第13章
The Gift of the Spirit.
When Christ gave His disciples the promise of the Spirit, He was nearing the close of His earthly ministry.He was standing in the shadow of the cross, with a full realization of the load of guilt that was to rest upon Him as the Sin Bearer.Before offering Himself as the sacrificial victim, He instructed His disciples regarding a most essential and complete gift which He was to bestow upon His followers--the gift that would bring within their reach the boundless resources of His grace."I will pray the Father," He said, "and He shall give you another Comforter, that He may abide with you forever; even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth Him not, neither knoweth Him: but ye know Him; for He dwelleth with you, and shall be in you." John 14:16, 17.The Saviour was pointing forward to the time when the Holy Spirit should come to do a mighty work as His representative.The evil that had been accumulating for centuries 48was to be resisted by the divine power of the Holy Spirit.
What was the result of the outpouring of the Spirit on the Day of Pentecost?
The glad tidings of a risen Saviour were carried to the uttermost parts of the inhabited world.As the disciples proclaimed the message of redeeming grace, hearts yielded to the power of this message.The church beheld converts flocking to her from all directions.Backsliders were reconverted.
Sinners united with believers in seeking the pearl of great price.Some who had been the bitterest opponents of the gospel became its champions.The prophecy was fulfilled, "He that is feeble...shall be as David; and the house of David...as the angel of the Lord." Zechariah 12:8.Every Christian saw in his brother a revelation of divine love and benevolence.
One interest prevailed; one subject of emulation swallowed up all others.
The ambition of the believers was to reveal the likeness of Christ's character and to labor for the enlargement of His kingdom.
"With great power gave the apostles witness of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus: and great grace was upon them all." Acts 4:33.Under their labors were added to the church chosen men, who, receiving the word of truth, consecrated their lives to the work of giving to others the hope that filled their hearts with peace and joy.They could not be restrained or intimidated by threatenings.The Lord spoke through them, and as they went from place to place, the poor had the gospel preached to them, and miracles of divine grace were wrought.
So mightily can God work when men give themselves up to the control of His Spirit.
The promise of the Holy Spirit is not limited to any age or to any race.
Christ declared that the divine influence of His Spirit was to be with His followers unto the end.From the Day of Pentecost to the present time, the Comforter has been sent to all who have yielded themselves fully to the Lord and to His service.To all who have accepted Christ as a personal Saviour, the Holy Spirit has come as a counselor, sanctifier, guide, and witness.The more closely believers have walked with God, the more clearly and powerfully have they testified of their Redeemer's love and of His saving grace.The men and women who through the long centuries of persecution and trial enjoyed a large measure of the presence of the Spirit in their lives, have stood as signs and wonders in the world.Before angels and men they have revealed the transforming power of redeeming love.
Those who at Pentecost were endued with power from on high, were not thereby freed from further temptation and trial.As they witnessed for truth and righteousness they were repeatedly assailed by the enemy of all truth, who sought to rob them of their Christian experience.They were compelled to strive with all their God-given powers to reach the measure of the stature of men and women in Christ Jesus.Daily they prayed for fresh supplies of grace, that they might reach higher and still higher toward perfection.
Under the Holy Spirit's working even the weakest, 50by exercising faith in God, learned to improve their entrusted powers and to become sanctified, refined, and ennobled.As in humility they submitted to the molding influence of the Holy Spirit, they received of the fullness of the Godhead and were fashioned in the likeness of the divine.
The lapse of time has wrought no change in Christ's parting promise to send the Holy Spirit as His representative.It is not because of any restriction on the part of God that the riches of His grace do not flow earthward to men.If the fulfillment of the promise is not seen as it might be, it is because the promise is not appreciated as it should be.If all were willing, all would be filled with the Spirit.Wherever the need of the Holy Spirit is a matter little thought of, there is seen spiritual drought, spiritual darkness, spiritual declension and death.Whenever minor matters occupy the attention, the divine power which is necessary for the growth and prosperity of the church, and which would bring all other blessings in its train, is lacking, though offered in infinite plenitude.
Since this is the means by which we are to receive power, why do we not hunger and thirst for the gift of the Spirit? Why do we not talk of it, pray for it, and preach concerning it? The Lord is more willing to give the Holy Spirit to those who serve Him than parents are to give good gifts to their children.For the daily baptism of the Spirit every worker should offer his petition to God.Companies of Christian workers should gather to ask for special help, for heavenly wisdom, that they may know how to plan and execute wisely.Especially should they pray that God will baptize 51His chosen ambassadors in mission fields with a rich measure of His Spirit.
The presence of the Spirit with God's workers will give the proclamation of truth a power that not all the honor or glory of the world could give.