Sunday, July 5, 2009

Pentecost: WHO ,WHAT, WHEN, AND WHY


« Doctrines :: Pentecost? who, what, when, and why


What comes to your mind when I mention Pentecost?

What chapter in the bible is associated with this event?

It amazes me that through out the years people have associated this event with Acts Chapter 2. AS Paul told Timothy, we need to rightly divide the word of truth.

Eph 3:3-6 That by REVELATION there was made known to me the MYSTERY, as I wrote before in brief. And by referring to THIS, when you read, you can understand my insight into the MYSTERY of Christ, which in other generations was not made known to the sons of men, as it has now been revealed to the holy apostles and prophets in the spirit, to be specific THE GENTILES are fellow heirs and fellow members of the body, and fellow partakers the promise in Christ through the gospel. So when you read, by referring to this you can understand when you read.

By referring to what? By referring to the revelation of the Mystery. So let me say this, when I read I always consider who the word is written to: Jew, gentile, or the church.

So let’s apply this to the question of Pentecost. What is it, what was it, and who was it for?

In order for you to understand the answer to this question you must see and understand the "" GREAT SHEET REVELATION". You can find this revelation in Acts 10:9-23. I am sure most of you have heard about this revelation, but what amazed me, Peter did not understand what this was all about. The Holy Spirit is a person, but JESUS said when He left that He would send us the Comforter. This was the seal, and/or proof, that you have received Jesus into your life. Most people then associate the day of Pentecost in Acts chapter 2 with this promise.

I beg to differ with them, unless they are a full blooded JEW.

Please let me continue before I get ahead of myself... Peter in Acts 10; 17 was greatly perplexed as to what this revelation was. He saw a great sheet come down out of heaven and in this sheet there were all kinds of four footed beasts and crawling creatures and birds of the air, and a voice came out of heaven and said, "Peter, kill and eat." This happened three times and the sheet was taken back up into heaven. This astounded Peter. He was greatly perplexed as to what this revelation was. Meanwhile, God dispatched an angel to a man whose name was Cornelius and told him to send for Peter who would tell him what he had to know. So Cornelius sent for Peter. When Peter got to the house of Cornelius, one of the first things he said to him was that it was unlawful for him to enter Cornelius' house. See it was unlawful for a Jew to associate with gentiles. This is why God had to send an angel to Cornelius and the great sheet to Peter. God was unveiling a mystery that was hidden for ages-- Specifically that whoever believes in Jesus can receive his Holy Spirit. Peter says in Acts 10:34 "I most certainly understand NOW, that God is not one to show partiality, but who ever fears Him and does what is right is welcome to Him." What a statement this was from a Jew! See before this, the Jews were the only ones who had believed and received the Holy spirit. How do we know this?

Acts 10:34-44 While Peter was still speaking the Holy Spirit fell on ALL THOSE WHO WERE LISTENING... who were they? we know that it was Cornelius, his relatives and all his friends (Acts 10:24) Was this more than the 120 Jews in the upper room? Let's continue.... and all the CIRCUMCISED believers (Jews) who had come with Peter were amazed (why) because the Holy Spirit was poured out on the GENTILES also. For they were hearing them speak in tongues, sounds like this never happened before! The Jews were astonished because they heard the GENTILES SPEAK IN TONGUES..... this was the first time here in ACTS 10 that full blooded GENTILES believed in Jesus, received the Holy Spirit....vs.47 "...no one can refuse these water to be baptized who received the Holy Spirit like ( we ) did". The "we" is the Jews; the "they" is the gentiles.

Also look closely at Acts 11:15-18-- "and as I spoke the HOLY SPIRIT fell on them (GENTILES) just as He did on us (JEWS) in the beginning..."

When was Peter speaking of? When was "in the beginning"? Was it last week, last month, last year, or could it have even been years before when the JEWS received the Holy Spirit in ACTS 2?

Yes, it was approximately 8-10 years... that is a long time for the founding fathers to be preaching salvation and healing , never realizing that we ( GENTILES ) can receive the Holy Spirit... vs. 16 "I REMEMBER HOW THE Lord USED TO SAY , John baptized with water , but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit.... If therefore God gave them ( GENTILES) the same gift as He gave us ( JEWS ) after believing, who was I to stand in gods way...." ***** and when they ( JEWS) heard this they quieted down and glorified God saying,**** "WELL THEN, God has granted to the GENTILES also the repentance that leads to life."

What a MYSTERY that God REVEALED through Peter and Cornelius...... this is the first time full blooded GENTILES believed in Jesus and received the Holy Spirit ---8-10 years after Acts 2..... It amazes me how many GENTILES associate their Holy Spirit encounter with Acts 2 , when they should be acknowledging that the first time the GENTILES received the Holy Spirit was in Acts 10.

If it took them this long to see this, how long did it take them to understand what to do with these GENTILE believers?????????????

By Pastor Ronald David Kosor

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