Pentecost Today?
Acts 2:1-12: 1 When the day of Pentecost arrived, they were all together in one place. 2 And suddenly there came from heaven a sound like a mighty rushing wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. 3 And divided tongues as of fire appeared to them and rested[a] on each one of them. 4 And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance. 5 Now there were dwelling in Jerusalem Jews, devout men from every nation under heaven. 6 And at this sound the multitude came together, and they were bewildered, because each one was hearing them speak in his own language. 7 And they were amazed and astonished, saying, “Are not all these who are speaking Galileans? 8 And how is it that we hear, each of us in his own native language? 9 Parthians and Medes and Elamites and residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, 10 Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya belonging to Cyrene, and visitors from Rome, 11 both Jews and proselytes, Cretans and Arabians—we hear them telling in our own tongues the mighty works of God.” 12 And all were amazed and perplexed, saying to one another, “What does this mean?”
Do you remember the final words of the risen Lord on earth immediately before He ascended to the Father and His throne? “ You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you and you will be my witnesses…” (Acts 1:8) The ascension was the detonator for the coming of the Spirit into the lives of Christians and the day of Pentecost was evidence of Christ’s coronation as King of heaven and earth.
Travel with me to Jerusalem on the day of Pentecost. Jerusalem was filled with Jewish pilgrims from all over the Roman empire. They came to celebrate the Feast of Weeks, which culminated in Pentecost, the 50th day after Passover week. These pilgrims did not know that a group of 120 believers in Jesus Christ were constantly praying and waiting for the promised Holy Spirit. There would be three remarkable manifestations of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost.
Luke tells us the 1st of these in v 1-2, “They were all together in one place..suddenly they were startled by the sound like the blowing of a violent wind.” Notice it was like a wind but not a wind, and all while they were sitting inside the house. The word for “spirit” in both Greek and Hebrew is also used of “wind” or “breath.” In creation, God formed man from the dust of the ground and breathed the breath of life into him. If we want to be spiritually alive, God must breathe His Spirit upon us in the new birth. Pentecost is a mighty rushing wind from heaven bringing life to the Church.
The second sign is what appeared to be tongues of fire. I take this to mean all 120 believers and not only the apostles. Fire is a sign of God’s presence. Not only the burning bush of Moses but especially the fire on the mountain when the law was given. Pentecost and Sinai have such parallels. At Sinai, God’s revelation was accompanied by fire, wind and a divine tongue. Moses ascended the mountain and descended with the law, which formed the Jewish nation. In Acts 2, Christ also recently ascended, and now at Pentecost, He comes down not with the law written on tablets, but with the gift of his own Spirit to indwell Christians from every nation. In a sense, every person in that room becomes a burning bush, just as every Christian now becomes a temple of the glory of God because of the indwelling Spirit of Christ.
The third sign of the coming of the Spirit at Pentecost is the miraculous tongues. The 120 are “filled with the Spirit” and are given the power to speak in the languages of the 15 various nations (vv 9-11) present in Jerusalem. All those God-fearing Jews were bewildered to hear Christians declare the wonders of God in their own tongue (v 11). Pentecostal tongues needed no interpreter. The curse upon language at Babel is lifted at Pentecost. What are the wonders they spoke of? The birth, life, death, resurrection and ascension of Jesus Christ is the answer.
Then in verse 12: “What does this mean?” It means that Pentecost is a worship service before the nations. It means the gospel and the Spirit of Christ break down walls and barriers between nations and races and cultures. To be “filled with the Spirit” is to be filled with the Spirit of Jesus Christ who is the resident counselor in every believer who reminds us who we really are. “You are accepted. You are delivered. You are never alone.” The Holy Spirit is the evangelist of the trinity; effectual calling is his special work in redemption. The Spirit also gives us a heart for reaching the lost.
Robert Thomas was a Welsh missionary with the London Missionary Society. He felt a calling by the Spirit to reach the lost in Korea, a nation then closed to foreigners. In 1866, he learned of an American trading ship, the General Sherman, was planning to sail for riches to Pyongyang, Korea, though absolutely forbidden and dangerous. Thomas prevailed upon the captain to take him along. Well, the ship ran aground on a mud bank in the Taedong river and a two day battle for survival ended with the ship set on fire, 14 crew slain, and only two made it to the river bank where they were beaten to death with clubs. One of them was Robert Thomas who handed out Korean bibles and shouting in Korean, “Jesus! Jesus!” in his final minutes. Some of the bibles were cherished and taken home while others were used for wall-paper so people over the years could come from all over and read the gospel for themselves.
The same Spirit of Christ that came at Pentecost, that brought new life and builds the Church, that brought Robert Thomas to Korea is the same Spirit at work in you, dear Christian.
Prayer Spirit of God descend upon my heart; wean it from earth, through all its pulses move; stoop to my weakness, mighty as Thou art, and make me love Thee as I ought to love. Teach me to love Thee as thine angels love, one holy passion filling all my frame; the baptism of the heavenly descended Dove, my heart the altar and Thy love the flame. -----George Croly, 1854