Acts 2: 1-11
When the day of Pentecost came, they 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 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 the heaven. When they heard this sound, a crowd came together in bewilderment, because each one heard them speak 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 their 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!”
A Thought
After the resurrection of Jesus Christ, Jesus appeared for a period of forty days to his apostles. Jesus was making sure they understood that he was alive, he taught them about the kingdom of God, and gave them instructions not to leave Jerusalem, but to wait for the gift that his Father had promised to give them. Jesus has now ascended back into the clouds. In scripture today we find about 120 believers gathered together in an upstairs room in Jerusalem constant in prayer on the day of Pentecost (50 days after the resurrection of Christ). Now the gift that Jesus had promised from the Father, the Holy Spirit, has rushed into the room like a violent wind from heaven and all of them were filled with the power of the Holy Spirit and each spoke in a language that all people could understand them when they spoke. Wow! What an amazing way for the 120 to be witnesses to so many different people all at the same time telling them about Jesus the resurrected Christ.
Our Prayer
Father thank you for giving your gift of the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost not only to the 120 present on that day but also to empower your church of today to be witnesses of your love and mercy available to all people. Help us to use this power to make disciples for you. We ask in Jesus’ name, amen.
