Pentecost Power (Acts 2:1–13)

This is Acts 2:1–13:

When the day of Pentecost arrived, they were all together in one place. ² And suddenly there came from heaven a sound like a mighty rushing wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. ³ And divided tongues as of fire appeared to them and rested on each one of them. ⁴ And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance.

⁵ Now there were dwelling in Jerusalem Jews, devout men from every nation under heaven. ⁶ And at this sound the multitude came together, and they were bewildered, because each one was hearing them speak in his own language. ⁷ And they were amazed and astonished, saying, “Are not all these who are speaking Galileans? ⁸ And how is it that we hear, each of us in his own native language? ⁹ Parthians and Medes and 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, ¹¹ both Jews and proselytes, Cretans and Arabians—we hear them telling in our own tongues the mighty works of God.” ¹² And all were amazed and perplexed, saying to one another, “What does this mean?” ¹³ But others mocking said, “They are filled with new wine.”

Well, if somebody had invited you to see the launch of the very first airplane at Kitty Hawk, you probably would have been very excited. Or imagine being in the crowd at the launch of the first astronauts who were going to go to the moon. Or maybe you were in the room where the button was pressed that launched the internet. These are all sort of life-changing events, but Acts takes us to a launch that's deeply more important than that.

This one is a real historical event that God has recorded and preserved for our instruction and encouragement. It's the launch of the church. It's a foundational transitional moment in the history of the work of Jesus and his followers. And we find the followers of Jesus doing exactly what he told them to do–to wait. Waiting is hard for us, but these guys, afraid and confused, did what Jesus told them to do because he had promised that if they waited, they would receive power to do what he had called them to do.

You see, when Jesus sends us, he goes with us. And when he sends us, he gives us the power to do what he's called for us to do. The event of this passage is never going to be repeated again. Because the disciples have no idea what is going on, they need the audio and visual reinforcement; so, they hear the sound of rushing wind and the tongues of fire falling down on their heads as the spirit of God is given to them. This is like the beginning of the movement of the children of Israel, where they needed the pillar of cloud by day and the pillar of fire by night. God, in his love, condescends to our weakness in order to help us to understand that he is with us and he is empowering us.

And as they were filled with the Spirit, they began to speak in other languages. No, these were not meaningless babble; they were given the ability to speak in the languages of the nations that were gathered there in Jerusalem. And God never promised us that he would do the same ever again. What we're watching is Jesus, in the person of the Holy Spirit, empowering the launch of his church, which would be his primary vehicle of continuing his ministry and spreading his gospel around the earth.

Of course, the people viewing this and watching this were amazed and confused because they were seeking to give a natural explanation for a supernatural provision. They thought maybe these guys were drunk, but they weren't. And if you commit yourself to God's work, he will definitely give you what you need to do what he's called for you to do. And you can be sure that the world around you will not understand!

I'm always impressed how beautiful it is that God invites us in to be witnesses to these incredible transitional moments. So we would know, right here, right now, that the church is his idea, that the Spirit is empowering this work so that around the world, people will be able to hear the life-changing message of the gospel of Jesus Christ. How about committing yourself to God's work? How about watching how he meets you with just what you need to do what he has called for you to do?

Questions for Personal Reflection or Group Discussion

1. What are the ways that God is currently calling you to wait on him? What is difficult for you about waiting on God? In what ways is Jesus showing you that he is present with you in the waiting process?

2. How have you seen God show up in the midst of your weakness? In what ways has he specifically shown you his power, presence, and provision in your weakness?

3. As you seek the Lord, what might he be calling you to do, say, or give? In the past, how has God provided for you and given you what you need in order to do what he has called you to do?

4. As you commit yourself to God’s work in this world, what might that specifically look like for you as you consider how he wants to use you to bring others to himself? What are some things you can specifically look for to meet your needs as you step out in faith and trust that he will provide for you?

Conversation Prompts to Use with Children

For Younger Children:

• When you can’t do something on your own, what’s a good next step to take? Why can asking for help be such a good thing? Why does it matter who you ask for help?
• Do you think God would ever ask you to do something you know would be difficult for you? Why or why not?
• Would God ever leave us alone? Why is that important to know and remember?

For Older Children:

• When it comes to God and how he has a relationship with us, why do you think he would allow us to get into situations where we feel really weak and unable to do things? Why might weakness be a good thing?
• Why is it such a big deal that the Holy Spirit lives inside of us as followers of Christ? What does he give us the power to do that we can’t do on our own? Give a few examples.
• Why do you think it was better that Jesus physically left his disciples in order to give them his Holy Spirit?