PENTECOST -- A REVEALING BEGINNING Devotion 1 of 28 There had been many Pentecosts celebrated in Jerusalem – but never had there been one like the Pentecost about to take place. The "promise of the Father" of which Jesus had spoken would be fulfilled. The disciples would be "endued with power from on high," just as Jesus had said. The Holy Spirit would come, sent forth by Jesus from the Father – and it would be with extraordinary accompaniments that the disciples had never before experienced. The nature of these accompaniments would confirm that something of significant proportions had taken place in heaven – something that allowed for the grace of God to be poured forth in unprecedented measures. -- Tomorrow:
Many of the things that would take place were formerly associated with curses, but now they would be the signs of blessing. All of this would take place while the disciples "were all with one accord in one place." They would be waiting as Jesus had instructed them, and now the blessing for which they were waiting would begin to take place. This would be a new day!
It is a principle of spiritual life that those who wait upon the Lord are in a most excellent position – in our text, a receiving position. A waiting people grow stronger, their spiritual senses being honed to a fine edge, and their spiritual stamina increasing, enabling them to endure. As it is written, "He giveth power to the faint; and to them that have no might he increaseth strength. Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall: But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint" (Isa 40:29-31). This promise is being fulfilled in our text.
THE PRINCIPLE OF PROMISE
As we approach this text, it is important that we see, what I will call, the principle of promise. By this I mean that being motivated by a promise is more powerful than be prompted by Law, or a commandment. It is true that, from one point of view, Jesus had commanded His disciples to stay in Jerusalem, and not depart from it: "tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem" (Luke 24:49). Luke states that Jesus "commanded them that they should not depart from Jerusalem" (Acts 1:4). From one point of view, that should be enough, for "the commandment of the LORD is pure, enlightening the eyes" (Psa 19:8). No follower of Christ would object to having a word like this.
However, the Lord adds certain promises to this commandment, thereby adding more incentive to the believers. In this, the nature of the New Covenant is marvelously confirmed. How hopefully those early disciples must have pondered those precious promises! Here are some of them.
1. "But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in My name, He shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you" (John 14:26).
2. "But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, He shall testify of Me: and ye also shall bear witness, because ye have been with Me from the beginning" (John 15:26-27).
3. "Howbeit when He, the Spirit of truth, is come, He will guide you into all truth: for He shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever He shall hear, that shall He speak: and He will show you things to come" (John 16:13).
4. "He shall glorify Me: for He shall receive of Mine, and shall show it unto you. All things that the Father hath are Mine: therefore said I, that He shall take of Mine, and shall show it unto you" (John 16:14-15).
5. "And in that day ye shall ask Me nothing. Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in My name, He will give it you. Hitherto have ye asked nothing in My name: ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full" (John 16:24).
6. "And, behold, I send the promise of my Father upon you: but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on high" (Luke 24:49).
7. " . . . wait for the promise of the Father, which, saith he, ye have heard of Me . . . ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence" (Acts 1:4-5).
8. "But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto Me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth" (Acts 1:8).
The promises are addressed to faith, and faith has the ability to reach forward and take hold of them. Thus, faith moved these disciples to remain in Jerusalem, address immediate Kingdom concerns, and wait expectantly for the fulfillment of the promises delivered to them.
PRAYER POINT: Father, in the name of Jesus, grant me grace to see the glory of Your promises and to cling to them with expectation.