BE YE ANGRY AND SIN NOT
I. BEFORE PENTECOST 1. Unbelief and hardness of heart
7. They had marvelous power to cast out devils and heal the sick. “And when He had called unto Him His twelve disciples, He gave them power
against unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all manner of sickness and all manner of disease.
“And as ye go, preach, saying, The kingdom of heaven is at hand.
Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out devils;
freely ye have received, freely give.” Matthew 10:1, 7, 8.
Suppose that one who manifests the spirit of a humble Christian today should be found doing such work, would not people think him a genuine Christian?
8. Their names were written in heaven. “Rejoice, because your names are written in heaven.” — Luke 10:20. It is true that this had reference to the seventy that Christ sent out, but who would suppose that they had their names written in heaven and the disciples had not?
When we look at these disciples from the carnal side of their experience, and see sometimes the unbelief and hardness of heart, unholy aspirations, a spirit of revenge, desire for popularity, bigotry, doubt, self-confidence, human dependence and fear; when we see these things cropping out in them, we are constrained to cry out that they did not have any part or lot in the blessing of salvation. If that be the case, then the prayer, “Forgive us our sins,” would certainly be very appropriate. On the other hand, when we look at the grace side of their lives apart from the carnal, and see that they belonged to Christ, kept His word, believed on Him, were not lost, were not of the world, were persecuted for righteousness’ sake, had left all and were following Jesus, had such marvelous power, and that their names were written in heaven; when we see these characteristics, we are constrained to say that they were perfect. We wonder if the preachers who claim that these were not converted till Pentecost would refuse any one the privilege of church membership who had as good, but no better, experience than these? Or, should one of their members, with a like experience, die, would they not preach him into heaven?
The fact of the matter is, these disciples were very much like justified people today — there was a carnal side and a spiritual side in their experience. Sometimes they had the victory, and sometimes they did not.
Sometimes they were up, and sometimes they were down. It was a sort of in and out, to and fro, time with them. It was a case of sinning and
repenting. It was not all sinning, nor all repenting, but occasionally the
“old man,” which remained in the heart of these, as well as the “old man”
which remains today in the heart of all Christians after regeneration, would
spring up and cause them trouble. But look at them after the prayer of Jesus for their sanctification was answered on the day of Pentecost. What a change has come over them and in them! The fire of the Holy Ghost has burned out inbred sin and purified their hearts. Now it is victory all the time. Instead of unbelief and hardness of heart, their hearts are melted down in the crucible of God’s love and filled with the simple faith of Christ. Instead of unholy aspirations, and wanting preeminence and popularity, they are willing to take the lowest places. They are willing to be counted as the filth and offscouring of the world; they are willing to he banished and scourged and put in prison; anywhere with Jesus and anything for Jesus. Instead of wanting literal fire to come down and consume their adversaries, they would have the fire of the Holy Ghost come down and consume sin out of their hearts. Instead of the sword of steel to cut off the ear, Peter uses the sword of the Spirit and cuts into the heart. Instead of bigotry, and self-confidence, and human dependence, they have learned that they can accomplish nothing apart from Christ; that only in Him can they hope to succeed, and that in and of themselves they are nothing. Instead of all forsaking Him and fleeing away, they stand like pillars in the temple; they are ready to live or to die for Jesus; the prison is not too dark for them; the ultimatum of the Sanhedrin does not affright them; the blazing fagot only puts more fire into their souls; the glittering sword has lost its piercing terror; Patmos’ lonely mount only brings the heavenly hallelujahs the nearer. Amidst howling mobs, and whirling brickbats, and ecclesiastical denunciations, and living deaths, the still small voice of Jesus is heard cheering them on the way. In the darkness of inner prisons the face of Jesus is seen smiling with approbation upon them.
They are so filled with the divine presence, and so utterly abandoned to the Holy Ghost, that it makes no difference with them when they are killed or how they are killed. Instead of Peter denying his Lord, he
constantly witnesses to His name; instead of cursing, he is found praising and shouting the constant victories of his Christ. Such was the power of Pentecost. O that today those who are opposing the full salvation of God, and bickering and caviling over holiness, would seek their Pentecost! Their hearts would rejoice, the church would put on new strength, and the world would be made better by their living in it. To your knees, ye critics, and pray, “Forgive us our sins.”