Metropolitan Tabernacle Pulpit · Sermon No. 1167
“And the Lord added to the Church daily such as should be saved.” Acts2:47.
WE are just coming to the most beautiful season of the year—Spring—when everything around us is shaking off the chill grave clothes of winter and putting on the beautiful array of a new life. The Church of God was in that condition at Pentecost—her winter was past and the flowers appeared on the earth. She enjoyed the spring breezes, for the breath of the Holy Spirit refreshed her garden. There was spring music—the time of the singing of birds was come, for her preachers testified faithfully of Jesus. And so many and varied were the sweet notes which welcomed the new season, that many nations of men heard in their own tongue the wonderful works of God!
There were, also, the spring blossoms—the fig tree put forth her green figs and the vines with the tender grapes gave a good smell—and all around multitudes inquired, “Men and brethren, what must we do?” And many also avowed their faith in Jesus. There were the spring showers of repentance, the spring sunbeams of joy in the Holy Spirit and the spring flowers of newly-given hope and faith! May we behold just such another springtime in all the Churches of Jesus Christ throughout the world! And meanwhile, let us arouse ourselves suitable to so gladsome a season. Let us rise up and meet the Well-Beloved, and in concert with Him let us sow in hope and look for a speedy springing up. The Sun of Righteousness is coming forth as a bridegroom out of his chamber, and the weary night is melting into welcome day—let us hear the Beloved’s voice as He cries to us, “Arise, My love, My fair one, and come away.”
It seems from the text that the additions to the Church which were made in the Pentecostal springtime did not occur always in one form. Sometimes they came in crowds and at other times by gradual increase. Upon one day there were 3,000 added—that is an instance of conversion in the mass, when a nation is born at once! In such a work we are bound to believe. I mean not merely in the possibility of it, but in the probability of it, for it stands to reason that what should convince one man in a particular condition of heart would as readily convince 3,000 or 30,000 if they were in the same state. Granted the same soil, the same seed, the same season and the same wonder-working God—and I cannot imagine any reason why a limit should be set to results!
The Holy Spirit is Divine and consequently He knows how to influence all kinds of men, and He can, by the instrumentalities now in use, reach just as many as He pleases. I remember well, when I first preached in London, a remark made by a friend which very greatly encouraged me at the time, and has proved true in my experience. When he heard that my little country Chapel had been filled by the inhabitants of the village in which I had preached, he gave me hope of filling a far larger place in London. “For,” he said, “what will draw 200 will draw 2,000, and what was useful to a few may be made just as useful to a multitude.”
I saw at once that it was so. When we are dealing with spiritual forces we have not to calculate by pounds and ounces, or by so many horse power. We have not to think of quantity. As an illustration—give me fire, I will not bargain for a furnace—give me but a single candle and a city or a forest may soon be in a blaze. A spark is quite sufficient to begin with, for fire multiplies itself. So give us the Truth of God, a single voice and the Holy Spirit with it—and none can say where the sacred conflagration will end! One Jonah sufficed to subdue all Nineveh by one monotonous sentence often repeated! And in spite of the weakness of our present instrumentality, if God does but bless the Gospel, there is no reason why it should not speedily be felt by the whole of London!
The sermon preached by Peter at Pentecost was the arrow of the Lord’s deliverance to 3,000—there is no reason why the Lord should not cause one of ours to be the same! Three thousand cannot be converted if only a hundred are present to hear—but with this vast assembly, and thousands of smaller ones within gunshot—why should not the slain of the Lord be many? Assuredly the Divine Comforter can as readily bless three millions as three individuals! But it
would appear from our text that the additions to the Pentecostal Church were not made in a mass at all times. The Spirit of God was still with them, but their increase was more gradual. “The Lord added to the Church daily of such as should be saved.”
You have seen a heavy shower of rain in the Spring—in a moment a big drop has fallen upon the pavement and before you were ready to escape from it, a deluge followed, so plenteous that you half suspected a cloud had been torn in two right over your head! Such a sudden and impetuous shower may serve for a figure of the conversion of 3,000 souls at once. But at other times rain has fallen gently and has continued to descend hour by hour—a soft, warm, Spring watering—which in its own way and fashion has done its work of blessing quite as surely as the heavier downpour. We must be very thankful if we do not see 3,000 converted in one day. If we see 300 every day for 10 days, or if we see 30 every day for a hundred days, we ought, indeed, to be grateful for all success so long as sinners really come to Jesus.