Some thoughts on the sending of the Holy Spirit in Acts 2:1-21 and the Apostle Peter's speaking of Jesus. My sermon from this morning's service in Jonesville
I was watching TV the other day and saw a commercial for the World Cup. As it zooms around the globe, you see people from tribe and tongue focused on one thing. There is no event in the world like the World Cup. All around the world people are gathered together to watch, and to cheer their country on.
This happens in a similar manner in our lives. We gather together with friends, family and loved ones around events that matter to us. Birthdays, graduations, baptisms, weddings. Our sons or daughters competing on the field, on the court, or on the stage. We gather to watch and to cheer.
There are a lot of people coming together in our text today as well. When the day of Pentecost arrived, we read in verse one the disciples were all gathered together in one place, and in verse five there were devout Jews from every nation under heaven who had gathered in Jerusalem.Â
They gathered because it was the time for a Jewish feast. Pentecost was not a new event for the Jewish people. In fact, they had been celebrating what is called the âFeast of Weeksâ for thousands of yearsâsince Moses came down from the mountain with the Ten Commandments.
But this Pentecost was different than any that had come before it. At this Pentecost, the Holy Spirit himself came to dwell forever in the hearts of all who follow Jesus. Martin Luther writes about the gift of the Holy Spirit, âWhat are all the other gifts together compared to this gift, that the Spirit of God himself, comes down into our hearts and dwells in us, rules, guides and leads us!â
âAnd 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.â (2-4)
This sending of the Holy Spirit was the fulfillment of a promise that Jesus made to his disciples before he died. And consider how the the disciples changed over the course of the last 50 days. The disciples go from hiding in an upper room for fear the Jews would kill them, to boldly proclaiming the name of Jesus. Obviously, the events of the last 9 weeks had impacted them greatly. They had seen Jesus alive! Now, they received the Holy Spirit Jesus had promised to them. There is a boldness to the disciples that wasn't there when Jesus was laid in the tomb. This is the first time anyone has publicly proclaimed Jesus as risen form the dead and savior of all.
âAnd 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, âAre not all these who are speaking Galileans? And how is it that we hear, each of us in his own native language?â (6-8)
At this Pentecost, God removed a barrier that had been in place since the Tower of Babel. âIts name was called Babel, because there the LORD confused the language of all the earth. And from there the LORD dispersed them over the face of all the earth (Gen. 11:9) At this Pentecost, men gathered from around the world were hearing the Word of God preached to them in their own language.
Verse 12, âAnd all were amazed and perplexed, saying to one another, âWhat does this mean?â But others mocking said, âThey are filled with new wine.â But Peter, standing with the eleven, lifted up his voice and addressed them: âMen of Judea and all who dwell in Jerusalem, let this be known to you, and give ear to my words.â (12-14)
Peter went from casting his nets with his brother three years before, to preaching to thousands of people who had gathered to see what was going on. And Peter was able to preach Jesus is the Christ because it was revealed to him by our Father in Heaven and the Holy Spirit.
Peter boldly proclaimed Jesusâ resurrection because he talked with Jesus face-to-face. Jesus appeared to his disciples multiple times before he ascended into heaven and Jesus came to Peter personally on the shores of the sea of Galilee to forgive Peterâs betrayal and restore him to his position as an apostle. And in this moment, Peter has a chance to share the Good News publicly for the first time.
Peter is preaching to people who very likely were not present when Jesus was crucified. These people may not have shouted, âCrucify Him!â They may not have mocked Jesus while he hung on the cross, but their sins and ours are directly responsible for his death. Through our actions and our attitudes we are responsible for the death of Jesus. And Peter is preaching to them and to us a sermon of repentance and of the forgiveness of sins.
Peter begins by correcting the crowd in verse 15, âThese people are not drunk, as you suppose. It's only nine in the morning! No, this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel.â (15-16)
Just as Godâs righteous forgiveness is found in the resurrection of Jesus, it is also found here at Pentecost. Because Peter knows Jesus is risen, he can proclaim forgiveness for all. Because Peter has received and known the righteousness of Christ, he reassures all who hear him that they can receive forgiveness and a new start in baptism and the Holy Spirit.
ââAnd 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 it shall come to pass that everyone who calls upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.â (17-18, 21)
This Greek verb ÏÏΞΟÏΔÏαÎč is a great verb. It means, âshall be saved.â In this word we are rescued from death. We are preserved and protected and blessed in safety forever. No matter who you are, no matter what youâve done, or will ever do, you have forgiveness through Jesus Christ when you call upon his name for the forgiveness of sins. Peter recognizes that though the prophet Joel wrote these words hundreds of years before, they are fulfilled only in Jesus Christ. And now, from this day of Pentecost to the final day of our Lord, everyone who calls on Jesus shall be savedâMen, women, Jew, Gentile, old, young, you and me. Jesus gives us life.