The Blessed Fruit of Pentecost

It was a precious promise which was spoken by the prophet Zechariah! “And I will pour upon the house of David and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem the Spirit of grace and of supplications: and they shall look upon Him whom they have pierced, they shall mourn for Him as one mourneth for his only son.”

God’s promises will always be fulfilled; they are firm and sure. But it will be at God’s time—and blessed are they who may prayerfully wait for it. Thus it was with the disciples in Jerusalem, waiting for the fulfillment of the promise, “But ye shall receive power after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you” (Acts 1:8). Oh, blessed time, when a missing people are assembled together, with one desire and one prayer!

And so it was with the disciples who were all with one accord in one place. It was a blessed union of true believers, who did not fight for the highest place, but prayed and longed together for the fulfillment of that which the Lord had spoken. “And when the day of Pentecost was fully come.” Here is a new fulness of time—fifty days after Christ’s resurrection.

The King has not only risen indeed, but has ascended into heaven, and “hast led captivity captive,” but hast also “received gifts for men: yea, for the rebellious also.” That will be seen in this day.

God will crown His own work, will seal it, so that the church may know the things which are freely given unto them. Then not only the days will be full, not only the house where they are gathered will be filled, but also those waiting supplicants will be filled with the Holy Ghost and will speak in other tongues the wonderful works of God.

Pentecost is the feast of weeks, the feast of the firstfruits of the harvest, where also the Holy Spirit will be poured out in such a plentiful way as the firstfruits of Christ’s ascending to heaven.

On this day we also see the firstfruits as a guarantee of the complete harvest of the New Testamental church. Then the giving of the law at Sinai is not only commemorated as the Jews did at this feast, but that law is also written in the hearts of sinners.

It is evident from the special tokens which the Lord gave that the work of the Spirit would come irresistibly, powerfully, sovereignly, so that even great trees of ungodliness or self-righteousness would be cast down and be humbled in the dust.

That is what happened to 3000 souls under one sermon on Pentecost. Certainly, the preacher had much boldness at that time and the sermon was clear and powerful, but yet it was “not by might, nor by power” that this happened. It was the fulfillment of that promise which had been proclaimed by Zechariah: the Spirit of grace and supplication was poured out upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem and those from other places. It was God’s mighty hand that broke stony hearts in pieces, that made the Word of God spoken by Peter to prick the hearts of mockers and enemies.

No, they were not only impressed by the happenings that day which they saw and heard, but they were pricked in their hearts. Many people were confounded, because every man heard them speak in his own language. They were amazed and marvelled; they were in doubt, saying one to another, “What meaneth this?” We would say, “How nice; those people are awakened, are shaken, or at least impressed, and ask for an explanation. They are interested in these things. It does something.” And that, for many of us, does not happen so often. We often leave the church, say or not say a few words about the sermon, and then the birds take away the seed of the Word. Oh, my friend, how long is it since you were impressed, amazed, had convictions, shed tears, and had some unrest in your heart? Or doesn’t God’s Word make any impression upon you? Is it just a custom for you to hear God’s Word? Then many on that Pentecost day were further than you. But yet that was not enough, not sufficient to salvation. Others showed a different reaction; they mocked and said, “These men are full of new wine.” That’s another method: you place yourself above the Word, and above the preacher; you mock and lay it aside. Oh, I hope we do not do this! I hope we do not judge, criticize, discuss, and merely lay the message aside. But might we bow under God’s Word, might we believe what God says through the preaching of Himself and of us.

And you can see that where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. For the same man who denied his Master just a few weeks before because of fear for a maidservant is now honest, bold and faithful. He spoke of the prophecy of Joel which was fulfilled on that glorious day of Pentecost. He proclaimed the work of Christ among them, but also that they “have taken Him and by wicked hands crucified and slain.” That’s what they are: murderers who have slain the Prince of life and rejected His testimony by words and deeds. Oh, then Peter may speak of Him who is fairer than the children of men, the promised greater David, rejected by them, but glorified by the Father, who gave Him all power in heaven and upon earth. Peter may say: “God hath made the same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ.”

That is what they heard in that one sermon. They heard—oh, what a blessing. “The hour is coming, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God: and they that hear shall live.” Did you already hear, dear young friends? I mean, did you already hear His voice, His Word spoken to you? For it is so personal; then it is as if you are alone in church, then you do not listen for others; you do not stand above the Word, but you fall under the Word. You are cast down, are actually slain, at the battlefield of free grace. Then you leave the church with a broken heart, and the wounds in your soul will not be healed unless the Lord does it. Your rest is gone; sorrow causes pain in your heart, and you cry unto God.

Thus they did on Pentecost day. By the Spirit of grace and supplication, they cried for grace, and became unworthy supplicants. These people who knew it so very well, who were so well-educated in Moses and the prophets, who were so satisfied with their religion, became blind, ignorant, brokenhearted, humbled sinners who cried: “Is there a way by which we may escape punishment, and be again received into favor?” Here, by the Spirit of grace and supplication, sinners cry out: “Men and brethren, what shall we do?” There is need in their heart, and they do not have light to see a way of escape. It is a lost case, for they have sinned against a holy and righteous God, who will not acquit guilty ones, and they have crucified Him, God’s gracious Gift of life and mercy. What could their expectation then be but an eternal punishment by a God who will avenge that blood which they shed? No, they do not see that He shed His blood for murderers and enemies. They have cried: “His blood be on us and our children.” Here are 3000 miserable, hopeless beggars who deserve death, but seek grace. It is God’s hand that lays them down, that brings them into the dust, but that also draws them irresistibly unto Him.

All is certainly lost unless something would be done—but what? Oh, teach unto us the way and tell us what we must do. We will do everything, if only the Lord’s wrath can be quenched, His anger taken away, His goodness experienced, and He may be served and honored.

The Spirit of grace has convinced them that they have lost communion with God in His glory, in His favor. For that is the work of the Holy Spirit, to show a man what he was and what he possessed originally in Adam. He shows him where he is and what he has lost by Adam’s fall; He shows him what he has done and what he suffers by his own iniquities.

The Spirit convinces them that they are under the wrath of God, under His curse, that they therefore are subject to all kinds of miseries in this life, but also to the punishment of the threefold death. Then it is reality that we must die alone, and stand before the Judge of heaven and earth. And His righteous sentence will be an everlasting punishment, separated from God whom we have offended. It is by the Spirit that the sinner bows under God and may so agree with His justice, becoming clay in the hands of the Great Potter.

Now the apostles may be messengers of good tidings. As the prophet Isaiah testified in time past: “How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him that bringeth good tidings, that published peace.”

The cry arose out of those broken, humbled hearts: “What shall we do?” That’s the only way a sinner really knows: a way of doing, of working, of trying to please God in order to incline His heart to be merciful toward us.

How distressful they are, who know that something must be done, but who have learned, in a way of painful discovery, stripped by the Holy Spirit, that they cannot bring forth anything that pleases God, that what they do is increasing their debts, that their righteous-nesses are as filthy rags! Oh, what then, if God requires satisfaction, perfect obedience, and all my works are sin?

But now the Spirit of grace and supplications not only discovers, empties, humbles the sinner, but also reveals and enlightens the eyes of faith to see that which they never saw before.

Oh, there is one who did what He must do, what He promised to do. His work is perfect, is accepted by the Father, and therein a lost, condemnable sinner will be received into God’s favor again!

Oh, wretched sinners, there is a Substitute; God hath laid help upon One that is mighty! He is not only willing and able to save, but He did what was required of Him. He cried out: “It is finished.” When you sit by the ruins of your work, when everything is lost, then there is one who could say: “I have glorified Thee on the earth: I have finished the work which Thou gavest me to do.” Oh, blessed, suitable, willing Savior, whose work and merits will be applied unto sinners!

Then sinners will repent, will confess, will be renewed, and fruits of true conversion will be seen. For Christ’s work is performed for sinners, but will also be glorified in the hearts of them. That is also the answer of the apostles: “Repent, and be baptized everyone of you in the Name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins.” In that baptism will be signified what the Lord teaches the sinner, but will also be sealed what He promises in His Gospel. Then all those truly repenting sinners will write death upon all their works, their reformations, their endeavors to save themselves, their piety, their religion and all what is of them. There they will die, but also live by Him, whose life is their life. His righteousness, His obedience will be theirs, freely given.

Oh, blessed privilege to know that, by the testimony of the Holy Spirit, to receive it as the free gift of God’s good pleasure!

Pentecost, it is the feast of fulness, the crown upon Christ’s work, the sealing of what He has done for and in them.

By nature we do not ask in truth: “What shall we do?” We do what we like, what we prefer. However, the wages of our works, our sins, is death, and once we will have to lose that battle! My dear friends, now it is still the time of grace. Now you may still hear the message of death and life, curse and blessing. Ask the Lord for the Spirit of grace and supplication that also your heart may be pricked and your mouth may cry: “What shall I do?” There is a Way, a Name given under heaven among men, as you and we are. Blessed are they who may hear and believe and surrender, but also may beg and cry for His mercy.

Rev. C. Vogelaar is pastor of the Netherlands Reformed Congregation of St. Catharines, Ontario.

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