All Persons Sacred

An interesting thing to notice about the upper room is that the Holy Spirit came, not just on the Twelve, but on the one hundred and twenty.

Suppose the Spirit had come on the Twelve and had bypassed the others who were waiting in that room—what would that have done to Christianity? It would have limited the Spirit’s power and presence to special people, called to a specially sacred task. Someone has remarked that the addition of a zero to the twelve, making 120, is one of the greatest additions in history. It is! The coming of the Holy Spirit on the 120 meant that all distinctions based on a special class or group were gone. Some have different gifts, of course, such as are described in Romans 12, 1Corinthians 12, and Ephesians 4:11. As far as receiving the gift of the Holy Spirit is concerned, however, all who are redeemed are eligible.

If we think this through carefully, it might enable us to regain a sense of mission in life. Some occupations are considered sacred and some secular. This produces a sag in every so-called secular occupation—the layman is in a secular occupation and so is excused if he lives a second-rate Christian life. This impoverishes life because it removes any sense of divine calling. A minister can be holy and a layman can be holy—all on the same conditions with no special favors. Sacredness is found in character, not in a collar; in values, not in vestments.

Further Study

Ac 11:5-10; 16-18

What problem did some of the early Christians have?

How did God overcome this?