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We're
Piping the Message of Pentecost to You
Matthew 11,16-17
"But where unto shall I liken this generation? It is like unto
children sitting in the markets, and calling unto their fellows, and
saying: We have piped unto you, and ye have not danced; we have mourned
unto you, and ye have not lamented."
Acts 2,2-4
"And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty
wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. And there
appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each
of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to
speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance."
Acts 2,37-38
...Men and brethren, what shall we do? Then Peter said unto them, Repent,
and be baptized every one of you in the NAME OF JESUS CHRIST for the
remission of sins and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. For
the promise is unto YOU, and to YOUR children, and to all that are afar
off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call."
"We're piping the message of Pentecost
to you! Before the outpouring of his Spirit, Jesus told the people what
it would be like when people hear the preaching which points them the
way to eternal life.
On the one side, the children are standing there and piping a song to
the other children and are persuading them to dance. But they do not
want to dance, they do not want to rejoice. The gospel, the resurrection
of Christ, and the possibility of being saved is the good side of the
gospel, and the individual who believes and is obedient has a reason
to be happy. Yes, he can even dance, for this earthly life will pass
away, wilting like a flower, but with eternal life there is no end,
for: Whoever believes in Him, shall never see death! Dancing is an expression
of joy. But these children are dissatisfied. Therefore, the children
try with a different song, with a sad song, a song of mourning, that
will cause them to cry. But the others also do not want to hear this.
Joy springs up when we hear about the resurrection of Jesus, and knowing
that we also will resurrect when we follow Jesus. However, when we hear
about the price that Jesus paid for us on the cross, then we can truly
cry and mourn because it was our sins that brought him there.
However, they do not want to cry and be sorrowful. Good, now God has
tried everything that He could to appeal to them to accept the gospel.
Now there is really no more hope for these people.
Paul talks about the gospel: "To the one it is the savour of life
unto life, and to the other the savour of death unto death." There
is one category of people that will be freed from the power of this
earth and their sins, they are the ones that are obedient to the gospel
and have already received everlasting life. The others are those who
do not want to do anything and they do not believe, just like Judas
did not want to believe. The gospel is not just some fairy-tale, it
is a very serious matter - it concerns your eternal life! The gospel
is good news for those who obey it, and is bad news for those who reject
it.
You can be sure that every sin that is not forgiven will bring a person
into judgment, including yours. In Adam's case, one sin was enough to
bring about his fall. How do people want to justify themselves before
God, if they already now reject the gospel and the gift of God? There
will no longer be any opportunity for a person to justify himself before
the throne of judgment. They will say: We didn't know that. In reply
we will say: We piped to you and you didn't want to dance, we sang and
mourned but you didn't want to cry. That is the way it is and the way
that it will be.
Peter and the apostles firstly began piping on the day of Pentecost.
Those that enjoyed what they were hearing were obedient to their cry.
The same pentecostal experience which took place at that time is also
for YOU, right now and even this very day. (rw)
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