GOD WORKING IN OUR WORK

There is that street you feel moved to go and work in, — God has been there before you. Do you not remember how, when His children had to go and destroy the Canaanites, the Lord sent the hornet before them? Now, when you have to go and preach to sinners, God sends some preparatory work before you, He is sure to do so.  

In other cases God works afterwards; sometimes, immediately afterwards; at other times, years afterwards.  There are different sorts of seeds in the world. The seeds of some plants and trees, unless they undergo a peculiar process, will not grow for years. There is something about them which preserves them intact for a long time, but in due season the life-germ shoots forth: and there are certain kinds of men who do not catch the truth at the time it is uttered, and it lies hidden away in their souls till, one day, under peculiar circumstances, they recollect what they heard, and it begins to  affect their hearts.  

If we work, and God works with us, what is there that we may not expect? Therefore, the great need of any working church is for God to work with them, and therefore this ought to be our daily confession, that we need God to work with us.  We must always realize that we are nothing apart from His working; we must not pretend to compliment the Holy Ghost by now and then talking about Him, as though it were the  proper thing to say that of course the Holy Spirit must work. It must be a downright matter of fact with us that the Holy Spirit must work, as much as it would be with a miller that his sails could not go round without the wind; and then we must act as  the miller does. He sets his sails and tries to catch the wind from whatever quarter it blows; and we must try to work in such a way that the Holy Ghost is likely to bless us. I do not think the Holy Ghost will bless some service that is done even by well-meaning people, because if He did, it would seem as if He had set His seal to a great deal that was not according to the mind of the Lord. Let us so act in our work, that there is never the smudge of a dirty thumb across the page, and nothing of pride, or self-seeking, or hot-headedness, but that all is done humbly, dependently, hopefully, and always in a holy and gracious spirit, so that we may expect the Holy Spirit to own and bless it. That will, of course, involve that everything must be done prayerfully, for our Heavenly Father gives the Holy Spirit to them that ask Him; and we must ask for this greatest of blessings, that God the Holy Spirit may work with our work.  

Then we must believe in the Holy Spirit, and believe to the highest degree, so as never to be discouraged or think  anything difficult. “Is anything too hard for the Lord?” Can  anything be difficult to the Holy Spirit? It is a grand thing often to get into deep water so as to be obliged to swim; but we like to keep our feet touching the sand. What a mercy it is to feel that you cannot do anything, for then you must trust in God and God alone, and feel that He is quite equal to any emergency! Thus trusting, and thus doing His bidding, we shall not fail. Come, Holy Spirit, and work with all Thy people now!  Come and rouse us to work; and when we are bestirred to a holy energy, then work Thou with us!  

(Spurgeon, Service and Honor, pp. 29-31, Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, pub. Kindle Edition). 

PENTECOST: THE BIRTHRIGHT OF BLESSING

When the Day of Pentecost had fully come, they were all with one accord in one place.  And 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.  And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.  (Acts 2:1-4)

Pentecost marked the birth of the church.  Should it not also be seen as establishing God’s blessing as the church’s birthright, as well?  We might debate how many of the supernatural signs of that original event are meant to be replicated today.  There are those who insist on ecstatic utterance as a valid gift still.  Do we then demand a rushing mighty wind and tongues of fire over our heads also?  My purpose, however, is not to degenerate into a debate on those matters, but to focus on where we all ought to agree—that it is certain that there are elements of the first century Pentecost that every pastor should seek for the church in the twenty first century.  I am not a Pentecostal in terms of denomination, but I ought to be in terms of dynamic!

The church’s birthright today, as then, is one of PENTECOSTAL PRAYER (v.1).  This is where the blessing began.  They didn’t work something up with a program, but they called something down in prayer.  Until the church recovers fervency and faithfulness in our prayer meetings, we will never see the blessing God desires for us.

The church’s birthright also includes PENTECOSTAL POWER (v.2-13).  We have come to a time Paul warned us about when churches have, “a form of godliness but denying its power” (2 Tim.3:5a).  Old evangelist Vance Havner used to say, “You can be straight as a gun-barrel theologically, and empty as one spiritually.”  While we dare not abandon doctrinal purity, we must insist on divine power to accompany it!

Furthermore, the church’s birthright features PENTECOSTAL PREACHING (v.14-40).  Peter set the pattern that Spurgeon would later imitate, “Wherever I take a text, I make a beeline to the cross.”  Preaching that God honors is that which is founded on the Scripture and focused on the Savior.  There is exposition, application and invitation.

Another aspect of the church’s birthright is PENTECOSTAL PRODUCTIVITY (v.41-45, 47b).  Sinners were evangelized and saints were edified.  The church grew outward in its Gospel witness, grew upward in its glad worship, grew deeper in its grounding in the Word and grew stronger in their unity and support of one another.  Is that how it is at the church you and I lead?

Finally, the church’s birthright leads to PENTECOSTAL PRAISE (v.46-47a).  Joy was pervasive.  Celebration marked their gatherings.  They were swept away in love for Jesus and what He had done for them!  Nobody dreaded going to a gloomy church service, but were drawn to a glad worship expression.

I pray that our churches will experience a taste of Pentecostal wine this Sunday!