In the previous chapter of Acts, Luke introduces us to the primitive church preparing to share the good news of the resurrection according to the instructions Christ gave them. In this chapter, we meet them, a dozen families or so. Thanks to seeing Jesus ascend to heaven they are full of faith, devoted to one another, and organized. They were well situated over the coming years to meet many Jews -- and converts to Judaism -- and tell them the Good News. Any visitor to them would have to be fluent in Hebrew. That meant Judeans would hear the gospel first, next maybe some folks in Samaria who were devoted enough to come to Jerusalem, then maybe Jews from further away, and so on. Over generations synagogues might appear with a rabbi from the “school of Jesus.”
This, most likely, is how the disciples understood Jesus' plan for them ... a solid plan for steady growth. The Holy Spirit; however, would have no time for solid plans for steady growth. We now know, with the lens of history, that Jerusalem had only a couple of decades before the Romans would lay siege to the city, the temple would be burned to the ground, and its artifacts would be looted and carted away, never to be restored. Christ did not rise from the dead for his students to be lost in the ruins of history. The Gospel was to go out immediately, the folks visiting Jerusalem for the Feast of First Fruits were to be the Gospel's first fruits, and language barriers were not to be an excuse.
In Acts Chapter 2, the Holy Spirit accelerates God's plan for the nations. So, how to move prayerful disciples from their shaded courtyard … into the harvest?
- Step 1: descend like fire. Nothing says "exit the building" like flames over everyone's head.
- Step 2: enable each man and woman to speak praises in different languages of men.
Say you find yourself singing a Psalm in Phrygian, and your family and friends whose heads are on fire can't understand you, you’re going to rush out of the building and find a stranger who does.
And consider the stranger's perspective. You're halfway through weeks of pilgrimage. Hebrew is your fourth language after Latin and Greek and - if you're from nearby -- Aramaic. But, there's also your first language ... in the ancient world it would be known only to you and the people you grew up with. You probably haven't heard it since you left your village. For weeks, you've taken the trouble to sing and speak in your best Hebrew, almost forgetting the sound of your first language. Then, in the crowded streets of this Holy City, you are drawn to familiar words in an unfamiliar voice … perhaps it’s a Psalm you were reciting to perfect your Hebrew. But here, some local is saying the same thing as if he or she had been born and raised on the same street as you! A pilgrim from a different country is listening to another local. And when you ask him, sure enough he is hearing a Psalm in his own tongue. These humble-looking Israelites, whose Galilean accents (when they spoke Hebrew) couldn’t be missed, now have your attention first thing in the morning.
And what about natives of Jerusalem? Obviously, if you believed in Christ's resurrection, you would admire these miraculous speakers. But, if you were a Pharisee, Saduccee, or Zealot, you would see your hold on the throng slipping. The best you could do is toss out a slur, "Drunk Galileans." But, in your heart, your idea of who Messiah should be and what He should do is slipping away. Your feeble retort is overshadowed by God's beautiful praise in foreign tongues. You might have heard Jesus' parable of the master's feast, whose initial guests spurned his invitations, so he extended invites to strangers instead. If so, this would be a very scary morning. Because the sound you hear is keys to the Kingdom of Heaven offered to foreigners.
The 12 apostles rise above the conflicting words and thoughts, and Peter starts his first full day of evangelism. He directly addresses the locals. First with dry humor -- nobody drinks before 9 in the morning. Then with prophetic scripture. He refers to Joel in two parts: The first, explains the outpouring of the Spirit everyone is hearing. The second warns that the great and terrible day of the Lord is not far off. Peter then spells out the theology of the Messiah, truth of the resurrection, and the need for all who wish to be saved to call on the Lord. It has its effect. Those local Jews, for whom all of Jesus' parables were coming to life, ask Peter what their next move should be. Peter replies, "Repent and be baptized ..." and continues his preaching to anyone who would hear. By the end of the day, a church of hundreds had become a community 3000 strong and growing.
The Holy Spirit moved mightily that day. And apostles stepped up. But, as we go forward in our readings, we will see that God is not finished. Three thousand sounds large, but Jerusalem was no small city. The opposition to this new sect is soon to begin. These days of nurturing at the apostles’ feet is to prepare them for days of turmoil. Stay tuned.
Acts 2 - 2
2:1 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.”
But Peter, standing with the eleven, lifted up his voice and addressed them: “Men of Judea and all who dwell in Jerusalem, let this be known to you, and give ear to my words. For these people are not drunk, as you suppose, since it is only the third hour of the day. But this is what was uttered through the prophet Joel:
“‘And in the last days it shall be, God declares,
that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh,
and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy,
and your young men shall see visions,
and your old men shall dream dreams;
even on my male servants and female servants
in those days I will pour out my Spirit, and they shall prophesy.
And I will show wonders in the heavens above
and signs on the earth below,
blood, and fire, and vapor of smoke;
the sun shall be turned to darkness
and the moon to blood,
before the day of the Lord comes, the great and magnificent day.
And it shall come to pass that everyone who calls upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.’
“Men of Israel, hear these words: Jesus of Nazareth, a man attested to you by God with mighty works and wonders and signs that God did through him in your midst, as you yourselves know—this Jesus, delivered up according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God, you crucified and killed by the hands of lawless men. God raised him up, loosing the pangs of death, because it was not possible for him to be held by it. For David says concerning him,
“‘I saw the Lord always before me,
for he is at my right hand that I may not be shaken;
therefore my heart was glad, and my tongue rejoiced;
my flesh also will dwell in hope.
For you will not abandon my soul to Hades,
or let your Holy One see corruption.
You have made known to me the paths of life;
you will make me full of gladness with your presence.’
“Brothers, I may say to you with confidence about the patriarch David that he both died and was buried, and his tomb is with us to this day. Being therefore a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him that he would set one of his descendants on his throne, he foresaw and spoke about the resurrection of the Christ, that he was not abandoned to Hades, nor did his flesh see corruption. This Jesus God raised up, and of that we all are witnesses. Being therefore exalted at the right hand of God, and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, he has poured out this that you yourselves are seeing and hearing. For David did not ascend into the heavens, but he himself says,
“‘The Lord said to my Lord,
“Sit at my right hand,
until I make your enemies your footstool.”’
Let all the house of Israel therefore know for certain that God has made him both Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom you crucified.”
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?” And Peter said to them, “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. For the promise is for you and for your children and for all who are far off, everyone whom the Lord our God calls to himself.” And with many other words he bore witness and continued to exhort them, saying, “Save yourselves from this crooked generation.” So those who received his word were baptized, and there were added that day about three thousand souls.
And they devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers. And awe came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were being done through the apostles. And all who believed were together and had all things in common. And they were selling their possessions and belongings and distributing the proceeds to all, as any had need. And day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they received their food with glad and generous hearts, praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved.
(ESV)