The Gift of the Holy Spirit
The lapse of time has wrought no change in Christ’s parting promise to send the Holy Spirit as His representative. It is not because of any restriction on the part of God that the riches of His grace do not flow earthward to men. If the fulfillment of the promise is not seen as it might be, it is because the promise is not appreciated as it should be. If all were willing, all would be filled with the Spirit.
- The Acts of the Apostles p.50.
(For Turning the World Upside Down part 1 click here.)
The Day of Pentecost
When the Day of Pentecost had fully come, they were all with one accord in one place.
- Acts 2:1 NKJV
Pentecost is Greek for 50th and it was a name for the Feast of Weeks (Leviticus 23:15-21) which took place 50 days after the presentation of the sheaf of firstfruits at Passover (Leviticus 23:9-14 see also Acts 20:16). When you consider that Jesus had spent 40 days with His disciples after He rose from the dead (Acts 1:3) it seems that the disciples spent about 10 days in prayer awaiting the outpouring of the Holy Spirit. I am glad they did not give up after one of two days of praying. You may wonder why God did not pour out His Holy Spirit earlier, I like the way Albert Barnes puts it.
The promised influences of the Spirit were withheld until the greatest possible number of Jews should be present at Jerusalem at the same time, and thus an opportunity be afforded of preaching the gospel to vast multitudes in the very place where the Lord Jesus was crucified, and also an opportunity be afforded of sending the gospel by them into distant parts of the earth.
- Albert Barnes, Notes on the New Testament: Acts, ed. Robert Frew (London: Blackie & Son, 1884–1885), 20.
On a minor note, I also appreciate Barne’s point that “if the views of the Pharisees were followed, and the Lord Jesus had with them kept the Passover on Thursday, as many have supposed, then the day of Pentecost would have occurred on the Jewish Sabbath, that is, on Saturday (Kuinoel; Lightfoot).” (ibid) I don’t think it makes much difference in the grand scheme of things but I thought it was an interesting point that I wanted to share.
I do believe it is worth noting that the believers were all with one accord in one place. Their unity is a major shift from what they were like before. More than once the disciples would argue and have disputes among themselves about who was the greatest (Luke 9:46; 22:24). Now they had finally become united, they were all united in humble realization of their great need for the Holy Spirit if they were to accomplish the mission Jesus gave them (Matthew 28:16-20; Acts 1:8). Their mind and focus shifted from self to God and the mission.
“No longer were their hopes set on worldly greatness. They were of “one accord,” “of one heart and of one soul.” Acts 2:46; 4:32. Christ filled their thoughts; the advancement of His kingdom was their aim.”
- Acts of the Apostles p45
A Rushing Mighty Wind
And suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. Then there appeared to them divided tongues, as of fire, and one sat upon each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.
- Acts 2:2-3 NKJV
Wind (tempest) and fire have been associated with the presence of God in other parts of the Bible. (Wind: John 3:8, (tempest) 1 Kings 19:11; Psalm 29:104:3; 18:10. Fire: Exodus 3:2-3; 19:16-20; Genesis 15:17; Deuteronomy 4:24; Hebrews 12:29; Ezekiel 1:4; Psalm 18:12-14.) So the sound of a mighty rushing wind and the appearance of tongues of fire are recognizable signs of God’s presence, but this was not all that took place, the followers of Jesus also began to speak with other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance.
The Amazed and Perplexed Crowd
And there were dwelling in Jerusalem Jews, devout men, from every nation under heaven. And when this sound occurred, the multitude came together, and were confused, because everyone heard them speak in his own language. Then they were all amazed and marveled, saying to one another, “Look, are not all these who speak Galileans? And how is it that we hear, each in our own language in which we were born? Parthians and Medes and Elamites, those dwelling in Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya adjoining Cyrene, visitors from Rome, both Jews and proselytes, Cretans and Arabs—we hear them speaking in our own tongues the wonderful works of God.” So they were all amazed and perplexed, saying to one another, “Whatever could this mean?”
- Acts 2:5-12 NKJV
Men and women from all over the world had gathered in Jerusalem (probably for the Feast of Weeks [Lev. 23:15-21]) and now they heard the wonderful works of God told to them in their native tongues! The multiplicity of languages should have been a formidable barrier to the followers of Jesus, however, their greatest obstacle became the greatest witness/evidence to the mighty work of the Holy Spirit! These men and women who had traveled to Jerusalem would return home with not only the testimony of the death and resurrection of Jesus but also of the mighty working of the Holy Spirit.
Drunk?
Others mocking said, “They are full of new wine.”
- Acts 2:3 NKJV
There are always those trying to downplay God’s mighty works. There are always those who try to find a “perfectly reasonable” explanation for the miracles of God, except that those explanations often require more faith based on less evidence. Imagine if people could drink wine and become fluent in other languages! Imagine traveling to a foreign country and all you would need is some new wine and hope that you would become fluent in the right language. What is a better explanation, that a group of Galileans drank a lot of wine and began to proclaim the wonderful works of God in a multiplicity of languages or that God was working a mighty work in order to reveal to all the good news of salvation in Jesus?
Peter’s Sermon
But Peter, standing up with the eleven, raised his voice and said to them, “Men of Judea and all who dwell in Jerusalem, let this be known to you, and heed my words. For these are not drunk, as you suppose, since it is only the third hour of the day. But this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel:
‘And it shall come to pass in the last days, says God,
That I will pour out of My Spirit on all flesh;
Your sons and your daughters shall prophesy,
Your young men shall see visions,
Your old men shall dream dreams.
And on My menservants and on My maidservants
I will pour out My Spirit in those days;
And they shall prophesy.
I will show wonders in heaven above
And signs in the earth beneath:
Blood and fire and vapor of smoke.
The sun shall be turned into darkness,
And the moon into blood,
Before the coming of the great and awesome day of the Lord.
And it shall come to pass
That whoever calls on the name of the Lord
Shall be saved.’
- Acts 2:14-21 NKJV
Peter starts off by reminding everyone it’s only 9 AM, and these people are not drunk, rather this is the fulfillment of prophecy. A miracle, even a mighty miracle of God can leave room for doubt, but a correct understanding of prophecy helps clarify what God is doing, so Peter quotes Joel 2:28-32.
“Men of Israel, hear these words: Jesus of Nazareth, a Man attested by God to you by miracles, wonders, and signs which God did through Him in your midst, as you yourselves also know— Him, being delivered by the determined purpose and foreknowledge of God, you have taken by lawless hands, have crucified, and put to death; whom God raised up, having loosed the pains of death, because it was not possible that He should be held by it.
- Acts 2:22-24 NKJV
Peter now turns to the crowd and calls them out. It is very likely that many in that crow had cried out “Hosannah to the Son of David” (Matthew 21:9) during Jesus’s triumphal entry into Jerusalem. Many in that crowd also probably also shouted “crucify Him, crucify Him!” (Luke 23:21) when Herod tried to release Jesus. Peter addresses the crowd and tells them that the Jesus they put to death God raised up! Peter knew that many in the crowd would not heed to the words of Jesus at this point so he quoted David (one of their patriarchs) to them.
For David says concerning Him:
‘I foresaw the Lord always before my face,
For He is at my right hand, that I may not be shaken.
Therefore my heart rejoiced, and my tongue was glad;
Moreover my flesh also will rest in hope.
For You will not leave my soul in Hades,
Nor will You allow Your Holy One to see corruption.
You have made known to me the ways of life;
You will make me full of joy in Your presence.’“Men and brethren, let me speak freely to you of the patriarch David, that he is both dead and buried, and his tomb is with us to this day. Therefore, being a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him that of the fruit of his body, according to the flesh, He would raise up the Christ to sit on his throne, he, foreseeing this, spoke concerning the resurrection of the Christ, that His soul was not left in Hades, nor did His flesh see corruption. This Jesus God has raised up, of which we are all witnesses. Therefore being exalted to the right hand of God, and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, He poured out this which you now see and hear.
“For David did not ascend into the heavens, but he says himself:
‘The Lord said to my Lord,
“Sit at My right hand,
Till I make Your enemies Your footstool.” ’“Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly that God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ.”
- Acts 2:25-36 NKJV
Peter was aware that the death and resurrection of Jesus were known facts. Those listening to him were familiar with the ministry of Jesus and all that had happened, what Peter did was contextualize the events that they had witnessed. But what made the greatest impact was not just that Peter gave the crowd a brief prophecy seminar, what made all the difference is that Peter did so full of the Holy Spirit and the Holy Spirit touched the hearts of those in the crowd and convicted them of truth.
What shall we do?
Now when they heard this, they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “Men and brethren, what shall we do?”
- Acts 2:37 NKJV
The Holy Spirit touched the hearts of those who heard Peter’s sermon and they asked him for guidance. Was there hope for them? Some of them had said “Let His blood be upon us and our children (Matthew 27:25). Could there be any hope for those who had called for Jesus to be crucified? Could there be any hope for Jews who had known better, yet put their Savior, the very Son of God to death? The crowd wanted to know, was there anything they could do? Was there any hope for them?
Repent and Be Baptized
Then Peter said to them, “Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promise is to you and to your children, and to all who are afar off, as many as the Lord our God will call.”
- Acts 2:38-39 NKJV
Repent and be baptized! Turns out Jesus had died for them, and for their sin. They did not realize this yet, but it is impossible to outsin God’s ability and willingness to forgive. The good news was for them and for everyone in the world. Jesus died for my sins, for your sins, and He extends forgiveness and eternal life to you. All you need to do is accept it, it is a gift, yours for the taking. Repent and be baptized. When the Holy Spirit touches your heart and convicts you of the sin you committed do not harden your heart, do not walk away, but repent, and accept Jesus’s salvation. Jesus wants to wash you from your sins, to give you a brand new start, a new life, not only here on earth but also eternal life.
Peter was not there to condemn them, rather he had received the Holy Spirit in order to proclaim the good news to them!
Be saved from this perverse generation
And with many other words he testified and exhorted them, saying, “Be saved from this perverse generation.” Then those who gladly received his word were baptized; and that day about three thousand souls were added to them. And they continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayers. Then fear came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were done through the apostles. Now all who believed were together, and had all things in common, and sold their possessions and goods, and divided them among all, as anyone had need.
So continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they ate their food with gladness and simplicity of heart, praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily those who were being saved.
- Acts 2:40-47 NKJV
About 3,000 were baptized that day! They continued in the teachings of the apostles (our equivalent of studying the New Testament), and fellowship, in the breaking of bread and in prayers. They were united and God did amazing things through them and they gladly helped one another. They acted and lived from a position of plenty and not one of scarcity. If God what with them and Jesus had died for them and was now interceding for them, they were all about helping one another and sharing the good news.
This was the best community anyone on earth could belong to, they were a movement, God’s special people, living a simple but meaningful life praising God and finding favor with all the people, and God continued to add to them daily those who were being saved. God was sending them people He was saving!
Practical Application
Do we experience a burden for the salvation of souls?
De we long to be able to meet men and women in our daily interactions and speak words that will lead them to Christ?
Do we search our hearts for things that might be hindering our spiritual growth? Our fitness for service?
Are we willing to humble our hearts in true repentance and confess our unbelief?
Do we realize that our greatest challenges to the proclamation of the gospel can become the biggest evidence/ witness to God’s power at work in our lives?
“The lapse of time has wrought no change in Christ’s parting promise to send the Holy Spirit as His representative. It is not because of any restriction on the part of God that the riches of His grace do not flow earthward to men. If the fulfillment of the promise is not seen as it might be, it is because the promise is not appreciated as it should be. If all were willing, all would be filled with the Spirit. ”
The Challenge
My challenge for you is to pray for the Holy Spirit every day and to be sensitive and willing to be used by the Holy Spirit to bless those around you.
This challenge is not for you to do this for one week or for a month, but rather for this to become a way of life, constantly longing to be used by God for the salvation of souls.
