What a great event that changed lives, and destinies, rewrote stories, and fulfilled the prophecy of God pouring out his spirit upon all flesh as recorded in Joel 2: 28- 30. The Sermon On Acts 2:1-21 is a profound and timeless exploration of a pivotal moment in Christian history.
Found in the New Testament of the Bible, this passage recounts the events of Pentecost, a day of extraordinary spiritual significance.
Acts 2:1-21 captures the awe-inspiring moment when the Holy Spirit descended upon the apostles, enabling them to speak in different languages and share the message of Christ with a diverse crowd gathered in Jerusalem.
This powerful sermon delves into the transformative power of the Holy Spirit, the birth of the Christian church, and the universality of God’s message.
As we delve into this passage, we will uncover the theological, historical, and spiritual implications of these verses, offering insights into the enduring relevance and inspiration they provide for believers and seekers alike.
The Pentecost
Acts 2: 1- 4 “And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place 2. And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind. And it filled the house where they were sitting 3. And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like of fire, and it sat upon each of them 4. And they were filled with the Holy Ghost and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance” KJV.
Historical Context Of Pentecost
Pentecost or the feast of the week was the name given to one of the Jewish celebrations which took place on the fiftieth day (seven weeks) after the second day of Passover.
During this period the Israelites were expected to assemble in Jerusalem to express their thankfulness to the Lord for the blessing of the first fruit. It was also seen as a commemorative of the gift of the LAW (Torah) through Moses on Mount Sinai on the fiftieth day after they departed from Egypt. Exodus 34: 22, Leviticus 28: 15- 22, 2 Chronicles 8:13.
Summary Of Acts 2: 1 -21
Jesus before his ascension had commanded his disciples to wait in Jerusalem until they were baptized with the Holy Spirit many days from then who would empower them to go out into the world and be his witnesses Acts 1: 5 – 8
The disciples alongside other followers of Jesus gathered in one place – Jerusalem as was instructed by Jesus to pray and meditate on the scriptures and perhaps what they had witnessed during Jesus’ earthly stay with them.
On the Pentecost came a rushing mighty wind that filled the house and tongues of fire rested upon each person present in the house. They were filled with the Holy Spirit with evidence of speaking in other tongues (languages) as the Spirit gave them utterance.
The Bible records that the believers were able to communicate to the Parthians, Medes, Elamites, dwellers In Mesopotamia, Judea, Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, Phrygia, Pamphylla, Egypt, Cyrene, strangers in Rome, Jews, and Proselytes in their languages which the disciples have not spoken before.
The crowd that came in to observe the event and heard them speaking in their various languages were amazed, some mocked them saying the disciples were drunk with wine.
Peter who denied Jesus three times, and who had gone back to his fishing profession before was able to stand out and address the crowd gathered that day.
He explained to them that the believers were not drunk that early morning as suggested by some of them but were filled with the Holy Spirit as a fulfillment of prophecy in Joel 2: 28 – 29 “ And it shall come to pass afterward that I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophecy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young one shall see visions 29. And also upon the servants and the handmaidens in those days will I pour out my spirit; and shall prophesy”.
And that there will be wonders in heaven and signs on earth and sun will be turned into darkness and that whosoever will call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. He preached to them boldly about Jesus Christ as the Messiah and God’s plan of redemption
Illustration Of Acts 2: 1 – 21
According to bible Theologians, this event birth the church age. The disciples and other believers were possessed (filled) 0f the Holy Spirit who now guides and empowers them to preach the gospel of salvation to others.
Until this day, the Jews saw themselves as the only nation who had access to God and could be saved but this event changed the narrative.
The lists of the nations that witnessed the event remind us of what happened in Genesis 10 – where languages were scattered but the change in language in Acts 2 becomes a unified system for redemption.
Jesus’ death and resurrection have opened the door for man to align with the spirit of God. The void and longing in man to relate with his maker is now made possible by the indwelling spirit of God in man.
Thus Christians strongly believe that whoever calls on the name of Jesus, repents, and believes in him will be saved (Romans 10: 13, Acts 2: 21 ). This celebration of the person of the Holy Spirit helps the disciples as well as believers understand the significance of Christ death and resurrection and rightly and boldly relate same with others. This Old Testament feast revealed a shadow of the things that were to come.
The reality however is found in Christ (Colossian 2: 17). During the feast of Pentecost the Israelites gathered in Jerusalem, with the hearts of dedication and worship unto the lord for their harvest.
In Acts 2, the disciples and other believers gathered in Jerusalem, in one accord by a common zeal, common language, and purpose to preach the gospel. This gathering has helped them has ever helped them to appoint Mathias to replace Judas Iscariot as seen in the previous chapter and subsequently filled with the Holy Spirit.
The Jews celebrated a joyous harvest on Pentecost but the church celebrates the outpouring of the Holy Spirit and the harvest of newborn souls. Pentecost, to Christians, means the birth of the Holy Spirit in the believer’s life for service of the kingdom of God. Kingdom service is the heartbeat of God.
His plan to be glorified among the nations was to empower the church through the person of the HOLY SPIRIT (John 20: 21-22)
During the initial outpouring of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost the writer recorded three significant observations which include ”
1. The sound of a rushing mighty wind that filled the house which represents a picture of invisible power.
When wind blows you cannot touch it but you can hear the sound and witness its presence as it exerts incredible power on things around. The noise or effect was so loud that it gathered the crowd to find out what was going on in Acts 2:6.
God commanded the prophet Ezekiel to prophesy to the wind to breathe on dry bones in the valley God – explained that he would put his spirit within the people and they would come back to life ( Ezekiel 37: 9 – 14 ).
It also signifies the presence of God filling the temple in the Old Testament (2 Chronicles 7:1, Ezekiel 43:2)
2. The appearance of cloven tongues like fire that sat on each of them. Scripturally, fire symbolizes God’s holy presence.
Moses in the wilderness saw a bush that was burning with fire yet not consumed. God revealed himself as “ I am ” to Moses there. Israelites while departing Egypt to the wilderness were protected by the pillar of fire by night and a pillar of cloud by day.
John when he preached to the Pharisees predicted that Jesus would baptize with the Holy Spirit and with power (Matthew 3:11) Fire brings both heat and light. The heat of fire consumes impurity ( sin ), purifying those who come in contact with it, it also pictures the zeal in believers’ lives that should mark those who are to be hot or lukewarm in their devotion towards Christ (Revelation 3: 15 -16 ).
Light pictures the illumination that God brings to those in spiritual darkness. In Pentecost the fire appeared as tongues to represent God’s Holy power through the proclamation of his word, burning into the heart of men in a way that purifies.
The gospel must be verbally proclaimed for the power to come through (Luke 24:32). The fire on their heads awakens the knowledge of God in them and turns it into passion swallowing up their weaknesses and giving them enormous boldness and zeal to give witness to the greatness of God.
3. Evidence of speaking in other tongues to the understanding of the crowd that came into where they stayed.
This demonstrates God’s purpose of taking the gospel to all the nations in the world. Those who heard the gospel in their languages and believed, baptized, and went back to their various nations were authentic missionaries in their localities.
God’s plan is no longer to be bottled up with the Jews. His good news is for all nations ( Revelation 5: 9 ) “ And they sing a new song saying that thou art worthy to take the book and open the seal thereof for thou was slain, and had redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred and tongue and people and nation “
Holy Spirit, at times manifests himself with audible, visible, touchable appearances like a dove during Christ’s baptism, shaking of the building in Acts 4, and a mighty earthquake in Acts 16, but he is not all these temporary appearances.
He is sovereign and free in his dealing with man to their understanding. Through the Holy Spirit, there was “REVIVAL”
Lesson From Acts 2: 1 – 21
The essence of the Pentecost is “mission“ and the goal of mission is that the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord as the water covers the sea (Habakkuk 2:14).
We need to understand our purpose as a church and not focus on ourselves and our happiness alone, we should light up the corner that we are with God’s light and draw more souls to God’s kingdom. Missionary works knows no limit and stops at no border.
1. Fulfillment Of Prophecy
Acts 1: 8 “But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost comes upon you, and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea, and Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth ” Luke 24: 49, Joel 2: 28 -30.
2. God Indwells In Man
Before the Pentecost, the Holy Spirit had a ministry of ‘come and go ‘ in the lives of great men like David, Sampson, Gideon, etc. but at Pentecost, he came to indwell believers and abide in the living church of Jesus Christ. The Holy Spirit is the third person of the Godhead (John 15:26)
3. The Holy Spirit Equips And Empowers
On the Pentecost, the disciples were baptized by the Holy Spirit that is, being identified with the Spirit. They were also filled with the Holy Spirit which is to be possessed or controlled by the spirit ( Ephesians 5: 18, Colossians 3:15 ).
This brought about the fruit of the spirit as found in Galatians 5: 22 – 23. Peter didn’t waste time arguing with the crowd nor did he assume that the evidence would simply speak for itself. Instead, he responded directly to the people with the message of Christ’s death and resurrection.
Just as the ministry of Jesus depended on the Holy Spirit descending on him at his baptism, so the ministry of the disciples was dependent on them receiving the Holy Spirit and relying on his power.
While they have experienced the measure of the spirit power before when Jesus was with them ( John 20: 22) now, he would come to dwell in them permanently ( John 7: 37 – 39, John 14: 17 )
4. The Holy Spirit Teachers
Jesus told his disciples that the Holy Spirit, who made his first appearance in Genesis 1:2 would not only come in power but would be like him and would be their new teacher ( John 14: 25 -26 ).
5. Together
Peter standing with the eleven expressed the purpose of the event unfolding itself that day (Acts 2:14-18), Acts 2:1” They were all in one accord”
6. Willingness And Obedience
The disciples being informed by Christ to tarry in Jerusalem, they did exactly. They prayed together, studied the scripture, and got themselves fully prepared for the master’s use (Acts 2:1). Continuous fellowship with God and obedience to his instructions is a Christian victory.
7. Preaching The Scripture
Luke 24 tells us how Jesus has shared the message with the disciples explaining to them how all of the Hebrew scriptures pointed to him. Jesus would have pointed Peter to Joel 2 though not stated in the bible but it seems this was the work of the Holy Spirit reminding and explaining things to Peter.
8. Holy Spirit Is Not Depending On Man’s Timing And Calculation
Acts 2:2 said suddenly there came a sound from heaven. The Spirit is free and sovereign and not bound to anyone’s timing or technique for his presence and power. He keeps his hours and knows what is best for us. We can depend on him daily, and walk in obedience to his faith. When he comes on his own time and term, he comes for the harvest of souls with signs and wonders.
9. Location
They were in one place praying as advised by their master (Jesus). Where you are matters when it comes to spiritual activities. When Adam and Eve disobeyed God’s instruction in the Garden of Eden, the first question God asked Adam was ”Where are you” (Genesis 3:9).
Remember your blessing is connected to being in the right place physically, emotionally, mentally, and spiritually. If you make staying in God’s perfect will a priority, God will lead you and guide you.
Conclusion
God’s purpose at Pentecost was to equip and empower the church with the mighty power of the Holy Spirit so that the gospel could be preached to all nations resulting in his eternal glory.
This was made possible through the obedience of the disciples to wait in Jerusalem for the coming of the comforter.
For the church to speak with authority, the voice of God should be allowed to flow through the church for the proclamation of the gospel. I would want us to ponder on these questions.
FAQs
1. How obedient are we as a church to God’s instruction?
The level of obedience within a church can vary, but it’s essential to continually assess our commitment to following God’s instructions and seek improvement.
2. Do I allow myself to be guided by the Holy Spirit for God’s glory?
Allowing oneself to be guided by the Holy Spirit is a personal choice. It’s crucial to align our actions with God’s will, seeking His guidance for His glory.
3. How many people do I witness when led by the Holy Spirit?
The number of people we witness when led by the Holy Spirit can vary greatly. It depends on the circumstances, opportunities, and our willingness to respond to the Spirit’s leading.
4. The Role of the Holy Spirit in World Evangelism
Allowing the Holy Spirit to have preeminence in all aspects of church life is vital for achieving world evangelism. His guidance empowers us to effectively share the message of Christ with the world.
