Pentecost Revisited: The Holy Ghost is Still Available to All!

Trevor S Ferguson

May 23, 2021

 

Acts 2:1-8, 14-18, 37-39 (KJV)
1 And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place.
2 And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting.
3 And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them.
4 And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.
5 And there were dwelling at Jerusalem Jews, devout men, out of every nation under heaven.
6 Now when this was noised abroad, the multitude came together, and were confounded, because that every man heard them speak in his own language.
7 And they were all amazed and marvelled, saying one to another, Behold, are not all these which speak Galilaeans?
8 And how hear we every man in our own tongue, wherein we were born?

 

14 But Peter, standing up with the eleven, lifted up his voice, and said unto them, Ye men of Judaea, and all ye that dwell at Jerusalem, be this known unto you, and hearken to my words:
15 For these are not drunken, as ye suppose, seeing it is but the third hour of the day.
16 But this is that which was spoken by the prophet Joel;
17 And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams:
18 And on my servants and on my handmaidens I will pour out in those days of my Spirit; and they shall prophesy:

 

37 Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do?

38 Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.

39 For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call.

 

 

INTRODUCTION

Today is recognized in the Christian calendar as Pentecost Sunday. In current Christian tradition, Pentecost is celebrated on the fiftieth day after Easter Sunday and commemorates the outpouring of the Holy Ghost, which occurred on the Day of Pentecost, fifty days after the resurrection of Jesus Christ. In Jewish tradition Pentecost was one of three major Jewish Festivals, called the Feast of Weeks, Feast of Harvest or the Day of the First Fruits. This was celebrated fifty days after the Passover and commemorated the beginning of the wheat harvest. Some have also associated the feast of Pentecost with the giving of the law at Sinai. The feast of Pentecost was first mentioned in Exodus 23 and additional details given in Leviticus 23. All Jewish males were required to gather in the sanctuary on the day of Pentecost. This requirement for gathering of all males occurred only two other times in the Jewish calendar, i.e., the feast of the Passover and the Feast of Tabernacles. Given this requirement, devout Jews from every nation would gather in Jerusalem for the Day of Pentecost.

Today we revisit the events on the first Christian Pentecost, to remind ourselves of the significance of this day and reflect on lessons to be learned from this first Pentecost. We emphasize today that the Holy Ghost is still available to all!

 

EXPOSITION

The bible tells us the Jesus was seen on earth for forty days after his resurrection and that prior to his ascension, recorded in Luke 24 and Acts 1, he commanded the that his disciples should wait on the promise of the father, before beginning their ministry as witnesses of him (Luke 24:49; Acts 1:4). Acts 1:4-5 and verse 8 are summarizes Jesus’ instructions prior to his ascension.

“And, being assembled together with them, commanded them that they should not depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the promise of the Father, which, saith he, ye have heard of me. For John truly baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence.” (Acts 1:4-5)

“But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.” (Acts 1:8)

These verses clearly show that the Holy Ghost was promised by Jesus and was required for ministry.

The apostles along with other disciples, totalling approximately 120 believers, acted in obedience to Jesus’ instruction, found an upper room in Jerusalem and waited in prayer and supplication for the fulfilment of Jesus’ promise. The day of Pentecost proved to be this momentous occasion! The details are all recorded in Act 2. The world would be changed forever by the events of Pentecost. Luke’s record is clear and powerful. Let’s look again to Act 2:1-4.

 

And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them.  And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.

 

This account demonstrates to power of God to intervene in world affairs. While the disciples were probably expecting something spectacular, this must have blown them away! In the midst of a quiet prayer meeting, Jesus shows up and changes things forever!

First there was the sound – a mighty rushing wind. Then there was the vision – cloven tongues like fire. Then there was the experience – the infilling of the Holy Ghost; the Spirit of God taking residence in the heart of the believers. After that it was impossible to remain silent! The Bible says they began to speak with other tongues as the Spirit gave them ability to speak.

The choice of day was Divine! Right there to witness everything were Jews from virtually every nation with varied languages. They probably heard the sound of the wind, and then heard the noise resulting from the exuberant expressions of joy from the disciples, new filled with the Holy Ghost. The people were amazed, asking one another, how is it that these Galileans were now suddenly able to speak multiple languages. Of course, there were also doubters, suggesting that the marvelous event they were witnessing was due to a state of drunkenness.

Peter was quick to set the record straight. This experience had nothing to do with drunkenness; given the early time, only persons with severe alcoholism would have had an opportunity to get drunk so early. Peter however clarified that this was instead the fulfilment of Joel’s prophesy.

And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams. And on my servants and on my handmaidens I will pour out in those days of my Spirit; and they shall prophesy. (Acts 2:17-18 KJV).

Peter went on to complete his sermon showing that what they were witnessing, was a direct result of Jesus’ ministry. Although the Jews had crucified and killed Jesus Christ, God had raised him from the dead, consistent with David’s prophesy that the Christ would not remain in the grave, nor would his body be allowed to decay. Peter and the rest of the apostles were living witnesses of these things. Jesus of Nazareth, the same Jesus who was crucified, is risen from the dead and was now Lord and Christ.

 

Acts 2:37 tells us that after Peter’s message a great conviction fell upon the people, who then asked what should be done in response to this revelation. Peter then gave what has become, for many, the key verse of New Testament salvation.

Acts 2:38 presents the first stated doctrine of salvation in the church age and reflects the teaching and practice of all the apostles and members in the early church.

“Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.”

Let me emphasize this. The message of salvation taught by Peter, the 11 Apostles, Paul, and all the leaders of the early church was repentance, water baptism in the name of Jesus and the infilling of the Holy Ghost! This was not a mistake or misrepresentation of the instructions Jesus gave. It fulfils all the commands in Matthew 28:19-20, Mark 16: 15-18 and Luke 24:46-49. The precedence from church history is extremely clear. The early church baptized in the name of Jesus Christ and expected all believers to receive the baptism of the Holy Ghost. I encourage all Christians to read the passages carefully and act accordingly.

I would like to bring this message to a close by emphasizing three key points (take home messages) to be noted from Acts 2:

Point #1: The Baptism of Holy Ghost was a definite and distinctive experience.

There is no still birth! When someone receives the Holy Ghost, they will know that something special has happened and will be able to pinpoint the day and time it happened.  (For me: February 23, 1986; night service, Beulah Pentecostal Temple). Galatians 4:6 tells us that God send forth the Spirit of his Son in our hearts crying Abba Father. Just as in the natural when we expect to hear a baby cry at birth as a sign of new life, when someone receives the Holy Ghost, we expect to hear a cry as a sign of this new birth.

The sign observed in the book of Acts is speaking in tongues. Several passages in expressly states that that the people spoke with tongues when they received the Holy Ghost. We see this in Acts 2:4; Acts 10:44-46 and Acts 19:6. Speaking tongues or glossolalia as termed by some, involves speaking a language that the believer has never learnt. It is not gibberish or incoherent syllables. It is an actual language, which may be known or unknown, or as Paul describes it in 1^st Corinthians 13, this may be the tongues of men or of angels.

Note also that speaking in tongues is not just for special situations where people need to hear the gospel in their own language. In fact, on the day of Pentecost all the Jews understood the Jewish language. There was no language barrier between Peter and the household of Cornelius, neither was there a language barrier between Paul and the men at Ephesus. Tongues therefore are a sign both to the believer and the onlooker as a supernatural act of God to verify the infilling with his Spirit.

 

Point #2: All believers in Jesus Christ should receive the Holy Ghost.

All 120 believers on the Day of Pentecost received the Holy Ghost. There was an unusual emphasis on the word all in Acts 2. In fact, the word all occurs 15 times in 13 of the 47 verses in Acts 2. I will just reference a few

Acts 2:1 – ALL with one accord in one place.

Acts 2:4 – ALL filled with the Holy Ghost.

Acts 2:32 – …  whereof we are ALL witnesses.

Acts 2:36 – Let ALL the house of Israel know assuredly …

Acts 2:38 uses similar terminology – repent and be baptized ever one of you …

There is a deliberate emphasis on ensuring that this was not a limited opportunity offering, but all those who desire to receive the baptism of the Holy Ghost can have it.

 

Point #3: The Promise of the Holy Ghost is Still Available Today

Acts 2:39 is a critical verse here: “For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call.” The promise is extended to as many as the Lord shall call. If God called you, then the Holy Ghost is promised to you!

What then do you to do to receive the Holy Ghost? There are only two absolute requirements – repentance and faith. God will not come to dwell in a vessel marred by sin. We must repent. Repentance refers to a godly sorrow for sin, recognizing that we have sinned, asking God for forgiveness and pledging to live righteously, thereafter. Secondly, if we come to God, we must believe in Him – Hebrews 11:6.

“But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.”

If we truly believe by faith and repent of our sins God will come in and fill us with the Holy Ghost – any day and any time. The promise is still available to you today!

 

APPLICATION & CONCLUSION

On this Pentecost Sunday, we have revisited the events of the first Pentecost and the marvelous events that heralded the beginning church age. Just as God stepped in on the first Pentecost, he can step into your life right now. Open your heart and let him come in.

We have also been reminded that the Holy Ghost is available to all believers. If you have not yet received the Holy Ghost, right now is a good time. Repent of all your sins. Believe God with all your heart. Come expecting a blessing. God is ready and willing to pour out His Spirit in you!!

 

ADDITIONAL SCRIPTURES:

Matthew 28:19-20 (KJV)
¹⁹  Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:
²⁰  Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.

 

Mark 16:15-18 (KJV)
¹⁵  And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.
¹⁶  He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.
¹⁷  And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues;
¹⁸  They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover.

 

Luke 24:46-49 (KJV)
⁴⁶  And said unto them, Thus it is written, and thus it behoved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day:
⁴⁷  And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.
⁴⁸  And ye are witnesses of these things.
⁴⁹  And, behold, I send the promise of my Father upon you: but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on high.

 

John 5:43 (KJV)
⁴³  I am come in my Father's name, and ye receive me not: if another shall come in his own name, him ye will receive.

John 14:26 (KJV)

²⁶  But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.