God’s Bigger Vision for God’s People
If you ask Christians about the key holy days in the year most will say Christmas and Easter. A third very important day is today. According to Luke, the author of Acts, it has now been seven weeks since the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus. For forty days the risen Christ appeared to and instructed his disciples. Following Christ’s ascension, they have been devoting themselves to prayer. This is now their tenth day of prayer as they await the power that Jesus promised. It is also Pentecost.
May 27, 2012
Acts 2:1-21, God’s Bigger Vision for God’s People
Doug Scalise, Brewster Baptist Church
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Pentecost (from the Greek word, ‘fiftieth’), is a religious observance that has roots in the Old Testament and continues to be observed in both Judaism and Christianity. In the Old Testament it’s called the Feast of Weeks (Hebrew, Shavuot). It is the second of three holy days, coming between Passover and Tabernacles (see Exodus 23:14-17; 34:18-24; Deuteronomy 16:16; 2 Chronicles 8:13). The believers gathered to wait and pray, the next move is up to God. Only the Almighty can give the church what it needs the most. The account of what happens is strange and miraculous and hard to explain. Yet, whatever occurred, whatever happened, there is no doubt that it transformed timid disciples into bold witnesses for Jesus.
Acts 2:1-21
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.’”
On Pentecost morning, having gathered to pray, the new day begins for the believers with an eruption of noise from heaven and the sound of a violent wind. It was one year ago this past week that we saw across our country, especially in Joplin, Missouri, the destructive power of tornadoes that took many lives and caused widespread damage, leveling homes, schools, churches, and businesses. Even western Massachusetts was hit by a tornado last year. We also know that if the force of the wind can be harnessed it can provide a lot of power. In Acts 2, the Spirit of God descends upon the house where the disciples are praying and causes their world to twist and turn upside down; to shake, rattle, and roll. Things are coming loose and breaking open in a cacophony of sound. Qu’est ce que c’est? Is it similar to the wind, the breath of God that on the first morning of all mornings swept across the dark waters of creation? This wind of God is not destructive like a tornado; it is bringing power, energy, and life.
What was first heard is then seen – tongues like fire, the symbol of the promised Holy Spirit, rest on each of the disciples. In Luke 3:16 John the Baptist declared that the Christ, “will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.” Sure enough, here is the Holy Spirit and fire. The first gift of the Holy Spirit appears to be the gift of speech in different languages. Que es esto? The believers are able to proclaim God’s deeds of power in the language of those who need to hear it. There is a powerful lesson here for the church today. The church can’t speak Aramaic or Hebrew or Greek or even 17th century English and expect people to respond. If we want to communicate the story of God’s love in Christ then we need to ask God’s help in telling the story in the language of those in the street. Perhaps during their ten days of prayer after Jesus’ ascension the disciples had wondered, “How in the world are we going to be able to go to the ends of the earth? What would we say when we got there? How would anyone understand us?” Now they discover that God is faithful to provide what we need to obey. The gift of different languages signals the end of the Jesus movement as a provincial, Palestinian effort. Remember, Acts began with the disciples asking (Acts 1:6), “Lord, is this the time when you will restore the kingdom to Israel?” The idea that Jesus came only for Israel is blown away on the Day of Pentecost which is the true beginning of what would become the international movement known first as The Way and that we know as Christianity. God has a bigger vision for God’s people than they have for themselves.
With everyone speaking in foreign languages, the scene shifts from the Upper Room to the street outside where the racket is drawing a crowd. Out in the street “devout Jews from every nation under heaven” were present. We’re told three times that people of different lands “hear, each of us in our own native language” (verses 6, 8, 11). Notice how discombobulated and chaotic the situation is; Luke uses words like “bewildered, amazed (twice), astonished, and perplexed” to describe the response of the crowd. Some want an explanation asking, “What does this mean?” Others more sophisticated or smug dismiss this strange display of spiritual enthusiasm sneering, “They are filled with new wine.”
The power that the church will declare is the promised gift of God is dismissed by some as drunkenness. It is obvious that the coming of the Spirit is unsettling and threatening to many who witness it at work. The presence of God bursts into a conventional assembly of the faithful in a most unconventional way.
Someone has got to get up to speak to answer the questions and refute the snide mocking comments. The accusation of drunkenness is the cue for someone to make a speech in response. Who would have predicted the one who would have the courage to face this crowd of several thousand people and to speak in Jerusalem where Jesus was crucified just over 50 days ago? Last week in Acts chapter one, we heard Peter condemn Judas the betrayer and see to it that he was replaced by Matthias. This was the same Peter who had lied to a maid about Jesus saying, “Woman, I do not know him.” Peter had folded under pressure before. Judas had betrayed Jesus most severely, but he was not the only one who let the Lord down in his most difficult hours. But, Jesus had forgiven Peter and told him to feed his lambs and tend his sheep. Now, before the half inquiring, half mocking crowd, Peter is the first to proclaim very openly in the morning before thousands of people what he had been afraid of saying to a serving woman at midnight the previous month. That he belongs to Jesus. In Genesis 2:7 the Spirit of God breathed life into dust and created a human being. In Acts 2:1-4, the Spirit breathed life into a once fearful disciple and created a new man who has the gift of bold speech.
Peter stands up and says, like the fisherman he is, “Men of Judea listen up! These men aren’t drunk, it’s way too early for that, it’s only 9:00 in the morning. No, this is what the prophet Joel said would happen.” The events experienced by the crowd as disruptive drunkenness or scandalous irrationality are seen by the church as the fulfillment of prophecy. The prophet Joel said that in the last days there would be an outpouring of the Spirit. Such an outpouring of the Spirit was the prayer of Moses way back in Numbers 11. When Moses was overwhelmed by the burden of leadership, he asked the Lord for help and God said in Numbers 11:17, “I will take some of the spirit that is on you and put it on them; and they shall bear the burden of the people along with you so that you will not bear it all by yourself.” Moses declared in Numbers 11:29, “Would that all the Lord’s people were prophets, and that the Lord would put his spirit on them!” Peter is a Jew speaking to fellow Jews linking the story of Jesus to their scriptures and the prophets.
Note the inclusiveness of the crowd, Luke says there were devout Jews from every nation and tongue (where Jewish folks were living) present when the Spirit is given. The church was born, if you will, in many nations on the same day. Peter says young and old, male and female, poor and rich shall prophesy, see visions, and dream dreams. Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved. The gift of Jesus’ Spirit is for the world. The Spirit unites people in Christ from many nations and languages and our oneness in Christ transcends lesser differences that might divide us. We experience this whenever we cross boundaries of nation, language, or ethnicity to share with sisters and brothers in Christ in worship, service, or hospitality.
Theologian John Westerhoff wrote in his book Spiritual Life: The Foundation for Preaching and Teaching (page 51), “The spirituality of preaching and teaching requires that someone is searching, someone is willing to let his or her life be a resource for the searcher’s learning, and both are open to that truth which breaks in on them from a source outside themselves, through the actions of God’s Spirit.” This is exactly what is happening in Acts 2. Many in the crowd are searching for understanding. Peter is willing to let his life be a resource for the searcher’s learning as he explains how God is fulfilling Joel’s prophecy by pouring out the Spirit. Both Peter and the seekers in the street are open to the truth that is breaking in on them from outside themselves as God’s Spirit is poured out in a powerful way so that everyone who calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.
Where do you find yourself in this story? Do you stand with Peter and the disciples, who perhaps are even surprising themselves, as in the power of the Spirit they boldly proclaim the mighty works of God and share God’s invitation of salvation to all people? Do you stand with the curious crowd of seekers who wonder what the wind and speech is all about? Are you with those who dismiss such disruptive spiritual enthusiasm as surely more apt behavior for drunks after a party than for followers of God? My mother’s father was a Presbyterian pastor and he used to say that you could tell a Presbyterian because they “preferred order over ardor.” Some of us probably fall into that category.
Part of what the Day of Pentecost does is it pushes us to take a step forward in faith. Some of us may consider moving from mocking or dismissing to more sincerely seeking to know God. Some of us the Lord may be urging to move from seeking to believing and following. Others of us God may be prompting to move from believing to sharing and proclaiming the good news. Where are you this Pentecost Sunday?
On Pentecost the power of God demonstrated at the resurrection and the Ascension of Christ is bestowed on the people of God. The power we need for living as God’s people is available to us, if we, like the first disciples will wait and pray, believing that God desires to give the Holy Spirit to all who ask. Pentecost asks us if we are open to receiving power from God which is not always quiet and orderly. Are we open to the power of the Spirit which is not subject to our control or manipulation and which is poured out even on people very different than ourselves? Are we willing to share with others what God is doing?
This week Facebook did an Initial Public Offering of stock. That news attracted a crowd and created a lot of talk, confusion, and public debate about its value, what it’s truly worth, and accusations of insiders having previous knowledge of information. Pentecost, in a sense, is like the Church’s IPO. On Pentecost there is wind and fire, loud talking in many languages, buzzing confusion, and public debate about what was happening and what it means and the value of what is taking place. The Spirit is the power that allows the church go public and offer salvation to all who will call on the name of the Lord Jesus.
Psalm 50:3 says, “Our God comes and does not keep silence, before him is a devouring fire, and a mighty tempest all around him.” On Pentecost a new wind is set forth on the earth along with tongues of fire causing a storm of confusion and puzzlement for some, and a breath of hope, empowerment, and new community for others. What does it mean for you?
Questions for personal reflection or small group discussion:
After the Ascension of Jesus, the disciples prayed for ten days for the power of God to come upon them. Can you imagine doing that? Have you ever prayed in disciplined focused way for days? If so, what was that like; what were you praying about?
The coming of the Holy Spirit transforms the disciples from a timid group hanging out by themselves into bold witnesses for Jesus in public. Have you ever had an experience that changed you in a similar way? What happened? What difference did it make?
Some of the primary images of Pentecost are wind and fire. Wind and fire are both elemental to the world and existence. They are potentially very destructive or constructive depending on the circumstances. Fire can be used to cook a meal or it can destroy a home or forest. Wind can be harnessed for energy, provide a sail boat with the power to travel the seas, or destroy entire communities.
The first gift of the Holy Spirit appears to be the gift of speech in different languages. The believers are able to proclaim God’s deeds of power in the language of those who need to hear it. If we want to communicate the story of God’s love in Christ then we need to ask God’s help in telling the story in the language of those in the street. What would that mean for you?
What do you think of this statement, “They discover that God is faithful to provide what we need to obey.”
Acts began with the disciples asking (Acts 1:6), “Lord, is this the time when you will restore the kingdom to Israel?” That idea is blown away on the Day of Pentecost which is the true beginning of what would become the international movement known first as The Way and that we know as Christianity. How does God convey a bigger vision for God’s people than just one nation?
The night of Jesus’ betrayal, Peter denies the Lord three times. On Pentecost, he stands in front of thousands of people and delivers a speech to explain what is happening and putting it in the context of the Jewish faith tradition. How would you describe Peter’s transformation? What does the Holy Spirit have to do with Peter’s behavior?
Theologian John Westerhoff wrote in his book Spiritual Life: The Foundation for Preaching and Teaching (page 51), “The spirituality of preaching and teaching requires that someone is searching, someone is willing to let his or her life be a resource for the searcher’s learning, and both are open to that truth which breaks in on them from a source outside themselves, through the actions of God’s Spirit.” How can you and your life be resource for others who searching?
Where do you find yourself in this story? Part of what the Day of Pentecost does is it pushes us to take a step forward in faith. Some of us may consider moving from mocking or dismissing to more sincerely seeking to know God. Some of us the Lord may be urging to move from seeking to believing and following. Others of us God may be prompting to move from believing to sharing and proclaiming the good news. Where are you spiritually this Pentecost?