In this sermon, the preacher discusses the role of the Holy Spirit in the lives of believers. He emphasizes that when the Holy Spirit comes, He works as He wills, enabling believers to prophesy, see visions, and dream dreams. The preacher clarifies that prophecy, in this context, refers to preaching the Word of God and sharing the message of salvation. He also highlights the importance of being filled with the Spirit for the purpose of spreading the gospel and bringing about a great harvest. The sermon concludes with a personal anecdote about encountering someone speaking in tongues and the need for interpretation in such situations.

Now, let us once again just look at what happened. Acts chapter 2 from verse 1. When the day of Pentecost had 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 the whole house where they were sitting. It's a long portion, so I'll only touch on some points. What was it like at Pentecost? What was it like with those people when the Holy Spirit came? It says they were all in one place. Even that is a message in itself, the fact that they were all gathered in one place. But they weren't just in one place physically, but they were there with one accord of one accord, one heart, one soul. So, when the day of Pentecost had 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 the whole house where they were sitting. God alone knows what our state is like today, but if the Holy Spirit would have to speak about our condition today, what would He say? Could He say we are in one place of one accord, one heart, one soul, not just physically, but body, soul and spirit, that we are one? That we are not just physically in one place, but spiritually in one place. You have to be in that place God has appointed, otherwise the Holy Spirit will come and you will lose out because you are not there where He wants you to be. So make sure that you are one soul, one heart, and in spirit you must be one with the other children of the Lord. Now leave that point. But I would still like to emphasize this one point, that they were all there with one accord. They were all there, everyone, no one was left out, except of course people like Judas, who had betrayed the Lord and had gone out, hung himself and his insides spilt out, all that dirt that was within him came out and was exposed. The disciples knew that the Lord had promised to send the Holy Spirit and they were all there, they made sure they didn't want to miss out on that service. The disciples knew that the Lord had promised to send the Holy Spirit and they were all there, they made sure they didn't miss out on that service. Today is the Lord's day. Just look, today is the Lord's day. When we worship the Lord, we go to the service and yet there are people that go, they rather play sports, they would rather go and visit friends, they go and do other things. Their heart isn't drawn to the service, to the house of the Lord, to worship the Lord. Their heart is drawn elsewhere and that shows that they aren't true disciples of the Lord. Some have the excuse that they're tired, it's this or it's that and they look for excuses, by that showing us that they're not true disciples of the Lord. Unless of course there's a genuine reason why someone cannot come, why he has to be elsewhere. But someone who stays away because he doesn't want to be there, his heart isn't drawn to it, it shows that person is on his way to hell. The Lord had said to them, I will send you the Holy Spirit and so they were diligent, they made sure that they were there, they didn't want to miss out on this. Do you see what it's like to be a true disciple? Do you see what a person is like who desires to be filled and the one who will be filled with the Holy Spirit? The Bible says we should not neglect the fellowship. The one who misses out on that fellowship of hearing, listening to God's word, he will miss out on many blessings. Blessing you receive through listening. Faith comes through hearing the word of God. Through ignorance you can be totally ignorant of the fact that the Lord died for you. He rose and is sitting at the right hand of the Father. You can go through life and you won't even know it because you would never have heard it. But by hearing it, by hearing God's word, you accept the faith and you accept it and then it works in your life and then you receive blessing through it. Do you realize how important it is to go to a service? Because if you don't go, you miss out on that blessing because you never hear about things. And the Lord will say to you, but didn't you do this or didn't you receive that? And then you say, well, I didn't even know such a thing even existed because you never went there to hear it. Now continue. And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind. Last Sunday I already said it wasn't a windy day, but there was like a mighty rushing wind in that place. It was as if there was one. It was like it. Like it says in the Bible, the devil goes around like a roaring lion. He isn't the lion. Lion of Judah. Jesus is the lion. But he walks around like a lion. It was a supernatural event and then there were also those like tongues of fire that descended upon them upon their heads but it didn't burn their hair it was like that burning bush with Moses where the bush was not consumed but that was the fire of God that came down upon them and didn't just rest upon their heads it went into them and set that fire a light in their hearts in their lives but they were filled with the Holy Spirit. Go on to the next point. And they spoke in different tongues. Let's just speak a bit more about the tongues because this confuses many people. Someone once came here to Peter Meritsburg, a preacher. He was famous and known all over the world. Some even called him Mr. Pentecost. They had a service in the town hall. When he had spoken he said now I'll pray for those who want to receive the Holy Spirit. Like it happened at Pentecost. He said he'll pray like that it happens like at Pentecost just take note of that like then. I wasn't there personally but someone told me and those that were there told me about it. One of them was my uncle. Another was my brother. One of my brothers. So they came forward and stood in three rows in front. Then he said well now pray for you that you receive the Holy Spirit like at Pentecost. And then he said to the rest of the congregation of the people present you can also pray and pray in tongues like they did at Pentecost. So he prayed for them. Now when my uncle came he prayed for him. Now my uncle wasn't used to praying in English so he prayed in German. And so when he got to my uncle and my uncle prayed in German and he heard him praying in German he said that's right brother just carry on like that you've got it. All the time my uncle was just praying in his own language but he didn't recognize it he thought he was praying in tongues. And my uncle was heartbroken. Disappointed and so he went further and he got to one of the Bible College students from Sweetwaters who was praying in Zulu and he also said to him as he was praying in Zulu he said that's right brother. And as they all different people were praying and and in their different tongues there were some people walking outside some Indians who speak different languages but none of those walking past heard them praying in their language or speaking in their language that they could understand. Why I say this is because he had said he will pray so that it happens like on the day of Pentecost. On the day of Pentecost the people were amazed. And they were amazed and said what is happening here? They marveled. So look are these not all Galileans? Now how is it that we hear each one in our own language in which we were born? Our own mother tongue. And they are speaking to us about the great marvelous acts of God. So let us not just glibly say it'll be like the day of Pentecost because on that day they spoke in different languages which people could understand. Their own home languages. But there are also other tongues. The tongues of angels. They are the tongues of men and the tongues of angels. And that needs to be interpreted. So those angelic tongues need to be translated but on that particular day at Pentecost they needed no translation. See the difference. But there is also another difference. 1st Corinthians 14 verse 2. It says he who speaks in tongues does not speak to men but to God. But on the day of Pentecost the tongues that were spoken were the tongues, the languages of the people that were present there that they could hear the wonderful works of God. You can say as well the languages of the people addressed to the people the great deeds of God. And they heard them in their own language where they had come from. Something once happened in Tugela Feri. Someone from there let me know and said please come. God is at work in a wonderful way. So I said fine and then I went with 5 other people. 4 other people. We were 5 all together. Now when we got there we got out and he came towards us with his wife and he greeted us he greeted us we greeted him and then when his wife greeted us she greeted us in tongues. Speaking in tongues. It surprised me and I remembered the word in Corinthians where it says that if someone speaks in tongues in that way he speaks to God he doesn't speak to man. So he speaks to God in those tongues and then God replies and that needs to be interpreted. A praise as well to God. And then the answer comes through the interpreter of those tongues. But now here she was greeting us speaking to us in these tongues. So we went into the house. Remember the Bible also says that you must be quick to listen slow to speak. Once we were inside this was a Zulu family and as is traditional the men went into the one room and the women went into another room. This woman had a small child and also had a young girl who was looking after this child. Now this girl that was looking after the small child was someone just from the vicinity that they had gotten to help. She was not a Christian. And then this woman started speaking to these people also those that were working there in tongues. Now they didn't understand those tongues or that tongue. And then this girl that was just from the area there that they'd gotten just to work there. She said no you know what she's saying. Can't you understand? She's telling you to close the door. She told the others. Now this heathen girl was not a Christian. She was interpreting the tongues. Now that is a strange thing. Then the husband came and he said God is really at work. And he said you know my wife is going to the hospital the local hospital and she's speaking to the patients there in tongues. It's wonderful he said. And we said well do the patients understand what she's saying. So he said no they don't understand but it's wonderful isn't it. Now God gives us different gifts and among those gifts is wisdom. That's one gift. Another gift is discernment and another gift is faith. They are different gifts. It's good that we can discern. Before we got far we said to her, we said to the sister, tell us what is going on. And she said no I'll tell you the truth. She said when I received the Holy Spirit I did speak in tongues. But then I went to a meeting after that and I heard someone else speaking in tongues too. And when I heard that person speaking in tongues I thought that person's tongues are nicer or better than mine. And then she said no I don't like these tongues that I received. And she prayed and said Lord please I don't like these tongues. Give me the same tongues that you gave that person. And she received them. But now she was speaking to everybody she met in these tongues. Greeting people in them, speaking to the patients. And the Bible says when you speak in those tongues you speak to God you pray to him. When we live for the Lord and serve him we must be upright in the faith and in spirit and there must be no sign of jealousy or envy. But we must You must allow God to work as He wills, like when the Lord gives you a child and He gives your sister a child. You mustn't say, no Lord, I don't like my child, I want, her child is better, I'd rather have one like that. You must accept that child God has given you as it is, whether it's got a long nose or a flat nose, whatever. Be graceful. What would you say of a mother that gets a child with brown or black hair, and then the sister gets one with white or blonde hair, and then the mother says, no, I don't want this child, I don't even want this child, I want that other one. You would say such a mother is like a murderer. So on the day of Pentecost, the disciples had put themselves on the altar, fully, so saying, Lord, may your will be done in our lives. And so God worked in their lives, and then they started speaking in tongues that God had given them, in languages which God had given them. So when the Holy Spirit works, God has His way, but if you say, no, I don't want it this way, I want it my way, then that's the devil that's at work. In Zulu, I even said, it must be like this, it must not be like that, those are dangerous things. Let God have His way, and don't come with impure motives, they've got to be clean and holy. If it's not like that, you'll spoil the whole thing, you'll dirty the thing. Needs a clean heart, and holy motives and desires. We speak so easily about the Holy Spirit, being filled with the Holy Spirit, so light but there are not many people who experience it, because God realises, He recognises that the day of Pentecost hasn't fully come yet in your life. Do you understand, or am I putting you to sleep? Do you still understand? Now hold on to it, write it into your hearts and minds, because maybe you can still meet up with big things, and then you can be confused if you don't understand. Now you should never be confused anymore about tongues. We should actually hand out a questionnaire now that you could go home with, and fill in the answers. Come back next Sunday and then we'll see whether you pass the test or not. It's not confusing. It's quite clear, and it's wonderful when the Holy Spirit comes, He works as He wills. God wanted the gospel to spread throughout the world to all the nations, that's why on the day of Pentecost, He made the disciples speak in all the different languages that they would all understand. They could go back with that message, and that churches can be founded all over. That's how the Church of Christ was born. And it spread throughout the world in a day. Now I'll go on to the next point. I said I'd just touch on some points. Who was the Holy Spirit for? The Prophet Joel said that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh. Your sons and your daughters shall prophesy. Your young men shall see visions. Your old men shall dream dreams. On my men's servants and on my maid's servants I will pour out my Spirit in those days. Do you see now, there is no difference between male and female. Or between someone who is young and someone who is old. Whether it be the husband or the wife. And there is no difference between them and even the servants, those that work in the house or maybe outside. There is no difference. To be filled with the Holy Spirit is something for every believer. God wants to fill us all with His Spirit that everyone in the whole world can be helped. But there where the Holy Spirit worked in a mighty way, there appeared some who were mocking, mockers, scoffers. Something terrible that someone can mock and scoff. They mocked, they said, oh these people are full of wine. What a pity when there are those who repent, they turn to the Lord. And at the same time there are others who miss out on it and they become mockers. They say, oh they just speak like that because they are drunk. And then Peter got up. And he said, men how can you speak like this? This is but the third hour. It's nine o'clock in the morning. No one can be drunk at this time already. Are there people among us who mock? Who mock those who repent and turn to God and try to serve Him? I say you are the greatest fools. You are mad, mad men. Never mock a person who returns to God and repents. Never mock, laugh at someone who serves the Lord and turns to Him. Your hell will be seven times worse than another's. A person who mocks those who serve the Lord is someone without brains. He's a fool. Just listen to what they said when they mocked the disciples. They said, are they full of wine? No, they are not full of wine. Have you ever heard of someone who has had two wives? Have you ever heard of someone who has had too much to drink and is under the influence? Have you ever heard such a person speaking perfect Latin, perfect English, or perfect Hebrew or one of the other languages, speaking it perfectly? Have you ever heard such a person speaking perfect Latin, perfect English, or perfect Hebrew or one of the other languages, speaking it perfectly? If your child had never learned French or English or can't speak it, and then has to write a test, and just before they test, you say, come here my child, and you give it some alcohol to drink, and the teacher then comes and tests your child. Do you think that child will be able to speak the language perfectly? There would be no such thing. That's why a person who mocks is the greatest fool. He's lost his senses. There's something wrong with him. Never mock a child of the Lord, and if you've done it, you go and get that right quickly. But remember if you are a believer, don't expect everyone to speak well of you. The Bible even says, beware if everyone speaks well of you. So there will be those that will mock, but woe to those who are the mockers. Should we leave that and go on to the next point? Now when the Holy Spirit has come, how does he work? According to our text. Some will prophesy. Others will see visions. Others will dream dreams. But the most important of these is prophecy. Now prophecy is not what some people understand it to be, where you go around prophesying. Here it means that you preach the word of God. Preaching salvation, repentance, forgiveness of sin. And that people through it find eternal life. Some see visions. I'm just touching on these points. Even in the old testament there were those that saw visions. Isaiah the prophet was caught up and he saw heaven and he saw that throne high and lifted up. The chairman flying around calling out, holy, holy, holy, the Lord of hosts. Paul also saw a vision. He was taken up into the third heaven. He saw paradise. And John also saw the revelation as we read it in the bible. God works as he wills. He even gave Nebuchadnezzar a dream, spoke to him through a dream. This heathen king who was worshipping idols, ruling almost the whole world. God spoke to him through a dream and that is long ago. Joseph also had dreams. Joseph also had a dream and he took Mary and the child and fled to Egypt. Had he not had that dream and had he not obeyed, that child would have been killed. So God works as he wills but it's important that God's people are filled with his spirit, that there may be a great harvest and that people will keep God's word. That God will fill his people with his spirit, that there may be a great harvest. That the three thousand may be multiplied many times, that the gospel may fill the earth. We'll never fill the gospel, take it to fill the earth if we haven't been filled with his spirit. Are you concerned about it? Is that your prayer day and night saying, Lord fill me with your spirit, that I may be filled with it? And that which quenches the spirit in our lives, that we will part with it, forsake it. Don't take sin lightly. If someone has cancer or a disease like that, he can just sit at home and do nothing about it, but he can also go to a doctor and say, doctor please help me and the doctor can take an eye and cut it out. You are prepared to do that just for a physical cure, how much more for a spiritual problem? The Lord said if your eye makes you stumble, pluck it out. It's not a small thing to pluck out your eye. Someone phoned me and said please pray. My daughter has a disease in the eye and they say they have to take out that eye. And they said there's something bad behind the eye as well, but the only way to save this child's life is to take out that eye. It's not an easy thing to get that eye out. They're trying to get the best specialist to do it. It's quite complicated. We can have complicated things in our bodies, but much more complicated in our spiritual bodies, in our spiritual life. And you counselors, see to it, don't let a person come to you and counsel for weeks and months and years, the same thing. And you let him come and come. If you can't deal with it, send him to a specialist. He's got to be helped. In the meantime, this will get worse and he'll die. And you've been a stupid doctor. So when the day of Pentecost had come, they were all together in one accord and the Holy Spirit came down and he could work as he willed. So you need to allow the Holy Spirit to work as he wills, not how you will and how you want it, but how he wants it. Otherwise you'll stand in his way. You'll quench him. So be a person who has committed himself to the Lord, surrendered fully, someone who has experienced Pentecost and who obeys God. And then be someone who rejoices at keeping God's word. And of course, I won't tell you now to go and drink alcohol and be intoxicated by Dacha, that you can speak German. No, because that wouldn't be, you wouldn't speak the right thing. Yesterday I was so happy. A mother came and brought her two sons. She said the one drinks alcohol and is a drinker, alcoholic almost. And the other one always breaks into people's home, 10 years old. I said, please help me pray with them. And I embraced them. And I said, you've got a wonderful mother that she does something like this. I took his hand and when I looked at it, I said, just look here. And his hand was like the hand of an old man already. Sin ages you. You get old before your time. Part with the devil. Be on the Lord's side. Be in his army. So Christians be filled with the Holy Spirit so that others can also be helped. You can't help others because you aren't filled. Maybe you're just half filled or a quarter. You need to be filled that others can also be helped. There's still some empty benches here. Why? People who aren't filled with the Holy Spirit. It's a sin if you're not filled with the Holy Spirit. That's what God expects from us, that rivers of living water should flow from your life. The scripture says, those who aren't too weak, let us stand and we pray. Lord, we pray that your word will shine brightly in our hearts and minds. That it will enlighten everyone. That the word in Matthew 4 will go into fulfillment where it says that those that were in great darkness have seen a great light. Amen.