3904 38th Street NW Canton, Ohio 44718
330-492-5523 Fax: 330-493-7119
“The Holy Spirit In Acts”
(Part I)
(Acts 2:1-4)
I. Introduction.
A. The Pentecost following the death, burial, and resurrection
of Jesus has a special significance for Christians. It was the
day Jesus spoke of when He told His apostles “. . . you
shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from
now (Acts 1:5). This statement prompts a question from
the apostles, and further elaboration from Jesus (read
Acts 1:6-8). The fulfillment of that promise is seen in
Acts 2:1-4.
B. That Day of Pentecost is also the “birth date” of the church.
Peter delivered a message that day, and called for a
response from those who heard him. His message
concludes in Acts 2:36-39 (read).
C. Looking at these two events on that important day, we
must, first, ask the question: “What’s the difference
between what happened to the apostles in Acts 1:1-4 and
the promise made by Peter to the crowd in Acts 2:38?”
1. The same Holy Spirit which came upon the
apostles, and allowed them to “. . . speak with
other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance,”
(Acts 2:4) is that which every baptized, penitent
believer is promised, as a “gift” in Acts 2:38.
2. The difference is not in the Holy Spirit Himself.
As Deity, He is the same, unchanging individual
forever. The difference, also, is not in the “amount”
of the Holy Spirit given. The Spirit is a Person, not
an impersonal force or a physical substance.
-2-
3. The difference lies in the work the Spirit comes to
do. Dr. Marlin Connelly illustrates this point by
comparing it to the work of a contractor. The
contractor may undertake different tasks. He may
build a school, or a house, or, at another time, a
factory or a hospital. He is always the same
individual, but with different work to do at different
times.
4. The Holy Spirit came to the apostles to qualify them
as authoritative, inerrant teachers of the Word of
God and of Christ as His Only Son (“. . . you shall
be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea
and Samaria, and to the end of the earth,” Acts 1:8)
a. The Spirit came to cause these men to
remember, and understand, what Jesus had
taught them (John 14:26).
b. The Spirit was the guarantee of the
authenticity, the truth, of the apostles’
testimony about Christ (John 15:26,27).
c. The Spirit came to them to allow them to
demonstrate the fact that they were
authoritative, specially accredited
messengers. To do this, they received the
power to perform “signs and wonders”, just
as Jesus did (II Corinthians 12:12: “Truly
the signs of an apostle were accomplished
among you with all perseverance, in signs
and wonders and mighty deeds”).
d. The purpose of all this was to convict people
of sin (as Peter did on that Pentecost), and to
bring them to obedience to the gospel of
truth, by faith in Jesus Christ (John 16:7-11;
read).
-3-
5. The Spirit comes to baptized, penitent believers to
encourage them, and to strengthen them in living
the life of a Christian.
a. I Corinthians 6:19-20: “Or do you not
know that your body is the temple of the
Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have
from God, and you are not your own? For
you were bought at a price; therefore glorify
God in your body and in your spirit, which
are God’s.”
b. Romans 8:13: “For if you live according to
the flesh you will die; but if by the Spirit
you put to death the deeds of the body, you
will live.”
II. The Evidence in “Acts.”
A. Carl Brumback, in his book, “What Meaneth This? A
Pentecostal Answer To A Pentecostal Question”: “If we
are to discover what definitely took place when one was
baptized or filled with the Spirit in the early church, we
must turn to the Book of Acts, the experience book of the
New Testament Church. There alone can we find a
detailed description of the baptism or filling with the Spirit
which was experienced by those early believers.”
1. After conversion, a person is to seek the “baptism of
the Holy Spirit” (a term meaning to receive the
Holy Spirit), with the expectation of speaking in
tongues as the initial evidence of that “baptism”, or
the coming of the Holy Spirit upon them.
2. The Christian life really does not begin, fully, at
baptism, but is manifested in stages.
-4-
a. A “higher experience” beyond one’s initial
conversion is to be sought. With enough
devotion, and surrender, and striving, one
reaches another, far greater, experience, one
that is radiant, thrilling, and powerful.
b. This post-conversion experience, so
important that everyone should seek it,
cannot be found anywhere in the New
Testament outside of the book of “Acts”.
c. Glenn A. Reed, in “Pentecostal Truths . . .”
says: “In the book of Acts are found all
instances of persons receiving the baptism in
the Spirit which are to be found in the
Bible.”
B. If we are to sustain this “higher experience” idea, through
“Acts”, we must have three specific evidences. Support
has to be found for three elements:
1. A subsequent, higher experience has to be
established.
2. Conditions beyond conversion must be discovered.
3. Tongue-speaking must be shown to be expected as
an evidence of the higher experiences.
4. So, what does the evidence in “Acts” show?
C. Did the apostles seek the coming of the Holy Spirit upon
them on Pentecost? Or, were they following Jesus’
instructions to wait for His coming? (Luke 24:49: Behold,
I send the Promise of My Father upon you; but tarry [wait]
in the city of Jerusalem until you are endued with power
from on high”).
-5-
1. At the time of God’s choosing, “. . . suddenly there
came a sound from heaven, as of a rushing mighty
wind, and it filled the whole house where they were
sitting. Then there appeared to them divided
tongues, as of fire, and one sat upon each of them,”
(Acts 2:2-3). (Pentecostals say there are some
things about Pentecost that are not repeatable. One
of them is the sound of the wind. People are told
not to expect this).
2. The appearance of “tongues of fire” is another event
not to be repeated, or expected. But, speaking in
tongues is part of the “higher experience,” and
should be expected, and desired, as part of the
evidence that a person has received the Holy Spirit.
But, notice two things about the event of Acts 2:
a. The apostles did not either seek, nor expect,
to speak in tongues on Pentecost. In fact,
nowhere does Luke record a “seeking” of
the “baptism of the Holy Spirit” with the
expectation of tongues as its evidence.
b. Second, these “tongues” were intelligible,
understandable languages, not some special
“prayer language.” (read Acts 2:5-11).
Here was a symbol of the world-wide
mission of the church that began that day.
D. Peter then explains what is happening, using a prophecy
from Joel, and gives the reason for the Spirit’s coming at
this time: “And it shall come to pass that whoever calls on
the name of the Lord shall be saved.” (from Joel 2:28-32;
Acts 2:21).
-6-
1. This is what the coming of the Holy Spirit is all
about. It’s not to be marveled at, or desired, for its
own sake. The Spirit’s purpose, the reason for the
power given to the apostles, is to bring people to
Christ and salvation.
2. In the next verse (22), Peter begins his sermon.
(Read Acts 2:22-24). Peter doesn’t bring his
hearers a testimony of his experience in the Spirit.
He doesn’t begin his sermon by saying: “I want to
tell you about this glorious experience I’ve had.
You can have it, too, if you’re willing to pay the
price.” No. He turns immediately to telling them
about Jesus of Nazareth.
3. The climax of the sermon is verse 36. It is designed
to move people to faith in Jesus, whom God has
made, “. . . both Lord and Christ.”
4. The gift of the Holy Spirit comes with faith,
repentance and baptism for the remission of sins
(verse 38), not at some later experience. The whole
of salvation is received at one time – both
forgiveness of sins and the gift of the Holy Spirit.
E. The evidence of Pentecost does not indicate stages of
salvation, and the Holy Spirit is not something received
because one has become worthy of deserving to receive it.
It is a gift at baptism into Christ.
F. Look at one other instance of coming of Holy Spirit. Go to
Acts 8:14-17 (read).
1. Those who subscribe to the idea of some type of
“higher experience” being evident in the coming of
the Holy Spirit upon individuals see this passage as
a key proof of their doctrine. But, is that really so?
Let’s look at the text more closely and see.
-7-
2. The apostles heard that people were hearing the
gospel in Sarnia (Philip, one of the seven men chosen in Acts 6 was “. . . preach [ing] Christ to them”, Acts 8:5). Two, Peter and John, are sent to verify this news.
3. Remember two things: first, Jesus’ words to the
apostles in Acts 1:8 (“. . . you shall be witnesses to
Me in Jerusalem [Pentecost], and in all Judea, and
Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”). Second, the
relationship between the Jews and Samaritans. The
question naturally must arise – can the despised
Samaritans really be subject to the grace of God?
Can it be true that these people are being admitted
to the Lord’s body, the church? Can they receive
the gift of the Holy Spirit just as Jews had?
4. When Peter and John arrived in Samaria they found
that people had, indeed, been baptized for the
remission of their sins (verse 16: “. . . baptized in
the name of the Lord Jesus”). Philip’s preaching,
and the “signs and wonders” that accompanied it
(Acts 8:6), had produced converts. Philip had
received power from the apostles, as did all the men
chose in Acts 6 (“. . . the apostles . . . laid hands on
them”).
5. These Samaritan converts received the “. . . gift of
the Holy Spirit”, promised by Peter on Pentecost
when they obeyed the gospel and were baptized into
Christ. The text in no way contradicts this. What
Luke refers to in verse 16 (“For as yet He [the Holy
Spirit] had fallen upon none of them,” was the
manifestation of miraculous gifts such as Philip had
demonstrated among them.
-8-
6. How can we verify this? Go to verse 18 (read).
One doesn’t “see” the indwelling of the Holy
Spirit in a baptized, penitent believer in Jesus
Christ. That “gift” of Acts 2:38 is simply
understood, by faith, to come with baptism. But,
miraculous power is manifested in visible ways, and
this is what Simon “saw through the laying on of
the apostles’ hands,” and desired for himself.
Simon was a baptized believer (Acts 8:13). Now,
he wanted the “gifts” of the Holy Spirit some others
received.
7. The apostles, not the Samaritans, prayed, laid hands
on people, and the Samaritans received outward,
visible manifestations of the Holy Spirit – a sign
that God accepted them, too, as part of His Son’s
body. Luke does not say what particular gift
(or gifts) the Samaritans received. That was far less
significant than the idea that the Samaritans could
also have eternal life through obedience to the
gospel.
8. One final point: Quite apparently Philip could not
transmit the miraculous power of the Holy Spirit to
anyone. He had received it himself, from the
apostles, but only the apostles could convey it to
others.
III. Conclusion.
A. All Christians have the same Spirit: “But you are not in
the flesh, but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God
dwells in you. Now if anyone does not have the Spirit of
Christ, he is not His.” (Romans 8:9). The same evidence
that indicates we are a Christian shows that we also have
God’s Spirit with us.
-9-
B. In Acts 8:26-39 we have recorded the conversion of the
Ethiopian, the treasurer for Candace, the queen of that land.
1. When Philip baptized him (Acts 8:38) did the
Ethiopian become a Christian? Without question he
did. The gospel was shared with him (verse 35), he
believed it, and he responded by being baptized in
water.
2. When Philip baptized him, did the Ethiopian receive
the Holy Spirit? Without question he did. How do
we know? Not by any extraordinary, outward sign,
but by faith in the promise of Acts 2:38. The
Ethiopian went on his way “rejoicing.” Why?
Because he was now a Christian and that meant
having God’s Spirit present with him.
C. The same joy is found on Pentecost among those who
believed and were baptized (read Acts 2:41).
D. We should not view the Holy Spirit only in the
extraordinary or spectacular. The Spirit of God should be
seen in faith in Christ, baptism for the remission of sins, the
love of God (Romans 5:5: “Now hope does not
disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in
our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us”), and by
joy in the forgiveness of our sins.
E. Our next step on this journey of examination of the Holy
Spirit in “Acts” will be Acts 10, the case of Cornelius and
his household.