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Sermon #7802

The Significance of Pentecost

A Sermon on the Significance of Pentecost

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Sermon Description

What is so unique about Pentecost? Certainly, it was not the first time the Holy Spirit had come upon a believer. Yet, there must be something special about this occurrence. What is the significance of the coming of the Holy Spirit in Acts 2 at Pentecost? In this sermon on the significance of Pentecost, Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones explores the operation of the Spirit throughout the Old Testament, contrasting the Spirit’s work among the Old Testament saints with the Spirit’s work in the New Testament. In Acts, the Spirit is poured out upon all believers in a way which unites the diverse people of God into one body. Listen as he examines this Jerusalem event, followed by similar outpourings in Samaria and Ephesus. What one discovers is that the result of Pentecost is the formation of the church of Christ. The body of Christ is welded together into one. Dr. Lloyd-Jones explains that this event happened once, never again to be repeated. The church has been established and from that point on, every believer is indwelt by the Holy Spirit in His fullness. The listener is led to praise God for the gift of the Holy Spirit, who dwells with them and is in them.

Sermon Breakdown

  1. The early part of the sermon on the Holy Spirit by Dr. Martin Lloyd Jones is missing.
  2. There seems to be an apparent contradiction in the scriptural teaching on the coming of the Holy Spirit.
  3. There are statements pointing forward to Pentecost that imply the Holy Spirit only came at Pentecost.
  4. There are also statements showing the Holy Spirit was active before Pentecost.
  5. The Holy Spirit was operative at creation.
  6. The Holy Spirit sustains the universe, including human life.
  7. The Holy Spirit does the work of common grace, enabling natural good in people.
  8. The Holy Spirit gave special gifts to people like Samson, Moses, Bezalel, and Joshua.
  9. Prophecy was made possible by the Holy Spirit, as shown with Eldad, Medad, Balaam, Saul, and the prophets.
  10. David prayed "take not thy Holy Spirit from me," showing the Spirit was with Old Testament believers.
  11. John the Baptist was filled with the Holy Spirit from the womb.
  12. Elizabeth and Zechariah were filled with the Holy Spirit.
  13. Simeon was moved by the Holy Spirit.
  14. The disciples were enabled by the Holy Spirit before Pentecost.
  15. Jesus said the Spirit was with the disciples but would be in them, pointing to Pentecost.
  16. Joel prophesied the Spirit would be poured out on all people.
  17. The Spirit would no longer be confined to the Jews.
  18. The Spirit would be given more fully and generally.
  19. The coming of Jesus and His death and ascension made a difference in the Spirit's work.
  20. The church was formed as the body of Christ at Pentecost.
  21. Believers were baptized into one body by the Spirit at Pentecost.
  22. The unity of Jews and Gentiles in one body was shown at Pentecost.
  23. The events of Acts 2, 8, 10, and 19 show people receiving the Spirit and being united in one body.
  24. The people in Acts 8 and 19 had to have their incomplete understanding corrected before receiving the Spirit.
  25. Cornelius and his household received the Spirit as Gentiles, showing they were part of the one body.
  26. The purpose of Pentecost was to show Jesus is the Son of God, inaugurate the church, show people added to the church are part of the body, and show the Spirit is now in believers rather than just with them.
  27. Being filled with the Spirit enabled witnessing but was separate from being baptized into the one body.
  28. The signs at Pentecost were unique to show the new thing God was doing in forming the church.

Great Biblical Doctrines

Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones

Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones (1899-1981) was a Welsh evangelical minister who preached and taught in the Reformed tradition. His principal ministry was at Westminster Chapel, in central London, from 1939-1968, where he delivered multi-year expositions on books of the bible such as Romans, Ephesians and the Gospel of John. In addition to the MLJ Trust’s collection of 1,600 of these sermons in audio format, most of these great sermon series are available in book form (including a 14 volume collection of the Romans sermons), as are other series such as "Spiritual Depression", "Studies in the Sermon on the Mount" and "Great Biblical Doctrines". He is considered by many evangelical leaders today to be an authority on biblical truth and the sufficiency of Scripture.