The first Sunday of this month is Pentecost Sunday, the day we remember God’s sending of the Holy Spirit to indwell His people. I encourage you to read Luke’s inspired historical narrative in chapter two of Acts. But first, let’s remember that mankind had two great needs:

1.    The need for forgiveness, which was met at Calvary.

2.    The need for goodness, which was met at Pentecost.

Both of these were one-time miraculous, supernatural acts of God. Just like Calvary does not need to be repeated, neither does Pentecost. Jesus had to die only once to pay for our sin. God only had to send the Holy Spirit once to begin the New Covenant pattern of how a person is made right with God through the new birth, and the resulting repentance, faith, and sanctification by the Spirit that begins at the new birth.

With regard to Acts 2, some people like to note the activities that are not normative. In their hunger for the supernatural, many like to focus on the rushing wind and the tongues of fire and the speaking in tongues. But these activities are not the norm. They were the confirming “signs” from God that he was doing a unique work, as He had promised. 

Remember, Acts is a history book, not a teaching book. Too many in the church want to teach the experience of the apostles, found in Acts, rather than experience the teaching of the apostles, which is found in the epistles. 

So instead of focusing on the unique, one of a kind, abnormal actions described in the text, let’s focus on the normative actions – the actions that the epistles encourage us to keep doing.

1.    There was evangelism among the multitude (vs. 5-11). Note that the tongues were not gibberish; they were known languages. And they were proclaiming “the mighty works of God.” In other words, the tongues-speakers were evangelizing in languages that they did not previously know but that could be understood by the hearers! A one-time miracle of God!

2.    There was a sermon about the Christ (vs. 14-36). As a preacher, I’m very encouraged that the first corporate act after the coming of the Holy Spirit was a sermon! A Christ-centered sermon!

3.    There was communion among the believers (vs. 42-47). Is this beautiful or what?! The Spirit-indwelt, Spirit-filled, Spirit-empowered church is now engaged in several God-honoring activities – Bible study, fellowship, the Lord’s Supper, prayer, worship, sharing and caring – and they are in awe! 

And take special note of v. 43: Who was doing the “wonders and signs?” God was doing them “through the apostles.” And there are no more apostles today, no matter how many guys attach the title to themselves. How do we know that? Ephesians 2:19-20: So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone… A “foundation” is laid at the beginning and is not repeated. How many “foundations” have you seen in the middle or at the tops of buildings?

So, to sum it all up, the day of Pentecost provides a nutshell view of what the church is still to be doing: (1) evangelizing, (2) preaching Christ, and (3) fellowshipping together in unity.

Dear church family, let’s keep doing those things, for God’s great glory and our great good.

Pressing on with you, with our eyes fixed on Jesus,