Episode Two: Bishop Andrewes and the Outpouring of the Spirit in Acts 2:14

Sermon 1 in Lancelot Andrewes' Sermons on the Sending of the Holy Ghost Preached upon Whit-Sunday preached before the King's Majesty at Greenwich on June 8, 1606.

A copy can be found in Lancelot Andrewes Works, Sermons, Volume Three pp.107-129 or on The Project Canterbury Website.

     With this sermon, Bishop Andrewes examines the sending of the Holy Ghost as accounted by St. Luke in Acts 2:1-4, looking first at the time and manner of the Holy Spirit’s coming upon the Apostles and then concluding with the three things necessary for believers today to share in the blessing of the Spirit’s outpouring. The simple outline is as follows:

1. Introduction of Acts 2:1-4 (Paragraphs 1-7; 8-16)
2. The Time of the Spirit’s Coming (Paragraph 17)
   1. The Original day of His coming was known for the Feast of Pentecost; the Feast of the Law; the Feast of Harvest; and the Feast of Weeks (Paragraphs 18-22)
   2. St. Chrysostom saw this as the fulfillment of the Feast of harvest as the Apostles were putting their first sickle to the great harvest (Paragraph 21)
   3. St. Augustine say Pentecost [50th day] as a fulfillment of the Jubilee promise [50th year] forgiving debts and restoring men to their first estates (Paragraph 22)
   4. St. Cyril saw the emission of the Spirit at Pentecost as the renewal of what was lost by sin of the first emission of the Spirit into Adam whereby starting the process of the new creation (Paragraph 23)
3. The Manner of the Spirit’s Coming
   1. The Disciple’s Part (Paragraphs 24-35)
      1. To whom the Spirit Came
      2. How they stood prepared
      3. How they were found framed and fitted to receive Him
   2. The Spirit’s Part (Paragraphs 36-93)
      1. How His coming was demonstrated by sounds and sights
      2. How it was explained by both:
         1. An inward filling by the Spirit’s truth, and
         2. Outward deeds of the manifestation of speaking in tongues.
4. Conclusion: Three things necessary to experience the outpouring of the Holy Spirit (Paragraphs 94-107)
   1. Prayer (cf.Acts 4:31)
   2. Word (cf.Acts 10:44, Apostle’s teaching)
   3. Sacrament (cf. Acts 19:6, laying on of hands/ see also breaking of bread 2:42-47)

 

Brews of the Week: Fr. Allen had a Vanilla Coffee Blonde (VCB) Ale by Cabarrus Brewing and Fr. Michael had his old faithful Guinness Draught