Page 136 - TH130 Kingdom of God A4 Final

The Kingdom of God

• The occasion of the Spirit’s outpouring. The Holy Spirit was poured
out on the Day of Pentecost (Acts 2:1). Pentecost was a harvest
festival, celebrating the first fruits of the grain harvest in Palestine
(compare Exodus 23:16; Leviticus 23:14–15). Pentecost thus
marked the beginning of the worldwide harvest of souls through
the Spirit-empowered kingdom ministry of the church.
• The sign of the Spirit’s reception. At Pentecost, “All of them were
filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as
the Spirit enabled them” (Acts 2:4). What were the languages in
which these disciples were speaking? They were speaking in the
languages of the surrounding Gentile nations (vv. 8–11). This sign
reminds us that the purpose of Spirit-baptism is empowerment to
proclaim Christ in all nations (1:8). Today, each time a disciple is
filled with the Spirit and prays in tongues, he or she is reminded
of the primary purpose of the gift of the Spirit—the evangelization
of the nations.
• The result the church’s empowering. Having been filled with the
Spirit, the disciples immediately began their missionary work
of preaching the gospel (Acts 2:14). Before the day had ended,
3000 people, representing at least 15 Gentile nations, were saved
(vv. 8–11, 41).

From the beginning, the church has been a Spirit-empowered missionary
community. It should continue as the same until Jesus comes again.

Conclusion

The Holy Spirit plays a prominent role in the work of the kingdom of
God. It is He who anoints, empowers, equips, inspires, and sustains the
church in its Kingdom mission of taking the gospel to all nations.

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