December 4 Daily Devotional

Bible Verse

" ... as yet the Spirit had not been given, because Jesus was not yet glorified" (John 7:39).

Devotional

Our Lord's triumphant entrance into glory was the signal for the Holy Spirit's descent. He had scarcely crossed the threshold of the heavenly temple—the august ceremonies of his enthronement, amid the songs of adoring millions, had only just ceased—when the promise of the Father was fulfilled, and the orphan church of Jerusalem was baptized with the Spirit from on high.

Oh! how soon was that promise fulfilled! How soon did Jesus make good the pledges of his love! The outpouring of the Holy Spirit on the Day of Pentecost transpired fifty days after Christ's resurrection. Forty days he was seen by the disciples—"He presented himself alive to them after his suffering by many proofs, appearing to them during forty days and speaking about the kingdom of God" (Acts 1:3). Consequently, only ten days elapsed from the time he returned to his kingdom until the Spirit came down in all the plenitude of his glorifying, witnessing, awakening, and sanctifying power!

And why were even ten days allowed to intervene between the glorification of Jesus and the descent of the Spirit? Doubtless to put the church in a state of preparedness to receive so vast, so holy, and so rich a blessing. The Lord would have them found in a posture suited to the mercy. It was that of prayer, of all postures this side of glory the most blessed and holy.

It was thus that the Spirit found them on the Day of Pentecost. Returning from the Mount of Olives, where they had caught the last glimpse of the receding form of their ascending Lord, they came to Jerusalem, and "went up to an upper room," where abode the rest of the disciples (Acts 1:13). "All these with one accord were devoting themselves to prayer" (Acts 1:14). And while "they were all together in one place" (Acts 2:1) breathing forth their souls in fervent petition, "suddenly there came from heaven a sound like a mighty rushing wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. And divided tongues as of fire appeared to them and rested on each one of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit..." (Acts 2:2–4).

And now how manifestly and how illustriously was Jesus glorified—with what overpowering brilliance did his Godhead shine forth—how gloriously did he appear in the eyes of the awe-stricken multitude, wearing the crown, not of painful thorns, and invested with the robe, not of mock-majesty, but of his real Divinity! With what majestic appearance and stately step would he now walk amid the assembled throng, the God confessed! And all this divine glory would be seen arrayed on the side of redemption. Its conquests would be those of grace. Its manifestations would be those of love. Its signals would be those of mercy.

Was it not so? See how they crowd the temple! Some, their hands scarcely cleansed from the blood they had been shedding on Calvary; others, with the dark scowl of malignity yet lingering on their brows. Mark how intently they gaze, how breathlessly they listen, how fearfully they tremble, and with what anguish they smite their breasts, and cry, "Brothers, what shall we do?" (Acts 2:37).

Nor did the Spirit rest his triumph here. He did not pause until he led three thousand heart-broken sinners to the Fountain which some of them had been instrumental in opening for "sin and uncleanness" (Zech. 13:1), to emerge washed, sanctified, and saved—heirs of God and the joint-heirs with Christ Jesus.

Now Jesus was glorified. Now a crown of pure gold was placed upon his head. And now his own prophetic words were fulfilled, "In that day you will know that I am in my Father, and you in me, and I in you" (John 14:20).

Holy Spirit, God of love,
who our night does brighten,
poured on us from heav'n above,
now our faith enlighten.
In your light we gather here;
show us that Christ's promise clear
is AMEN forever.
Jesus, our ascended Lord,
oh, fulfill your gracious Word:
bless us with your favor!

(Birgitte C. Boye, 1778 ; tr. George A. Rygh, 1909)

Be sure to read the Preface by Octavius Winslow and A Note from the Editor by Larry E. Wilson.

Larry Wilson is an ordained minister in the Orthodox Presbyterian Church. In addition to having served as the General Secretary of the Committee on Christian Education of the OPC (2000–2004) and having written a number of articles and booklets (such as God's Words for Worship and Why Does the OPC Baptize Infants) for New Horizons and elsewhere, he has pastored OPC churches in Minnesota, Indiana, and Ohio. We are grateful to him for his editing of Morning Thoughts, the OPC Daily Devotional for 2011.