The Call

Everything on The Consider Podcast and website has to do with the call for all men and women to repent. Such is an offer of mercy for those willing to follow Jesus by hating their life and picking up their cross. After all, even the demons believe in God, but they are terrified. You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that–and shudder. James 2:19

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Adulthood—The Spirit of Pentecost

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Text Adulthood—The Spirit of Pentecost

The Twelve Apostles followed Jesus for many years and stayed with Him all through His trials.

You are those who have stood by me in my trials. And I confer on you a kingdom, just as my Father conferred one on me, (Luke 22:28–29)

Just as Jesus could give them the kingdom of heaven, if we suffer with Christ, we too will have the kingdom conferred on us. Scripture is clear: without sharing in the sufferings of Christ in the world, we have no hope of receiving the peace of heaven in the next world.1 This is not a well-accepted doctrine in the church today and in many circles, it causes one to be falsely accused of preaching salvation by works. We do not wish to enter into that debate here, but want to talk about adulthood in Christ, those who have gained ears that can hear.

Remember, being born again is like human birth. We must be born again and grow up. The Twelve picked up their crosses and followed Jesus all the way to His death on the cross. This truth caused them to die to themselves, learn from their sins, and thus grow up in God. After the resurrection, Jesus breathed on them the Holy Spirit and they became ready to teach others at the day of Pentecost.2 After all, they died enough to self that Jesus remained alive in them and He could speak with authority through them.3 Most of their sufferings while following Jesus when He walked the earth matured them, but now, after Pentecost, they suffered for the sake of others. This demonstrates a true life of selfless love and a sign of adulthood in God.

Think how selfish a baby behaves at birth. He learns to crawl and stand up all for self. He walks, eats, and plays for himself. Parents have to teach children the virtue of unselfishness. Indeed, the sufferings of an infant’s bumping into a table, falling down, and later getting into trouble as teenagers result from their own folly. Only as an adult does selfless love seem to occur when a parent works to provide for the family. Even then, we know it is selfish love, for only the cross rids a man of sinful love.

Again, children only focus on themselves and must be taught concern for others. The disciples had learned this, died to self, and could love others as the Holy Spirit directed and empowered them. Paul also let the sufferings of Christ work a death to self that allowed the love of heaven to move through him. Therefore, Paul wrote that he endured everything for the sake of others.

Therefore I endure everything for the sake of the elect, that they too may obtain the salvation that is in Christ Jesus, with eternal glory. (2 Timothy 2:10)

Such selfless love, which does not even follow Jesus for the sake of salvation, was so real that Paul wished he could be sent to hell for the sake of others.4 When we are dead to self, we will be like Christ, who literally was cursed for our sake. This wonderful depth of love comes when we have ears that can hear. Indeed, it is the whole goal of faith.

. . . The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love. (Galatians 5:6b)

The book of Acts, from Pentecost on, tells the story of the acts of the Holy Spirit. We tend to think of it as the book of acts of the first Christians, but it’s not. It is a book about the voice of God moving and empowering those who truly believe in Jesus.

From tongues of fire to the death of Ananias and Sapphire, we see the Holy Spirit speaking and moving in the lives of all who had ears to hear. The Holy Spirit could easily communicate God’s will. In the following passage, we see disciples who had ears to hear. They did not seek anything special from the Lord. In the middle of worshipping God, they heard the Holy Spirit’s voice say, “Set apart . . .”

While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them” (Acts 13:2)

The book of Acts is not the story of church committees planning acts for God, nor the story of man’s wisdom striving to increase church membership. Never is the book of Acts about man; it is about the voice of the Holy Spirit. Look at the following Scripture and you will see the Holy Spirit intimately directing when, how, and in what ways a man should be evangelized.

So he started out, and on his way he met an Ethiopian eunuch, an important official in charge of all the treasury of Candace, queen of the Ethiopians. This man had gone to Jerusalem to worship and on his way home was sitting in his chariot reading the book of Isaiah the prophet. The Spirit told Philip, “Go to that chariot and stay near it.” Then Philip ran up to the chariot and heard the man reading Isaiah the prophet. “Do you understand what you are reading?” Philip asked. (Acts 8:27–30)

“The Spirit told Philip, ‘Go to that chariot and stay near it.’” The Holy Spirit’s voice was clear and to the point—“that chariot,” not some other chariot. The Spirit told Philip to just “stay near it” and wait to see what the Lord would direct next. Immediately in obedience to that voice, Philip went with the mind of Christ and began to share the gospel. This speaking by the Holy Spirit did not occur to make Philip feel special but to fulfill a very serious work in the humility of Christ. The question is, are we willing to go onto maturity so that we are available for the Holy Spirit to move and speak to us? Like Peter, are we so dead to our own plans that when we hear the Holy Spirit tell us to “go downstairs” and “not hesitate,” will we trust Jesus and obey?

While Peter was still thinking about the vision, the Spirit said to him, “Simon, three men are looking for you. So get up and go down- stairs. Do not hesitate to go with them, for I have sent them” (Acts 10:19–20)

Can we trust God even when the Holy Spirit warns us that we are about to suffer? Do we really want to hear the Holy Spirit tell us such things? Remember, Jesus came to the cross knowing that it was the Father’s will.5 Jesus could hear God clearly and prayed until He could submit with joy. In the same way, are you honestly willing to hear both the good and bad that God has planned for your life? Of course, we use bad in a human sense because everything God plans and speaks to us is for our good, even when it feels bad for us. Could we hear what Paul heard and rejoice?

I only know that in every city the Holy Spirit warns me that prison and hardships are facing me. (Acts 20:23)

Most people in the church today are unwilling to listen to the Holy Spirit. Indeed, they cannot even get past the sermons I preach because they get offended and don’t like the tone. Few can give up their lives enough for God to hear the voice of the Holy Spirit. Pentecost is the spirit of maturity in “adult” disciples’ lives. They have grown up and are willing to listen to the Holy Spirit and joyfully obey that voice. They have learned to distinguish the voice of the Holy Spirit from others. They know which voice to run from and which to run toward. Blessed are those who have matured unto adulthood in Jesus Christ. Those who have ears to hear allow the Holy Spirit to work a life of true heavenly inspired love for others.

Chapter 15: Adulthood—The spirit of pentecost

• What transformation took place in the apostles after Pentecost?
• What is the real purpose of hearing God?
• List some things you resist hearing from God. Take one thing on your list and ask God to help you to have a willing heart to obey.

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Ears to Hear: Chapter 16 | [Continue to Next Chapter →]

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The Consider Podcast
Examining Today’s Wisdom, Folly and Madness
www.archive.consider.info

Former Salt Shaker Bookstore

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The Salt Shaker Christian bookstore, because of persecution by Washington State Authorities, was destroyed and ran out of the town of Enumclaw. Just part of the proof that Sound Doctrine Church was walking the narrow road with Jesus.

For you, brothers became imitators of God’s churches in Judea, which are in Christ Jesus: You suffered from your own countrymen the same things those churches suffered from the Jews, who killed the Lord Jesus and the prophets and also drove us out. They displease God and are hostile to all men. 1 Thessalonians 2:14-15

It was a beautiful store. A result of the hard work of Sound Doctrine Church. In the store was a free rack because, as Jesus said, “Freely you received, freely give.” The following track is a small reproduction of the love that burned in our hearts to give freely.

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