Sermon Tone Analysis

Acts 2:1-13

Mighty Pentecost

 

When the day of Pentecost arrived, they were all together in one place.

And suddenly there came from heaven a sound like a mighty rushing wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting.

And divided tongues as of fire appeared to them and rested on each one of them.

And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance.

Now there were dwelling in Jerusalem Jews, devout men from every nation under heaven.

And at this sound the multitude came together, and they were bewildered, because each one was hearing them speak in his own language.

And they were amazed and astonished, saying, “Are not all these who are speaking Galileans?

And how is it that we hear, each of us in his own native language?

Parthians and Medes and Elamites and residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya belonging to Cyrene, and visitors from Rome, both Jews and proselytes, Cretans and Arabians—we hear them telling in our own tongues the mighty works of God.”

And all were amazed and perplexed, saying to one another, “What does this mean?”

But others mocking said, “They are filled with new wine.”

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ccording to the liturgical calendar observed throughout much of Christendom, today is Pentecost Sunday.

Of interest to those who follow the ecclesiastical calendar, this day is also referred to as Whitsunday.

The word Pentecost is a transliteration of the Greek term referring to this Jewish harvest celebration.

Known prominently as the Feast of Weeks [*Exodus 34:22*], this harvest festival is also referred to as the Feast of Harvest [*Exodus 23:16*] in the Word of God.

Additionally, it is known as the Day of the Firstfruits [*Numbers 28:26*].

Pentecost is the second of the three annual festivals in the Jewish calendar.

It was given the name Pentecost because it was observed after seven full weeks—seven weeks or seven days each totalling forty-nine days, on the fiftieth day, following Passover.

The Greek term πεντηκοστῆς means fiftieth.

The Feast of Weeks, or Pentecost as it became commonly known among Christians, was one of the three Jewish festivals requiring mandatory attendance at the Temple.

The other two Jewish festivals requiring mandatory attendance at the Temple were Passover and the Day of Atonement.

These three celebrations required every adult male to attend worship in the place God would designate, and ultimately Jerusalem was selected.

The Day of Pentecost was to be celebrated as a Sabbath, with rest from ordinary labours and observance of a holy convocation [*Leviticus 23:21*; *Numbers 28:26*].

It was a joyful feast of thanksgiving commemorating the completion of the harvest.

Able-bodied Jewish males were required to be present at the sanctuary in order to present a special offering [cf.

*Leviticus 23:15-22*; *Numbers 28:26-31*].[2]

This information helps account for the large number of people from various locations gathered in Jerusalem on that day following the crucifixion and resurrection from the dead of the Son of God.

Whenever I speak to an evangelical congregation and mention /Pentecost/, I understand that the word conveys a thought totally different from that which would have been received by First Century believers.

First Century Christians perhaps still thought of the Jewish festival.

However, as the churches were transformed into predominantly Gentile institutions, the meaning of the term would have changed as worshippers remembered the descent of the Holy Spirit of God.

Of course, I address a Gentile congregation, and at the mention of the word Pentecost, we think of the presence of God’s Spirit with His people.

However, I fear that though we believe in His dynamic presence, we know little of His power.

I invite you to join me in consideration of the day that forever changed worship and transformed the people of God—mighty Pentecost.

Preparation for Pentecost— When the day of Pentecost arrived, they were all together in one place.

The Master had risen from the grave.

The tomb was empty, and all Jerusalem became aware that something momentous had occurred.

Roman guards, representing the might and power of the greatest nation in the world, could not ensure that Jesus would remain in the tomb.

Rumours of the resurrection of Jesus of Nazareth swirled through the dusty streets of the city.

The religious leaders tried to quash the stories circulating throughout the city, but they had as well tried to stop the sun from rising each day.

For forty days people had claimed to have seen the crucified prophet from Galilee.

Singly and in groups as large as five hundred men the sightings were reported.

To lend credence to the stories, the tomb was empty as anyone could verify for himself, if he wished to do so.

Even members of the Sanhedrin were talking about this phenomenal event.

Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus had joined together to attend to His burial.

Joseph had provided room in his family’s crypt.

Both men had attested that the rock vault had been sealed with the Imperial seal, and they now affirmed that the tomb was empty.

Though the High Priest and his party had circulated the rumour that the disciples had come at night and stolen the body away, no one believed that tale.

Those men were far too intimidated to attempt such a bold move, and especially would they have been fearful of attempting such a move against the armed Roman guards.

Then, as suddenly as the rumours of a dead man living again had begun, they stopped.

The account that was most commonly heard was that a very much alive Jesus had called His disciples to a hill called Olivet, situated just outside of Jerusalem.

There, He had given a final charge to His beloved disciples.

While they pondered the words He had spoken, He was reported to have ascended until a cloud took Him out of sight.

It was as though the Shekinah glory had once again been witnessed on earth.

Only this time the Shekinah shielded the ascent of Jesus into Heaven.

All these things had taken place, and who could deny that something significant had taken place?

For ten days the rumours had been quieted.

The followers of the Nazarene were nowhere to be seen.

Where could they be?

What could they be doing?

They weren’t bold enough to be plotting some act against the religious leaders, were they?

Surely they wouldn’t plan some audacious act of disobedience against the authorities, would they?

Those men had fled when He had been arrested, and only one of them had been sufficiently brave to even witness up close His crucifixion.

None of the inner circle had been present when His body was laid in the tomb.

Wherever could they be hiding?

Not even the women who had followed Him were to be seen.

The divine account compels acknowledgement of a vital observation.

Reading Luke’s account, I notice an emphasis upon the presence of the women among the disciples gathered in the Upper Room.

For the most part the women are unnamed, but Doctor Luke is careful to ensure that all readers know that they were present.

I can account for seventeen men—eleven apostles, four of Jesus’ brothers and at least two other disciples, Barsabbas, also known as Justus, and Matthias—out of the one hundred twenty disciples.[3]

There were a number of women present.

One hundred twenty of His followers gathered in that room.

Peter, John, James and Andrew, Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew, James the son of Alphæus and Simon the Zealot together with Judas the son of James.

The brothers of Jesus—James, Joseph, Simon and Jude—were present, as were His sisters.[4]

Mary, His mother, and the women were also in the room.

I assume that the women include the wives of the Apostles as well as those women mentioned in *Luke 8:1-3*; *23:55*; *24:1*, *10*, and *22*.

Undoubtedly, Mary Magdalene, Joanna and Mary the mother of James were present, and also Susanna and the wife of Chuza, Herod’s household manager.

Christianity is a woman’s religion.

Though some speak disparagingly of the Faith as a “woman’s religion,” I assert that this points to a strength of the Faith.

Prior to the Christian Faith, women were used in “worship,” but women were not welcome to worship.

Even in this day, women have little standing in Islam.

A recent warning from the Vatican warns, “The Catholic Church has learned from ‘bitter experience’ … that women ‘are the least protected member of the Muslim family.’”[5]

Likewise, in Buddhism or Hinduism, women have little or no standing.

No other religion extends a welcome to women as does the Christian Faith.

No wonder, then, that not only historically but also in the contemporary world, women embraced the Christian Faith.

The Father accepts them equally within the Faith and they become a source of great strength within the Faith.

For ten days all these disciples had gathered together, devoting themselves to prayer.

All these with one accord were devoting themselves to prayer [*Acts 1:14*].

Let me unpack that verse.

The entire group was present.

It is as though God is emphasising that those who wait on the fringes will never know the joy of His presence.

Those who wait to unite with the church, those who wait to obey the call of the Master to identify with Him, those who wait to honour God through openly walking in concord with His people, are depriving themselves of His glorious presence.

Perhaps such people think they worship, but they can never know the fullness of His presence until they are sharing in the Body.

Those present were noted as being in one accord [ὁμοθυμαδὸν].

This seems to have been a favourite word of Doctor Luke in describing the spiritual unity of believers.[6]

In secular use, the word pointed to unity in feelings, though it had come to mean political unity by the time Luke was using the term.

The stress, then, is upon acceptance of and submission to a corporate decision.[7]

Put this all together, and what we have is the revelation that when the people had gathered for prayer, they persevered in praying, seeking the mind of God and willingly submitting to that mind.