PENTECOST

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XXVI, Issue 147, 6 June 1936, Page 13

PENTECOST

What happened at Pentecost? There «as something that began a new era lor the world, a new power of righteousness, a new mission of redemption and a now basis of fellowship. What was it that made Pentecost the birthday of the Church of Christ? It is not enough to say the Holy Spirit was given. In what sense was He given? The Spirit of God has been active in tho world from tho beginning. lie brooded upon the face of the waters when the earth was without form ami void, and tho order of creation was the result of His brooding, in the Old Testament Ho is the creative Agent, Sustainer. ami Kenetvcr of the world of Nature. He is the Lord and Giver of life In Ezekiel's vision tho forces and machinery of Nature were impelled ami controlled by the Spirit of God that dwelt in the wheels. It was God’s gilt ol His Spirit to man in creation that distinguished man from the rest of His works. Whitt else can it mean when it is said, “And the l.ord God formed man of the dust of the ground, und breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul”? Breath is the wold for Spirit It is a picture word. God does not breathe The Spirit is not wind. It is a figuie of speech to illustrate the fact that God communicated to man the Hie which was within Himself. God breathed into man His Spirit and man became a living soul. It was by the Spirit of God that man was made in tho image 0“ God, and it was by tho Breath of God in His Son that there was given unto man again the gift of the Holy Ghost. On the evening of Easter Day the Risen Lord breathed upon His disciples and said. “Receive ye the Holy Ghost.” He communicated to them the Life which He hail in Himself.

At Pentecost the Holy Spirit came as He had never come before. The signs were not new except in their combination and intensity. The Wind and the Eire and the Tongues had all been associated with the gift of the Spirit, but they were now intensified, enlarged, and distributed to a community of believers. There was a sense of overflowing fullness. Something had happened in the cosmic order that sent forth the Spirit of God in larger measure, with new powers and enlarged opportunities. He was the gift of God to His Son, and the gift of His Son to the world. He came to fulfil the mission for which Christ came into the world. He is our Lord’s Paraclete, His Advocate, and Administrator. His ministry is redemptive and regenerative. In Him tho Risen and Ascended Tzord finds His enlarged opportunity. The straitening is past. He is exalted far above all rule, and authority, and dominion, and power, and to Him are given all authority in Heaven and ou earth, and the fullness of “Him that iilleth all in all.”

Ho had said: “It is better for you that I go away, for if I go not away, the Comforter, the Paraclete, will not come to you.” The inference is that the presence of the Suirit is better than the bodily presence of Jesus. That is a strange word. Why could not the Spirit come if Jesus did not go away? Why should the coming of the Spirit wait for the going of Jesus? It is not difficult to understand that tho Spirit found the fullest opportunity ‘if manifestation in Jesus. To none but Jesus had He ever been abli to come “without measure,” but why wait to come upon such m as Peter and Janies and John?

The change in the Apostles was more wonderful than any of the marvellous portents of tho day. The wind and the lire passed, but the transformation remained. It is easy to se<‘ tho difference in Peter, but it was no greater in him than in the rest. All that Jesus had promised had come to pass. Pentecost interprets the Vpper Room. The Paraclete had come, and they were comforted. Tho Spirit of Truth had come, and they knew. The witness to the Christ had come, and they became witnesses. The Executant of the Kingdom had come in power, and each found him V under authority and speaking «s the Spirit gave him utterance. Fear had gone. They no longer sat with closed windows and bolted doors for fear of tho Jews. They feared no one. They were afraid of nothing. They no longer spoke with bated breath. Tjiey proclaimed the truth concerning Jesus in the open streets of the city where Jesus had been murdered, and within six weeks of His death. A new power was at work. The Lord Jesus had said '•.hat when tho Spirit was come He would convict of sin, and righteousness, and judgment; and, Jo, multitudes were smitten, and three thousand souls cried for mercy. It was indeed “a great and notable day.”. The world had ne”er seen such a day. The angels had never seen such a day. Neither had Satan and his hosts of spiritual darkness ever seen such a day. Tho vital thing that happened at Pentecost is that tho Spirit of Jesus came to abide in th« hearts of men in the power of God “Ye know Him, for Ho abideth with you and shall bo in you.” It is the difference from with to in, plus the difference in Christ by His exaltation and coronation. Through that indwelling Presence Pen. tecost makes us uno with Christ as tho Son is 0110 with the Father: “1 in you, and ye iu Me.” So tho Spirit brings tho Life of Jesus into the soul; by Him we say, “Christ liyeth iu me.” —From “Tho Way to Pentecost” by tho lute Samuel Chadwick.

PEACE OR WAR? One can understand that there are those who fail to seo tho harmony of Biblical truth and statements, for literally some appear contradictory, but it requires spiritual understanding to see their harmony and true meaning. Wo read that Angels announced the birth of Christ by proclaiming “peace ou earth”—Luke 2:14, and the Apostles declared that “Christ came to preach peace” (Ephes. 2:7). Also the prophet had foretold that Ho should be called “The Prince of Peace” (Isa. 9:6). When wo consider the word “peace” as it is commonly understood how contrary are the above Scriptural statements iu one aspect, and tho must im-

posing aspect of whut has taken place, and is still taking place, even iu what is termed the Christian world. But Christ Himself said, “Suppose ye that 1 camo to send peace on the earth? I tell you, Nuy, but rather division” (Luke 12:51-53). That has been uno of the outstanding results ol tho impact of Christ’s teaching and spirit on human life. Hence Jesus also said, “Ho that loveth father and mother, sons or daughters more than Me, is not worthy of Me.” “In Me ye shall have peace, in the world ye shall have tribulation, but be ol good cheer. I have overcome the world” (Jno. 16.33).

The great question is, where do we seek peace, 1:1 the world or ill Christ? The peace that He gives and restores to man is “peace with God.” Christ has reopened the siu-closed way to God for every man and wo have now free access tu the 'J inone of, Divino Grace. But men are still rebels towards G‘‘d, hence the world’s unrest and strue, Christian discipleship that dues not bring opposition and conflict is surely defective and inisciipturul.

There is a semi-religious sentiment gaining ground that is for peace at any cost, a compromising broadmindedness “Be broadminded, they say, “don’t be dogmata and narrow Yon know many things stated in tho Bible are disputed and are not to be taken literally,” etc., etc (’he fact is, there exists not one undisputed Scriptural Doctrine to-day. Especially concerning Jesus Christ. Hence to stand by the old truth of tho Gospel will surely bring the preacher and believer iirio conflict with aggressive unbelief as never before, both inside and outside religious profession. Henco, ‘ resist the Devil,” whether ho appears as a peace-disturber or peace advocate, and he is both to-day, both in a national and spiritual sense. Christian history shows clearly that God’s true people have made tho greatest progress amidst opposition, and conflict, and persecution. The blood of the martyrs greatly fertilised the good seed of the truth as it is in Christ. But when God’s people have taken the linas of least resistance, the enemy has shown a good-natured toleration, and even sa : d they were good people. “Woe unto you when all men speak well of you.” Satan does not mind men being told that God is love, or that Jesus was both great and good as a Man, and set us a great example to follow, but when men are told the truth about the cross, and the blood and that Christ lives to-day, and may return to this earth any day. and we ihall then have to give account to Him of our lives, and God-given privileges and opportunities, then unbelief—religious or otherwise—conies out in its true colours to discredit and pervert tho truth. All life is exposed to danger and enmity, and must be prepared to fight and overcome. Spiritual life more so than any other must fight its way to its true objective and destiny. God’s Word declares, “Wo fight not against flesh and blood” only, “but against . . . . tho ruler of the darkness of this world” (Ephes. 0:12). In the great conflict between the forces of Satan and the Soldiers of Christ there is 110 discharge or truce, and there can be no peace without surrender. “Know yo not that to whom ye yield yourself, his servant yo are” (Rom. 6T6). It must be so.. We cannot serve two masters. If the world, the flesh, and the Devil aro aggressive, we must be counter-aggressive to save ourselves from being captured. Let us never forget or doubt that the final victor will bo Christ.

-By J.II