Acts 2
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 came 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 heaven. When they heard this sound, a crowd came together in bewilderment, because each one heard their own language being spoken. Utterly amazed, they asked: “Aren’t all these who are speaking Galileans? Then how is it that each of us hears them in our 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!” Amazed and perplexed, they asked one another, “What does this mean?” Some, however, made fun of them and said, “They have had too much wine.” Acts 2:1-13 NIV
This passage describes what happened at Pentecost, ten days after Jesus ascended into Heaven. The apostles became filled with the Holy Spirit for the first time, and immediately began speaking in tongues. Speaking in tongues is a spiritual gift that allows people to speak in other languages that they do not know, in order to share the gospel or communicate with God. This miraculous, public outpouring of the Holy Spirit allowed the apostles to reach numerous people from many different nations. It was extremely powerful and led thousands of people to become followers of Christ. Although almost certainly not as dramatic as what is described here, we have all had our Pentecost moment. This is the moment when we fully gave our hearts to Jesus, accepted Him as our Lord and Savior, and were subsequently filled with the Holy Spirit. For some of us, there was a dramatic and immediate change that occurred the moment we were saved. For others of us, the change was barely perceivable. Regardless of how it happened, what happened, or when it happened, the fact is that if you have placed your faith and trust in Jesus, you are now filled with the Holy Spirit! Having the Holy Spirit residing within you gives you power – God’s power. This enables you to overcome trials with peace and to produce more fruit in your life than you could ever have imagined. When you stay connected to God and nurture your relationship with Him every day, this allows the Holy Spirit to flourish inside of you. “…the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control” (Galatians 2:22-23). When you allow the Holy Spirit to work within you, these qualities will emanate from you, such that people will stop and take notice. You may even be asked, “Are you always this happy?” The truthful answer to that question will probably be “No.” There are always going to be times in life where our circumstances temporarily overwhelm us. These may be times when we are ill, weary, anxious about circumstances, or overly burdened. That is precisely why we have the Holy Spirit with us every second of every day. We need to learn to rely on Him, not our own strength. This will enable us to persevere and even thrive despite our circumstances. If today happens to be one of those days that you are having a hard time and you aren’t exhibiting much fruit of the Spirit, ask God to reveal to you the reason. Jesus said, “The thief’s purpose is to steal and kill and destroy. My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life” (John 10:10, NLT). God wants us to have an amazing life! So, examine your mood and see if perhaps you have believed a lie from the enemy, rather than focusing on a promise from your loving Heavenly Father. Bring your attention back to Christ, which will undoubtedly raise your spirits, reconnect you with Him, and get you back on the prosperous path He wants for you. If you someday happen to be asked that question “Why are you so happy all the time?”, make sure to follow the advice of the apostle Peter: “But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect” (1 Peter 3:15). So go out there and be that shining example that God wants you to be in His name!
Then Peter stood up with the Eleven, raised his voice and addressed the crowd: “Fellow Jews and all of you who live in Jerusalem, let me explain this to you; listen carefully to what I say.” Acts 2:14 NIV (read also Acts 2:15-41)
How did Peter go from a weak, unreliable, scared follower of Jesus to a confident, powerful and fearless speaker? God, through the power of the Holy Spirit, took Peter’s weakness and turned it into his greatest strength. He became one of the most devoted and influential leaders of the early church, one that performed miracles and saved the eternal future of thousands of people. The Holy Spirit that completely transformed Peter and gave Him the power to do God’s work so passionately is the same Holy Spirit that is inside you today! “…for it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill His good purpose” (Philippians 2:13). What about your weaknesses? Our Lord says the same thing to you today that He said to the apostle Paul: “…My grace is sufficient for you, for My power is made perfect in weakness…” (2 Corinthians 12:9). God wants to make some profound and noticeable changes in your life, through the power of the Holy Spirit. Will you let Him?
They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. Everyone was filled with awe at the many wonders and signs performed by the apostles. All the believers were together and had everything in common. They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need. Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved. Acts 2:42-47 NIV
This description of the early church is a good, basic model to follow for the Christian Church today. It shows God’s design for His church, which is collectively made up of all of Christ’s followers. Based on this model, each member of Christ’s church should: 1. Commit time to studying God’s Word, and then apply its principles and obey its commands in everyday life. 2. Share money and possessions with those that are in need. 3. Meet together regularly to worship God and pray. 4. Develop relationships with other believers, spend time with one another, and “do life together.” 5. Openly praise God for all He has given us.
Following this example will certainly lead to the secure, powerful, and unified church that God envisioned for us to be a part of. Are you a part of a church that draws people in because they can see the love, heartfelt worship, and wholehearted devotion to God?