THIS IS PART OF A MULTI PART SERIES TITLED “THE SPIRIT-FILLED LIFE”, EXPLORING THE DAY OF THE PENTECOST AND WHAT IT MEANS TO US AS CONTEMPORARY PRACTITIONERS OF THE FAITH.
In the first essay of this series, we discussed the day of the Pentecost, the events leading up to and on the day itself, and we saw how the people of God waited on the Spirit and the church was birthed out of that experience. Today, let’s talk about how we too can experience this in our own lives. This is a scripture heavy discussion, and is going to give us much to think about.
Let me begin today by reminding you that we believe the Book of Acts is not just a record of what happened then, it’s a promise of what’s possible today. If we didn’t have Acts, this book written by Luke, we wouldn’t be able to explain the supernatural: talking in tongues, dealing with the demonic realm, acts of healing and so much more. The Book of Acts gives us the theology that backs these acts up in today’s world: these are scripture backed actions. Pentecostal and Charismatic theology can get overlooked because of the experiential side of it: it’s not something you can just read about, it’s something you have to be part of. The experiential side of this can lead into controversy and unbiblical practices, but we hope that as a church we can root ourselves strongly in the scripture and stay anchored to the Word.
Cornelius, Peter and the visions
Quick background
Cornelius, a gentile and a centurion, is devout and God-fearing, and prayed to God regularly.
He experiences a vision, and is asked to summon Peter. Cornelius sends two men.
Peter is praying on the roof of his house, and experiences visions of food that he considers unclean. The Holy Spirit says, “Do not call anything impure that God has made clean”.
Peter then agrees to visit Cornelius, and what unfolds is best read as written.
“1 At Caesarea there was a man named Cornelius, a centurion in what was known as the Italian Regiment. 2 He and all his family were devout and God-fearing; he gave generously to those in need and prayed to God regularly. 3 One day at about three in the afternoon he had a vision. He distinctly saw an angel of God, who came to him and said, “Cornelius!”
4 Cornelius stared at him in fear. “What is it, Lord?” he asked.
The angel answered, “Your prayers and gifts to the poor have come up as a memorial offering before God. 5 Now send men to Joppa to bring back a man named Simon who is called Peter. 6 He is staying with Simon the tanner, whose house is by the sea.”
7 When the angel who spoke to him had gone, Cornelius called two of his servants and a devout soldier who was one of his attendants. 8 He told them everything that had happened and sent them to Joppa.
9 About noon the following day as they were on their journey and approaching the city, Peter went up on the roof to pray. 10 He became hungry and wanted something to eat, and while the meal was being prepared, he fell into a trance. 11 He saw heaven opened and something like a large sheet being let down to earth by its four corners. 12 It contained all kinds of four-footed animals, as well as reptiles and birds. 13 Then a voice told him, “Get up, Peter. Kill and eat.”
14 “Surely not, Lord!” Peter replied. “I have never eaten anything impure or unclean.”
15 The voice spoke to him a second time, “Do not call anything impure that God has made clean.”
16 This happened three times, and immediately the sheet was taken back to heaven.
17 While Peter was wondering about the meaning of the vision, the men sent by Cornelius found out where Simon’s house was and stopped at the gate. 18 They called out, asking if Simon who was known as Peter was staying there.
19 While Peter was still thinking about the vision, the Spirit said to him, “Simon, three men are looking for you. 20 So get up and go downstairs. Do not hesitate to go with them, for I have sent them.”
21 Peter went down and said to the men, “I’m the one you’re looking for. Why have you come?”
22 The men replied, “We have come from Cornelius the centurion. He is a righteous and God-fearing man, who is respected by all the Jewish people. A holy angel told him to ask you to come to his house so that he could hear what you have to say.” 23 Then Peter invited the men into the house to be his guests.
The next day Peter started out with them, and some of the believers from Joppa went along. 24 The following day he arrived in Caesarea. Cornelius was expecting them and had called together his relatives and close friends. 25 As Peter entered the house, Cornelius met him and fell at his feet in reverence. 26 But Peter made him get up. “Stand up,” he said, “I am only a man myself.”
27While talking with him, Peter went inside and found a large gathering of people. 28 He said to them: “You are well aware that it is against our law for a Jew to associate with or visit a Gentile. But God has shown me that I should not call anyone impure or unclean. 29 So when I was sent for, I came without raising any objection. May I ask why you sent for me?”
30 Cornelius answered: “Three days ago I was in my house praying at this hour, at three in the afternoon. Suddenly a man in shining clothes stood before me 31 and said, ‘Cornelius, God has heard your prayer and remembered your gifts to the poor. 32 Send to Joppa for Simon who is called Peter. He is a guest in the home of Simon the tanner, who lives by the sea.’ 33 So I sent for you immediately, and it was good of you to come. Now we are all here in the presence of God to listen to everything the Lord has commanded you to tell us.”
34 Then Peter began to speak: “I now realize how true it is that God does not show favoritism 35 but accepts from every nation the one who fears him and does what is right. 36 You know the message God sent to the people of Israel, announcing the good news of peace through Jesus Christ, who is Lord of all. 37 You know what has happened throughout the province of Judea, beginning in Galilee after the baptism that John preached— 38 how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and power, and how he went around doing good and healing all who were under the power of the devil, because God was with him.
39 “We are witnesses of everything he did in the country of the Jews and in Jerusalem. They killed him by hanging him on a cross, 40 but God raised him from the dead on the third day and caused him to be seen. 41 He was not seen by all the people, but by witnesses whom God had already chosen—by us who ate and drank with him after he rose from the dead. 42 He commanded us to preach to the people and to testify that he is the one whom God appointed as judge of the living and the dead. 43 All the prophets testify about him that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name.”
44 While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit came on all who heard the message. 45 The circumcised believers who had come with Peter were astonished that the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out even on Gentiles. 46 For they heard them speaking in tongues and praising God.
Then Peter said, 47 “Surely no one can stand in the way of their being baptized with water. They have received the Holy Spirit just as we have.” 48 So he ordered that they be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. Then they asked Peter to stay with them for a few days.”
The Holy Spirit moves through the church
There are several takeaways from this important episode. First, there are several visions experienced by Cornelius and Peter here, and it’s important to note what Peter tells the people in Acts 2: this is scripture backed, and the fact that man will experience visions is part of the prophesy of the prophet Joel. Note also that this is not just a story of one Cornelius having a vision by himself. This is Cornelius having a vision of Peter, Peter having visions of food, and Peter then being instructed to travel with Cornelius’s servants. This is important, because the Holy Spirit moves through the congregation, and confirms the work of the Holy Spirit amongst the church. No standalone oracles, no seers, no man-in-power singled out to have visions.
2. You can experience the Holy Spirit as the gospel is preached to you
Let us look at verses 44-48 next: “While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit came on all who heard the message. The circumcised believers who had come with Peter were astonished that the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out even on Gentiles. For they heard them speaking in tongues and praising God. Then Peter said, “Surely no one can stand in the way of their being baptized with water. They have received the Holy Spirit just as we have.” So he ordered that they be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ.”
Here we see this moment where the gospel is being preached, and the Holy Spirit comes down on all who listen to the message, even on Gentiles. And there was physical manifestation yet again: they were speaking in tongues.
We in the church hope that every Sunday as the gospel is preached, the Holy Spirit comes down on all who listen to the message. This is the hope, this is the belief: that those who hear will invite Jesus into their lives. We don’t preach to convince anyone of the truth, this is not about reasoning. This is also why there’s an altar call at the end of service: we believe that everyone who’s listening will experience this.
3. The Pentecostal experience completes the loop
There’s an aspect to Cornelius’ faith that needs to be meditated upon here. Note that Cornelius was already praying to God before this episode with Peter, but it is at this moment when his experience with God becomes full. This is a challenge to so many of us who are familiar with the Word of God, who are familiar with the church, but have yet to experience the fullness that only comes with the infilling of the Holy Spirit.
No favoritism
Additional context, in verses 27-29, and 34-36: This episode with Peter and Cornelius is a great reminder of the ways in which Jesus smashed the norms of the day, and invalidated the ritualistic requirements that stood between man and God. This episode also cements the fact that Jesus went to the cross for all of us, not some of us. That we have a place in his kingdom regardless of whether we are Jew or gentile, regardless of our food practices, and regardless of any traditional divisions between man.
How can we begin to experience the Holy Spirit ourselves?
“1 While Apollos was at Corinth, Paul took the road through the interior and arrived at Ephesus. There he found some disciples 2 and asked them, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?”
They answered, “No, we have not even heard that there is a Holy Spirit.”
3 So Paul asked, “Then what baptism did you receive?”
“John’s baptism,” they replied.
4 Paul said, “John’s baptism was a baptism of repentance. He told the people to believe in the one coming after him, that is, in Jesus.” 5 On hearing this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. 6 When Paul placed his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came on them, and they spoke in tongues and prophesied.”
As we come up on the day of the Pentecost, it’s important for us to understand this: how can we experience this fullness of Christ in our modern day lives. How can we invite the supernatural into our lives in this age of reason, how can we accept the infilling of the Holy Spirit in our lives. In this incident in the Book of Acts, we see Paul at Ephesus, and we see how the disciples were baptised in the name of the Lord Jesus “on hearing [him speak]”. That simple, and that easy.
And then in verse 6, we see that Paul placed his hands on them, and we see that the Holy Spirit came upon them. This is where our theological background for laying hands on people comes from. It’s important to note that this fits into a big picture that is far greater than the sum of its parts: we experience the Fullness of His Spirit through the gospel, the word of God, through the church, in our gifting, and in our spirit. But without tarrying on God for the baptism of the Holy Spirit, we cannot experience the fullness of the Spirit that is available to us.
“11 God did extraordinary miracles through Paul, 12 so that even handkerchiefs and aprons that had touched him were taken to the sick, and their illnesses were cured and the evil spirits left them.
13 Some Jews who went around driving out evil spirits tried to invoke the name of the Lord Jesus over those who were demon-possessed. They would say, “In the name of the Jesus whom Paul preaches, I command you to come out.” 14 Seven sons of Sceva, a Jewish chief priest, were doing this. 15One day the evil spirit answered them, “Jesus I know, and Paul I know about, but who are you?” 16 Then the man who had the evil spirit jumped on them and overpowered them all. He gave them such a beating that they ran out of the house naked and bleeding.”
Here’s another Act. People who weren’t filled with the Holy Spirit were going out and trying to heal people and deal with demons. But this isn’t some magic show, and they found out first hand that being filled with the Holy Spirit is a full experience that cannot be appropriated in a second-hand way. It’s something we have to experience ourselves. Once again, this incident challenges us, and reminds us that the power of the Holy Spirit is not something we experience by hearsay, nor because we know people who have experienced that power: this is a personal experience we are called to have.
Read part one here: The Spirit-filled Life
Read part three here: The Gifts of the Holy Spirit
In this concluding chapter of the series “The Spirit-filled Life”, let’s look at how the gospel is linked to the baptism by the Holy Spirit, and how both these lead to the end times, and the full restoration of God’s kingdom.