The Holy Spirit Comes at Pentecost
1 When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. 2 Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. 3 They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. 4 All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them.
5 Now there were staying in Jerusalem God-fearing Jews from every nation under heaven. 6 When they heard this sound, a crowd came together in bewilderment, because each one heard their own language being spoken. 7 Utterly amazed, they asked: “Aren’t all these who are speaking Galileans? 8 Then how is it that each of us hears them in our native language?
Have you ever traveled on an international flight? Tons of people from different cultures get crammed into the same space. The airliner's cabin is jam-packed with different fashions, languages, manners... smells. But regardless of any cultural differences among the passengers, most of them have one thing in common after they finally settle in their seats. Other than the snack and beverage cart, anticipation for the in-flight movie consumes the thoughts of young and old alike.
Sure, some people tune it out, disregarding the entertainment beaming from overhead monitors; but most of captive audience is paying some attention. Here's the coolest part: Everyone is watching the same thing, but the headphones allow each individual to hear his or her own language. It can be pretty amusing to scan the channels and hear some well-known actor overdubbed in different dialects.
On a much greater scale, this is similar to what happened in Acts 2. People from all over the ancient world had gathered in Jerusalem during Pentecost. Christ had recently ascended into the clouds, and now the disciples were huddled together, eagerly awaiting the arrival of the Holy Spirit.
Read Acts 2:1-8.
Acts 2 describes the beginning of the Church. Imagine the sound of jet engines inside your house. The Spirit lands on each Christ-follower, floating like a flame, a burning light above each person's head. Empowered by the Holy Spirit, everyone rushes outside and begins sharing God's story. Miraculously, people from different cultures hear the stories in their native language. Seventeen different people groups are named in verses 9-11.
Now read the reactions in verses 12-18.
The scene caught some people's undivided attention. Others tuned out. Peter explained that the time had finally come for God to begin working in a new way among His people. The power of God had poured out on all people, regardless of ethnicity, age, or gender. The Holy Spirit was and is doing incredible things for all who will follow Christ.
The bottom line is now that the Spirit has arrived, empowering God's people, we're all in this thing together. Are you ready for the trip of a lifetime?
No comments:
Post a Comment