THE POWER OF PENTECOST: A four-part series.

Part II :

WHAT DIFFERENCE DOES PENTECOST

MAKE?

…A look at the effects of Pentecost

and the coming of the Holy Spirit

We began with Part I, PENTECOST: ROOTS, PRICE,

PROMISE AND WHAT HAPPENED.

Part II, here, will continue with WHAT DIFFERENCE 

DOES PENTECOST MAKE?... looking at Holy Spirit power 

manifested, effects, repercussions, gifts and fruit.

We will examine being called, sent, and going beyond 

human limits.

Part III will explore: THE HOLY SPIRIT SPEAKS:

HOW SHALL WE RESPOND? We will explore

receiving Him, how to respond, letting Him speak, God’s 

glory, the Spirit now, the days ahead, and a Pentecost way 

of life… followed by:

Part IV is PENTECOST CONTINUES: COMING TO THE 

LIVING WORD OF GOD

It presents us with some life-giving perspectives… The

Holy Spirit brings scripture to life.

THE POWER OF PENTECOST MANIFESTED

In Part I of this series, PENTECOST: ROOTS, PRICE, PROMISE AND WHAT HAPPENED, we ended with the description of the crowd listening to Peter speak after the Holy Spirit manifested His presence to the disciples at Pentecost.

Let’s start Part II with a repeat of one of the last paragraphs. It sets the scene. Peter had just addressed the group of pilgrims and Jerusalem natives who were moving about outside of the place where the disciples were gathered.

“The crowd of ‘inadvertent’ listeners was immediately and overwhelmingly moved. They were moved by the Holy Spirit and touched deeply in their own hearts and spirits. The book of Acts, chapter 2 describes this:”

³⁷ ‘Now when they heard this, they were^[a]pierced to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “^[b]Brethren,^[c]what shall we do?”³⁸Peter said to them, “Repent, and each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.³⁹ For the promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off, as many as the Lord our God will call to Himself.”⁴⁰ And with many other words he solemnly testified and kept on exhorting them, saying, “^[d]Be saved from this perverse generation!”⁴¹ So then, those who had received his word were baptized; and that day there were added about three thousand^[e]souls.’ [Acts 2:37-41, NASB, Bible Gateway]

“So… we have an unsuspecting crowd of visiting pilgrims and those native to Jerusalem responding to an unforeseen event. We have a previously frightened fisherman who gets up and addresses this vast throng of people… (without the present-day benefits of a microphone or an arena, a prepared speech or crowd handlers… no credentials to present to this religious crowd, living in and coming to Jerusalem… and just less than two months after Jesus was crucified and his followers dispersed into hiding.) We have a simple, impulsive fisherman who (within two months of denying and abandoning his Rabbi and leader, Jesus) boldly wins over a vast crowd of strangers to the Lord Jesus Christ.” 1

COMMUNAL LIFE

What happened to this crowd--and to Peter, himself-- was amazing enough. But how they responded with their lives, moving forward, is impressive. The Acts of the Apostles continues to describe this early Christian “mixed” gathering of newly-won followers of Jesus Christ. It picks up the story in the very next verse.

Acts 2:^{42 “}They were continually devoting themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and^[a]to prayer.”

This verse speaks volumes. These followers did—continually—the four main things that contributed to a solid Christian life. And they did it wholeheartedly and committedly. More follows…

“^{43 [b]}Everyone kept feeling a sense of awe; and many wonders and^[c]signs were taking place through the apostles.”

Pentecost was not just a day. It became a way of life. Pentecost greatly impacted their life. The apostles worked miracles as the days went on; they preached the “good news”; they changed their way of life together… working toward considering themselves a true and caring “community”.

^{44 “}And all those who had believed^[d]were together and had all things in common;⁴⁵ and they began selling their property and possessions and were sharing them with all, as anyone might have need.⁴⁶ Day by day continuing with one mind in the temple, and breaking bread^[e]from house to house, they were taking their^[f]meals together with gladness and^[g]sincerity of heart,⁴⁷praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord was adding^[h]to their number day by day those who were being saved.” [Acts 2:42-47, NASB, Bible Gateway]

The dedication, passion and commitment of these early believers encompassed and took priority over their whole lives.The power of the Holy Spirit enlivened the disciples in so many ways… then His flowing power and manifestations became almost contagious—as prayers went up, and sharing and mutual generosity was observable, and enthusiasm for God and his purposes was undisguised. Love and care was made evident. Passion for God was seen and felt—not so much “emotionally” as “tangibly” in committed, life-changing ways.

There are those who say that the move of the Spirit was a “one-time thing” or limited to the “apostolic” age… or the like. But history tells another story. There have been moves of the Holy Spirit—and believers and followers who take the Father and Jesus at their word and receive the Holy Spirit’s help and power—throughout Christian history. Some saints have evidenced great power in the Holy Spirit and done mighty deeds because of it… as they simply sought to follow God and see this world touched by His love and power and truth and life. (See also Part III of this series.)

Jesus said, “Ask, and it shall be given to you; Seek, and you will find; knock and the door will be opened for you. For everyone who asks, receives; and the one who seeks, finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened. Which one of you would hand his son a stone when he asks for a loaf of bread, or a snake when he asks for a fish? If you, then… know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give good things to those who ask him.” [Mt 7:7-11]

He also said, quite pointedly: “If you then, who are wicked, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him?” [Luke ll:13] The Father desires to give the Holy Spirit (with His gifts, blessings, empowerments, and fruit-in-formation) as we continue to seek Him. More on this in Part III…

DIFFERENT EFFECTS

So much can be said about the Holy Spirit and the role that the Spirit seeks to play in our daily lives. There are dozens of scriptures that shed light on His power, His comfort, His help and His presence--all of which are so available to those who ask [Luke 11:13]. In John 16: 12-15, Jesus explained that the Holy Spirit would “guide” us into “all truth”… truth that comes from the Father and the Son. Those of us who seek to receive His power to live the Christ-life can find guidance as we need it, and experience Him as Comforter—the name Jesus used for Him in the gospel of John, chapters 14, 15 and 16. 2 (The verses can be referenced in a Bible concordance, using key words relating to the Holy Spirit.)

TEACH

Jesus told us of God the Father’s plan to send the Spirit to be with us after Jesus returned to heaven, and he spoke of the Holy Spirit to his disciples several times before He died.

“ …The Advocate, the Holy Spirit that the Father will send in my name—He will teach you everything and remind you of all I have told you.” [Jn. 14:26] “When the Advocate comes…the Spirit of truth…He will testify to me… [Jn. 15:26] …He will guide you to all truth…and will declare to you the things that are coming.” [Jn 16:13] 3

WITNESSES

Until his final resurrection, Jesus continued to instruct, encourage, comfort, reassure and bless his apostles and disciples who were going through some troubling experiences with Jesus in just a short span of time. This sometimes confused…but eventually convinced group of followers took it all in.

After the Holy Spirit descended upon them, things changed.

The frightened and sometimes hesitant disciples turned into a bold-and-enabled group of followers. They began to go into the world (as Jesus had commanded them) courageously… and empowered.

God the Father had arranged for the Spirit to come (after Jesus had left) to give us power to live life as Jesus’ disciple, and to share the “good news” and the truth of that new life that Jesus desires for all. Jesus literally “counted the cost” and released us from the chains of sin and death. Jesus was willing to die a horrible death for us, to pay the price for salvation (and every grace and blessing that comes from that... which is--actually--much, much more than we can imagine). 4

Jesus made several appearances after the resurrection. “…[A]s the eleven were at table, he appeared to them… [Jesus] said to them: “Go into the whole world and proclaim the gospel to every creature. Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved; whoever does not believe will be condemned.” [Mark 16:14-16]

SIGNS OF BELIEVERS

Jesus continues in the next verse:

“These signs will accompany those who believe: in my name they will drive out demons; they will speak new languages. They will pick up serpents with their hands, and if they drink any deadly thing, it will not harm them. They will lay hands on the sick and they will recover.”

So then the Lord Jesus, after he spoke to them, was taken up into heaven and took his seat at the right hand of God. But they went forth and preached everywhere, while the Lord worked with them and confirmed the word through accompanying signs.” [Mk 16:17-20]

WE BELIEVERS…

It’s always been interesting to me to read and re-read the “signs” that Jesus describes that “will accompany those who believe”. 

It is significant to notice: He did not say, “those who are apostles” or “those who are ordained”. He said…those “who believe”… and they are us… all of us believers. So… exactly what and how much do we believe? Our Savior was always both truthful and accurate when He spoke. (After all, He said to let your 'yes' be 'yes' and your 'no' be 'no' " [Matt 5:37]

Let’s let us believers do a “check-list” on these things that “will” (in other words, not “maybe”; not “some of us”; not “sometimes”… but will) accompany we who believe. In fact, let’s get personal. (I have heard many times that it is a good exercise to “personalize” scripture.) OK. Let’s go.

“We” believers “will drive out demons”. We “will speak in new languages” (presumably without learning). We “will pick up serpents with [our] hands, and if [we] drink any deadly thing, it will not harm [us]. [We] will lay hands on the sick and they will recover.” Alright, grading time for believers. Anyone get 5 for 5? 3? 1? How many with “0 for 5”?

Can we actually look at these things without making too many ‘excuses’ (that protect our ‘self-righteousness’)? So, what conclusions can we come up with? One: our “believing” may need a large… maybe ‘huge’… upgrade. (And/ or) Two: Maybe it is time that we recognize that we need the help of the Holy Spirit… more than we have ever realized before.

Speaking of 'self-righteousness', can we Christians lay aside our own (usually mistakenly asserted) self-righteousness long enough to take a good look at the truth, here? Yes, it may be uncomfortable. But it will be difficult to get very far with the Lord until we take a serious look at where “righteousness” truly is.

Only One Person was ever truly “Righteous”. And He offered His whole life for others—for us, always looking in obedience to the Father—even allowing Himself to be cruelly tortured and slaughtered to win our freedom… to enable us to escape from sin and to find new life… everlasting life, surrounded by every good thing with His Father and (our Father) forever.

He offers us His “robe of righteousness”—His ‘gift card’ to heaven. We simply have to go through the “narrow gate”. [Mt. 7:13] Jesus IS the “gate”, the “Way”—the only way. Some find a “narrow” way difficult to swallow. Some believe it to be unfair.

Imagine this: If we were in a group trapped in a land slide inside a cave, and someone made a way of escape, we probably would not complain too much about there being only one way out. We would find that place, and get through that exit as quickly as possible. (That analogy was strongly portrayed in the movie, "The 33""--the amazing true story of 33 miners trapped for 69 days very deep within a copper and gold mine in Chile in 2010, while the world watched...) 

Jesus spent many years teaching us about the Father, and about what gives life, and how to seek, ask and find that way in Him.

Then He punctuated His words by paying the exorbitant price for our deliverance and salvation. A way was torn through the impenetrable veil between us and heaven… The “Way” was torn in His own body, mind, heart and soul… he was torn to ribbons… to become our Way… yes… the only way. (It bears repetition.)

The Holy Spirit comes to enliven and bring to life the words and the heart, the spirit and the person of Jesus, Himself. He told us that the Spirit would be a “Comforter” in the midst of the “tribulations” that Jesus said we would surely face; the Holy Spirit could enable us to manifest Jesus’ overcoming power and the peace that Jesus spoke of in regard to the troubles of this world. [Jn. 16:33] The Holy Spirit was sent to empower us to know and understand the truth; to pray with and through us when we did not know how to pray; the power to win every battle against the enemy; and more… 5

GIFTS AND FRUIT

First Corinthians chapter 12 speaks very explicitly about the spiritual gifts.

“There are different kinds of spiritual gifts, but the same Spirit; there are different forms of service, but the same Lord; there are different workings but the same God who produces all of them in everyone. To each individual, the manifestation is given for some benefit …wisdom …knowledge …faith …healing …mighty deeds …prophesy …discernment of spirits …tongues …interpretation … administration… assistance… [teaching]…

…But one and the same Spirit produces all of these [above mentioned gifts], distributing them individually to each person as he wishes.” [1Cor.12:4-11; 28]. “Strive earnestly for the greatest spiritual gifts. But I shall show you a still more excellent way…” [1Cor.12:31b] 6

We could speak about the “gifts of the Spirit” at great length. We need them for so many reasons! 

Each is a Holy Spirit help to win others to the Lord… to truly and fully fulfill our callings from the Lord… to live in peace and in protection among others… to minister in all kinds of ways… to make the pivotal and personal decisions in life, and particularly any decision affecting anyone in or under our (and/ or the Lord’s) care… to pray fully and effectively… 

And the gifts are necessary... to receive many of His blessings… to be a vessel of healing and Holy Spirit power… to deal effectively and wisely with evil… to know how to establish purpose and plans for the future (that are in concert with living under God’s Lordship and in His kingdom)… to convey God’s truth in an understandable and mighty, effective way… among many other things!

THE SPIRIT OF LOVE

Following these words (in 1 Cor. 12) we find the well-known 1 Corinthians 13 chapter on love. (You might recall these beautiful words from hearing them repeated… in marriage ceremonies or from Sunday readings…. “Love is patient, love is kind…”) We have an eminently good description of love—the cornerstone, the core, the point of origin, and the surrounding atmosphere of every other “good” fruit. 7 

God is Love… and love is the heart of it all, when it comes to living for and with the Lord. It is also foundational to all the other gifts, for they begin with seeking to love God and others.

So… we take a look at the Holy Spirit’s “fruit”. Good fruit, first of all, grows from a seed planted in good soil. It follows a growth cycle that is often lengthy.

The “fruit” of the Holy Spirit is planted, germinated, grown, tended, blossomed and “fruited” by, with and through the loving action of the Holy Spirit, as we co-operate and seek His help and grace. Again, God continues to reach-and-keep-on-reaching to care for and empower those who turn and come to Him—choosing to walk with Him as Father, Redeemer, Lord, Comforter, Advocate (and the many other character-revealing names that God has in the Bible). 8

God makes it clear that it is His work in and through us that makes us both willing and able to do what pleases Him. “For God is the one who, for his good purpose, works in you both to desire and to” [actually do the] “work”/ service. [Phil.2:13; see also Phil. 1:6; 1Cor.12:6; 15:10; 2Cor.3:5] God shows that He desires to give the grace and enabling for the character-fruit of the Holy Spirit (“love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control” [Gal.5:22]). We can turn to the Holy Spirit and continually seek and ask Him to grace, gift and form good fruit in us. 9

The "gift" of the Holy Spirit--while resembling "fruit"--can be analogous to  handing someone an apple to eat. It is received, and then consumed in its time and for its purpose... and then gone. Growing the fruit is another matter altogether--it is a process. Holy Spirit fruit--formed as we "abide" in the Lord's hands--deeply becomes embedded in our character and grows as HIS new life becomes manifest in us. It lasts, as we choose to embrace it and cooperate with the formation process.

WE ARE CALLED; WE ARE SENT

“It was not you who chose me, but I who chose you and appointed you to bear fruit that will remain.” [Jn. 15:16] The fruit that can “remain” must come from the “Vine” that is able and willing to produce long-term, everlasting fruit because the Vine, by His nature, is ever-True, always stable, ever-faithful, and holds the saving, gracing power we lack. We human beings left to our own devices are not able to do that. And Jesus’ power and help now comes to us through the Holy Spirit.

Let’s look at a small part of what Jesus asks us to be and to do. It all starts with this:

“God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son” [Jn. 3:16]

Jesus spoke to his followers about the harvest, and those that would come to life in Christ Jesus through their preaching. He had trained them as disciples.

“And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached throughout the world as a witness to all the nations…”. [Mt. 24:14; 26:13;Mk 14:9]

“The field is the world.” [Mt. 13:3.]

Jesus calls them and us to be IN the world but not OF it. (...meaning, not OF the world's systems, its thinking, its patterns of culture, etc., that would supersede His message and His word, His ways and God's "higher thoughts".)

“I do not ask that you take them out of the world, but that you keep them from the evil one…” [Jn.17:15]

“I have overcome the world” [Jn 16:33]

“They do not belong to the world any more than I belong to the world. Consecrate them in the truth. Your word is truth.“ [Jn.17: 16,17]

“As you sent me into the world, so I sent them into the world… “ [Jn.17:18]

Jesus said, “You are the light of the world.” [Mt. 5:14]

GOING BEYOND LIMITS

What Jesus calls us to is simple and direct… but not easy. 

Nevertheless, it is our call. He considered these “signs” (that he described concerning believers) as being the call of his everyday followers… “ordinary” Christians (followers) participating in ordinary Christian life. 

He did not specify that it was just for “special” ones. It makes me wonder if we give ourselves too much credit when we say we are one of His followers… disciples. He said, 

“Remain in me, as I remain in you. Just as a branch cannot bear fruit on its own unless it remains on the vine, so neither can you unless you remain in me… because without me you can do nothing.” [Jn. 15:4-5]

We know that Jesus always tells the truth. It is not in him to do otherwise… for He IS the Way, the Truth, and the Life. So… if he says [implying that we are bearing fruit for his kingdom, and for every plan and purpose he has for us as His followers] that we can do “nothing” without him, what are we doing without Him? How much are we living as His “followers”?

If we are truly ‘doing, doing, doing’… ‘busy, busy, busy’… why/ who/ and what are we “following”? What “fruit” is the “Vine” bearing in us? Are we still a “connected” branch? (Verse 6 tells us the undesirable end of branches that do not remain in him.) Verse 8-9 tells us, “By this is my Father glorified, that you bear much fruit and become my disciples… Remain in my love.” 

It is as we remain "IN [His] love" that we are in the perfect climate for developing 'good fruit'. It's the perfect 'fathering' love of our Father God and the perfect love of the 'husband'-ing (Bridegroom) Jesus and the perfect powerful love of the Holy Spirit working in us that succeeds in forming us. 

And verse 12 tells us:”This is my commandment: love one another as I love you.”

Jesus also said, “My yoke is easy and my burden [is] light…” [Mt. 11:30] He criticized the Pharisees (whose spirit and practice are yet alive and well today) for “they tie up heavy burdens [hard to carry] and lay them on [other] people’s shoulders, but they will not lift a finger to move them… For they preach but they do not practice.” [Mt. 23:4, 3b]

Jesus knew this is what the people were accustomed to experiencing and hearing from many other religious leaders. He wanted them to see and know the difference He could make. So… He said, “Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened, and I will give you rest... learn from me, for I am meek and humble of heart, and you will find rest for yourselves.” [Mt. 11:28-29]

We can make sense of these profound yet straightforward concepts as we begin to—simply—put it together (after we first, really, count it all true). However, we also need to “count the cost” of accepting the truth. Jesus said, clearly. that He was and is the "Truth"... as are His word[s] to us. His plan is to let that truth shape our lives (thoughts, actions, words, attitudes, relationships, agendas, practices, plans, etc.).

These are the pieces that we need to put together: Jesus calls us to bear good fruit. He calls us (“followers”, we “branches”) to many things, including those five signs mentioned above (that, for the most part, many of us are not doing). They seem “out of our league”/ out of our comfort zone/ undesirable/ too difficult/ not on our minds/ far from our agendas or plans … or all of the above. (Remember “0 for 5:?) But Jesus humbly wants to help us carry the load...and LET Him work in and through us.

The Holy Spirit is the multiplied help available to every believer that Jesus desired for his followers because He wanted to see them--us-- get individual, ever-available assistance, even as they went--we go-- all different directions fulfilling His call. Jesus specifically told them that he had to go to the Father for the Holy Spirit to come [Jn. 16:7], but He knew and said that it would be even better for them if He would go. [Jn. 16:28]. Any follower, at any time—even everyone at the same time, in whatever way needed—could be helped and empowered by the Holy Spirit. It was time that the disciples split up and go into the whole world. And now those followers and disciples… are “us”.

We repeat an earlier statement: There are those who say that the move of the Spirit was a “one time thing” or limited to the “apostolic” age… or the like. (More on this later.) But history tells another story. There have been moves of the Holy Spirit—and believers and followers who take the Father and Jesus at their word and receive the Holy Spirit’s help and power—throughout Christian history. Some saints have evidenced great power in the Holy Spirit and done mighty deeds because of it… as they simply sought to follow God and see this world touched by His love and power and truth and life. 

In the light of the truth of His word, someday, we may find ourselves considering their behavior “normal” and our own… questionable.

Who’s to say if, in truth, that they were the “normal” followers of Jesus Christ—doing the everyday things He taught His disciples to do—and that we modern “Christians” perhaps live on the fringes of what He taught… picking and choosing what parts of God’s word appeal to us and what does not.

But it is because of Who God Is (and, and more precisely, Who and what He is so willing to be for, with and to us) that we can go with Him beyond our own expectations, limits, and natural abilities. In fact, many saints found that the openness to the radical calls, behaviors , and empowerments that the Spirit of God has to give was precisely what made some of them so different from the world surrounding them. It often appeared strange to status-quo worldly AND (unfortunately) 'religious' life and culture and thinking around them. But it is precisely what later caused them to be called “great”. 10

There's more to come in this series!

Part III, THE HOLY SPIRIT SPEAKS: HOW SHALL WE RESPOND?, is coming soon.

We will explore more about the Holy Spirit’s power in receiving Him, how to respond, letting Him speak, God’s glory, the Holy Spirit now, the days ahead, and a Pentecost way of life.

Part IV is: PENTECOST CONTINUES: COMING TO THE LIVING WORD OF GOD

It presents us with some life-giving perspectives… The Holy Spirit brings scripture to life.

FOOTNOTES:

(Please note that any part of a scripture quote in bold type is put there by this author.)

1 THE POWER OF PENTECOST: A three-part series, Part I, PENTECOST: ROOTS, 

PRICE, PROMISE AND WHAT HAPPENED, by Kathy Boh, June 7, 2017.

2 CONFIRMATION AND BEYOND: LIFE IN AND WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT, posted by 

Kathy Boh on March 2, 2017.

3 Ibid.

4 Ibid, with some changes.

5 Ibid.

6 Ibid.

7 Ibid.

8 Ibid.

9 Ibid.

10 Ibid, with some changes.