What Happened at Pentecost?

Ye men of Israel, hear these words; Jesus of Nazareth, a man approved of God among you by miracles and wonders and signs, which God did by him in the midst of you, as ye yourselves also know: Him, being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, ye have taken, and by wicked hands have crucified and slain: Whom God hath raised up, having loosed the pains of death: because it was not possible that he should be holden of it. For David speaketh concerning him, I foresaw the Lord always before my face, for he is on my right hand, that I should not be moved: Therefore did my heart rejoice, and my tongue was glad; moreover also my flesh shall rest in hope: Because thou wilt not leave my soul in hell, neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption. Thou hast made known to me the ways of life; thou shalt make me full of joy with thy countenance. Men and brethren, let me freely speak unto you of the patriarch David, that he is both dead and buried, and his sepulchre is with us unto this day. let me: or, I may Therefore being a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him, that of the fruit of his loins, according to the flesh, he would raise up Christ to sit on his throne; He seeing this before spake of the resurrection of Christ, that his soul was not left in hell, neither his flesh did see corruption. This Jesus hath God raised up, whereof we all are witnesses. Therefore being by the right hand of God exalted, and having received of the Father the promise of the Holy Ghost, he hath shed forth this, which ye now see and hear. For David is not ascended into the heavens: but he saith himself, The LORD said unto my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand, Until I make thy foes thy footstool. Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made that same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ. - Acts 2:22-36

    There was a revelation of the sovereign Christ! Any great revival among men will only come when God is pleased to reveal who Christ is, what Christ did, why Christ suffered and where he is now! Any saving work God is pleased to perform for the sons of Adam will be accompanied by a clear revelation of the reigning and sovereign Christ.

    The disciples were at the feast but they did not talk about themselves, their office, their success or the number of their followers. They preached Christ, the man, approved of God, ordained by God, crucified by men raised by God and exalted at God's right hand as Lord and Christ.

    The Holy Spirit was at the feast but did not speak of himself, his office, his gifts or his power. He glorified Christ. He pricked the hearts of sinners convicting of sin and revealing the sovereign Saviour.

    The people were at the feast but they were not entertained by noted celebrities, choirs, elaborate programs, and wooed to make decisions for God. They heard a word of condemnation; they had rejected and crucified God's Christ. They heard a word of conviction; this same Jesus was raised from the dead, for no power can hold him;—Not death, for he is life; not darkness, for he is light; not sin, for he is righteousness; not men, for he is God. They heard a word of promise; he is exalted and made both Lord and Christ, with the power to save and the power to damn (Acts 2:36).

    It may be that God will visit our generation with revival but it will not come through the preaching of a defeated, weak, powerless door-mat and reformer. It will come when preachers again sound forth clearly the gospel of God's glory, power, and sovereignty. Christ is Lord, bow down sinner, to the claims of King Jesus.