Pentecost Sunday 22

Acts 2:1-21

Acts 2:1–21 NRSV

1 When the day of Pentecost had come, they were all together in one place. 2 And suddenly from heaven there came a sound like the rush of a violent wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. 3 Divided tongues, as of fire, appeared among them, and a tongue rested on each of them. 4 All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other languages, as the Spirit gave them ability. 5 Now there were devout Jews from every nation under heaven living in Jerusalem. 6 And at this sound the crowd gathered and was bewildered, because each one heard them speaking in the native language of each. 7 Amazed and astonished, they asked, “Are not all these who are speaking Galileans? 8 And how is it that we hear, each of us, in our own native language? 9 Parthians, Medes, Elamites, and residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, 10 Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya belonging to Cyrene, and visitors from Rome, both Jews and proselytes, 11 Cretans and Arabs—in our own languages we hear them speaking about God’s deeds of power.” 12 All were amazed and perplexed, saying to one another, “What does this mean?” 13 But others sneered and said, “They are filled with new wine.” 14 But Peter, standing with the eleven, raised his voice and addressed them, “Men of Judea and all who live in Jerusalem, let this be known to you, and listen to what I say. 15 Indeed, these are not drunk, as you suppose, for it is only nine o’clock in the morning. 16 No, this is what was spoken through the prophet Joel: 17 ‘In the last days it will be, God declares, that I will pour out my Spirit upon all flesh, and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams. 18 Even upon my slaves, both men and women, in those days I will pour out my Spirit; and they shall prophesy. 19 And I will show portents in the heaven above and signs on the earth below, blood, and fire, and smoky mist. 20 The sun shall be turned to darkness and the moon to blood, before the coming of the Lord’s great and glorious day. 21 Then everyone who calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.’

Acts 2:3–4 NRSV

3 Divided tongues, as of fire, appeared among them, and a tongue rested on each of them. 4 All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other languages, as the Spirit gave them ability.

—> God wanted his followers to speak then just as much as he wants us to speak now.

—> The Spirit is upon us. We believe that just like then, just like the first Christians, just like the 120 gathered in the Upper Room the Spirit is upon us, it dwells within us. It fills us.

—> Verse 4 has been used for far too long to mean one thing, the ability to speak in tongues, but its more than that. The ability to speak in tongues isn’t just for the Pentecostals or the Charismatics. These early disciples were speaking in known languages. Languages that people around them understood.

—> Jews spoke Aramaic and EVERYONE spoke Greek

Acts 2:11 NRSV

11 Cretans and Arabs—in our own languages we hear them speaking about God’s deeds of power.”

—> What language has God called you to speak?

—> How do you speak about God’s deeds of power so that those around you can understand who God is and what God is about?

—> Since we were last together friends, much has happened. Things have happened and people are searching for answers.

—> This is true of the bigger picture and in our own lives.

—> We each of something to contribute