They Were All Filled
Scripture: Acts 2:4Devotional Series: Why Tongues
Teaching: Why Tongues? pt. 1 (SUN_AM 2023-07-16) by Pastor Star R Scott
The question so many have over the years, why tongues, why tongues? Well, the first simple answer to why tongues is because that’s what God said; amen? So, that would probably be a pretty decent, simple answer to why tongues, because God chose tongues to be an initial, physical evidence of the baptism in the Holy Spirit. This very issue split Pentecostal groups in the early 1900’s. When there was the outpouring of the Holy Spirit, a couple of different doctrines manifested itself in the early 1900’s that brought a breech in the church. One of them was the baptismal formula, baptizing in the name of Jesus only. And so there was those that, having read the book of Acts, then ignored what the Gospel (Matthew 28:19) spoke that there would be the baptizing in the name of the Father, and the Son and the Holy Spirit.
Why was the name of Jesus used primarily in the book of Acts? Because Jesus had just risen from the dead, the gospel was going first to the Israelites, the nation of Israel, and they were wanting Israel to understand clearly, it’s His name and faith in His name; amen? And so, the emphasis on baptizing in the name of Jesus, it was not an exclusive baptism. It was incorporated in the understanding that Jesus was representative of the godhead- Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. The problem was not that there was a different baptismal formula. The problem was that that understanding lead into a false doctrine that God was not triune, that God was in His fullness in the person of Jesus Christ, and that these other types or figures of Father, of Holy Ghost, were separate hats that Jesus would put on. I’m trying to make it clear for our understanding that these ministries are distinct. And so, confusion arose. This aspect of the baptism in the Holy Spirit with the evidence of speaking in other tongues, many began to say, “Well, tongues are not the issue, we just need the fullness. It’s all about the power to be a witness. And so, if we receive a new enduing and a power to be witnesses, a new boldness, that is in and of itself, evidence enough without the Holy Spirit.”
Let’s go to the original outpouring. Acts 2:4, we’re all very familiar with it. They were tarrying for the promise and when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were in one accord, and they were in one place. One accord, all looking for that promise. That’s where their hearts were fixed and in one place as they unified themselves. I won’t belabor the point, but I will say again, there were 120 in that room, and we know that just a few days prior, there were hundreds that had been ministered to by Him, by His resurrection presence. Those hundreds were told to go and wait and tarry, and all but 120 found something more important to do. God is wanting to pour out His Spirit here in this ministry, in this fellowship, in this place. Let’s be in one accord, in one place, believing for God to visit us; amen? We need a visitation of God. And we know that He dwells in us. Don’t think for a moment that we’re saying that God has left us and we’re on our own. That’s not what I’m saying when I say we need a visitation of God. We need a refreshing, and the Scripture says this is the refreshing is praying in the Holy Ghost. Those of us that are Spirit-filled we need to begin to pray the heart and mind of God as we pray in the Spirit. I can’t stand here before you and tell you even what to pray for. Turn over to Acts, Chapter 8, for just a moment. I’d like to be able to tell you, “Here is what we, as a fellowship, specifically need, so let’s pray for this.” What I do know is, in my spirit there’s a longing for God to be glorified in our midst; amen? There’s a desire to see us continue to be knit together. Thank God for the work that He’s done in our lives in these last number of years. We, as a fellowship, are more knit together than we’ve ever been. We, as a fellowship, are loving one another more than we’ve ever loved one another. There’s a true oneness and unity. The oneness of our vision and what God’s doing is clear and accepted.
Why was the name of Jesus used primarily in the book of Acts? Because Jesus had just risen from the dead, the gospel was going first to the Israelites, the nation of Israel, and they were wanting Israel to understand clearly, it’s His name and faith in His name; amen? And so, the emphasis on baptizing in the name of Jesus, it was not an exclusive baptism. It was incorporated in the understanding that Jesus was representative of the godhead- Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. The problem was not that there was a different baptismal formula. The problem was that that understanding lead into a false doctrine that God was not triune, that God was in His fullness in the person of Jesus Christ, and that these other types or figures of Father, of Holy Ghost, were separate hats that Jesus would put on. I’m trying to make it clear for our understanding that these ministries are distinct. And so, confusion arose. This aspect of the baptism in the Holy Spirit with the evidence of speaking in other tongues, many began to say, “Well, tongues are not the issue, we just need the fullness. It’s all about the power to be a witness. And so, if we receive a new enduing and a power to be witnesses, a new boldness, that is in and of itself, evidence enough without the Holy Spirit.”
Let’s go to the original outpouring. Acts 2:4, we’re all very familiar with it. They were tarrying for the promise and when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were in one accord, and they were in one place. One accord, all looking for that promise. That’s where their hearts were fixed and in one place as they unified themselves. I won’t belabor the point, but I will say again, there were 120 in that room, and we know that just a few days prior, there were hundreds that had been ministered to by Him, by His resurrection presence. Those hundreds were told to go and wait and tarry, and all but 120 found something more important to do. God is wanting to pour out His Spirit here in this ministry, in this fellowship, in this place. Let’s be in one accord, in one place, believing for God to visit us; amen? We need a visitation of God. And we know that He dwells in us. Don’t think for a moment that we’re saying that God has left us and we’re on our own. That’s not what I’m saying when I say we need a visitation of God. We need a refreshing, and the Scripture says this is the refreshing is praying in the Holy Ghost. Those of us that are Spirit-filled we need to begin to pray the heart and mind of God as we pray in the Spirit. I can’t stand here before you and tell you even what to pray for. Turn over to Acts, Chapter 8, for just a moment. I’d like to be able to tell you, “Here is what we, as a fellowship, specifically need, so let’s pray for this.” What I do know is, in my spirit there’s a longing for God to be glorified in our midst; amen? There’s a desire to see us continue to be knit together. Thank God for the work that He’s done in our lives in these last number of years. We, as a fellowship, are more knit together than we’ve ever been. We, as a fellowship, are loving one another more than we’ve ever loved one another. There’s a true oneness and unity. The oneness of our vision and what God’s doing is clear and accepted.