy Spirit
Part 2
By Nick Bibile
Last week we saw the ultimate purpose, outpouring of the Spirit was to empower to be witnesses to Christ. The heart of the witness is the person who saved us rather than the person who was saved. (Acts 1:8)
V1) When the Day of Pentecost had fully come, they were all with one accord in one place.
Who are they and how many are they? Disciples. About 120. (v15)
Why were they in one accord in one place? Acts 1:4-5; Luke 24:49
One accord in Greek is one mind and purpose.
What were they doing in one mind and purpose or one accord?
There was a constant prayer meeting going on, the prayer meeting was focused one in mind and purpose, that God would grant them the Holy Spirit that was promised by Jesus. (v 1:14)
V2) And suddenly there came a sound from heaven, it did not come gradually like the regular wind but suddenly ,as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting.
There was a sudden sound that came from heaven, what was the sound like? Like a great rushing wind, but no wind. It sounded like a violent wind. The place could be in the temple, where they attended at public times (Lu. 24:53), or whether in their own upper room, where they met at other times. But it was at Jerusalem.
V3) Then there appeared to them divided tongues, as of fire, and one sat upon each of them.
Looked like a fire on their heads, like a tongue of fire on their heads. This mighty great sound which filled the whole house and suddenly there was a flaming tongues of fire that rested on their heads gently. This fire was not a fire that would harm them but a refining, purging fire. This was sacred holy fire, a fire that sanctifies, purges from sin, gives understanding of heavenly knowledge, a fire that would weaned them from the world. (Luke 3:16)
V4)And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.
Jesus prophesied before that they would speak in other tongues. (Mark 16:17)
Before
the Holy Spirit came they were believers of Christ, now that the Holy Spirit
came and filled them, they were believers in Christ. What do you mean by speak
in other tongues? In the Old Testament, Spirit
of God came upon them, He appeared unto men; but did not dwell in man. Jesus
said, “I will send you another Comforter, which shall abide with you for ever;”
not coming and going, but remaining in the midst of the church.
There is so much controversy in the church today as speaking in tongues especially among the Pentecostal churches. They say after you became a Christian and after water baptism, for you to be a strong Christian, you need to be baptized in the Holy Spirit. According to them, speaking in tongues is an outward manifestation that you are being baptized in the Holy Spirit. The confusion comes in where there are two kinds of Christian, the spirit filled Christian and the normal Christian.
Speak in other tongues the context in Greek is other languages. They spoke in other languages (real human languages) which they have never learned as the Spirit gave them utterance, Spirit enabled them to speak other languages which they have never learned.
There is an opposite connection between Pentecost and the tower
of Babel. At the tower of Babel God used tongues, languages to divide the
people as they were one accord and their purpose was evil. But here God used
tongues to unite the people. In Genesis
11 we see the wicked people built a tower, the tower of Babel, as they wanted
to be united as one people. If wicked people wanted be united as one people
that is very dangerous, God divided their unity and scattered them and they
could not understand each other as God gave them different tongues meaning, different
dialects or languages.
Now after the death and resurrection of Christ Jesus and of the coming of the Spirit, we see the gospel of God to nations where we are commanded to preach the gospel to all nations. Here we see the gift of the Holy Spirit, what was divided before is going to be united in Christ Jesus. Whether we are Americans, Filipinos, Chinese, Russians or any other, we can be united in Christ Jesus through the power of the gospel and we become brothers and sisters in Christ Jesus. So the tongues were a gift to speak another language. Pentecost provided power from heaven to preach the gospel to every creature.
Why did they speak in different languages and who could understand them? See the next verse.
V 5) And there were dwelling in Jerusalem Jews, devout men, from every nation under heaven.
At this time there were devout godly Jews in Jerusalem and they were from other countries. When it says every nation under heaven it is a hyperbole. Godly Jews from different countries who spoke in different languages were gathered in Jerusalem, why? Because it was the Pentecost.
V 6) And when this sound occurred, the multitude came together, and were confused, because everyone heard them speak in his own language.
These Jews who came from different countries to Jerusalem to attend the Pentecost heard the noise and they came together to the place where this sound came, now they saw and heard the disciples speaking in their own native languages. And they were amazed? How can this be, how can these disciples speak our languages?
V 7) Then they were all amazed and marveled, saying to one another, “Look, are not all these who speak Galileans?
Galileans were uneducated unlearned people. They were not brought up in high standard of schools.
V8) And how is it that we hear, each in our own language in which we were born?
Next verses tells us the different countries of these Jews, they came from these nations to attend the Pentecost.
V 9) Parthians and Medes and Elamites, those dwelling in Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia,
V 10) Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya adjoining Cyrene, visitors from Rome, both Jews and proselytes,
V11) Cretans and Arabs—we hear them speaking in our own tongues the wonderful works of God.”
The things they heard of the apostles were the wonderful works of God, megaleia tou Theou — Magnalia Dei, the great things of God. It is probable that the apostles spoke of Christ, and redemption by him, and the grace of the gospel. Tongues were for a sign for the unbelievers and not to have a great feeling for your self but to bring them to Christ. ( 1 Co. 14:22.)
Here we see the reason why God the Holy Spirit enabled the disciples to speak in different languages, because there were multitude of people (Thousands of people) from other nations who attended the Pentecost, now God the Holy Spirit is going to be a witness to these people.
First they heard these Galilean disciples speaking in their own languages? What were they saying? Were they talking just common things of life? No, they were praising God of the wonderful works of God. Tongues of different languages were given to praise God as witness of God’s great work to other thousands of people who were there at Pentecost. Peter gives a sermon and about three thousand got saved. (Acts 2:41)
The timing is absolutely perfect. We are going to see this more next week. Jesus the Son of God was crucified, that was the saddest day for the disciples, the most sorrowful day for them, the heart burning fellowship they had with the Lord came to an end, they lived in fear of the Jews and they were horrified what happened.
But there was the resurrection of our Lord, heaven was rejoicing of the resurrection. The disciples great sorrows turned into heights of joy, their tears of sorrows turned into tears of joy, when our blessed savior rose from the dead. The love of God’s redeeming work was completed in Christ. This was the great and the wonderful works of God to sinners.
What were the wonderful works of God?
Job 37:14 “Hear
this, O Job; stop and consider the wondrous works of God. 15 Do you know how God lays his command upon
them and causes the lightning of his cloud to shine? 16 Do
you know the balancings of the clouds,
the wondrous works of him who is perfect in knowledge.
1Chro 16: 8 Oh give
thanks to the Lord; call upon his name; make
known his deeds among the peoples!
9 Sing to him;
sing praises to him; tell of all his wondrous works! 10 Glory
in his holy name;
let the hearts of those who seek the Lord
rejoice! 11 Seek the Lord and his strength;
seek his presence continually! 12 Remember
the wondrous works that he has done, his miracles and the judgments he uttered.
Acts 2: 22 “Men of Israel, hear these words: Jesus of Nazareth, a man attested to you by God with mighty works and wonders and signs that God did through him in your midst, as you yourselves know— 23 this Jesus, delivered up according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God, you crucified and killed by the hands of lawless men. 24 God raised him up, loosing the pangs of death, because it was not possible for him to be held by it.
When the Holy Spirit comes on a person there is a
change in lifestyle.
When God brings salvation to a sinner, a miracle happens internally as the Holy Spirit comes dwells inside of the believer. The first miracle of Jesus was to make wine out of water, now a sinner is changed to a saint, this is a miracle of God. The Spirit of God sanctifies the sinner, convicts the sinner of his sins. There is a cleansing going on inside the believers heart and soul, getting rid of old sins, there is a hatred for sin and love for God and his word. Uneducated Galilean fishermen were filled with the wisdom and the knowledge of God. In the same way when someone is changed to a Christian, the Holy Spirit will bring wisdom, understanding and knowledge. It is by the gospel of Jesus Christ that the Spirit of God works in the hearts of men. “Faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God”: theHoly Spirit uses the hearing of the word of God for the conviction, conversion, consolation, and sanctification of men.
Colossians 1: 9 And so, from the day we heard, we have not ceased to pray for you, asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, 10 so as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God.
Fire, is not only a symbol of judgment but
also is a symbol of Deity. Abraham saw a burning lamp, and Moses saw a burning
bush. Fire gives light. “He shall lead you into all truth.” The children of
Israel were led by a pillar of fire in the night time. They are going to be
used in the kingdom of God, as the spirit of light will be upon them.
We too are led not by our feelings and sinful
nature anymore as we are led by the Spirit of God.
Rom 8:9 You, however, are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if in fact the Spirit of God dwells in you.
14 For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God.
Note it is not just fire, but a tongue of
fire; the tongue that was gossiping, slandering now it’s turned into a tongue
of praising God, a tongue that is preaching God’s word. The tongue that was
lying and hurting people now it’s turned into a tongue of encouragement and
comfort to others.
If the Holy Spirit shall rest upon me or upon
you, or upon any of us, to qualify us for service, the Holy Spirit gave them
utterance to praise God of his wonderful works, this is every Christian’s duty
and service.
John 7: 38 He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.” 39 But this He spoke concerning the Spirit, whom those believing in Him would receive; for the Holy Spirit was not yet given, because Jesus was not yet glorified.
Out of the heart of the man, out of the
center of his life, are to flow rivers of living water. Others will see the
changed lifestyle of a person when the Holy Spirit is in you, there will be grace
and godliness. rivers of living water flowing out of the living man as a
blessings to others. If you believe in Christ Jesus as your Lord and Savior and
surrendered your life to him then you are a Christian. If you asked the Lord to
bless you with the power of his spirit he will do it, if you ask the Lord to
give you knowledge and wisdom, he will do it, if you ask the Lord to give
boldness in witnessing he will do it.
Luke 11: 9 And I tell you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. 10 For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened. 11 What father among you, if his son asks for a fish, will instead of a fish give him a serpent; 12 or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? 13 If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!”
God saved us for himself, we don’t belong to
him anymore as he purchased us with his own blood, our lives belong to him. If
our lives belong to him he will use us not for our selfish needs but for him.
We will become his instruments to glorify his name, we will become his
instruments to witness to others bring others from going to hell to heaven. We
will be used for his service. We shall proclaim the wonderful works of God,
this is every Christian’s duty and service. May the Lord fill you with the Holy Spirit and may you be used
bearing much fruits for his kingdom.