Grace Baptist Church, Nokomis, IL.

Text:

“When the day of Pentecost arrived, they were all together in one place. And suddenly there came from heaven a sound like a mighty rushing wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. And divided tongues as of fire appeared to them and rested on each one of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance. Now there were dwelling in Jerusalem Jews, devout men from every nation under heaven. And at this sound the multitude came together, and they were bewildered, because each one was hearing them speak in his own language. And they were amazed and astonished, saying, “Are not all these who are speaking Galileans? And how is it that we hear, each of us in his own native language? Parthians and Medes and Elamites and residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya belonging to Cyrene, and visitors from Rome, both Jews and proselytes, Cretans and Arabians–we hear them telling in our own tongues the mighty works of God.” And all were amazed and perplexed, saying to one another, ‘What does this mean?’ “ (Act 2:1-12 ESV)

This has to be one of the most exciting and strangest passages of Scripture in all of the Bible. What in the world is going on here? There were about 120 believers in Christ gathered in one place. The sound like a mighty wind suddenly comes crashing down from heaven. It was not actually a wind, but only the sound of a wind. It came not from the east or west, but from above.

Flames in the shape of tongues rest on each person. This signifies that each person receives the Spirit when they know Christ. It’s not just a general presence of the Holy Spirit in the world. It’s a very specific presence of the Spirit in each person who trusts in Jesus.

People start speaking in other languages. They don’t know these languages. This is not the gift of tongues that some denominations practice today. These people were prophesying! Prophecy includes both foretelling future events and forth telling the truth of God. They spoke about Jesus’s life death, and resurrection. They spoke about how Jesus fulfilled the Old Testament Law. They spoke about what would happen in the days, months, and years to come. And I’m sure they spoke about Jesus returning again, gathering up His people from all of the world.

Now, many Jews from all over the region were staying in Jerusalem because it was the Jewish Festival of Pentecost. As they pass by, they notice these Galileans prophesying. But everyone hears them speaking in their own language. And they wondered, “What in the world is going on here?” God is obviously doing something new and exciting!

In all of this excitement, we shouldn’t miss the main Actor in the passage. It wasn’t all of the believers who spoke in other languages. It wasn’t Peter, although he certainly played a role in sharing the gospel. The Holy Spirit caused people to do all of these things. And the Holy Spirit will work miracles in your life, too, if you will believe in Christ. They won’t be the same kinds of things we saw in this passage. But they will be just as real. The Holy Spirit will change you from the inside out. He will gift you for service in the church. He will guide you and comfort you throughout life.

But just as many were excited about the coming of the Holy Spirit, others were skeptical.

“But others mocking said, ‘They are filled with new wine.’ ” (Act 2:13 ESV)

Instead of recognizing the hand of God at work, they tried to explain it away. Not only did they refuse to believe in Christ, they mocked those who did believe in Christ. Seeing an opportunity to spread the gospel, Peter spoke up.

“But Peter, standing with the eleven, lifted up his voice and addressed them: “Men of Judea and all who dwell in Jerusalem, let this be known to you, and give ear to my words. For these people are not drunk, as you suppose, since it is only the third hour of the day. But this is what was uttered through the prophet Joel: “‘And in the last days it shall be, God declares, that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh, and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams; even on my male servants and female servants in those days I will pour out my Spirit, and they shall prophesy. And I will show wonders in the heavens above and signs on the earth below, blood, and fire, and vapor of smoke; the sun shall be turned to darkness and the moon to blood, before the day of the Lord comes, the great and magnificent day. And it shall come to pass that everyone who calls upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.’ “(Act 2:14-21 ESV)

Peter did something very interesting there. He quoted a text from the book of Joel that refers not only when the Holy Spirit comes, but also of the last days. We are living in the last days. Therefore, it is so urgent to call on the name of the Lord to be saved. We are not to call on our works. We are not to call on the faith of our parents. We are to call on the Lord. Peter explains what that means in the following verses.

“”Men of Israel, hear these words: Jesus of Nazareth, a man attested to you by God with mighty works and wonders and signs that God did through him in your midst, as you yourselves know– this Jesus, delivered up according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God, you crucified and killed by the hands of lawless men. God raised him up, loosing the pangs of death, because it was not possible for him to be held by it.” (Act 2:22-24 ESV)

Peter picks this theme back up in verse 32.

“This Jesus God raised up, and of that we all are witnesses. Being therefore exalted at the right hand of God, and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, he has poured out this that you yourselves are seeing and hearing. “ (Act 2:32-33 ESV)

In order for the Holy Spirit to come, Jesus had to go to the Father by way of the cross. God the Spirit could only live in our hearts if our sin had been dealt with. And if our sin has been dealt with, we will have the Holy Spirit in our hearts. For the Jews who had just come to Jerusalem to celebrate the Festival, this was the first time they were confronted with the gospel. So we see their reaction in the following verses.

“Let all the house of Israel therefore know for certain that God has made him both Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom you crucified.” Now when they heard this they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, ‘Brothers, what shall we do?’ ” (Act 2:36-37 ESV)

They responded, “If all this is true, what should we do?” Peter tells them, and us, in the following verses.

“And Peter said to them, ‘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. For the promise is for you and for your children and for all who are far off, everyone whom the Lord our God calls to himself.’ ” (Act 2:38-39 ESV)

The invitation to believe in Christ is open to all people. Believe in Him today, and you will receive the Holy Spirit into your life.