A Sermon by William Nixon
Acts 2:16,17. But this is that which was spoken by the prophet Joel; and it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh . . .
- Consider the position of Christ and of His apostles, when this pouring out of the Spirit took place on the Day of Pentecost. Having died for the redemption of all that were given to Him in the everlasting covenant, He had risen again; and having shown Himself alive by many infallible proofs, He had ascended to heaven. His followers were to see Him no more in this world, in His bodily presence, until He comes at last in glory, to raise the dead and judge mankind. Formally clothed with all power in heaven and earth, He had begun to establish His kingdom among men and had left His disciples behind to take care of its interests and to labour for its advancement.
The disciples themselves were beginning to get rid of their carnal notions that the Messiah would have an outward, temporal reign and to have their eyes opened to the spirituality of the dispensation which Jesus had introduced and would employ them to establish. Left in the world with such a charge and encompassed with difficulties and dangers, they now felt more deeply than before that nothing but special guidance and strength from on high could direct their minds, support their hearts, and establish their work. Yet they were not so comfortless as might have been expected from their former state of mind. They had begun to realise that their Lord had not forsaken them, and to look for such tokens of His presence and power as would prove that He was still with them in a very effectual manner.
Various circumstances were leading them to expect, and to prepare for, a special visitation from their ascended Lord. He had again and again promised that, as the result of His bodily departure, He would send the Comforter, the Spirit of truth, to dwell in them and to abide with them for ever.
They were now waiting with prayerful expectation for the fulfilment of this promise. Further, they were now beginning more adequately to understand the glory of Christ, as Head over all things to the Church, and as still truly with them, though unseen – as still with them in respect of His divine presence and almighty power and of His all-sufficiency and faithfulness, as their Redeemer and Lord. They felt strong in Him and in the power of His might. They also had their minds filled with altogether-new views, both of this world and of the next, of the shadowy nature of things seen and temporal
1Taken, with editing from Nixon’s volume, All and in All: the Relations of Christ as God: Creator and Redeemer. Nixon (1803-1900) was a minister in Montrose.
and of the greatness of the things that are unseen and eternal, of the vanishing nature of the heaviest earthly trials before them and of the enduring glory to which they now felt destined. They were manifestly filled from above with anticipations of the coming of the Spirit and with a readiness to receive Him.
In fact, the Spirit was already in them – secretly and silently, yet strongly and irresistibly – drawing out their desires, enlarging their expectations and enlivening their hopes of His remarkable descent. Carnal lusts were now repressed. Earthly ambition was gone. Pride and jealousy had vanished. Guilty fear had fled. The spirit of unholy rivalry had left them. They were clothed with deep humility. Holy love to God and to one another filled their hearts and influenced all their conduct. Or ever they were aware, their soul made them “as the chariots of Amminadab”, in the swiftness of their approach to the presence of the divine glory. Living faith and hope carried them near to God, conveyed them within the veil, brought them near to the eternal throne, and bound and held them fast to Christ, as one in Him – indeed, one with Him – and as ready, waiting and expecting to be filled out of His fulness.
This was the state of preparation into which the disciples were brought for the reception of the richest blessings from on high. And these blessings were not withheld. For while they were with one accord in one place, “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 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.”
From that hour, the apostles clearly perceived, and boldly proclaimed, the true glory of Christ and the spiritual nature of His salvation. The views of Christ and of His salvation, however, that henceforth filled their minds were in reality due, as we shall more particularly notice, not to the miraculous gifts of the Spirit, but to the inward illuminating power with which He accompanied His gifts. At the same time, so remarkably did the Holy Spirit of Christ then work in their minds, and in the minds of those who crowded to hear them, that multitudes trembled and cried out under convictions of their sin and danger, and as many as 3000 were savingly converted to Christ.
2. The threefold manner in which the Spirit came down that day.
(1.) In His miraculous gifts. He came with a sound that arrested every ear and riveted every heart. He came as a wind, denoting the spiritual life and strength with which He fills the soul. He came suddenly, to mark His sovereignty in working when and where He pleases. He came as a rushing, mighty wind that filled the house, to mark the resistless force with which He acts in
the subjects of His grace. And, more impressively still, He rested on the disciples in the form of cloven tongues of fire.
To punish the pride and impiety of the builders of the tower at Babel, and to put an end to their designs, God confounded their language and so scattered them. Ever since, this difference of language has prevented the nations of the earth from combining as effectually for evil as they might otherwise have done. But now that the gospel was to be spread as the means of reuniting mankind in a holy bond of love to God and to one another, the gift of tongues miraculously came on the disciples, by which they could preach the gospel to all nations.
At the same time, to symbolise the power of the Spirit which was to be put forth through the gospel, to consume the corruptions of sinners and to kindle in their hearts the love of God, the cloven tongues that came down upon the disciples were tongues of fire. Though that miraculous gift was only for that time, the account of it leaves Christ’s followers under an obligation to master all the languages of earth and through them to convey His gospel to every creature under heaven. Moreover, this miraculous descent of the Spirit served to strengthen the faith of the disciples in their Redeemer. It further proclaimed to the unbelieving His Deity and Messiahship and His disciples’ commission to spread His name throughout the earth. And it served the more immediate purpose of arresting the attention of the multitudes who were then in Jerusalem for the feast, from every nation under heaven, and of bringing them in crowds around the apostles to listen to their words.
But it should be carefully noticed that the miraculous gifts were not sufficient, then or at any other time, to convert those who witnessed them, or even to convert those who possessed them. Balaam, through the Spirit of God upon him, uttered lofty prophecies of Christ and the Church; yet he lived and died a wicked man. Many who have cast out devils, will be disowned by Jesus at the last day and driven from His presence as workers of iniquity. The sight of all the outward glories of heaven and of all the outward horrors of hell are not sufficient to turn any sinner from the love of sin to the love of God.
It was not the outward glory in which Jesus appeared to Paul that changed him from a persecutor into a preacher of the truth. His companions saw that glory too, but seem to have risen up again and to have departed as ungodly as before. It was because the Holy Spirit inwardly illuminated his mind and regenerated his heart that he became at that moment a new creature. Hence he afterwards refers his change, not to the outward glory he saw but to the divine work wrought by the Spirit in his heart, saying, “When it pleased God . . . to reveal His Son in me . . .” (Gal 1:15,16).
No outward displays of the divine power and glory will change the hearts
of sinners. And so when the disciples returned to Jesus, gladdened by the mighty works which they had performed through His name, He said, “In this rejoice not, that the spirits are subject unto you; but rather rejoice because your names are written in heaven”. We know from the nature of the case – as well as from Scripture, including the narrative in this chapter – the source of the spiritual effects wrought in those on whom the Spirit was poured out on the Day of Pentecost. These effects were accomplished, not by the miraculous gifts, but by the power over their consciences and hearts that He exercised through the truth proclaimed in their hearing. This will be seen by considering the Spirit’s other operations, as recorded in this chapter.
(2.) The Spirit came down that day in His common operations. By these are meant those influences under which hearers of the gospel are so far convinced and affected, without being savingly changed. As an example of what is meant, see how Peter preached and how his hearers were affected. After defending his brethren and himself from the charge of intoxication, he told them that, as foretold by God, the Spirit had now come; that for them to resist the Spirit would bring down the heaviest judgements; that all who truly called on the Lord would be saved; that Jesus Christ was the only Mediator and had proved His mission by His works; that though they had wickedly crucified Him, God raised Him from the dead; that His resurrection was foretold by David; that they, His followers, had witnessed, and now proclaimed, that the miraculous descent of the Spirit from Christ that day proved both His resurrection and His exaltation at the right hand of power; that David had predicted this exaltation when he said, “The Lord said unto My Lord, Sit thou at My right hand, until I make Thine enemies Thy footstool” (Ps 110:1); and that it now remained for them and all the house of Israel to know assuredly that God had made that same Jesus, whom they had crucified, both Lord and Christ.
Now Peter’s close application of the truth was rendered effective by what we term the common operations of the Spirit, to the extent of greatly awakening many of the Jews. We learn this from verse 37: “Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said to Peter, and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do?” Such a sight of their conduct to the Lord Jesus came upon them as filled them for a time with terror, and under the power of an accusing conscience, they cried out for deliverance from their danger. But – and this ought to be particularly noticed – though they were convinced of sin, they were not, at this point, turned from it; they were not forgiven by God. They were filled with fear, but not humbled. They had not become true penitents, true believers. They were not truly brought nigh to God by Jesus Christ. This is evident from what Peter called on them
to do when he found them in that state: “Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sin, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost” (v 38).
Up to that point, therefore, they had not yet repented; they had not yet been forgiven and born again. And so, had they gone no further in their ideas and feelings, they would have continued carnally minded and condemned and would have perished in their sins. Yet the alarm which they felt was owing to a work of the Spirit on their minds, through the instrumentality of the Word which Peter preached; for it is the Spirit who, even to that extent, convinces of sin. Similar convictions and alarms are felt by many who sit under a faithfully-preached gospel; in them, after all, these convictions and alarms at length cease without having led them to saving results. In the case of others, such convictions end in their eternal conversion from sin to God through the continued operation of the Spirit of God upon them.
(3.) On the Day of Pentecost, the Spirit came down in saving power. To see this, observe how Peter addressed the awakened multitudes, and the final, decisive results of his address in the case of 3000 of them. He said to 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. 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.” Then, as we are further told, “with many other words did he testify and exhort, saying, Save yourselves from this untoward generation”. The saving effects of these appeals are next specified: “Then they that gladly received the word were baptized, and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls . . .” (vv 41-47).
Their experience of salvation filled them with inexpressible thankfulness and joy. They clung to the servants of Christ, through whose ministry they found themselves thus brought nigh to God. They felt sweetly bound to one another in the bonds of mutual love, as one in Christ and heirs together of eternal life. They constantly communed together in sanctified conversation and they daily drew near to God in prayer as children of His ransomed family. So clear were their views and so deep their feelings as to the littleness of time, with all its interests, and of the greatness of eternity. And so great was their love to Jesus, and to one another for His sake, that such of them as had any worldly property shared it readily with their poorer brethren, so that “they had all things common”.
No discords were found among so loving a company, for they kept together with one accord. All the springs of their happiness were in God, for “they continued daily in the temple”. Mutual love prompted mutual fellowship, for they were “breaking bread from house to house”. Even their common meals
were sanctified into feasts of Christian love and joy, for they “did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart”. Indeed their entire life was one of continued thanksgiving and of uninterrupted access to God, as well as of remarkable acceptance with all around, for they were daily “praising God, and having favour with all the people”. And their consistent testimony to the truth was wonderfully blessed for the conversion of their neighbours, for “the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved”.
The effects of the Word preached that day show the nature of the Spirit’s saving work. If the 3000 then brought to salvation felt their lost condition and their need of redemption, it was because the Spirit convinced them of sin, righteousness and judgement. If they were truly enlightened, it was because the Spirit guided them into the truth. If they were savingly changed, it was by the washing of regeneration and the renewing of the Holy Ghost. If they were set free from the bondage of sin, Satan and the world, it was because, where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. If they became obedient to God, it was because He put His Spirit in them and so caused them to walk in His statutes and to keep His judgements and do them.
They were filled with consolation by walking in the comfort of the Holy Ghost. They were filled with peace and joy in believing, and made to abound in hope, by the power of the Holy Ghost. The gospel had come to them not in word only, but in power, by coming to them in the Holy Ghost. And it was by being made to live and walk in the Spirit that they brought forth these fruits of the Spirit: love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance. By this work of the Spirit in their heart and life, the Lord made it manifest that He had effectually called these converts to Himself, and that it was He Himself who in a similar way continued to add to the Church daily such as should be saved.
- The outpouring of the Spirit on the day of Pentecost naturally leads us to notice the history of the work of the Spirit as a work of saving grace during the past ages of the patriarchal and Jewish dispensations on the one hand, and throughout the ages of the gospel dispensation on the other.
(1.) The work of the Spirit during the patriarchal and Jewish dispensations.
[1.] The Spirit was given from the beginning. By the Spirit’s influences on Noah, Christ preached to the wicked before the Flood (1 Pet 3:18-20). When the Spirit ceased to strive with them they perished (Gen 6:3). God gave His good Spirit to His ancient people to instruct them (Neh 9:20), and to cause them to rest (Is 63:14). And all who experienced the joy of God’s salvation were upheld by His free Spirit (Ps 51:12).
[2.] As yet the work of the Spirit had been very limited. At first, in patriarchal times, only a few, like Enos, Enoch, Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and
Job are recorded as having received and exemplified the grace of the Spirit in their heart and life. Then, during the Jewish dispensation, the Spirit’s work was much confined to one land on earth, and even then exhibited by a comparatively limited number who were Israelites indeed.
[3.] The Spirit’s power was not only limited to few, but felt even by them in a feeble degree. The person and work of Christ were but imperfectly revealed in types and figures, and the way of salvation was but dimly seen. From the prophets was concealed much that, by the Spirit in them, they foretold of Christ’s sufferings and consequent glory (1 Pet 1:10,11). Righteous men were not permitted to see and hear things which we see and hear (Mt 13:17). They could not imagine the things revealed to us by the Spirit of God which are prepared for those that love Him (1 Cor 2:9).
The reason for all this is stated by John: the Spirit was not yet given – that is, in His larger measures – because Jesus was not yet glorified (Jn 7:39). Everything must be in its proper order. The honour due to God’s majesty, law and government had to be rendered by Christ’s great sacrifice before sinners were filled with His abundant grace. The honour due to the Son of God required that, as His obedience unto death was to procure the Spirit, the Spirit’s fuller outpourings should be reserved till Christ had finished His work and ascended to His glory. Moreover, a Saviour who has come and has been revealed in all His fulness, and a redemption completed and presented in all its freeness, are necessary to put sinners in circumstances where they can aright value, and make use of, the fullest measures in which the Spirit can be bestowed.
[4.] While the Church received the Spirit only within a limited sphere, and in a feeble measure before the coming of Christ, prophecy taught that His coming would be attended by far more extensive and abundant measures of grace. The promise was that, when a king came to reign in righteousness, the Spirit would be poured out from on high (Is 32:15), or, as it is said here in the words of Joel, “I will pour out My Spirit on all flesh”.
Hence John the Baptist announced the near approach of Christ as about to baptize with the Holy Ghost (Mt 3:11). Jesus declared to Nicodemus the necessity of being born of the Spirit (Jn 3:3). He offered the Spirit to the woman of Samaria as the living water (Jn 4:10). He promised His Spirit to be, in every believing soul, a well of water springing up into everlasting life (John 7:38). Before His death He told the disciples over and over of the advantages to them of His departure to heaven, to send the Spirit down, to be in and with them and all His followers till the end of time. After His resurrection, He breathed on them saying, “Receive ye the Holy Ghost”. On the eve of His ascension, He told them to wait in prayerful expectation for
the Spirit, whom He and His Father would send from on high (Acts 1:4). And no sooner had He gone up than the promises of the Spirit began to be fulfilled in this effusion of Him on the day of Pentecost.
(2.) The work of the Spirit from the day of Pentecost onward through all ages of the gospel dispensation. Now that Christ had come and finished His work and taken His place on the mediatorial throne, there was no longer any hindrance to the copious descent of the Spirit. Justice was satisfied. The law was magnified and made honourable. The way into God’s holy presence was clearly revealed. The minds of men were prepared for brighter and more comprehensive views of the love of God, of the work of Christ, and of all spiritual and eternal things. The shadows and the dawning of a long morning had been succeeded by the light of an advancing day. God’s paths indeed had in all ages dropped fatness. But the time had now come for showers of blessing.
The day of Pentecost was significantly chosen for the commencement of these blessings. Among the Jews, that day marked the gathering in of their harvest, and they observed it by offering the first-fruits unto God. And now, with the ingathering of thousands of souls under the power of the Spirit on that day, there began that ingathering of sinners to Christ under the power of the same Spirit which shall go on from age to age, till the harvest of sinners saved is completed. Then Christ will present the whole Church of the redeemed to His Father and conduct them into the everlasting kingdom.
The same thing is intimated by the name, “the ministration of the Spirit” (2 Cor 3:8), which is given to the gospel dispensation. The name implies that the Holy Spirit is the great agent on earth in applying the redemption purchased by Christ to the souls of men. Accordingly, when the gospel comes with power, it comes in the Holy Ghost (1 Th 1:5). Gracious affections are fruits of the Spirit found only in those who live and walk in the Spirit (Gal 5:16ff). None are saved except by the washing of regeneration and the renewing of the Holy Ghost (Titus 3:5). And ordinances are effectual to salvation only in so far as Christ is pleased to accompany them with the grace of His Spirit.
The only hope for this world is that the Lord shall yet pour out His Spirit on all flesh more abundantly. When the Spirit is thus poured out from on high, the wilderness shall be turned into a fruitful field (Is 32:16). Nations shall be born in a day; the Lord shall make bare His holy arm in the eyes of all the nations, and all ends of the earth shall experience the salvation of our God.
The preaching of the Word by the chosen servants of the living God is the ordained means of the gathering in of the elect. It is not the Word of God read so much as that which is heard which has the promise attached to it; hence the importance of a devout attendance on the ministry of the gospel.
C H Spurgeon