January 16, 2023 | Be On Mission
Filled With Holy Spirit on Pentecost
Scripture: Acts 2:1-13 (NIV)
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? 9 Parthians, Medes and Elamites; residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, 10 Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya near Cyrene; visitors from Rome 11 (both Jews and converts to Judaism); Cretans and Arabs—we hear them declaring the wonders of God in our own tongues!” 12 Amazed and perplexed, they asked one another, “What does this mean?”
13 Some, however, made fun of them and said, “They have had too much wine.”
Devotional
Pentecost was one of the major holy feasts in the year. Jews and Gentiles who had accepted the Jewish religion traveled to Jerusalem from faraway nations for the festivities. The holy city was overflowing with thousands of people. By contrast, there were about a hundred and twenty believers in Jesus (Acts 1:15).
Some or most of these believers were packed into a house when the Holy Spirit came upon them in a dramatic way accompanied by a violent wind and tongues of fire. Many centuries earlier, the prophet Elijah heard the voice of God in a gentle whisper, rather than the powerful wind, earthquake, and fire which preceded it (1 Kings 19:11-13). No matter how He chooses to do so, when God speaks, pay attention and receive what He has to offer.
In this passage from Acts 2, when they were baptized with the Holy Spirit, they began to speak in other tongues (languages). The spiritual pilgrims from northern Africa, southern Europe, and western Asia all heard their own languages being spoken. The disciples were on fire!
All this took place in the city where Jesus had ascended to heaven just ten days earlier, that is, just fifty days after he had been crucified. As far as the religious and civil authorities were concerned, Jesus was dead and gone. This Pentecost celebration (or Feast of Weeks) would reset things and bring the Jewish religion back to normal.
But God had other ideas. He used this international gathering as a catalyst to launch the Christian movement. The collected foreigners would soon return to their respective nations. They would take with them the sights and sounds they had experienced in Jerusalem. When they heard the Galileans speaking in foreign languages, God had their attention.
The Church was ready to be born!
Poem
All Together, All Filled, All Speaking
Acts 2: 1-4
When Jesus prayed
That all may be one
For unity
For cohesion
One purpose
One love
They were all together
In the upper room
They were all filled
In their bellies
They were all speaking
In confusion
A prayer
Not yet answered
When Jesus prayed
Forgive them, they do not know
Against betrayal
Against denial
All scattering
All hiding
They were all together
In desertion
They were all filled
In fear
They were all speaking
In whispers
A prayer
Not yet realized
When Jesus prayed
Come, Holy Spirit
For power
For courage
To gift
To witness
They were all together
In one place
They were all filled
In the Holy Spirit
They were all speaking
In tongues
A prayer
Answered and realized
