Article 2018-03 Pentecost, Harvest Time!
Chapter 42: Pentecost, Harvest Time!
Introduction
A praying, expecting church grows in unity and love. Both ingredients are needed to host an ongoing revival. Without the Holy Spirit this cannot happen, and it is worth waiting for His coming. Christ, who died as a grain in the ground, bore fruit abundantly: three thousand people were saved at the day of Pentecost.
Scripture reference
When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place … All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues … Now there were … God-fearing Jews from every nation under heaven … each one heard them speaking in his own language … Parthians, Medes and Elamites, residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and … Libya … Rome, Cretans and Arabs … “We hear them declaring the wonders of God in our own tongues!” (Acts2:1,4-6,8-12)
The story
Ten days later, when they started their prayer meeting, the Holy Spirit came. A sound came from Heaven like the rush of a tempest and filled the house. Tongues like fire appeared on their heads. The Spirit filled each of them and they spoke in languages they never knew before.
People crowded around the house to see what went on. Jews from many countries were in town to celebrate Pentecost, the Harvest feast. These Jews were startled. They heard the people in the house speak the language of the country where they themselves lived! Dozens of foreign tongues were heard, that had in common that the gospel of Christ was preached.
A little later a bearded man stepped forward, climbed a chair and raised his hand. When it became silent he introduced himself as Simon Peter. He spoke about Jesus, the Messiah, Who had lived among them and only weeks ago was crucified, but rose on the third day.
The crowd listened intently. Some of them had heard parts of that story, but since nobody seemed to know much about it, they craned their necks not to miss anything this Simon had to say. He sounded like he knew what he was talking about.
Peter explained about the life of Jesus, of which most people had heard something. Then he illustrated things about Him from the Scriptures. Even the most learned among them had to admit that it all made sense in an awesome way.
A conviction of sin slowly descended over the people. Eyes were dried. Sobs were heard. Finally, one who stood close to Peter and shouted ‘Brothers, what do we have to do to get saved?’ Peter paused, leaving the desperate question hang in the air, before he answered in a thundering voice so that nobody would miss it. This was what he had waited for.
Scripture reference
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. The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off – for all whom the Lord our God will call” (Acts 2:38,39)
Comment
Now imagine that over a hundred believers had gone into Jerusalem’s streets, distributing tracts that told about life and works of Jesus, would three thousand people have repented in those ten days? Not likely, even if we assume that these disciples would have been fearless enough to try it!
Scripture reference
“Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about … in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit (Acts 1:4,5)
Comment continued
When Jesus says ‘wait’ you wait. The finishing touch needed to be applied to the harvest force. The first-fruits of Jesus, the Dying Grain, had to ripen just a little longer. So, what happened during the waiting? Many of Christ’s disciples met daily. They discussed Jesus’ words and works. They prayed, believed, expected, and anticipated. Love and unity among them grew, as did a sense of increasing excitement. They were not hindered by ‘Christian’ traditions, habits or differences of opinion. The only distinction between them was, that a minority had been with Jesus full-time and the rest had been with Him often and regularly. That was enough for the first-ever powerful public manifestation of God’s Spirit.
When He is not hindered by disciples who combat each other, it is easy for Him to convict the world of sin, righteousness and judgment. Then it becomes simple to save thousands in one day.
If the Church of only one city could reach such a unity, that city would soon be ripped from the devil’s claws. The same applies to provinces or even whole countries! Where the ‘hothouse’ of such love and unity is not present, the spiritual climate is too ‘cold’ to ‘breed’ new believers.
Scripture reference
“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another (John 13:34,35)
Comment continued
For once the curse of the Babylonian language-confusion had been lifted. For once all nations, peoples, tribes and languages received the gospel in their own tongue. At the first day of the Holy Spirit’s public ministry the Church became international. Barriers of language and culture were passed over as easy as a plane flies over mountains. The tone was set and the example given. The Spirit had clearly indicated how He wanted business to be executed. Would the apostles pick it up? Would they continue along the path that was shown and initiated so powerfully? Would missionaries now leave Jerusalem, go to all nations, and continue to consolidate what had started? After all, that’s what Jesus had told them to do, isn’t it?
Discussion & dialogue
- At the day of Pentecost the discipling of all nations began. In what chapter of Acts did it only continue? (Answer is in the Teacher’s Guide)
- Explain how themes 2, 7 and 9 feature in this chapter
