Erhalten Sie Zugang zu diesem und mehr als 300000 Büchern ab EUR 5,99 monatlich.
- Herausgeber: Crossway
- Kategorie: Religion und Spiritualität
- Serie: Preaching the Word
- Sprache: Englisch
How did Christianity become one of the most important religions in world history? Any investigation into this important question must begin with Acts—the biblical book that chronicles the tumultuous days of the early church and the spread of Christianity in the years following Jesus's death and resurrection. In this redesigned volume in the popular Preaching the Word commentary series, Kent Hughes leads pastors and laypeople alike to rediscover the history of the New Testament church, examining key events in the book of Acts such as the bold preaching of Christ's early followers, the dramatic persecution of Christians, and the perilous missionary journeys of the apostle Paul. Part of the Preaching the Word series.
Sie lesen das E-Book in den Legimi-Apps auf:
Seitenzahl: 661
Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2014
Das E-Book (TTS) können Sie hören im Abo „Legimi Premium” in Legimi-Apps auf:
Ähnliche
Thank you for downloading this Crossway book.
Sign-up for the Crossway Newsletter for updates on special offers, new resources, and exciting global ministry initiatives:
Crossway Newsletter
Or, if you prefer, we would love to connect with you online:
FacebookTwitter
PREACHING THE WORD
Edited by R. Kent Hughes
Genesis | R. Kent Hughes
Exodus | Philip Graham Ryken
Leviticus | Kenneth A. Mathews
Numbers | Iain M. Duguid
Deuteronomy | Ajith Fernando
Joshua | David Jackman
Judges and Ruth | Barry G. Webb
1 Samuel | John Woodhouse
2 Samuel | John Woodhouse
1 Kings | John Woodhouse
Job | Christopher Ash
Psalms, vol. 1 | James Johnston
Proverbs | Raymond C. Ortlund Jr.
Ecclesiastes | Philip Graham Ryken
Song of Solomon | Douglas Sean O’Donnell
Isaiah | Raymond C. Ortlund Jr.
Jeremiah and Lamentations | R. Kent Hughes
Daniel | Rodney D. Stortz
Matthew | Douglas Sean O’Donnell
Mark | R. Kent Hughes
Luke | R. Kent Hughes
John | R. Kent Hughes
Acts | R. Kent Hughes
Romans | R. Kent Hughes
1 Corinthians | Stephen T. Um
2 Corinthians | R. Kent Hughes
Galatians | Todd Wilson
Ephesians | R. Kent Hughes
Philippians, Colossians, and Philemon | R. Kent Hughes
1–2 Thessalonians | James H. Grant Jr.
1–2 Timothy and Titus | R. Kent Hughes and Bryan Chapell
Hebrews | R. Kent Hughes
James | R. Kent Hughes
1–2 Peter and Jude | David R. Helm
1–3 John | David L. Allen
Revelation | James M. Hamilton Jr.
The Sermon on the Mount | R. Kent Hughes
Acts
Copyright © 1996 by R. Kent Hughes.
Published by Crossway
1300 Crescent Street
Wheaton, Illinois 60187
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopy, recording or otherwise, without the prior permission of the publisher, except as provided for by USA copyright law. Crossway® is a registered trademark in the United States of America
Cover design: Jon McGrath, Simplicated Studio
Cover image: Adam Greene, illustrator
First printing 1996
First printing ESV edition 2014
Printed in the United States of America
Unless otherwise indicated, Scripture quotations are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. 2011 Text Edition. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations marked KJV are from the King James Version of the Bible.
Scripture quotations marked NASB are from The New American Standard Bible®. Copyright © The Lockman Foundation 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995. Used by permission.
Scripture references marked NEB are from The New English Bible © The Delegates of the Oxford University Press and The Syndics of the Cambridge University Press, 1961, 1970.
Scripture references marked NLT are from The Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Ill., 60189. All rights reserved.
Scripture references marked PHILLIPS are from The New Testament in Modern English, translated by J. B. Phillips © 1972 by J. B. Phillips. Published by Macmillan.
All emphases in Scripture quotations have been added by the author.
Hardcover ISBN: 978-1-4335-3826-1 ePub ISBN: 978-1-4335-3829-2 PDF ISBN: 978-1-4335-3827-8 Mobipocket ISBN: 978-1-4335-3828-5
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Hughes, R. Kent.
Acts / R. Kent Hughes
p. cm.—(Preaching the word)
Includes bibliographical references and index.
ISBN 13: 978–0-89107–873–9
ISBN 10: 0–89107–873–8
1. Bible. N.T. Acts—Homiletical use. I. Title. II. Series: Hughes, R. Kent. Preaching the word.
BS2625.5.H84 1996
226.6'07—dc20
95–41952
Crossway is a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
To Marc and Lori Maillefer
beloved colleagues and lovers of the church
But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.
ACTS 1:8
Contents
Acknowledgments
A Word to Those Who Preach the Word
Notes
Acknowledgments
Once again, deepest appreciation to my administrative assistant, Mrs. Sharon Fritz, for weekly typing and editing chapter manuscripts, and to Mr. Herbert Carlburg for further editing and for checking all references. Also, ongoing thanks to Mr. Ted Griffin for his expert editing of what is now over a dozen of my books.
A Word to Those Who Preach the Word
There are times when I am preaching that I have especially sensed the pleasure of God. I usually become aware of it through the unnatural silence. The ever-present coughing ceases, and the pews stop creaking, bringing an almost physical quiet to the sanctuary—through which my words sail like arrows. I experience a heightened eloquence, so that the cadence and volume of my voice intensify the truth I am preaching.
There is nothing quite like it—the Holy Spirit filling one’s sails, the sense of his pleasure, and the awareness that something is happening among one’s hearers. This experience is, of course, not unique, for thousands of preachers have similar experiences, even greater ones.
What has happened when this takes place? How do we account for this sense of his smile? The answer for me has come from the ancient rhetorical categories of logos, ethos, and pathos.
The first reason for his smile is the logos—in terms of preaching, God’s Word. This means that as we stand before God’s people to proclaim his Word, we have done our homework. We have exegeted the passage, mined the significance of its words in their context, and applied sound hermeneutical principles in interpreting the text so that we understand what its words meant to its hearers. And it means that we have labored long until we can express in a sentence what the theme of the text is—so that our outline springs from the text. Then our preparation will be such that as we preach, we will not be preaching our own thoughts about God’s Word, but God’s actual Word, his logos. This is fundamental to pleasing him in preaching.
The second element in knowing God’s smile in preaching is ethos—what you are as a person. There is a danger endemic to preaching, which is having your hands and heart cauterized by holy things. Phillips Brooks illustrated it by the analogy of a train conductor who comes to believe that he has been to the places he announces because of his long and loud heralding of them. And that is why Brooks insisted that preaching must be “the bringing of truth through personality.” Though we can never perfectly embody the truth we preach, we must be subject to it, long for it, and make it as much a part of our ethos as possible. As the Puritan William Ames said, “Next to the Scriptures, nothing makes a sermon more to pierce, than when it comes out of the inward affection of the heart without any affectation.” When a preacher’s ethos backs up his logos, there will be the pleasure of God.
Last, there is pathos—personal passion and conviction. David Hume, the Scottish philosopher and skeptic, was once challenged as he was seen going to hear George Whitefield preach: “I thought you do not believe in the gospel.” Hume replied, “I don’t, but he does.” Just so! When a preacher believes what he preaches, there will be passion. And this belief and requisite passion will know the smile of God.
The pleasure of God is a matter of logos (the Word), ethos (what you are), and pathos (your passion). As you preach the Word may you experience his smile—the Holy Spirit in your sails!
R. Kent Hughes Wheaton, Illinois
1
“You Will Be My Witnesses”
ACTS 1:1–11
ONE REASON I LOVE TO STUDY the book of Acts is its uniqueness. It is the sourcebook for the spread of early Christianity. Without it we would know little about the apostolic church except what could be gleaned from Paul’s epistles. It is the chronicle of the spreading flame of the Holy Spirit.
It is also a book with a splendid theme, tracing the work of the Holy Spirit through the birth, infancy, and adolescence of the Church. Its title could well be “The Acts of the Holy Spirit” or “The Acts of the Risen Christ through the Holy Spirit Working through the Church.” Acts forms the perfect counterpart and contrast to the Gospels. In the Gospels the Son of Man offered his life; in Acts the Son of God offered his power. In the Gospels we see the original seeds of Christianity; in Acts we see the continual growth of the Church. The Gospels tell us of Christ crucified and risen; Acts speaks of Christ ascended and exalted. The Gospels model the Christian life as lived by the perfect Man; Acts models it as lived out by imperfect men.
The study of Acts is particularly important to us because it teaches us how to experience a stimulating, exciting life—how to make our lives count. One man said, “I have been a deacon in my church for years; built a church building, raised money, served on committees. But one thing my church never gave me was a relationship with Christ that would make my life exciting.”1 Rather than having an effervescent, relevant faith, this man found his life about as stimulating as a stale glass of ginger ale. He did not know the secret of Acts.
In our day one of the nicer things said about the institutional church is that it is “irrelevant.” The book of Acts carries the remedy. Whether you are young and virile with Superman-like energy, or restless with what you have seen of a dull, ho-hum, business-as-usual Christianity, or at the age where you are receiving birthday cards that say things like “When it’s time for a dental checkup, do you send out your teeth?” the message of Acts is for you!
The author of Acts was Luke the physician, and he begins with a reference to his already completed work on the life of Christ, which we know as the Gospel of Luke:
In the first book, O Theophilus, I have dealt with all that Jesus began to do and teach, until the day when he was taken up, after he had given commands through the Holy Spirit to the apostles whom he had chosen. (vv. 1, 2)
Naturally Theophilus remembered, and his thoughts turned to Luke’s great scroll and its remarkable account of Christ’s life. He was thereby primed for what was to follow.
Then in verses 3–5 Luke continues with some new information as he tells Theophilus something more of the time after Christ’s resurrection:
He presented himself alive to them after his suffering by many proofs, appearing to them during forty days and speaking about the kingdom of God. (v. 3)
Luke is the only Scriptural writer who tells us that Christ’s post-resurrection ministry covered forty days. Evidently Jesus appeared at intervals, coming and going from Heaven at will, showing miraculous signs and instructing his disciples “about the kingdom of God.”
Luke’s record of the stunning encounter on the road to Emmaus is a typical example. Christ met the two followers in an altered physical form and “beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he interpreted to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself” (Luke 24:27), so that they later said (Luke 24:32), “Did not our hearts burn within us while he talked to us on the road, while he opened to us the Scriptures?” The picture of those forty days is one of enraptured excitement, unfolding mystery, suspense, and anticipation.
Luke goes on in verses 4, 5:
And while staying with them he ordered them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the promise of the Father, which, he said, “you heard from me; for John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.”
Christ’s conversation with the apostles must have been awesome! It may have even led to all-night rap sessions. What was this baptism “with the Holy Spirit”? Would Jesus take them to the Jordan and rebaptize them? Would they hear a voice from Heaven like Jesus did? Rabbis had said the restoration of Israel’s political fortunes would be marked by the revived activity of God’s Spirit. So now some of the disciples burned with the hope of a political theocracy. Would they themselves be given supernatural powers? Peter probably wanted to go through walls just like the Master had done. What would be their duties? Certainly each one would have a special mission marked with incredible power and great success. They were forbidden to leave Jerusalem for now, but then . . . How long before this would happen? Jesus said, “Not many days from now.” They could not wait!
In the midst of this ongoing, frenzied speculation, Jesus called the eleven together at the crest of the Mount of Olives. The apostolic band was aflame with expectancy.
So when they had come together, they asked him, “Lord, will you at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?” He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or seasons that the Father has fixed by his own authority. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” (vv. 6–8)
These were Jesus’ final earthly words. It has been more than 2,000 years, and Jesus has not during that time planted his feet on terra firma and audibly addressed his followers. Perhaps that silence is intended to prevent anything from obscuring Jesus’ last words, so they will continue to reverberate in the Church’s ears.
Our Lord has laid down in the clearest terms the mission for those who are to follow him. This is the mission of the church that would dare to call itself New Testament—the mandate of apostolic Christianity.
Verse 8 is the key verse of the entire book of Acts. Chapters 1—7 tell of the witness “in Jerusalem,” chapters 8—11 the witness “in all Judea and Samaria,” and chapters 12—28 the witness “to the end of the earth.” This is the foundation on which to build an effervescent, exciting faith.
The Mission Itself
The core commission is seen in the heart of verse 8: “. . . and you will be my witnesses.” We are to be “witnesses” for Christ! This is the recurring message of Acts. For example:
This Jesus God raised up, and of that we all are witnesses. (2:32)
You killed the Author of life, whom God raised from the dead. To this we are witnesses. (3:15)
We are witnesses of all that he did both in the country of the Jews and in Jerusalem. (10:39)
You will be a witness for him to everyone of what you have seen and heard. (22:15)
This witness about Christ is often counterfeited but never duplicated. Perhaps you have had the experience of having some neatly dressed young men come to your door and, after some friendly conversation, invited them in, only to have them set up a flannelgraph while saying something like, “Wouldn’t it be nice if we had prophets today?” They then present an incredible religious maze: the Aaronic priesthood, the priesthood of Melchizedek, a modern prophet from upstate New York (who was heralded by an angel with an Italian name), the Urim and Thummim (i.e., a pair of giant spectacles through which their prophet translated their sacred book), a “plan” that can promote you to the Terrestrial, Celestial, and finally Telestial Heavens, etc. An amazingly complex religious system given under the guise of being a witness for Christ’s latter-day church, their gospel is in reality a complete reversal of the good news of Christ’s grace.
The true witness to which Christ referred is not like that. To be a witness for Christ is to bring a message that is a marvel of simplicity: Jesus Christ is God come in the flesh; he died to pay for our sins; he was resurrected; now he is exalted in Heaven; he calls us to believe in him and so receive forgiveness of sins. This is good news. There is nothing to join, no system to climb—just a person to receive and, in him, eternal life.
Though this witness is simple, it requires costly commitment from its carriers. It radically touches our inner complexities—who we are deep inside. Not only must we have the message, the logos, the Word, but we must also attract the magnificent compliment that Sir Henry Stanley gave David Livingstone after discovering and spending time with him in Central Africa: “If I had been with him any longer, I would have been compelled to be a Christian, and he never spoke to me about it at all.”2 Livingstone’s witness went far beyond mere words.
If we are to be effective witnesses for our Savior, we cannot be water boys in the game of life. We have to roll up our sleeves and pitch in. Our lives must display the inner reality of what we externally proclaim. That is why gospel flames raced across Asia. The apostles walked their talk. That is why Paul was able to reach the Praetorian guards while under arrest in Philippi (see Philippians 1:13). Are we witnesses like that?
This matter of ethos—who we are—demands absolute, soul-searching honesty because it is so easy to deceive ourselves. Those of us with a Bible-believing heritage who constantly hear and talk about spiritual things can by the sheer weight of discussion come to believe that we live up to what we talk about, even if we do not. Being an authentic witness demands an open, tender heart that is always growing in the experience it proclaims.
To be a witness we must have logos—the Word of Christ, ethos—the inner reality of what we proclaim, and pathos—passion. The apostles were passionate for Christ. Observe Peter at Pentecost, Stephen at his stoning, Paul before Felix. They fervently promoted their faith. They were a band of zealous believers who turned their world upside-down.
When George Whitefield was getting the people of Edinburgh out of their beds at five o’clock in the morning to hear his preaching, a man on his way to the church met David Hume, the Scottish philosopher and skeptic. Surprised at seeing him on his way to hear Whitefield, the man said, “I thought you did not believe in the gospel.” Hume replied, “I do not, but he does.”3
The message is simple, but the demand on the messengers is serious. For effective witness, there must be the Word, the inner reality, the passion.
The command to be Christ’s witnesses is for all true believers in him. There are no loopholes. No one can say, “This does not apply to me.” Our honor exceeds that of any worldly ambassador, whether it be mainland China, France, or the private offices of the Prime Minister of England. Christ’s last word to us is, “You will be my witnesses.”
The Mission’s Extent
How far is this witness to spread? “In Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth” (v. 8). We have heard these words so many times that it is difficult to feel their impact. But what a shock these geographical designations must have been to the disciples. Jerusalem? The Lord was crucified there. Judea? They had been rejected there. Samaria? Minister to those half-breeds? The end of the earth? Gentiles too? The words were not only spiritually revolutionary, but socially and ethnically unheard of.
We all know the story. The Lord’s outline was carried out to the letter. Jerusalem was filled with the preaching of the gospel, and 3,000 were saved in one day. Later Philip broke the taboos of Judea and crossed over into Samaria. Social revolution!
Barbarian, Scythian, bond and free, male and female, Jew and Greek, learned and ignorant, clasped hands and sat down at one table, and felt themselves all one in Christ Jesus. They were ready to break all other bonds, and to yield to the uniting forces that streamed out from His Cross. There never had been anything like it. No wonder that the world began to babble about sorcery, and conspiracies, and complicity in unnameable vices.4
The good news of Jesus was even being whispered in Caesar’s own kitchen (see, for example, Philippians 4:22).
How impressive is the scope of the missionary heart. Followers of Christ yearn for the gospel to go to the ends of the earth and into their own community. There can be no burden for distant unreached peoples without a burden for unreached neighbors. Christian believers see that it is their duty to cross over ethnic divisions. Christ demands a world heart! A heart that prays for those at home just as much as for those being touched by overseas missionaries. Jesus’ final words to his Church demand expansive hearts.
Christ’s words taken seriously are nothing less than the declaration of a benevolent war. They are a call for every believer—every forgiven sinner now following Christ—to spend and be spent. Nechayev, a nineteenth-century disciple of Karl Marx, was thrown into prison for his role in the assassination of Czar Alexander II. Prior to his death he wrote:
The revolutionary man is a consecrated man. He has neither his own interests nor concerns nor feelings, no attachment nor property, not even a name. All for him is absorbed in the single exclusive interest in the one thought, in one passion—REVOLUTION.5
Although his motives and goals were wrong, Nechayev stated well the heartbeat of true commitment—the kind needed to accomplish the objectives of the Church, God’s missile of salt and light hurled into the world to proclaim the triumphant message of sins forgiven and lives transformed. Too often we are overly concerned about personal comfort. If the Christian faith is worth believing at all, it is worth believing heroically!
Jesus’ words are a call to zeal, and zeal—fervor, passion, urgent and loving service—is the medium by which the spiritual war is waged. Whether we are at home or bridging society’s barriers or making our way to the ends of the earth, we are to be people of one thing—seeing one thing, caring for one thing, living for one thing—to please God. Whether we live, whether we have health, whether we have sickness, whether we are rich, whether we are poor, whether we get honor, whether we get slain, our deepest desire is to please him. And what does he want? “You will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” The apostles did this, and we are to do likewise. What a call—to be personal witnesses of the Lord Jesus Christ! That is too much—it is too hard! And to demand that it be to the ends of the earth—impossible! That is why our Lord prefaced the statement with a promised provision of power.
The Mission’s Power
“But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you.” There was a brief interlude of about ten days, and then the Holy Spirit came upon the apostles, there were tongues of fire, they spoke in other languages, and spiritual power rolled through them. It was thus no surprise when Peter later walked by the Beautiful Gate, saw a lame man, and said, “I have no silver and gold, but what I do have I give to you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk!” (3:6). And suddenly there was a high-jumping cripple in front of the temple. And again, John and Peter stood before the entire Sanhedrin and said, “Whether it is right in the sight of God to listen to you rather than to God, you must judge, for we cannot but speak of what we have seen and heard” (4:19, 20). Consider also the first gospel concert—in Philippi after Paul and Silas were beat up and tossed into the slammer. Power!
When the Holy Spirit comes upon followers of Christ, the most unlikely people become fountains of power. This spiritual power is always available, and he displays it according to his sovereign plans. God imparts his power when and how he wants to. Years ago when I was a youth pastor I noticed that a lot of young people would show up on Sunday morning, but when it came to Wednesday night Bible study I could hardly get a baker’s dozen. I would have eight, then fifteen, then eight . . . I almost quit. I was so discouraged that I had to depend on the Lord. I remember finally just giving it all to the Lord, and one night when there were only eight a young man came to know Christ. He brought another young man to the group, and he came to know Christ. In two months my group went from fifteen to ninety, and then to 120! I only remember four Wednesday nights out of a year and a half that someone did not trust Christ!
This was a most unlikely occurrence, and it had nothing to do with me. The kids were praying and bringing their friends, and their friends were weeping, repenting, and trusting the Lord. There was life-changing power at work!
The power of the Holy Spirit is the supreme qualification and assurance of Christ’s witnesses. The mission? To be “my witnesses.” The mission’s extent? “In Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” The mission’s power? “. . . when the Holy Spirit has come upon you.”
This is a dramatic text—Christ’s final statement on earth and the key to the book of Acts. But then things became even more dramatic: “And when he had said these things, as they were looking on, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him out of their sight” (v. 9). Some other versions suggest that the cloud came right down onto the mountain. That cloud may have been the Shekinah glory—a visible representation of the pleasure and presence of God. This was the same symbol that Moses had encountered on Sinai when God covered him with his hand so that Moses only saw the afterglow. It was the same cloud that traveled before Israel by day (a pillar of fire by night). It was the cloud that lay over the tabernacle and filled the temple. It was the cloud that Ezekiel saw depart over the east gate. It was the same presence that surrounded Jesus on the Mount of Transfiguration when his face shone forth like the sun (Matthew 17).
The apostles’ hearts were pounding, and their eyes were wide as saucers as God powerfully underscored his Son’s final words to his Church! The truth conveyed through these events should resound in the inner chambers of every believer’s heart.
The ascended Christ was to be the confidence—the flame—of the apostolic movement. Having ascended, he now intercedes for the Church and has sent the Holy Spirit, “another Helper” just like himself (John 14:15). And so we can be his witnesses.
Verses 10, 11 give us the stunning epilogue:
And while they were gazing into heaven as he went, behold, two men stood by them in white robes, and said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into heaven? This Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven.”
The teaching here is clearly meant for a missionary church. “Jesus is returning again—so get going!” How does your life stack up? How does mine? Like a day-old glass of ginger ale? The life of a Christian can and should be exciting, effervescent. The key is genuine commitment to God’s plan. Some of us are moved with such thoughts, but give us an hour watching our favorite sports team and it all vanishes—the worries of this life. Or a young husband and wife who are struggling financially may feel unable to think about anything except their limited funds or an uncertain future, though in actuality that does not exempt them from being witnesses for Christ and following him. Regardless of the particular difficulties confronting us, we are called to be his witnesses.
Commitment is the key to a sparkling, meaningful life. Logos, ethos, pathos—what a life!
Prayer
Our gracious Lord, the call is too high for any of us. But we thank you that the other Comforter who is just like Jesus is not only with us but in us. God, help us to be giving, praying, sacrificing, honest, true, passionate believers, just like the apostles were. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
2
Expectant Prayer
ACTS 1:12–26
ALL OF US FIND the chronicles of the Holy Spirit in Acts thrilling. That book abounds with rousing accounts of apostolic power—for example, Peter’s confrontation of Ananias:
“Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and to keep back for yourself part of the proceeds of the land? . . . You have not lied to man but to God.” When Ananias heard these words, he fell down and breathed his last. (5:3–5)
Consider too Philip’s amazing encounter with the Ethiopian eunuch, who after his baptism “saw him no more” because “the Spirit of the Lord carried Philip away” (8:39). Poof and he was gone. Or Paul who, shipwrecked on Malta, built a fire for warmth, and a poisonous viper grabbed his hand, which he shook off into the fire and continued his conversation (28:3–5). Just another day in the life of an apostle. This is awesome apostolic power!
There was also apostolic eloquence. At Pentecost Peter preached with such conviction that the people “were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, Brothers, what shall we do?’” (2:37). Paul reached such heights of persuasion before Agrippa that the king was forced to exclaim, “Almost thou persuadest me to be a Christian” (26:28 KJV). In such instances the Spirit of God uses the eloquence he has given to his servants to bring about great results in the kingdom.
There was also apostolic joy, for Luke tells us, “And the disciples were filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit” (13:52).
Ordinary people became fountains of divine power, eloquence, and joy. There were outpourings of God’s love and might in Jerusalem, in Samaria, in Caesarea . . . The power of the Holy Spirit erupted in Ephesus and Corinth and Rome, and such divine demonstrations have continued with intermittent flames throughout the course of history since then. Our hearts thrill at the stories of such wonderful times. Today the worldwide Church of Jesus Christ longs for the Spirit’s power, eloquence, and joy!
Jesus promised that when he went away he would send another Helper to his people (John 16:7). God still sovereignly sends the mysterious winds of the Holy Spirit—his power, his comfort, his presence—to those who know and serve Jesus Christ. We do not know exactly why and how the Holy Spirit works, but we have been told what we must do to enjoy the fullness of the Spirit. Our situation is like that of the little boy who asked his grandfather, “Grandpa, what is the wind?” “I cannot explain the wind to you,” the old fisherman replied, “but I can teach you to raise the sails!”1
The book of Acts shows us how to have the wind of the Holy Spirit in our sails. The attitude that makes way for the fullness of the Holy Spirit is the same attitude seen in Christ’s followers just before the Holy Spirit was given on the Day of Pentecost.
Expectant Belief (vv. 12, 13)
In a word, the apostolic attitude that preceded the Holy Spirit’s coming was expectancy. In the forty days between the Lord’s resurrection and ascension he evidently traveled regularly between Heaven and earth. His encounter with the two disciples on the road to Emmaus was typical. The risen Christ would miraculously appear and perhaps perform a confirming sign or teach his followers from the Old Testament Scriptures. As a result, their hearts burned within them. The picture of those forty days was one of spiraling belief and flaming anticipation! There were heart-thumping gatherings in the upper room as one would give his account and then another. Sometimes the Master would come to them right through the walls!
As the days flew by and they obeyed his command to remain in Jerusalem, their optimistic belief and expectancy produced a wonderful but uncomfortable tension. They really believed, but the ascension must have been the capper because as his last earthly instructions were ringing in their ears, they were surrounded by a luminous cloud (the Shekinah glory—the symbol of God’s presence and favor). Then Jesus was gone!
Think of the walk back to Jerusalem after the angels told them to quit looking up and to get going, as described in 1:12: “Then they returned to Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is near Jerusalem, a Sabbath day’s journey away.” It was only about two-thirds of a mile (1,100 meters) because this was all The Mishnah would allow.2 Maybe they started out subdued, overwhelmed, or stunned by the ascension. Some probably were hardly aware that their feet were on the ground. Perhaps some pinched themselves. They returned to Jerusalem with great joy—mega-joy!
They went to the upper room, as verse 13 relates:
And when they had entered, they went up to the upper room, where they were staying, Peter and John and James and Andrew, Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew, James the son of Alphaeus and Simon the Zealot and Judas the son of James.
Though it is speculation, I personally believe this was the same upper room in which our Lord ate the Last Supper with the disciples. The Greek text says, “the upper room” (not just any upper room). If this is correct, it is beautifully fitting that the Holy Spirit was given in the very same room in which Jesus promised him:
And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever, even the Spirit of truth. . . . I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you. (John 14:16–18)
It must have been a large room because 120 would soon squeeze in. In addition to the eleven apostles, there were Jesus’ own mother Mary (this is the last mention of her in Scripture), Jesus’ “brothers” (the very same brothers who had given him so much grief during his ministry, thinking he was out of his mind), and “the women” who had so faithfully ministered to Jesus during his life on earth (v. 14): dear Mary Magdalene, Mary of Clopas, Susanna, Joanna, Mary of Bethany, Martha (in the kitchen no doubt!), and many others. There were surely times when it was difficult for anyone to hear anything!
They stayed together because of one thing: they believed that the Holy Spirit was going to come upon them and they were going to receive promised power. They expected the infilling of the Holy Spirit. They had absolutely no doubt about it. No wavering. No discussion.
The sails must be hoisted to catch the winds of the Holy Spirit through expectant belief. Amazingly, the great R. A. Torrey was once a tongue-tied preacher. His early years in the ministry were torture for him. He preached three times each Sunday and committed his sermons to memory but nearly twisted the top button of his coat off as he forced the sermon out. When he finished, he felt a great sense of relief that his duty was over for another week. But then he would immediately think, “You have to begin tomorrow to get ready for next Sunday.”
The glad day finally came when he realized that when he stood up to preach, though people would see him, there was Another whom they did not see but who stood by his side, and all the responsibility for results was upon his Lord. All Torrey had to do was to get as far back out of sight as possible and let Jesus do the preaching. Torrey came to truly believe what he already believed in principle: the Holy Spirit, sent by Jesus, was in him to do the work. Only then did the power come. From that day on, preaching became the joy of his life. He would rather preach than eat.
The primary problem with believers in this matter of the fullness of the Holy Spirit is their lack of believing expectancy. We believe it is possible for others but not for us. We believe that R. A. Torrey experienced it, and Jonathan Edwards, and Corrie ten Boom, and Joni Eareckson Tada, but it is out of our reach. Such thinking is misinformed. What needs to happen here? We do not have to broaden our belief or enlarge our understanding. We simply need to really believe—and so act upon—what we say we believe. Do we truly expect Christ to fill us with his Holy Spirit and thus empower our lives?
Expectant Prayer (v. 14)
Along with the apostles’ confident anticipation came trusting prayer.
All these with one accord were devoting themselves to prayer, together with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and his brothers. (v. 14)
Persistence. “All these with one accord were devoting themselves to prayer.” A. T. Robertson says this means, “they stuck to praying.”3 There was a commitment to prayer! The text reads literally, “were continually devoting themselves to the prayer,” which suggests there may have been an appointed service of prayer. The last verse in Luke adds that they “were continually in the temple blessing God” (Luke 24:53). Sometimes they were in the temple and sometimes in the upper room, but they were persistent.
The one who wants his sail full of the breeze of the Spirit must have such perseverance in prayer. In Luke 11:13 Jesus says, “. . . how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!” We must ask, but persistence is the key. A hurried request soon forgotten and unrepeated will produce no fruit. Jesus prefaced his statement with the story of the man who went to his neighbor at night to borrow food for an unexpected guest and only received what he wanted by repeatedly banging on the door.
I tell you, though he will not get up and give him anything because he is his friend, yet because of his impudence he will rise and give him whatever he needs. And I tell you, ask [literally, keep asking], and it will be given to you; seek [literally, keep seeking], and you will find; knock [literally, keep knocking], and it will be opened to you. (Luke 11:8, 9)
The apostolic band believed so fully and fervently that they could not help but pray with persistence!
Unity. “All these with one accord were devoting themselves to prayer.” This is amazing! Eleven disciples—strong-willed men, the kind who argued over who was going to get the best seat in the kingdom and who refused to wash one another’s feet; Jesus’ brothers who had been so perverse as to reject his messiahship; his mother and a whole houseful of women—rich, poor, chaste, unchaste—“all ” of them were of one mind—literally, “of one heart and mind.” How? They were all looking up to Christ at the same time for the same thing.
The Lord is pleased to pour his Spirit upon believers who are living in unity. At the end of Acts 4, the Church is described as being “of one heart and soul,” with the result that “great grace” and “great power” came upon them (4:32, 33). The breeze of the Holy Spirit refreshes the life of those who dwell in unity—those who through faith in Christ forgive, make restitution, and seek the healing and affirmation of others.
Dependence. Many years ago the great Bible teacher William R. Newell was concluding a conference in China for China Inland Mission, and as he left he said to the mission’s leader, “Oh, do pray for me that I shall be nothing!” The director responded with a twinkle in his eye, “Newell, you are nothing! Take it by faith!”4 The upper-room fellowship knew this implicitly. They knew that by themselves they could do nothing.
Some have criticized the apostles for resorting to the drawing of lots to discover Judas’ replacement. Such critics forget two things: 1) Drawing lots was the time-honored way of determining God’s will in Israel. Proverbs 16:33 says, “The lot is cast into the lap, but its every decision is from the LORD.” 2) Even in the casting of lots the apostles cast themselves completely on God for the outcome in dependent prayer. The fullness of the Holy Spirit comes to those with poverty of spirit, to those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, to those who rely wholly on God.
A Final Word
As believers we have received the full benefit of Christ’s body and blood. Yet we can never have enough of Christ. Almost always when I am dining out, the waitress will say, “Can I warm your coffee?” I almost always respond, “Yes.” No matter how hot the cup, given time and neglect, it becomes cold. Some of us need a spiritual warm-up. Some of us are almost empty. We need the refreshing filling or refilling of the Holy Spirit.
Would you like the wind of the Spirit in your sails? Believe that Christ will do just as he said. Join the expectancy of the upper-room fellowship. Believe that it is possible not only for others, but that it will happen to you. Ask expectantly. Ask him to fill your cup and make it overflow. Ask for the wonderful winds of God! “. . . how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!” (Luke 11:13).
Prayer
O God, forgive us for being content with our own resources. Help us to recognize our poverty and to then call to you for the riches of the power of the Holy Spirit. And once we ask, help us to expect you to answer and provide. Help us to continue ever in sincere, heart-felt prayer, knowing that without you nothing good will transpire in our lives. May our sails be full with the wind of your Spirit as we carry out high adventures for your glory, in your strength. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
3
Pentecost
ACTS 2:1–13
AMONG THE MOST TREASURED MEMORIES of my years as a young father are my family’s celebrations of the Fourth of July. A kaleidoscope of recollections comes to mind—our good friends and their children, backyard hotdogs and hamburgers, my wife Barbara’s potato salad and apple pie, annual grudge-match touch football games, skinned elbows and bruised egos. Most of all I remember the children: shirts off, sunburned shoulders, tummies out, sticky, dirt-colored hands, and hair that at the end of the day looked and smelled like damp chicken feathers.
And of course the fireworks. I discovered early on that the best show is not the fireworks but the children’s faces. Their expression of sheer joy and wide-eyed abandon is first white with the reflection of the phosphorus, then changes hues as the display continues, finally turning amber and then disappearing as the flame goes out, only to begin all over again.
While the departing luminous cloud at the ascension of Christ must have been an extraordinary sight, even more remarkable were the apostles’ countenances. “They were gazing into heaven as he went” (1:10). Imagine the rapture on their faces as they gazed upward until the cloud was only a spark in their eyes and the angels told them to get moving.
Those uplifted eyes set the tone for the ten days that followed as they looked for Christ’s return via the indwelling of the Holy Spirit and an influx of spiritual power. They really did believe that Christ was going to send the Holy Spirit. There was no doubt. No wavering. Their confidence made them ready to have their cups filled and warmed with the Holy Spirit.
Also, during that ten-day wait between the ascension and Pentecost they became increasingly aware of their need to be filled. During Christ’s life they had known his exhilarating presence. Even during the forty days between the Resurrection and ascension they had repeatedly been blessed by his visits. But during these ten days the disciples undoubtedly felt empty. They were more aware than ever of the importance of their Savior’s presence—and now he was gone. The Master’s words recorded in John 15:5, “Apart from me you can do nothing,” were forever embedded in their consciousness. But their profound emptiness, as trying as it was, made them ready for Pentecost.
What happened to the apostolic band when the Holy Spirit came at Pentecost, what happens when the Holy Spirit personally fills us, and how can we prepare for it?
What Happened to the Apostles at Pentecost (vv. 1–4)
Verse 1 tells us that “the day of Pentecost” had arrived. This was fifty days after Passover, and that is what Pentecost means—“the fiftieth.” (It came literally as a week of weeks after Passover and was also called “The Feast of Weeks.”) Passover occurred in mid-April, so Pentecost was at the beginning of June. It was the best-attended of the great feasts because traveling conditions were at their best. There was never a more cosmopolitan gathering in Jerusalem than this one. It was the perfect time for the descent of the Holy Spirit of God.
A divinely arranged appropriateness in the feast of Pentecost provides the background for the giving of the Holy Spirit. Originally regarded as the “feast of the firstfruits,” it was emphasized by a special offering of two baked loaves made from freshly gathered wheat, designated in Leviticus 23:17 as “firstfruits to the LORD.” As the day of the firstfruits, Pentecost was eminently appropriate for the bestowal of the Holy Spirit and the conversion of 3,000 souls—firstfruits of an even greater harvest.
It was also fitting because by the time of Christ Pentecost was considered the anniversary of the giving of the Law on Mount Sinai, and thus it provided a perfect opportunity to contrast the giving of the Law with the giving of the Spirit. “The Spirit’s coming is in continuity of God’s purpose in giving the law and yet . . . the Spirit’s coming signals the essential difference between the Jewish faith and commitment to Jesus . . . the former is Torah-centered and Torah-directed, the latter is Christ-centered and Spirit-directed.”1 Pentecost occurred by divine arrangement.
What happened on that special day?
When the day of Pentecost arrived, they were all together in one place. And suddenly there came from heaven a sound like a mighty rushing wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. And divided tongues as of fire appeared to them and rested on each one of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance. (vv. 1–4)
As the apostles’ heads were bowed in prayer, a breeze began to move across them, and then it was more than a breeze. Literally, “an echoing sound as of a mighty wind borne violently”2 roared through the house like the whir of a tornado, so that their robes flapped wildly. The Spirit of God was coming upon them! A fiery presence was in their midst, and (as the Greek indicates) it suddenly divided into separate flame-like tongues that individually danced over the heads of those present. Fire had always meant the presence of God. Through John the Baptist, God had promised a baptism with fire (Matthew 3:11), and now it was here. They were “filled with the Holy Spirit” and in an electrifying instant began to speak in other languages—literally, “as the Spirit continued giving them to speak out in a clear, loud voice.”3 They spoke as clearly and powerfully as the Old Testament prophets.
This event may seem esoteric and mysterious, with its “wind,” “fire,” and supernatural utterance. It has a primal ring like the Greeks’ earth, fire, wind, and water. But in the Jewish context the phenomenon was perfectly understandable. The Hebrew word for “wind,” ruah, and the Greek word pneuma are both used for the Holy Spirit. Ezekiel used ruah to describe the Spirit of God moving over a valley of dry bones (representing a spiritually dead Jewish nation), so that suddenly there was thunder 4 and the clattering of bones as they came together bone to bone. Then came the wonderfully macabre spectacle of growing sinews and flesh, and finally skin, and then Ezekiel’s words at God’s command:
Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe on these slain, that they may live . . . they lived and stood on their feet, an exceedingly great army. (Ezekiel 37:9, 10)
At Pentecost, the reviving winds of the Spirit came upon the apostles with incredible spiritual life and power. In a future day this will achieve final fulfillment in the Messianic Age. The apostles now had God’s life-giving Spirit in a more intimate and powerful way than they had ever known—than anyone had ever known.
First “wind,” then “fire.” Fire is a symbol of God’s presence throughout the Bible, beginning with Moses and the burning bush (Exodus 3:2–4) and continuing with the consuming fire on Mount Sinai (Exodus 24:17). The fire at Pentecost indicated God’s presence, just as its resting on Israel demonstrated a corporate unity. However, a new significance came when the fire divided into flames dancing over the individual apostles. The Spirit now rests upon each believer individually. The emphasis from Pentecost onward is on the personal relationship of God to the believer through the Holy Spirit. The inner pillar of fire burns away our dross, flames forth from our inner being, and brings to us a sense of God’s presence and power. The fire of God!
First “wind,” then “fire,” then divinely empowered utterance. In the Old Testament, inspired speech was regularly associated with the Spirit’s coming upon God’s servants, as in the case of Eldad and Medad (Numbers 11:26–29) and of Saul (1 Samuel 10:6–12). Pentecost was the day par excellence of such speech. To the observant Jew, it was easy to see that the Holy Spirit had come. When he comes to God’s people, he brings wind, fire, and utterance.
How did the apostles feel when the heavens began to roar so loudly that the sound attracted a vast multitude from all corners of Jerusalem? Surely there were some involuntary gasps or cries of surprise in the upper room. What was it like when the flames began flashing over their heads and they began speaking languages they did not know? Some began to speak in perfect Latin, others in an authentic Phrygian dialect. The burning expectancy of the last fifty days, the persistent emptiness, was suddenly fulfilled. What did they feel in relation to God and to one another? We get some idea from Ephesians 5:18–21, where Paul carefully explains the experience by first counseling the Ephesians to be filled and then explains what this means in four subordinate participles.
What Happened in the Apostles at Pentecost (v. 4; Ephesians 5:18–21)
Do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit, addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with your heart, giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ. (Ephesians 5:18–21)
There was communication! They were to “address one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs.” On Pentecost and the following days, through the work of the Holy Spirit, believers were united in the core of their beings, they shared the same secret, and they discovered a depth and joy of communication they had not previously known. This spiritual exchange was best expressed by reading and teaching the Scriptures and by worshipping God with music.
My own experience has borne this out in my relationship with my wife. If we are both filled with the Holy Spirit and are open to God, there is wonderfully fulfilling communication. I have also found this dramatically true in my ministry experiences at camps and weekend retreats. Often when a retreat begins everyone is at arm’s length. Some know Christ, some do not. Some are walking with the Lord, and others are not. But as the Spirit’s ministry takes effect, some confess Christ and allow themselves to be filled with the Holy Spirit and to appropriate the fullness of God. Everyone revels in the joy of the Lord at such times. Where there is the fullness of the Holy Spirit, there is communication.
There was also joy! They were to be “singing and making melody to the Lord with [their] heart.” The inner music of their souls went right up to God. One of the memorable figures of the great Welsh revival was Bill Bray, the Cornish coal miner. Billy was so alive that when he would descend the shaft in the morning he would pray, “Lord, if any of us must be killed today, let it be me; let not one of these men die, for they are not happy and I am.”5 He was preeminently a man of joy. Once, in a somber meeting when the people were commiserating over their difficulties,
he arose smiling, and clapping his hands said: “Well, friends, I have been taking vinegar and honey but, praise the Lord, I have had the vinegar with a spoon and the honey with a ladle.” His testimony was always one of joy and victory. Speaking concerning the Lord, he said: “He has made me glad and no one can make me sad; He makes me shout and no one can make me doubt; He it is that makes me dance and leap, and there is no one that can keep down my feet.”6
He would have fit right in with those in the upper room. Acts 2:11 says they were “telling in [their] own tongues the mighty works of God.”
There was also thanksgiving. They were “giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father.” Such action is supernatural. Certainly the apostles were not that way before the Spirit came upon them.
They were also in subjection to one another. As Paul says, “Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ.” This had not previously been a part of the apostolic disposition. Their earlier concerns were more like who was going to get the chair next to Jesus in the kingdom. Jesus washed their feet because they refused to serve one another. But with the coming of the Holy Spirit, they became able to submit to one another.
What a transformation! In all the emotion and ecstasy of Pentecost, this was going on deep down inside, and it then flowed out to others. Certainly there was only one Pentecost historically, but the benefits of the filling remain, and they are wonderful—a communicative spirit; a joyful spirit; a thankful spirit; and a yielding, serving spirit.
What Happened through the Apostles at Pentecost (vv. 5–13)
Now there were dwelling in Jerusalem Jews, devout men from every nation under heaven. And at this sound the multitude came together, and they were bewildered, because each one was hearing them speak in his own language. And they were amazed and astonished, saying, “Are not all these who are speaking Galileans? And how is it that we hear, each of us in his own native language? Parthians and Medes and Elamites and residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya belonging to Cyrene, and visitors from Rome, both Jews and proselytes, Cretans and Arabians—we hear them telling in our own tongues the mighty works of God.” (vv. 5–11)
The rushing wind brought together a great crowd, and the apostles stepped forth from the upper room and began to proclaim the gospel in the languages of the day. Their hearers were amazed because they saw that these men were Galileans—ignorant, despised country bumpkins who had funny accents because they could not pronounce gutturals. But suddenly they had amazing linguistic powers. No matter what dialect he was using, each of the Twelve held forth on “the mighty works of God.”
The result? “All were amazed and perplexed, saying to one another, ‘What does this mean?’ But others mocking said, ‘They are filled with new wine’” (vv. 12, 13). Some committed the fatal error of attributing the supernatural to natural causes. They were “modern men.” Spiritually indifferent, they flippantly made light of the most important things of life and went on their self-sufficient way. Others were “amazed”—literally, “distraught”—and utterly at a loss saying, “What does this mean?” These honest hearers sought answers, and wonderfully, as the chapter goes on to record, some three thousand believed that day and were saved. What grace!
“What does this mean?” It means that the Holy Spirit brings new life to those who believe in Jesus Christ, and with that life comes a continuing power to those who are continually filled. It means fire in our lives, individually burning away the chaff and flaming out to those around us. It means the truth of God going forth from us in a way we would never have dreamed of—the divine utterance of God through us. It means communication, joy, thankfulness, submission.
What does this require of us? The same thing it required from the apostles and those three thousand followers—emptiness
