The Holy Spirit Comes

[The following is a manuscript of my message delivered on Sunday morning, the 22nd of September, 2019 at Pilgrim Reformed Church.  Look for the video of our services on our Vimeo channel:  http://vimeo.com/pilgrimreformedchurch.]

Do you remember the story of the Roman centurion named Cornelius?  Cornelius was a devout man who feared God, prayed to God, and gave generously to the people, even though he was a Gentile.  One day, an angel of God came to him in a vision and instructed him to send for Simon Peter to come and speak with his household.  The angel said that Peter would tell Cornelius what he must do.  So Cornelius did just as instructed, sending two loyal servants and a devout soldier to seek Peter and implore him to come.

While they traveled, Peter also had a vision, where he was shown a giant sheet upheld at the four corners coming down to the earth.  On the sheet were every type and manner of creature in God’s creation.  Then Peter hears the voice of Jesus telling him to kill and eat of the beasts.  Peter protests, saying he cannot eat anything common or unclean.  Jesus replies that what God has cleansed can no longer be considered common or unclean.

When the emissaries from Cornelius arrive, Peter accompanies them back to Caesarea.  As he entered the centurion’s home and saw all the people who had gathered there to hear him, he spoke words that should be a key for us:  "God has shown me that I should not call any man common or unclean."  For the rest of the story, please listen and follow along to what the Apostle Luke recorded for us in his Book of the Acts of the Apostles, chapter 10, verses 34 through 48, and I’ll be reading from the New King James Version of our Holy Bible…

34 Then Peter opened his mouth and said: “In truth I perceive that God shows no partiality. 35 But in every nation whoever fears Him and works righteousness is accepted by Him. 36 The word which God sent to the children of Israel, preaching peace through Jesus Christ — He is Lord of all — 37 that word you know, which was proclaimed throughout all Judea, and began from Galilee after the baptism which John preached: 38 how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power, who went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him. 39 And we are witnesses of all things which He did both in the land of the Jews and in Jerusalem, whom they killed by hanging on a tree. 40 Him God raised up on the third day, and showed Him openly, 41 not to all the people, but to witnesses chosen before by God, even to us who ate and drank with Him after He arose from the dead. 42 And He commanded us to preach to the people, and to testify that it is He who was ordained by God to be Judge of the living and the dead. 43 To Him all the prophets witness that, through His name, whoever believes in Him will receive remission of sins.”

44 While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit fell upon all those who heard the word. 45 And the Jews who believed were astonished, as many as came with Peter, because the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out on the Gentiles also. 46 For they heard them speak with tongues and magnify God.

Then Peter answered, 47 “Can anyone forbid water, that these should not be baptized who have received the Holy Spirit just as we have?” 48 And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of the Lord. Then they asked him to stay a few days.

--Acts 10:34-48 (NKJV)

Let us pray…  Father God, Your word saved for us in our Bibles is for our instruction.  It tells us how we should feel and think and believe, and how to act on our faith.  Father, we can be so blind and too often so stubborn as to what we should do in our service to You.  Please help us see other people as You see them.  Please help us understand that we should not call any man unclean or common.  For we don’t always know who You might already have cleansed.  Speak to us now, Father, through Your Spirit, with the message we need to hear this morning.  Show us Your will for our lives, our role in Your plan.  This we pray in the glorious name of Your Son Jesus, our Lord.   Amen.


What does it mean to us to have God's Holy Spirit come to us, to be in us?  Andrew Murray was a South African pastor and son of a Dutch Reformed Church pastor sent as a missionary to South Africa.  Murray once said, "May not a single moment of my life be spent outside the light, love and joy of God's presence and not a moment without the entire surrender of my self as a vessel for Him to fill full of His Spirit and His love."

Consider Murray’s statement for a moment, and then think of what it would be like not to have the light, the love, and the joy of God's presence with us always.  What if we were not willing to surrender ourselves entirely so that we could be fully filled by the Spirit and His love?  Or worse, what if God had not sent His Spirit to live within any of us?


In our scripture reading this morning, we see the Gentiles in the household of Cornelius receiving God’s Holy Spirit, to live within them.  This is of the greatest importance to us, as I believe we here at Pilgrim are all Gentiles.

First, Jesus let Peter know that we should not consider anyone to be “common”, or “unclean” in any manner.  After all, God may have already cleansed them, so we should never call them unclean, and never consider anyone “common” because that would be putting ourselves over them, superior to them.  And then God showed Peter that all people – Jew and Gentile – can receive the indwelling Holy Spirit if they accept His Son Jesus as Lord and Master.


God’s indwelling Spirit…  Do you recall my saying a few weeks ago that before the Pentecost, God’s Spirit only came to special people at God’s direction, helping them with tasks God had assigned.  The Spirit did not live within anyone.  But then, in Acts chapter 2, verses 1 through 4, Luke tells us…

1 When the Day of Pentecost had fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. 2 And suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. 3 Then there appeared to them divided tongues, as of fire, and one sat upon each of them. 4 And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.

--Acts 2:1-4 (NKJV)

This was the first Pentecost, the first instance recorded in our Bible of the Spirit coming down to live within mankind, as our constant Companion and Guide.  It is also occasionally called the Jewish Pentecost, as those filled by the Spirit that day were Jews.  What happened at the home of Cornelius is sometimes referred to as the Gentile Pentecost, since the Spirit came into only the Gentiles that day.

There is one other recorded event in our Bible that some consider the second Pentecost, and this one occurred to the Samaritans, so is referred to as the Samaritan Pentecost.  After Christ’s execution and resurrection, His disciple Philip left Jerusalem and went through Samaria, preaching the Gospel and all about Jesus.  Many listened, believed, and were saved.  Here is how Luke tells it, in chapter 8 of his Book of Acts, verses 5 through 7 and verse 12…

5 Then Philip went down to the city of Samaria and preached Christ to them. 6 And the multitudes with one accord heeded the things spoken by Philip, hearing and seeing the miracles which he did. 7 For unclean spirits, crying with a loud voice, came out of many who were possessed; and many who were paralyzed and lame were healed.

12 But when they believed Philip as he preached the things concerning the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, both men and women were baptized. 

--Acts 8:5-7, 12 (NKJV)

In the Jewish world-view, there are two kinds of people:  Jews and Gentiles.  The Samaritans were considered the black sheep of the Israeli family, not quite Jew but not quite Gentile.  Since God wanted to make sure that all the world’s people could be included in His plan of salvation,  He sent His Spirit to dwell in every possible class of people: Jews, Samaritans, and Gentiles.  Jesus came to offer salvation to all of mankind.

Of course, not everyone accepts Him as Lord and Master, not everyone acknowledges Him as the one true Son of God, not everyone recognizes Him as the Christ, the Messiah.  But those who do are saved and receive God’s Holy Spirit as their own personal indwelling Companion, Helper, Counselor, and Guide.

It doesn’t matter if we are Jew or Samaritan or Gentile.  It doesn’t matter our race or ethnicity or country of origin.  It doesn’t matter our gender or age or physical appearance.  God knows no borders, prefers no race, has no favorites.  He calls us all to be His, to join His family.  It’s up to us to answer that call by giving ourselves to Christ Jesus.


God sent His Son into this world to carry out His great plan that all the world might be saved.  And if that weren’t enough, God sent His own Holy Spirit to live within the very hearts of believers.  For each new believer, when anyone first professes Jesus as Lord, the Holy Spirit comes.

The Holy Spirit comes to all who follow Jesus, since God plays no favorites.  With His Spirit living within us, we should mimic our Father God and show no favoritism, too.  In the blessed name of Christ Jesus our Lord.  Amen.


Let us pray…  Father God, You have no favorites but want all of mankind to be saved.  Your Holy Spirit moves among men, convicting us of our sins, showing us Jesus and the way of the cross, calling us to a higher faith.  And Your Spirit comes down to live within all those who believe in Jesus and accept Him as Lord.  Help us, please Father, to fully accept the leadership and counsel Your Spirit offers.  Help us to accept His authority and to recognize His voice.

Please hear us now, Father, as we come to You in the silence, speaking from our hearts, promising to turn from our disobedient ways, seeking Your forgiveness and Your help…

Lord Jesus, all who believe in You and accept You as Lord have God’s own Holy Spirit living within us.  Thank You, Jesus, for offering salvation to all.  Please help us to truly be Yours, Lord.  Help us to obey Your commands and to remain faithful no matter what we face.  Help us to heed the directions the Spirit gives us.  And help us to make more disciples so that the Spirit may come to them as well.  This we pray in Your glorious name, Christ Jesus our Master and our Savior.  Amen.