The Gift of the Spirit

Joel 2: 28-32 & Acts 2: 14-24

The Reformer's Fire
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Exposition by Max A Forsythe

The most important ingredient to having a healthy congregation is the regular presence of the Holy Spirit. This is so rare in these days that I have only seen it a handful of times. The first time that I sensed it a liberal Presbytery, where it was happening, quickly stepped in to quash the possibility of any real reformation and revitalization because the movement was running against the grain of where the leadership intended things to go. Another time, I was a guest in an ethnic congregation where the Lord of heaven was dearly loved and the charity of the congregation overflowed to even an outsider!

I would also hope and pray, that those of you here today have the same sense that your Session and Pastors are under the authority and leadership of the abiding Spirit of our God and King. We realize of course, that all of us are imperfect, and that we do not always have perfect Lord's Days and that every decision of every member may not be completely under the Lordship of Jesus Christ. Those are human frailties well understood by Paul and the other Apostles. Yet, to those who live in a dying culture where any biblical principles of civilization are under constant assault, the real presence of the Spirit may be appreciated. Even so, any real presence may put some off who do not understand or truthfully desire such an attitude of total dependence upon the leading of our Sovereign God and King.

I have to admit that praying in the Spirit is a frightening experience to a mere mortal used to being in control of his own thoughts, wants, wishes and desires. Even harder to let go of is the impulse to plan and act in accordance with your own desires. I have spent almost two dozen years in a side career that were it up to me I would have left within the first seven! Yet, as the years roll on, there is a growing sense, that certain young people have been set before me for a specific reason.

Thankfully, my public ministry has not been as devoid as one missionary to Saudia Arabia who after a lifetime of service could not count even one convert! Just a few weeks ago, as I walked into an area business, I heard a familiar voice welcome their favorite teacher of six years ago! One of their first questions was if I was still in the ministry! It always does my heart good to be remembered for my witness to our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. And isn't this remembrance the whole point of who we are in the grand scheme of our Lord's providential working out of His perfect will?

Let us look at our two texts today for what the Lord intends to happen through the outpouring of His Spirit? We begin with Joel and follow the interpretation given by Peter.

First, we should notice the climatic outpouring of the Spirit as O. Palmer Robertson divides the text in verses twenty-eight and twenty-nine. With the filling of the Holy Spirit, prophecy, dreams and visions of God's people become reality. Now let us be careful in our understanding of the fulfillment of this outpouring. There are very many evangelicals who expect to see these phenomenon in our own day. We have to realize that prophecies, dreams and visions were the usual Old Testament means of conveying God's revelation. Certainly we do not see any major change in these means throughout the first generation of Christians.

However, in Paul's great poem to love in 1 Corinthians 13, we may understand that even those special gifts may be limited to an immediate application in his time. Prophecy as we understand the biblical meaning, no longer is a present ministry because once the canon of the Scriptures was closed with John's Revelation there is nothing to be added to God's already sufficient and complete revelation. The whole checks and balances of hearing those who had heard the Lord speak and arranging His words, life and deeds in an orderly fashion were the work of the Gospel writers and the approval of those Apostles who knew Him best. We may also note in the phrase man and maidservants that the gift is not for every single human being, but for those who truly serve their King.

Now, the second section in Joel in verses thirty and thirty-one describes the climatic signs indicative of the outpouring of the Spirit. Here the prophet hearkens back to the great Exodus of Israel from Egypt and looks forward to the crucifixion of Christ and even on to the destruction of Jerusalem and then to the end of the age when Christ shall come again. We may confidently say that whenever and wherever the Holy Spirit is poured out and His people are renewed and restored, that the earth shakes, history is moved and all glory belongs to God alone. One great day, even the earth, moon and stars shall melt away and a new heaven and a new earth will be created for eternity. Before then, every human who is born will be challenged to believe that God is present in His creation and that the only appropriate response is to repent and believe as we see Peter point the text towards the hearts and minds of His hearers at the end of his sermon recorded in Acts 2: 14-24.

This is the third division outlined by O Palmer Robertson in this passage from Joel. Verse thirty-two declares the climatic invitation which comes from the outpouring of God's Holy Spirit. Looking forward in the second chapter of Acts to verses thirty-eight and thirty-nine. "Then Peter said to them, 'Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promise is to you and to your children, and to all who are afar off, as many as the Lord our God will call.'"

Now, the climax here shows the proof of the Holy Spirit in a person's life. Is there repentance for sin? If people do not want to talk about sin, that is a sure indication that they have not the Spirit. If people do not feel the need to repent, that too is a surer indication of the absence of the Holy Spirit. If people want to add to and change the biblical definitions of sin, that is a certain indication that they have not the Spirit. Put yourself in a country where the meaning of the verb "is" is under assault and you can appreciate the general lack of any comprehension of who the Holy Spirit is and what repentance must certainly mean.

Now, last week I may have been a little harsh on you in my admonishment that you need to cry for your real sins. Yes, that is a challenge that we must consider, but I want to leave you with a sense of assurance this week. If you know the meaning of repentance because you have heard the Word of God speak then you must go on and sincerely repent. And if you have repented, then that is the work of His Spirit. He has at least begun His work in you and in your life.

Now the next step is to become a witness to what has happened in your life! For what reason do people remember you? Is it because you are always a cheery person, a grouch, that you have perfectly coiffed hair, a genial personality - or that you have witnessed to the power of Christ? It is this last aspect that we must diligently seek so that people know why we are what we are, then the Holy Spirit can work through us to bring others to His throne of grace and mercy.

This is just as much your responsibility as it is for the elders of this congregation. I hope that you all realize that we get far more mileage out of the ruling elders here than some pastors are accustomed to giving for a fair days pay! But, that is not the limit of this outpouring of the Spirit, it is for each and everyone of you. The "priesthood of believers" was a principle of the Reformation. I know of some cults where this principle has become a gross burden. There was a family that I once knew where the couple put off getting a home of their own because their organization demanded all monies not necessary for living day by day. And so they continued to live with their family and were unable to save any wealth for their own future.

I know of other Christians who are eager beavers to do random acts of kindness because the ministries of their congregations do not include such opportunities. In another place, a larger congregation will hear any reasonable request for ministries, provide a room and an elder to help any interested parties get something together and working. Since I believe that all Christian work should be done under the Lordship of Jesus Christ, I cannot support para-church organizations that run their own show. But if sincere Christians want a ministry under the supervising umbrella of Christ's Church, then may the Lord bless those works.

Currently, the major emphasis of the work of our session has been on outreach Bible Studies. Yes, some of you have brought visitors, but not all of you. Our desire as a session is to see the church increase and we have made ourselves available for discussions where learning may take place. A few people have been reached and the opportunities in this method may be on the verge of multiplying, but we need your support and encouragement on a regular basis. One of the reasons for multiplying our Bible studies last spring was to make them available wherever our people live in and around this city.

The first year we were a congregation, we tried to divide up the one large Bible Study with several specific applications. There was a prayer group, an outreach group, a children's training group and a fourth that I can't remember. Now, I will admit, that I probably tried to make that ministry of believers happen too quickly in the life of this congregation. But if you would like to see this church multiply in your neighborhood, bring your friends, neighbors and yourselves to study God's word together. And there where His word is honored and glorified, we pray that Christ's Church might be increased.

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