Pentecost

After His resurrection, Jesus appeared to His disciples over forty days, teaching about the kingdom of God. Before ascending to heaven, He commanded them not to leave Jerusalem but to wait for the gift the Father had promised—the Holy Spirit, who would baptize them and give them power to be His witnesses to the ends of the earth. For ten days, about 120 believers devoted themselves to prayer in an upper room, waiting for the promised Helper.

When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. Pentecost was a Jewish festival occurring fifty days after Passover, celebrating the wheat harvest and commemorating the giving of the Law at Sinai. Jews from every nation had gathered in Jerusalem for the festival, making it the perfect time for God to birth His church. Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. The sound was audible and unmistakable—something supernatural was happening.

They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. Fire in Scripture often symbolizes God's presence and purifying power—the burning bush, the pillar of fire, the fire on Mount Sinai. These individual flames resting on each believer marked them as temples of the Holy Spirit. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them. This wasn't ecstatic utterance but known languages they had never learned—the Spirit giving them supernatural ability to declare God's wonders in languages of people from around the world.

The sound drew a crowd, and people were utterly amazed because each one heard the believers speaking in their native language. Parthians, Medes, Elamites, residents of Mesopotamia, Judea, Cappadocia, Pontus, Asia, Phrygia, Pamphylia, Egypt, Libya, Rome, Crete, Arabia—Jews and converts from every nation under heaven heard the wonders of God declared in their own tongues. 'What does this mean?' they asked in amazement. But some mocked, saying, 'They have had too much wine.'

Peter, who had denied Jesus three times just weeks earlier, stood up with the Eleven and addressed the crowd boldly. 'These people are not drunk, as you suppose. It's only nine in the morning!' He explained that this was the fulfillment of the prophet Joel's words: 'In the last days, God says, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your young men will see visions, your old men will dream dreams.' The age of the Spirit had begun, available to all—regardless of gender, age, or status—who call on the name of the Lord.

Then Peter preached Jesus. He recounted how Jesus of Nazareth was accredited by miracles, wonders, and signs, yet was handed over to be crucified by lawless men—though this was God's deliberate plan and foreknowledge. But God raised Him from the dead, freeing Him from death's agony because death could not keep its hold on Him. Peter quoted David's psalms, arguing that David spoke prophetically of Christ's resurrection. Peter declared, 'God has raised this Jesus to life, and we are all witnesses of it. Exalted to the right hand of God, he has received from the Father the promised Holy Spirit and has poured out what you now see and hear.'

Peter concluded powerfully: 'Therefore let all Israel be assured of this: God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Messiah.' When the people heard this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and the other apostles, 'Brothers, what shall we do?' Peter replied, 'Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off—for all whom the Lord our God will call.'

Those who accepted his message were baptized, and about three thousand were added to their number that day. What began with 120 waiting believers multiplied twenty-five times in a single day. 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 and break bread in their homes, eating 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.

Pentecost marked the birth of the church, the reversal of Babel's judgment, the empowerment of believers for mission, and the inauguration of the last days when God's Spirit would be poured out on all flesh. The same Spirit who descended on the disciples at Pentecost is available to all who believe, enabling us to be Jesus' witnesses and to live in the reality of His kingdom.