Scripture: Acts 2:1-47
When the day of Pentecost came, Jesus’ disciples were all together in one place.
Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them.
Now there were staying in Jerusalem God-fearing Jews from every nation under heaven. When they heard this sound, a crowd came together in bewilderment, because each one heard them speaking in his own language. Utterly amazed, they asked: "Are not all these men who are speaking Galileans? Then how is it that each of us hears them in his own native language? Parthians, Medes and Elamites; residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya near Cyrene; visitors from Rome (both Jews and converts to Judaism); Cretans and Arabs — we hear them declaring the wonders of God in our own tongues!" Amazed and perplexed, they asked one another, "What does this mean?"
Some, however, made fun of them and said, "They have had too much wine."
Then Peter stood up with the Eleven, raised his voice and addressed the crowd: "Fellow Jews and all of you who live in Jerusalem, let me explain this to you; listen carefully to what I say. These men are not drunk, as you suppose. It's only nine in the morning! No, this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel: "'In the last days, God says, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your young men will see visions, your old men will dream dreams. Even on my servants, both men and women, I will pour out my Spirit in those days, and they will prophesy. I will show wonders in the heaven above and signs on the earth below, blood and fire and billows of smoke. The sun will be turned to darkness and the moon to blood before the coming of the great and glorious day of the Lord. And everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.'
"Brothers, I can tell you confidently that the patriarch David died and was buried, and his tomb is here to this day. But he was a prophet and knew that God had promised him on oath that he would place one of his descendants on his throne. Seeing what was ahead, he spoke of the resurrection of the Christ, that he was not abandoned to the grave, nor did his body see decay. God has raised this Jesus to life, and we are all witnesses of the fact. Exalted to the right hand of God, he has received from the Father the promised Holy Spirit and has poured out what you now see and hear. For David did not ascend to heaven, and yet he said, "'The Lord said to my Lord: "Sit at my right hand until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet."'
Therefore let all Israel be assured of this: God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ."
When the people heard this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and the other apostles, "Brothers, what shall we do?"
Peter replied, "Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off — for all whom the Lord our God will call."
With many other words he warned them; and he pleaded with them, "Save yourselves from this corrupt generation." Those who accepted his message were baptized, and about three thousand were added to their number that day. They devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. Everyone was filled with awe, and many wonders and miraculous signs were done by the apostles. All the believers were together and had everything in common. Selling their possessions and goods, they gave to anyone as he had need. Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.
Jesus
said wait in Jerusalem for a few days for the gift of the Holy Spirit promised
by the Father. It had to be hard waiting because it actually took 10 days. When
the gift came, there was no doubt this was the gift Jesus promised. 120
disciples in a room, a violent wind, tongues of fire rushing toward everyone’s
head, everyone speaking in different languages.
Something here sounds familiar. After the flood destroyed the earth. People were to spread out and multiply. Instead they wanted to come together and build a tower to heaven. In anger, God confused their languages so that they could not understand each other. In this case, when Peter spoke to the crowd, everyone heard in their own language. First was a gift of speaking in many languages then came the gift of hearing in one language. The directive now was to spread out and share the word of Christ. This is what they immediately began to do. It was the anthesis of what happened at the tower of Babble.
People work so hard to “figure life out” by themselves. “I am discovering who I am” I know who you are – a child of God created in His image and in His likeness to reflect who He is to the rest of the world!!!
People use Acts 2 to affirm speaking in tongues (speaking in tongues is a legit sign gift and people have it even today) but this was not speaking in tongues which is a personal prayer language. This was speaking in intelligible languages to make the point that God wants everyone everywhere to hear the way to be saved.
That was the single point of this Pentecost experience – to empower the disciples to begin spreading the good news of the kingdom of God – what John the Baptist started, what Jesus preached, would now and always be the responsibility and privilege of the church, empowered by the Holy Spirit. The kingdom of God is not just out there – it is here and now present in this world. Believe in Jesus and you will receive the Holy Spirit and God’s kingdom will be within you.
Pentecost celebrates harvest – end of barley harvest and beginning of wheat harvest.
Appropriate that the Spirit would come while celebrating harvest to send workers out into the fields.. It took place in Jerusalem – unlike Jesus’ birth, this was meant to be a public event. So public, the fire department had to be called in.
Tongues of fire resting on them??? How often has God used fire as a symbol of his presence and power? Spoke through a Burning bush / Guided through the wilderness with a Pillar of fire / When 400 prophets of Baal could not call down fire from there gods, Elijah showed the power of God as fire from heaven consumed the wood, the altar & water all around it. Now, that is what you call “bringing the heat”
Can
this same God, this Holy Spirit, the spirit of Jesus use you? Like Jeremiah,
can the Spirit put a fire in your bones. If you have doubts, consider this…who
doubted Jesus when he was walking on water and the waves started kicking up?
Peter. Who got it right one minute and the next got it so wrong that Jesus said
to him” Get behind me Satan?” Peter. Who was so scared to tell the truth about
even knowing who Jesus was that he denied knowing Jesus to a small group of
people, not once, but 3 times when Jesus needed him most? Peter
Then how did that same Peter stand up and speak the words in Acts 2 that led to 3000 people coming to faith in Jesus Christ and started a movement called Christianity that is still the greatest movement of faith in the world today??? How did that same person do that??? THE HOLY SPIRIT!
When the day of Pentecost came, Jesus’ disciples were all together in one place.
Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them.
Now there were staying in Jerusalem God-fearing Jews from every nation under heaven. When they heard this sound, a crowd came together in bewilderment, because each one heard them speaking in his own language. Utterly amazed, they asked: "Are not all these men who are speaking Galileans? Then how is it that each of us hears them in his own native language? Parthians, Medes and Elamites; residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya near Cyrene; visitors from Rome (both Jews and converts to Judaism); Cretans and Arabs — we hear them declaring the wonders of God in our own tongues!" Amazed and perplexed, they asked one another, "What does this mean?"
Some, however, made fun of them and said, "They have had too much wine."
Then Peter stood up with the Eleven, raised his voice and addressed the crowd: "Fellow Jews and all of you who live in Jerusalem, let me explain this to you; listen carefully to what I say. These men are not drunk, as you suppose. It's only nine in the morning! No, this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel: "'In the last days, God says, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your young men will see visions, your old men will dream dreams. Even on my servants, both men and women, I will pour out my Spirit in those days, and they will prophesy. I will show wonders in the heaven above and signs on the earth below, blood and fire and billows of smoke. The sun will be turned to darkness and the moon to blood before the coming of the great and glorious day of the Lord. And everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.'
"Brothers, I can tell you confidently that the patriarch David died and was buried, and his tomb is here to this day. But he was a prophet and knew that God had promised him on oath that he would place one of his descendants on his throne. Seeing what was ahead, he spoke of the resurrection of the Christ, that he was not abandoned to the grave, nor did his body see decay. God has raised this Jesus to life, and we are all witnesses of the fact. Exalted to the right hand of God, he has received from the Father the promised Holy Spirit and has poured out what you now see and hear. For David did not ascend to heaven, and yet he said, "'The Lord said to my Lord: "Sit at my right hand until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet."'
Therefore let all Israel be assured of this: God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ."
When the people heard this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and the other apostles, "Brothers, what shall we do?"
Peter replied, "Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off — for all whom the Lord our God will call."
With many other words he warned them; and he pleaded with them, "Save yourselves from this corrupt generation." Those who accepted his message were baptized, and about three thousand were added to their number that day. They devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. Everyone was filled with awe, and many wonders and miraculous signs were done by the apostles. All the believers were together and had everything in common. Selling their possessions and goods, they gave to anyone as he had need. Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.
Something here sounds familiar. After the flood destroyed the earth. People were to spread out and multiply. Instead they wanted to come together and build a tower to heaven. In anger, God confused their languages so that they could not understand each other. In this case, when Peter spoke to the crowd, everyone heard in their own language. First was a gift of speaking in many languages then came the gift of hearing in one language. The directive now was to spread out and share the word of Christ. This is what they immediately began to do. It was the anthesis of what happened at the tower of Babble.
People work so hard to “figure life out” by themselves. “I am discovering who I am” I know who you are – a child of God created in His image and in His likeness to reflect who He is to the rest of the world!!!
People use Acts 2 to affirm speaking in tongues (speaking in tongues is a legit sign gift and people have it even today) but this was not speaking in tongues which is a personal prayer language. This was speaking in intelligible languages to make the point that God wants everyone everywhere to hear the way to be saved.
That was the single point of this Pentecost experience – to empower the disciples to begin spreading the good news of the kingdom of God – what John the Baptist started, what Jesus preached, would now and always be the responsibility and privilege of the church, empowered by the Holy Spirit. The kingdom of God is not just out there – it is here and now present in this world. Believe in Jesus and you will receive the Holy Spirit and God’s kingdom will be within you.
Pentecost celebrates harvest – end of barley harvest and beginning of wheat harvest.
Appropriate that the Spirit would come while celebrating harvest to send workers out into the fields.. It took place in Jerusalem – unlike Jesus’ birth, this was meant to be a public event. So public, the fire department had to be called in.
Tongues of fire resting on them??? How often has God used fire as a symbol of his presence and power? Spoke through a Burning bush / Guided through the wilderness with a Pillar of fire / When 400 prophets of Baal could not call down fire from there gods, Elijah showed the power of God as fire from heaven consumed the wood, the altar & water all around it. Now, that is what you call “bringing the heat”
Then how did that same Peter stand up and speak the words in Acts 2 that led to 3000 people coming to faith in Jesus Christ and started a movement called Christianity that is still the greatest movement of faith in the world today??? How did that same person do that??? THE HOLY SPIRIT!
The Butterfly Story
He is alive! He is
alive! He is alive!
He is alive and he’s shown me the way, He gives me joy to begin ev’ry day.
He is alive and he’s opened the door, He gives me hope to live life evermore.
He is alive and so I celebrate, This is the story that I must relate.
He is alive and I love him, I am alive and he loves me.
He is alive and I love him, I am alive and he loves me. Ah _________________!
He is alive! He is alive! He is alive!
He is alive and he’s shown me the way, He gives me joy to begin ev’ry day.
He is alive and he’s opened the door, He gives me hope to live life evermore.
He is alive and so I celebrate, This is the story that I must relate.
He is alive and I love him, I am alive and he loves me.
He is alive and I love him, I am alive and he loves me. Ah _________________!
He is alive! He is alive! He is alive!
No comments:
Post a Comment