What really happened on the day of Pentecost.

The coming of the Spirit on the day of Pentecost brought to us more than we often see at first glance. Let's think about the event first. Pentecost was one of the Jewish feasts, and Jerusalem had 100s of thousands of pilgrims there from many nations all around the Mediterranean and they spoke many different languages, as well as Greek, the common language of learning and commerce.

The disciples and others are waiting in an upper room – out of sight – 120 of them, including Jesus’ mother Mary and her women friends. That's a thought... Mary had already encountered the Spirit when she conceived Jesus... but this was different. They were all waiting for ‘The Promise of the Father’ as Jesus had told them to. Waiting for the Spirit to be poured out on them. They are in the city that Jesus wept and groaned over. The city that had rejected him and hounded him to death.

And after 10 days of waiting and praying – around 9 o’clock in the morning… the Spirit came - sounding like a mighty wind, a gale force wind – and they knew it was the Spirit… for the word Spirit and Wind and breath are the same word in Hebrew – Ruach.

And a large flame is seen and it divides and each person has a portion burning over their head. And they are filled with the Spirit. And they receive such an outpouring that they overflowed - with praise pouring out of their mouths…… but they don’t stay for a worship meeting…and they are not fascinated by the signs of wind and fire…. they are led by the Spirit outside – all 120 of them - to where crowds of people are out on the streets – and they cannot stop themselves speaking of the wonders of God to the people in their own native languages. Have you ever noticed this… not a heavenly language of prayer – that must've come later - but the languages of all the people who were there for the festival. So everyone hears the good news in their own language!  How incredible is that!

 Many were amazed and perplexed and said ‘What does this mean?’… but others laughed and said – ‘Oh they are just drunk!’ Amazement, confusion, and misunderstanding. The people don’t know what they are seeing.

So Peter, who had previously been a frightened and shamed man – boldy stands up on something and interprets to the crowd what is happening. Prophecy from Joel that they already know is being fulfilled…he said, and the Spirit has been poured out because Jesus who was crucified has been raised from the dead, and we all saw him… and he has been exalted to the right hand of God and has received from the Father the promised Holy Spirit and has poured him out on all these people.

Let’s hit the pause button here.

What is this boldness to speak that has come to them suddenly? They were keeping a very low profile out of fear of being arrested like Jesus was. But now they have lost their fear. What is going on?

This is one of the key characteristics of the presence of the Spirit in our lives. Boldness – a lack of fear. And it affects our worship, our prayer, our witness and our whole attitude to life.

Where is this coming from?  It is coming primarily from a new view of our selves…

Paul describes it this way:  “We are no longer cringing fearful slaves, but sons who cry out confidently “Abba, Father!”  Confident that we are accepted by the Father… confident that he is with us, he is for us, he is on our side …confident that we are deeply loved…. confident that we can do what he asks of us… One writer, Baxter Kruger calls this ‘A baptism of assurance.’

“The Spirit leads us to know the truth, not just in our heads, but in our souls – as the surest thing in all the world…. For to see ourselves seated with Christ at the Father’s right hand, to see ourselves loved and cherished, embraced and accepted by the Father, delighted in, is to know untold relief and hope and peace, and the deepest and dearest of assurances.”

 Hebr. 4:16 says “ Let us approach the throne of grace with boldness, with confidence.. sure that we will receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.”

Boldness… in prayer surely equips us to have boldness in declaring who he is to others.  

We see this playing out in Acts 4 – Peter and John had released the healing power of Jesus to a crippled man and then preached to the crowd - and another two thousand men came to faith (and probably many women also). But then they were arrested and questioned because they preached about Jesus. And they responded with such courage, such fearlessness, that it was commented on. They were released and told not to speak in Jesus name again.

And they returned to their friends .. and together they prayed a marvellous prayer – a bold prayer – an outrageous prayer…Acts 4:29-31 …. “Lord, consider their threats… and enable your servants to speak your word with great boldness. Stretch forth your hand to heal and perform miraculous signs and wonders through the name of your holy servant Jesus.” After they prayed, the place where they were meeting was shaken. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit (again) and spoke the word of God boldly." Who cares about the opposition.  Who cares about the threats! "Enable your servants to speak your word with great boldness!”  What a prayer… and what an answer God gave!

One of the key characteristics of the Spirit is that he gives boldness – boldness in prayer – boldness in speaking about Jesus – boldness in what we expect the Father to do through us….

Are we there yet?  Is this our experience?  Has his love come and swept away all our doubts and fears and given us this joyful boldness in life? 

You see, it is not so much about what happens as we gather and worship and pray…that is important, it is the start… but the test is in what happens when we are out there, in our daily lives. Confidence, boldness, expecting God to act in ways that get people’s attention and that helps them look at Jesus! 

We need this baptism of this assurance – this overflow of boldness through the Spirit. 

There is something else we see at work as Peter boldly explains what is happening:

The Spirit has given Peter knowledge about things he did not have before. He always believed…he had faith in Jesus all along… but now he knows. This adds to his confidence.
I love how Jesus describes what the Spirit will do when he comes. 

John 14:16 – 27  Jesus said,     “I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counsellor or advocate or ‘One who strengthens you’ – another one… just like me – to be with you forever – the Spirit of Truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you… and will be IN you. And I will not leave you as orphans (feeling no-one is there for you); I will come to you. … On that day you will realise – you will know that I am in my Father – and you are in me – and I am in you… The Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you.  Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you.”

It is quite clear that when Peter speaks to the crowd on the day of Pentecost he knows things he did not know before the Spirit came to him. The Spirit of Truth has shown him things he could not have known by himself. He now had understanding of what God was doing by sending the Spirit in this way.  He knew what Scripture to quote to the crowd. He knew that Jesus had been exalted to the right hand of the Father - and the Father had given him the Spirit to pour out on those waiting disciples. How did he know what was going on in the heavenly realm?  The Spirit clearly revealed it to him.

And this is the second great work of the Spirit as he comes to live in us and do his delightful work.  He brings us knowledge and insight and inspiration and a deep knowing that we can never find by ourselves. It will not come out of study or great learning. It can only come from the Spirit of Truth, resident in us – revealing what is real and true in God’s eyes and in his realm.
This is why Jesus kept calling him ‘The Spirit of Truth’.  He tells us the truth about ourselves. “You are not orphans… you are the beloved… you are set apart for me… you belong to me… you are my precious one… you have a purpose in life which is more than you can imagine…"

He tells us the truth about Jesus. Jesus said, “He will not speak on his own – he will tell you what he hears (from the conversations between the Father and Jesus) – he will bring glory to me by taking from what is mine and making it known to you.” 
This is the incredible and wonderful work of the Spirit. This is one of the ways he helps us to pray. And it goes further - it extends to him prompting us in our speaking to others – he can give us insight and pictures and scripture that speak directly to the hearts of others.
This the normal but super-natural life we were designed and created to live.
Are we there yet?      Do we know his delight and deep affection for us – do we hear his voice – and get his leading in our lives? 
 
This is THE primary work of the Spirit, causing us to know with certainty the heart of our Father towards us. This the source of our deep joy – another sign of the Spirit. This ‘knowing’ brings a welling up of love and praise and adoration. It is more than belief... it is knowing. We can say we believe things… but knowing deep inside is a whole new dimension.

Are we there yet?  Is this your reality – your joy – your daily expectation …..
Look at the next blog for the rest of the message.