Spirit and Power
May 15, 2005 - Acts 2:1-21
Open It
What everyday expressions can you say in another language? How did you learn them?
If you could speak another language fluently, which one would you choose? Why?
Explore It
What group of people was gathered together? (2:1)
Where did a violent wind come from? (2:2)
What did the followers of Christ hear and see? (2:2-3)
What was the importance of the wind and fire? (2:2-4)
When the Holy Spirit filled the believers, what did they do? (2:4)
How did the people visiting Jerusalem react when they heard Christians speaking their languages? (2:6-11)
What languages were the people from Galilee speaking? (2:9-11)
What was the topic of conversation among the crowds? (2:11)
Besides being amazed, how did the crowd react to the unusual happening they witnessed? (2:12-13)
Whom did Peter address and what command did he give them? (2:14)
What was Peter's defense? (2:15)
What were the believers experiencing? (2:16-21)
Why did Peter quote from Joel 2? (2:17-21)
Get It
If you saw the coming of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost, how do you think you would have responded? Why?
Why is the coming of the Spirit associated with wind, fire, and different languages?
How does God enable us to witness to others?
When has God enabled you to do something that you didn't think you could do?
How can we cultivate sensitivity to the Holy Spirit?
How were you challenged to become a believer?
Apply It
How can you be more open to seeing, hearing, and feeling the presence of the Holy Spirit in your prayer and Bible reading?
What steps can you take this week to be better prepared to witness to the spirit and power of the Holy Spirit?
Notes
Acts 2:3-11: This was a fulfillment of John the Baptist's words about the Holy Spirit's baptizing with fire (Luke 3:16), and of the prophet Joel's words about the outpouring of the Holy Spirit (Joel 2:28-29).
Why tongues of fire? Tongues symbolize speech and the communication of the gospel. Fire symbolizes God's purifying presence, which burns away the undesirable elements of our lives and sets our hearts aflame to ignite the lives of others.
Acts 2:3-4: God made his presence known to this group of believers in a spectacular way-violent wind, fire, and his Holy Spirit. Would you like God to reveal himself to you in such recognizable ways? He may do so, but be wary of forcing your expectations on God. God may use dramatic methods to work in your life-or he may speak in gentle whispers. Wait patiently and always listen.
Acts 2:4-11: These people literally spoke in other languages-a miraculous attention-getter for the international crowd gathered in town for the feast. All the nationalities represented recognized their own languages being spoken. But more than miraculous speaking drew people's attention; they saw the presence and power of the Holy Spirit. The apostles continued to minister in the power of the Holy Spirit wherever they went.
Acts 2:14ff: Peter tells the people why they should listen to the testimony of the believers: because the Old Testament prophecies had been entirely fulfilled in Jesus (2:14-21), because Jesus is the Messiah (Acts 2:25-36), and because the risen Christ could change their lives (Acts 2:37-40).
Acts 2:15: Peter answered accusations that they were all drunk (Acts 2:13) by saying it was much too early in the day for that.
Acts 2:16-21: Not everything mentioned in Joel 2:28-29 was happening that particular morning. The "last days" include all the days between Christ's first and second comings, and is another way of saying "from now on." "The great and glorious day of the Lord" (Acts 2:20) denotes the whole Christian age. Even Moses yearned for the Lord to put his Spirit on everyone (Numbers 11:29). At Pentecost the Holy Spirit was released throughout the entire world-to men, women, slaves, Jews, Gentiles. Now everyone can receive the Spirit. This was a revolutionary thought for first-century Jews.