The Glorious and Blessed Day of Pentecost: Acts 2:1a, “And when the day of Pentecost was fully come.”

Dear readers, the Lord willing, on the coming Lord’s Day, we hope to commemorate the notable and blessed Day of Pentecost. The day of Pentecost was the day of the Holy Spirit being poured out in Jerusalem so many souls could be saved. It was accompanied by the signs of a mighty rushing wind and cloven tongues of fire. The rich outpouring of the Holy Spirit that was given is also so indispensable for us and our children. We live in a time where there is religion, but mostly without the true heart-wrought, experiential, tender fear of the Lord. Jesus spoke of this in Matt. 15:8: “[t]his people draweth nigh unto Me with their mouth, and honoureth Me with their lips, but their heart is far from Me.” In our time, the Lord is loudly speaking by the means of the coronavirus. May earnest and persevering prayers be sent up to heaven (Acts 1:13-14), that it may please the almighty and merciful God to give a Spirit-wrought revival, another Pentecost, for the extension of the kingdom of Jesus Christ. Then His name shall be glorified! The Pointed Preaching on the Day of Pentecost.

We read in 2 Cor. 3:17, “[w]here the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.” Peter, as an ambassador of Christ by the power of the Holy Spirit, was given to boldly proclaim the Word of God. After speaking about the fulfillment of the prophecy of Joel (Acts 2:16-21), Peter preached to his hearers very distinctly, vividly pointing to their many sins and heavenly high guilt. Acts 2:23 records Peter’s message: “[y]e have taken, and by wicked hands have crucified and slain.” It was a solemn, uncovering message to a people whose hands were still dripping with the blood of the Son of God, for they had cried out “His blood be upon us and our children.” Such an uncovering message to arouse sleeping sinners from their deadness is also so necessary in our time of declension.

To bring the message yet closer to his audience’s heart, Peter explained that the God-given Saviour whom they, by wicked hands, have crucified, had been raised from the dead as was prophesied in Scripture. He is now Lord and Christ! It was a solemn message for the Jewish people. His name is King of Kings, and Lord of Lords (Rev. 19:16). He shall come upon the clouds of heaven as Judge in the last day to judge the whole human race, also you and I.

Further, the Apostles were given to preach that Jesus Christ by his suffering and death has merited salvation for His people, whereby the chiefest of sinners may be saved (1 Tim. 1:15). Are there yet great sinners among my readers, or are you still to good to be saved by grace? The Blessed Fruits on the Day of Pentecost.

By the Lord’s free and sovereign grace, through the loving and irresistible work of the Holy Spirit, three thousand souls were pricked in the heart. Sinners who were traveling on the broad way to hell, were placed on the narrow way that leads to heaven. Enemies were made friends. Blind religious people were given to see. Guilty souls were given to ask, “[m]en and brethren what must we do to be saved?” Wounded souls were comforted by the pouring out of the heavenly balm in their souls for the remission of their sins. By a God-given faith they were given to receive the crucified and risen Christ as the complete Savior for their souls. Three thousand regenerated souls were given to rejoice in God with unspeakable joy.

The Necessary Examination concerning the Day of Pentecost.

Friends, what has taken place on the day of Pentecost must also take place personally in our lives. By nature, we are dead in sins and trespasses, and we need to be quickened and drawn (Eph. 2:1). We need to be born again (John 3:3) to become new creatures in Jesus Christ (2 Cor. 5:17). We must to learn to weep because of our many God-provoking sins (Matt. 5:4). We need to become, by the sovereign grace of God, a wise virgin with the oil of the Holy Spirit in our hearts (Matt. 25:1-13). A mistake in this respect is an eternal mistake (Matt. 7:22-23). True biblical religion is more than notion and some fleeting emotional thoughts in our mind: it must be experienced and felt. The Lord speaks and calls to us through his Word. The Lord is also speaking loudly to us with the coronavirus, which as a wind has caused much in this world to shake. My readers, where is our journey to? Where shall we spend the never-ending eternity? There are two kinds of people on the world traveling on two opposite ways: the broad and narrow way. These have two eternal destinations: hell and heaven (Matt. 7:13-14). Therefore, search the Holy Scriptures (John 5:39), and prayerfully and carefully examine your hearts (2 Cor. 3:15).

REV. E.C. ADAMS
Picture Butte

Get More Sunny South News →