PT-4 "The Evidence of the Spirit's Coming" (Acts 2:1-4)

 

SPIRITUAL DIARY FOR 7/13/2017 8:18 AM

My Worship Time                                            Focus:  PT-4 The Evidence of the Spirit’s Coming

Bible Reading & Meditation                                                 Reference:  Acts 2:1-4

            Message of the verses:  “1 When the day of Pentecost had come, they were all together in one place. 2 And suddenly there came from heaven a noise like a violent rushing wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. 3 And there appeared to them tongues as of fire distributing themselves, and they rested on each one of them. 4 And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit was giving them utterance.”

            I mentioned in our last SD that we would be taking a look the issue of tongues in this SD, and although we will by in no means take an comprehensive look we will do our best to make sure everyone knows the issues concerning tongues.

            I have to first of all to say that there is a difference in the tongues that were used on the Day of Pentecost than in the gift of tongues that Paul writes about in some of his letters, especially in 1 Corinthians 14.  What the word means here is languages in this section of the book of Acts as the disciples were able to speak in different languages to those who were present for this feast.  There were many people in Jerusalem at this time and that meant that there were many different languages spoken.  The Holy Spirit enabled the disciples, as we will see later on in this chapter, to speak different languages to make sure that those present would be able to hear the gospel of Jesus Christ very clearly.  I have to say that many years ago that one of our Pastors compared the ability for the disciples to speak in different languages to the different organizations today that are making great efforts to get the Bible into every spoken language in the world.  In a conference last year at our church we learned that the organization that is involved with Baptist Mid Missions believes that within the next 25-30 years that this goal will be met.  I can also say that the people who are involved in this are very upbeat as this lifetime goal of getting the Bible in all known languages is in sight.  When you think about that and look at how the disciples were able to speak in these different languages it is very similar, yet today it is not only very costly, but very difficult work.  Missionaries have to go and live with different people groups to understand their languages and then work with them to make sure that the words in their Bible is accurate.  Every language is different and this process takes a long time to complete.  Our church is working to collect $100,000 to help support the Old Testament work of a people group in Africa, and it happens to be right on the equator so the work is not only very hard, but because of the heat it makes things far more difficult.  However this shows the great love that these missionaries have for people who are in need of having the Bible in their own language.

            John MacArthur writes “In contrast to much teaching today, being given the ability to speak in languages is associated not with the baptism with the Spirit but here with the filling with the Spirit,  nor is speaking in languages the normal response to being filled with the Spirit.  Acts 4:8, 31, 6:5; 7:55; 9:17; and 13:9 all record instances where speaking in tongues did not accompany the filling with the Spirit.  Paul taught that the filling of the Spirit should result in many things, such as worship, thankfulness, love, submissiveness, and obedience—but not speaking in tongues (Eph. 5:18ff).

            “Paul states the purpose of speaking in languages in 1 Corinthians 14:21-22:  they were to be a sign to unbelieving Israel. While that was true on the one hand, on the other they were the links given to show that Jews, Gentiles, and Samaritans were all equal in the church (Acts 15:8-9).  The Samaritans received the Holy Spirit in Acts 8:14-19.  Although there is no references to languages, that there was likely that supernatural sign is evident from Simon’s reaction (cf. verses 18-19).  Acts 10:44-47 describes the receiving of the Spirit by the Gentiles of Cornelius’s household.  That they spoke in languages convinced the Jewish believers, as well as Peter, that the Gentiles had received the Spirit too (cf. verses 45, 47).  The last group to speak in tongues were John the Baptist’s disciples whom Paul encountered in Ephesus (Acts 19:1-7).  They were among the last remnants of the Old Testament saints, now coming to faith in Christ. They were given the ability to speak in languages in order to demonstrate their full equality with Jews, Samaritans, and Gentiles in the church.  Each case describes a unique, historical transition.  Now doctrinal teaching for today can be established from those incidents.”

            It is because I think that what John MacArthur writes in this section is important I want to take the time to quote the other five paragraphs in our next SD.  The issue of speaking in tongues, although it is not seen as much as it was a few years ago it is still an issue that we need to talk about.  As I mentioned in our last SD my thoughts are that speaking in these languages was a sign gift given by the Holy Spirit as He began the church age beginning in Acts chapter two, and is not something that is used today because the church age has been established many, many years ago. 

Answer to yesterday’s Bible question:  “The Land of Uz” (Job 1:1).

Today’s Bible question:  “Who was dropped by his nurse when he was a baby and became crippled?”

Answer in our next SD.

7/13/2017 8:55 AM