“And when the day of Pentecost was 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 all the house where they were sitting. And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance,” Acts 2:1-4.

Last week we considered two points.

1. The descent of the Holy Spirt was the beginning of a great harvest. 2. The Lord’s ‘sense of timing’.

We go a little further in our observations.

1. THEY HAD RETURNED TO THEIR APPOINTED DUTY!

“They were all with one accord in one place,” verse 1. They are again in prayer.

We can be easily distracted from God’s will, by doing that which seems to be right, even as were the 120 in the prayer meeting! NOTHING should distract the Christian from seeking the fulness of the Holy Spirit. Amongst Dr Paisley’s first words to me, back on 12th April 1964 were, ‘Pray every day to be filled with the Holy Spirit’! That is rarely said today for few preachers are seeking that fulness and emptying themselves of all that is of the world!

Prayer has ever been the first step to enjoying a divine visitation. “If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land,” 2 Chronicles 7:14.

They are all in one place, but far more important — “They were all with one accord.” They were all of one mind! They would have been divided as they made a choice between Barsabas and Matthias, 1:23. That which was not their business had divided them and diverted them from the purpose of God.

2. NOTICE THEY WERE SITTING

They were in a settled position, a waiting position! That is Christ’s present position. “Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high,” Hebrews 1:3. “Now of the things which we have spoken this is the sum: We have such an high priest, who is set on the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens,” Hebrews 8:1. 

What is the Saviour waiting for? “But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God; from henceforth expecting till his enemies be made his footstool,” Hebrews 10:12-13.

That is what Christians should be waiting on!  “Ye turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God;

And to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, even Jesus, which delivered us from the wrath to come,” 1 Thessalonians 1:9-10. “And to you who are troubled rest with us, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels, In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ: Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power; When he shall come to be glorified in his saints, and to be admired in all them that believe (because our testimony among you was believed) in that day,” 2 Thessalonians 1:7-10.  The word REST carries a similar meaning to SIT. It means RELAX!

3. GOD’S ANSWER CAME SUDDENLY.

“And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind,”  Acts 2:2.

I believe it was ‘sudden’ because the ways of God are far above our earthly ways and therefore we are not prepared for what happens!

4. THE LORD DISPLAYED HIS FAITHFULNESS IN SENDING THE HOLY SPIRIT.

“And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost,” Acts 2:2-4. The Lord kept His promise (Luke 24:49). 

5. THE SPIRIT’S DESCENT WAS HEARD, FELT, AND SEEN.

 That always marks the ways of God amongst men. “A sound from heaven.” “A rushing mighty wind.” “There appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire.” The presence of the Lord would have been known to be there if you were blind, or deaf, or unfeeling! In a day of blessing there is a wonderful ‘sensing’ of the Lord’s presence and power, boy and girls!

There can be no mistaking such an event as a mere ‘earthly’ happening or occurrence!