Pentecost and Fire
Acts 2:1-4
A Sermon by Dr. Neil Chadwick
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Introduction: B. But here's something else happening here which links us to some very important truths
concerning the work of the Holy Spirit in our lives. We're talking about the "fire". Yes, Speaking in
Tongues" is the oft repeated evidence that true Spirit baptism has taken place. But there was also
"fire".
C. There are at least five important ways that fire is related with the Holy Spirit:
Fire For Devotion; Fire For Cleansing; Fire For Power; Fire For Direction; Fire For Judgment
B. And notice that this is connected with our service. So said Paul in 2 Corinthians 5:14, 15 - "For
Christ's love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all, and therefore all died.
And he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for
them and was raised again." We are motivated by an inner impulse, not because of a need for approval,
or desire for reward, or out of fear, but rather, out of our devotion to Christ.
C. Example: Apollos - "Meanwhile a Jew named Apollos, a native of Alexandria, came to Ephesus.
He was a learned man, with a thorough knowledge of the Scriptures. He had been instructed in the
way of the Lord, and he spoke with great fervor and taught about Jesus accurately, though he knew
only the baptism of John." (Acts 18:24, 25)
D. How does this work? The Holy Spirit teaches us of Christ, convinces us of His love for us and
keeps our love for Him hot.
E. Often I am afraid the American church has become like the Ephesian Church in Revelation 2:4 -
"You have forsaken your first love", or like the Laodicean Church "So, because you are lukewarm . .
. I am about to spit you out of my mouth. Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline. So be earnest,
and repent." (Revelation 3:16,19)
"I baptize you with water for repentance. But after me will come one who is more powerful than I,
whose sandals I am not fit to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire. His
winnowing fork is in his hand, and he will clear his threshing floor, gathering his wheat into the barn
and burning up the chaff with unquenchable fire." (Matthew 3:11,12)
B. Like when preparing a needle to release fluid from a hurting blister, it is sterilized by use of a
flame, or when washing dishes with very hot water.
C. "But who can endure the day of his coming? Who can stand when he appears? For he will be
like a refiner's fire or a launderer's soap. He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver; he will purify
the Levites and refine them like gold and silver. Then the LORD will have men who will bring
offerings in righteousness, and the offerings of Judah and Jerusalem will be acceptable to the
LORD, as in days gone by, as in former years." (Malachi 3:2-4)
D. How does this happen? The Holy Spirit brings conviction of sin. Remember the story of Elijah
and the false prophets of Baal? After they finished pleading for the fire to consume their sacrifice,
Elijah stepped up. First he needed to rebuild and prepare the altar. And after he prayed, God
answered by consuming everything.
"Then the fire of the LORD fell and burned up the sacrifice, the wood, the stones and the soil,
and also licked up the water in the trench. When all the people saw this, they fell prostrate and
cried, 'The LORD--he is God! The LORD--he is God!'" (I Kings 18:38,39)
E. The question is this, "How can we get people to do what is right?" Well, there are laws, and
penalties for breaking those laws - what we might call "legal conviction". If the penalties are severe
enough, and if the laws are universally and fairly enforced, people will get the message and not do
what is wrong. Like speed limits - if every one who went one mile an hour past the posted limit were
to have their car immediately towed to the crushing station, we wouldn't have speeders!
F. There is also social pressure. Using the auto analogy, if everyone traveling along the same
highway were to box in the speeder, they could get him to conform to the prevailing traffic speed.
Throughout religious history, there has frequently been these lapses into what we might call, "social
conviction" - groups of people attempting to get others to do what they think is right by the use of
social pressure. The "Pharisees" are the prime Biblical example.
G. But ultimately, these don't work. In many states we now have reinstituted capital punishment. Is
it working? It appears that murders continue on just the same. And in societies where punishments
are brutal, such as in some Arab countries, it seems that what happens is that this aggression
simply gets pointed elsewhere as in terrorist attacks.
H. The only answer is "inner conviction", which is nothing other than "Spiritual conviction". Jesus
said it when teaching about the Holy Spirit, "He will convict the world of sin."
B. "But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you" (Acts 1:8)
The word here is related to our word "dynamite". But this is not explosives for destruction, but
more like the internal combustion engine, continuous, harnessed explosions. (Cement trucks
with 6 axle drive make it through areas that the rest of us can't go; they have tremendous
power.)
C. Here's a motto for you "when the going gets tough the tough get tougher!" There is a power
available to very Christian, the power of the Holy Spirit within.
D. If the church wimps out, or becomes content in apathy, it has lost the fire. We can blame it on
"burn out", or on those who have failed by not setting forth a worthy example - the real reason is, we
have lost the energy source, we have lost the fire.
E. The power promised is that the disciples would be witnesses ("martyrs") in the face of
persecution. We probably won't face a firing squad; perhaps only the ridicule of the so called
"politically correct".
F. Think of Jeremiah - "I am ridiculed all day long; everyone mocks me. Whenever I speak, I cry
out proclaiming violence and destruction. So the word of the LORD has brought me insult and
reproach all day long. But if I say, "I will not mention him or speak any more in his name," his word
is in my heart like a fire, a fire shut up in my bones. I am weary of holding it in; indeed, I cannot.
(Jeremiah 20:7-9)
G. Those who are truly Pentecostal speak of the Lord, not out of duty, not to get stars in their eternal
crown, or because they fear of being ashamed when they stand before the Lord. They do so simply
because they have the fire.
"By day the LORD went ahead of them in a pillar of cloud to guide them on their way and by
night in a pillar of fire to give them light, so that they could travel by day or night. Neither the
pillar of cloud by day nor the pillar of fire by night left its place in front of the people." (Exodus
13:21, 22) It's at "night" that we need the direction the most.
B. The Holy Spirit is that light for guidance, often working in conjunction with the Word of God.
"Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path." (Psalm 119:105)
C. In the New Testament we have the story of Saul seeing the bright light on the Damascus road.
This was not only for his salvation, but also for his direction.
"`What shall I do, Lord?' I asked. `Get up,' the Lord said, `and go into Damascus. There you will
be told all that you have been assigned to do.'" (Acts 22:10)
He then went to the city, engaged in three days of prayer and fasting, and then was filled with
the Holy Spirit and healed from his blindness. (Acts 9:17)
"Then the LORD rained upon Sodom and upon Gomorrah brimstone and fire from the LORD out of
heaven." (Genesis 19:24)
Of course this was due to their sin: "Now the men of Sodom were wicked and were sinning
greatly against the LORD." (Genesis 13:13)
B. And even though we don't like to talk about it, the ultimate manifestation of God's judgment is
"Hell Fire".
"If your hand causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life maimed than with two hands
to go into hell, where the fire never goes out. And if your foot causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better
for you to enter life crippled than to have two feet and be thrown into hell. And if your eye causes
you to sin, pluck it out. It is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye than to have two
eyes and be thrown into hell, where "`their worm does not die, and the fire is not quenched.'
Everyone will be salted with fire. 'Salt is good, but if it loses its saltiness, how can you make it salty
again? Have salt ("judgment") in yourselves, and be at peace with each other.'" (Mark 9:43-50)
C. The Old Testament Law emphasized this judgment by fire:
"Be careful not to forget the covenant of the LORD your God that he made with you; do not
make for yourselves an idol in the form of anything the LORD your God has forbidden. For the
LORD your God is a consuming fire, a jealous God." (Deuteronomy 4:23, 24)
D. And the New Testament reiterates the same:
"Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so
worship God acceptably with reverence and awe, for our 'God is a consuming fire.'" (Hebrews
12:28, 29)
B. May we remember both the negative and positive admonition of the Apostle:
2. "Fan into flame the gift (II Timothy 1:6).
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