Role of Pentecostalism in the 21st Century

CHAPTER 1 WHAT IS PENTECOST?

• Pentecost in the Old Testament:

  • One of the Jewish feast days, known to Jews as the Feast of Harvest or the Feast of Weeks.

  • Mentioned in Exodus 23, Exodus 24, Leviticus 16, Numbers 28, and Deuteronomy 16.

  • Celebrated the beginning of the early wheat harvest in Palestine during May/June.

  • Preceded by Passover, Unleavened Bread, and Feast of First fruits (barley harvest celebration).

  • Date calculation: 50 days after First fruits; also called the Feast of Weeks due to it coming a "week of weeks" later.

Christian Celebration of Pentecost

• Generally honored in liturgical churches (Roman Catholic, Anglican, Lutheran, Eastern Orthodox), Pentecostal/Charismatic churches, and many other Protestant churches.

  • Commemorates the coming of the Holy Spirit on Jesus’ early followers.

  • Historically and spiritually considered the birthday of the church.

Meaning of "Pentecost"

• English word derived from the Greek word pentekostos, meaning "fifty."

  • From ancient Christian expression pentekoste hemera ("fiftieth day"), borrowed from Greek-speaking Jews referring to the Jewish holiday Festival of Weeks (Shavuot).

  • Shavuot initially a harvest festival (Exod 23:16) evolving to commemorate the giving of the law on Mt. Sinai.

  • Significant for Christians as seven weeks after Jesus’ resurrection during Shavuot/Pentecost, the Holy Spirit was poured out on first followers.

Events on the Day of Pentecost

• Recorded in Acts 2; the first followers of Jesus were gathered together.

  • A sound like a strong wind filled the house, and tongues of fire rested on their heads.

  • They were filled with the Holy Spirit and began speaking in other languages (intelligible).

  • Languages were understood by Jewish pilgrims in Jerusalem for Shavuot.

  • The content of messages concerned God’s mighty works (2:11).

  • Peter preached his first sermon, interpreting the events through the prophecy of Joel (pouring out of the Spirit).

  • Peter urged repentance and baptism in Jesus’ name for forgiveness and the Holy Spirit; about 3,000 people were added to the church (2:41).

Believability of the Account

• Those who believe the Bible is God’s inerrant Word accept the account in Acts.

  • Some scholars question the historicity, viewing Pentecost as a metaphor due to miraculous events that are beyond historical inquiry.

  • The author believes that Acts 2 describes what really happened and viewed “Luke” as a reliable historian.

Relation to Pentecostal Christians

• Pentecostal Christians have a powerful experience of God’s presence often with speaking in tongues (usually not a known language).

  • Pentecostal Christianity has spread globally and is the fastest-growing form of Christianity.

  • Many non-Pentecostals celebrate Pentecost and hope for the Holy Spirit to renew the church.

Christian Celebrations of Pentecost

• Wide range exists; some churches do not recognize the holiday.

  • Most churches mention it in prayer, song, or sermon.

  • Some churches emphasize worship, remembering the first Pentecost, and praying for divine power.

  • Liturgical churches may use red as a color symbolising power and fire of the Spirit.

  • Some churches receive new members on Pentecost.

  • In Britain centuries ago, those baptized wore white leading to “White Sunday” or “Whitsunday.”

Spiritual Significance of Pentecost

• The first Christians were filled with the Holy Spirit on Pentecost.

  • Christians are meant to live in the presence and power of God’s Spirit.

  • The Holy Spirit helps to confess Jesus as Lord, binds people as the body of Christ, empowers service, and helps with prayer.

  • The Holy Spirit guides believers to live like Jesus.

• Personal implications:

  • Reliance on the Spirit, attentiveness to guidance, and growth of the Spirit’s fruit should be considered. Pentecost offers a chance for confession and renewal.

Role of the Church

• On Pentecost, individual followers of Jesus were gathered together in Jerusalem; this gathering became the first Christian church.

  • New believers were baptized and shared life together focusing on teaching, fellowship, breaking of bread, and prayer.

  • They shared their belongings and “the Lord added to their number those being saved” (Acts 2:47).

  • The Spirit was given to a gathering of believers underscoring the centrality of the church in God’s work.

  • The church is God’s temple where the Spirit dwells (1 Corinthians 3:16-17).

• Personal implications:

  • The community of God’s people is central to God’s work.

  • Pentecost invites a renewal of commitment to the fellowship, worship and mission of the church.

Multilingual Nature of the Church:

• The Holy Spirit empowered believers in Jesus to praise God in many languages (Acts 2:5-13) reinforcing the multilingual, multicultural, multiracial mission of the church (Galatians 3:28).

• Personal Implications:

  • The church is not, in general, has lived out its multilingual mission so Pentecost challenges attitudes and calls for rejection of prejudice toward all people.

Inclusive Ministry of the Church:

• After the Holy Spirit was poured out, Peter preached a sermon citing Joel’s prophecy of God’s Spirit empowering diverse people for ministry (Acts 2:17-18; Joel 2:28-29).

  • In the New Testament, all would be empowered by the Spirit to minister regardless of gender, age, or social position unlike the Old Testament.

  • In the church of Jesus Christ, every single person matters, where every member contributes to the health and mission of the church (Ephesians 4:11-16).

• Personal Implications:

  • Each Christian needs to serve God through the Spirit, exercising their gifts in their lives both in the church and as one lives for God in the world.
    -Pastors and church leaders are to equip and encourage all Christians for their ministry so the Holy Spirit will be free to use the church for God’s purposes.

Pentecostalism:

• A Protestant Christian movement that emphasizes direct personal experience of God through baptism with the Holy Spirit.

  • Adheres to the inerrancy of the Bible and the necessity of accepting Jesus Christ as personal Lord and Savior.

  • Distinguishes by belief in baptism in the Holy Spirit and spiritual gifts (speaking in tongues, divine healing).

  • It reflects the spiritual power and teachings of the Apostolic Age of the early church and sometimes uses the term Apostolic or Full Gospel to describe their movement.

  • Emerged in the early 20th century among radical adherents of the Holiness movement; revivalism and expectation for the imminent Second Coming of Christ fueled the movement.

  • Today, there is no central authority governing Pentecostalism, however, many denominations are affiliated with the Pentecostal World Fellowship.

  • Since the 1960s, Pentecostalism has been increasingly embraced by nonPentecostal Christians in Protestant and Catholic churches through the Charismatic Movement; Pentecostal and Charismatic Christianity numbers over $500$ million adherents.
    -Originally attracted mostly the lower classes in he global South but now there is increasing appeal to middle classes who tend to be more adapted to society and withdraw strong spiritual practices such as divine healing.

Modern Christians and Pentecost:

• Christians observe Pentecost as a holiday where they remember when the Holy Spirit invaded the Church as recorded in Acts 2.

  • The Holy Spirit added 3,000 new believers to the church after empowered with power.

  • Jesus promised the Holy Spirit in John 14:26, who would be the Helper.

  • The Feast of Harvest was a pilgrim festival which prescribed celebrations, sacrifices, and offerings including two loaves of freshly baked wheat bread.

Significance of Pentecost - Why Did It Occur When It Did

• Pentecost always comes on a Sunday and serves as a sign and allusion to the Gospel showing its importance in the Biblical narrative.

  • Pentecost is the day when the Holy Spirit of God came down to indwell the followers of Jesus - 50 days after the resurrection.

  • On that day, the Spirit of God descended on the 120 followers of Jesus, and they started speaking out loud in languages from around the world.

  • Three thousand were added to the number on that day - it was the day when the gospel followers went public.

  • People incorrectly figure that if we wait, He will come again in a similar waiting for the gift of the Spirit as the first disciples of Jesus did.

  • The Pentecost recorded in Acts Chapter 2 was not the first Pentecost.

Pentecost from the Law of Moses

• In the time of Moses, there were several annual festivals prescribed and celebrated throughout the year including the festival of Passover in the Jewish year.

• Jesus was crucified on Passover and 50 days after Passover Sunday, the Jews celebrated the Feast of Pentecost.

  • The reason why there were people from all languages who were in Jerusalem on the day that Peter spoke was because they were there to celebrate the Old Testament Feast of Pentecost.

  • In the Jewish feast of Pentecost, the Jews were to offer up a grain offering along with the regular burnt offerings.

  • The grain was to be the first fruits of new grain harvested from the land.

Pentecost Timing: Evidence of a Mind

• The indwelling Spirit of God is a first fruit of the gospel, intimately tied in with the resurrection which is evidence of a mind planning it through history.

  • Why should the events of Acts 2 happen exactly on the Feast of Pentecost on the same day Jews celebrated the first fruits of the grain and oil of the land?

  • The timing is evidence that indeed it is this very God that is the mind behind these events, offering an abundant life (the indwelling of the Spirit of God).

  • Luke pointed the reader to the fulfillment of a prophecy from the book of Joel and makes no reference back to the Law that Pentecost is fulfilling the Feast of Pentecost.

Doctrine of the Holy Spirit of God (Pneumatology)

• Introduction:

  • There is much inaccurate teaching on the person and ministry of the Holy Spirit.

  • The doctrine of God the Father and God the Son is often universally agreed upon; the Holy Spirit seems more mysterious but is revealed through scripture. Personal experience should not dictate the understanding of the Holy Spirit.

  • Main Thought: The Holy Spirit has worked throughout history to align the people of God to His mission.

Identity of the Holy Spirit:

• Misunderstandings:

  • The Holy Spirit is not a powerful influence nor a form of God the Father.

• The Name: Holy Spirit.

  • Holy: sacred and separate from the ordinary; implying association with God.

• Spirit: used in various ways (God, Angels, Man, Wind),

• The Persona of the Holy Spirit.
  -Knowledge and Intellect: The Holy Spirit has a mind (Romans 8:26-27) that examines the depths of God (1 Corinthians 2:10-12).
  -Emotions: The Holy Spirit has feelings and can be grieved when believers sin (Ephesians 4:30; Isaiah 63:10) and loves which causes believers to love (Romans 15:30).
  -Will/Volition: The Holy Spirit has the ability to make decisions (1 Corinthians 12:11; Acts 16:6-11).

  • Persona: The Holy Spirit should be referred to with a personal pronoun “He”.
    -Scripture uses "He" (John 15:26; 16:13, 14).

Deity of the Holy Spirit

• If the Holy Spirit is God, then He must possess divine attributes.

  • Omniscience: The Spirit knows the things that God knows (1 Corinthians 2:10-12).
    -Omnipotence: The Spirit is given the title “Almighty” (Job 33:4; Genesis 1:2).

  • Omnipresence: The Spirit is everywhere (Psalm 139:7-10; John 14:17).

  • Eternality: Christ offered Himself through the “eternal” Spirit (Hebrews 9:14).

  • Holiness: The Spirit is given the title that God alone possesses – “holy” (Revelation 15:4).

  • Conclusion: The Holy Spirit is the third persona of the Trinitarian God (Matthew 3:16-17; 28:19; 1 Corinthians 12:4-6; 2 Corinthians 13:14; 1 Peter 1:2; Isaiah 48:16; Revelation 1:4-5; Acts 5:3-4; 1 Corinthians 3:16-17; 6:19-20).

The Holy Spirit in the Old Testament:

• The Holy Spirit’s Work in Physical Creation (Genesis 1:2; Psalm 104:27-30; Job 33:4; Genesis 2:7).

• The Holy Spirit and the Life of the Old Testament Believer.

  • The Spirit set apart Joseph (Genesis 41:37-38).

  • The Spirit enabled men for craftsmanship (Exodus 31:1-3; 35:30-36:1).

  • The Spirit instructed and convicted His people (Isaiah 63:10-14; Nehemiah 9:20, 9:30).

  • The Spirit enabled Moses and 70 elders to bear Israel’s burdens (Numbers 11:17, 25).
    -The Spirit filled Joshua with a spirit of wisdom to lead Israel (Numbers 27:18; Deuteronomy 34:9).
    -Spirit prepared the judges to manage the nation of Israel

  • Spirit enabled the kings to rule Israel (1 Samuel 10:1-10; 11:6; 1 Samuel 16:13-14;Psalm 51:11; Psalm 143:10).

  • The Spirit spoke through the prophets (2 Samuel 23:2; Matthew 22:43-44; Micah 3:8; Haggai 2:1-5; Zechariah 4:6; Acts 28:25-27; Hebrews 10:15-17; 2 Peter 1:20-21; Acts 27:15).

• The O.T. Ministry of Heart Circumcision (i.e. Regeneration).
  God commanded them to “circumcise” their hearts (Deuteronomy 10:15-16), regenerates the fallen heart for obedience.

The Foretelling of the New Covenant Ministry of the Holy Spirit:

• Isaiah prophesies that God will pour out His Spirit on Israel (Isaiah 44:3).

• Jeremiah prophesies that God will put His law within them on their heart (Jeremiah 31:33) and will give them one heart so that they may fear (Jeremiah 32:39).

• Ezekiel prophesies that God will give them one heart and a new spirit (Ezekiel 11:19); He will put His Spirit with us to cause us to walk in His ways (Ezekiel 36:26-27).

• Joel prophesies that God will pour out His Spirit on mankind and it will be evidenced by prophesy, dreams and visions (Joel 2:28-29; Numbers 11:29; Acts 2:17-18).

Conclusions:

• God specially anointed some men throughout the Old Testament to enable them to function as a mediator between God and Israel.

• The Spirit uniquely enabled certain individuals for the service to His people, not their own benefit.

• This ministry of the Spirit could be sovereignly given and could be taken away just as suddenly.

• It appears as if O.T. believers were circumcised or regenerated in heart by the Spirit but were not permanently indwelt by the Spirit.

The Holy Spirit in the Life of Christ (The Gospel of Luke)

• Isaiah prophesied that Christ would have the Spirit.

The Promise of the Holy Spirit (The Gospel of John)

• John the Baptist testified that Jesus will baptize with the Holy Spirit (John 1:32-34).

• Jesus told Nicodemous that one must be “born again” by the Spirit (John 3:1-8).

• God the Father promised to give the Holy Spirit richly to those who asked (Luke 11:13; John 3:34).

• Jesus promises that the Spirit will satisfy the thirsty (John 7:37-39).

• Jesus promises that the Spirit will arrive after His departure (John 14-16).

The Spirit’s Arrival and Work Through the Apostles (The Book of Acts)

• Jesus stated that the disciples would be baptized by the Spirit was imminent (Acts 1:5).

• Jesus reminded His disciples that they would receive power from the Spirit enabling them to be His witnesses to the ends of the earth (Acts 1:8).

The Arrival of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost (Acts 2:4, 38; Acts 11:15-16).

• The Spirit marked His arrival through tongues of fire and by causing people to speak in tongues (Acts 2:3-4).
  -Peter affirmed this supernatural phenomenon as being from God by quoting the prophet Joel (Acts 2:17-18; Joel 2:28-29).
  -Peter promised that those who repented and were baptized would receive the gift of the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:38).

The Work of the Holy Spirit through the Apostles and Early Church

• Peter was filled with the Spirit to preach the gospel to the Jews (Acts 4:8).
  -The Holy Spirit filled believers when they prayed (Acts 4:31-35).

• The apostles looked for men full of the Holy Spirit (Acts 6:1-6).

• Stephen was empowered by the Spirit (Acts 6:10; 7:1-60).

• The Spirit spreads the gospel to the ends of the earth
  -The Holy Spirit led the church at Antioch (Acts 13:1-4).

• The Holy Spirit in the life of Paul proclaimed the gospel and gave him direction, to Europe (Acts 13:9; Acts 16:6-10; Acts 19:21; Acts 20:22-23).

CHAPTER 3 The Need of Pentecostal Movement

Period of Ostracism: The divisions with the Fundamentalists and the Pentecostals was clear from 1928 to 1960 through the: Pentecostalism and the Second, and Charismatic Movements.

Reasons why is Pentecost Significant to Christianity:

• The Holy Spirit filled the Church with power and added 3,000 new believers.

• The Holy Spirit was prophesied in the Old Testament and promised by Jesus.

• There are three things you need to know about Pentecost that will help you understand Acts 2.

1. Pentecost was a pilgrim festival.

2. Pentecost was a holiday.

3. There were certain celebrations and sacrifices and offerings which were prescribed in the Law for the day of Pentecost.

Introduction to the Doctrine of the Holy Spirit

This doctrine includes:

• The Presence and Power of the Spirit

• The Central Role of the Church in God’s Work in the World

• The Multilingual Nature and Mission of the Church

• The Inclusive Ministry of the Church.

CHAPTER 3 THE NEED OF PENTECOSTAL MOVEMENT

• Movement of Restoration of the Spiritual Gifts for the Church

• National Holiness Movement
  The major movement of the day was the developing Holiness Movement which was largely based on Finney’s doctrine of Sanctification.
  His system of sanctification followed his concept of the order of salvation. First, Initial grace and repentance.

The 20th Century - since 1901 AD to present.

Finney, Moody, Simpson, Keswick and Chapman all contributed to the development of Pentecostalism through their emphasis on the Baptism of the Spirit for power to be sanctified.

Period of Ostracism From 1928 to 1960

The question over including Pentecostals in the group created a division between the more separatist minded Fundamentalists and the Evangelicals.

Charismatic Movement (Neo-Pentecostals)

The distinction - Classic Pentecostals and the Neo-Pentecostals (Charismatics) were dependent upon the primary or original doctrines of the new Neo-Pentecostals churches. In general, the Neo-Pentecostals are orthodox from Biblical authority.

Fifty Years of Change:

• Iain Murray, in his work Evangelicalism Divided: A Record of Crucial Change in the Years 1950 to 2000, sees the changes in two spheres.

• The authority of Scriptures and Experiential (Dynamic) Inspiration or Continual Revelation
  -The mark of biblical Christianity has been the absolute and final authority of the revealed written Scriptures in the completed canon, and the particular hermeneutic of the grammatical-linguistic historical principles of interpretation.

Charismatics and the Baptism of the Spirit

Throughout the Neo-Pentecostal movement there is not a united opinion concerning the gift of glossolalia as the only evidence of the Spirit baptism or some supernatural manifestation is expected.

Conclusion to the Charismatic Movement

Dr. John D. Hannah (1998) explains; however, “the Neo-Pentecostal’s serious flaw is its existential authority base with deep implication in the realms of canonicity and revelation.