Outpouring of the Holy Spirit
QUOTED FROM THE BIBLE
Acts 2: 1 Now when the day of Pentecost had come, they were all with one accord in one place. 2 Suddenly there came from the sky a sound like the rushing of a mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. 3 Tongues like fire appeared and were distributed to them, and one sat on each of them. 4 They were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and began to speak with other languages, as the Spirit gave them the ability to speak.
COMMENTS
In a previous chapter we read that Jesus had instructed His disciples to wait in Jerusalem to receive supernatural power. They had to be filled with the Holy Spirit. Thereby, they would receive spiritual power for the tremendous task of making disciples of all nations. For this they waited on God in prayer.
You will also remember that at Jesus’ baptism, the Holy Spirit came on Him in the form of a dove, which was a symbol of peace. Now, in the upper room, the Holy Spirit came on each one of those that were gathered in the form of a tongue of fire. His coming was also accompanied by the sound of a roaring wind, heard inside and outside the building.
Human beings find it very hard to flee before wind or fire. By these two symbols, God was saying that when His disciples would go to the nations, testifying of Him, their words would have an almost irresistable impact on the listeners.
The message of salvation taken to the crowds
QUOTED FROM THE BIBLE
Acts 2: 5 Now there were dwelling in Jerusalem Jews, devout men, from every nation under the sky. 6 When this sound was heard, the multitude came together, and were bewildered, because everyone heard them speaking in his own language. 7 They were all amazed and marveled, saying to one another, “Behold, aren’t all these who speak Galileans? 8How do we hear, everyone in our own native language? 9 Parthians, Medes, Elamites, and people from Mesopotamia, Judea, Cappadocia, Pontus, Asia, 10 Phrygia, Pamphylia, Egypt, the parts of Libya around Cyrene, visitors from Rome, both Jews and proselytes, 11 Cretans and Arabians: we hear them speaking in our languages the mighty works of God!” 12 They were all amazed, and were perplexed, saying to one another, “What does this mean?” 13 Others, mocking, said, “They are filled with new wine.”
COMMENTS
The minds of the people that had received the Holy Spirit were now filled with languages they had never heard before and their tongues were touched to formulate those languages into words. This was for a good reason: it was for sharing the Gospel with other people.
Multitudes of people from nations all over the world that had gathered in Jerusalem for the Jewish religious feast called the Passover, had rushed to the building from which the sound of wind came to determine the cause.
The Spirit filled people who were now no longer afraid of the Jewish leaders, rushed down the stairs to the surrounding streets, met with these crowds and started sharing with them the good message of Jesus that had been crucified for their sins but had risen, proving that He was the Son of God and that the Father had accepted His sacrifice.
Groups of people each gathered around the speaker speaking their own language, so they could clearly understand what was said. Everybody was astounded by the miracle of the multiplication of languages and were thereby convinced that the message they heard was the truth.
Peter’s sermon
QUOTED FROM THE BIBLE
Acts 2:14 But Peter, standing up with the eleven, lifted up his voice, and spoke out to them, “You men of Judea, and all you who dwell at Jerusalem, let this be known to you, and listen to my words. 15 For these aren’t drunken, as you suppose, seeing it is only the third hour of the day. 16 But this is what has been spoken through the prophet Joel:
17 ‘It will be in the last days, says God, that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh. Your sons and your daughters will prophesy. Your young men will see visions. Your old men will dream dreams. 18 Yes, and on my servants and on my handmaidens in those days, I will pour out my Spirit, and they will prophesy. 19 I will show wonders in the sky above, and signs on the earth beneath; blood, and fire, and billows of smoke. The sun will be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and glorious day of the Lord comes. 21 It will be that whoever will call on the name of the Lord will be saved.’
COMMENTS
When the commotion and excitement somewhat subsided, Peter, as leader, knew that the moment had come to address the crowd collectively. He stepped forward and explained that what happened was expected, because the prophet Joel had prophesied long ago of the outpouring of the Holy Spirit and the signs that would follow. He then related the history of how it came that Jesus died for man’s sins. In closing, he assured them that everyone who would pray to God and ask forgiveness, would be saved.
The first penitents
QUOTED FROM THE BIBLE
Acts 2:37 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?”
38 Peter said to them, “Repent, and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. 39 For the promise is to you, and to your children, and to all who are far off, even as many as the Lord our God will call to himself.” 40 With many other words he testified, and exhorted them, saying, “Save yourselves from this crooked generation!”
41Then those who gladly received his word were baptized. There were added that day about three thousand souls.
COMMENTS
Just as Jesus had promised, the Holy Spirit used Peter and the other speakers and many people were touched deep in their hearts. They were greatly concerned about their sins and enquired what they had to do to be forgiven.
Peter replied that they had to repent of their sins and be baptized in water (as an open testimony of their repentance and acceptance of Jesus). God the Father would forgive them and give the gift of the Holy Spirit into their hearts so that they would be changed into children of God.
This He would do freely, without them having to pay for it, or sacrifice an animal, or first try to live right for a while. That was what God promised.
Many of them were vry pleased to hear this message that came from God. They did what Peter told them to do and just the men that got saved and baptized that day, numbered 3000.