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Title: Pentecost: part one Post by: Layman Bairn on April 09, 2005, 06:25:40 PM The preaching of Peter on the day of Pentecost “cut to the heart” and led to the conversion of 3,000 people. That’s a sermon! I submit to you that had he preached the exact sermon to the same people before Pentecost, the results would have been dramatically different I also believe that Peter would have been incapable of such preaching before the outpouring of The Spirit.
This glorious event (Pentecost) has been mercilessly analyzed and frittered away into the pigeon-holes of higher, and mostly lower, criticism for centuries. The most pitiable exposition of acts 2 is the one that goes…”this outpouring symbolizes God’s gift of The Spirit to the church and later at the house of Cornellius, yet another symbolic outpouring showing The Lord’s acceptance of the gentiles”. Yep, that was it, one measured and metered dose for all the church for all time. Christ said: “But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me….” Acts 1:8a. Peter and company, just days before Pentecost, after having been in the presence of the resurrected Jesus for 40 days were still asking stupid questions like: “Lord will you at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?” The sermon of Peter after the pouring out of the Spirit and the results of that sermon demonstrate a dramatic change… the power to be a witness was now evident. John 7:38-39 says: 38 He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water. 39 (But this spake he of the Spirit, which they that believe on him should receive: for the Holy Ghost was not yet given; because that Jesus was not yet glorified.) (KJV) The word “given” has been added. The original text says: “…the Holy Ghost was not yet because that Jesus was not yet glorified”. The Holy Ghost poured out at Pentecost was the Spirit of the glorified Jesus, come down to continue His work through the medium of His followers. Andrew Murray, as only he can, writes a most eloquent meditation of this matter in his book “The Spirit of Christ” chapter 5. You can read the chapter on the CU website at this link: http://articles.christiansunite.com/article1773.shtml (http://articles.christiansunite.com/article1773.shtml) It saddens me to see western Christianity becoming, more and more, a kind of clearinghouse for insipid, “me-centered” self-help and motivational drivel. My motive in this writing is to stimulate some fellowship and discussion about what my heart tells me is our greatest need as Christians today…Pentecost; not so we can speak in tongues (though I do) or bark, laugh and carry on, but that we might wait in one accord, with prayer and supplication for that which has birthed every great move of God and has brought about the major corrections (called revivals) in the advancement of His Kingdom. This may be a little long so I will call it “part one”. Later, if anyone’s game, I would like to share some of the many precedents in scripture for this topic. Agape Bairn (old Scottish for child) Title: Re:Pentecost: part one Post by: felix102 on April 11, 2005, 03:26:42 AM Amen bairn. Yes, this living water Christ spoke of is very important to us. What happened at pentacost was an extremely great need. WE need this living water!
People (and even some Christians) try to fill themselves with other things, things that they think will satisfy them. It does but only temporarily. This is their source of water. A question for anyone to ask themselves is "Do you find yourself constantly empty or unsatisfied?"...thirsting for something? People try to find satisfication in the things of life: money, careers, sports, music, entertainment, parties, relationships, knowledge, diplomas, health, etc. This 'water' cannot quench you. That's why the go back to it again and again. But after they taste this water they soon realize that they are thirsty again. John 4:13 Jesus answered and said to her, Everyone who drinks of this water shall thrist again, How then can our thirst be quenched? Jesus answered... John 4:14 But whoever drinks of the water that I will give him shall by no means thrist forever; but the water that I will give him will become in him a fountain of water gushing up into eternal life. The water for our thirst is Jesus. Jesus is that Spirit. Nothing else in this world can satisfy our thirst. We need Jesus! Then out of our belly shall flow rivers..RIVERS...of LIVING water. And this water gushes up to eternal life. Does anyone have any comments on "gushing up into eternal life"? |