Day Eighteen

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? - Acts 2:1-8

The first day of Pentecost for the early church was an explosion of divine power and presence. Fifty days after the Resurrection, and ten days after Jesus ascended, the apostles and a large group of believers were gathered in obedience, waiting for the promised gift (Acts 1:4).

The Holy Spirit didn't arrive subtly. He announced His presence with the sound of a "mighty rushing wind" and the sight of "divided tongues as of fire." Wind and fire are biblical images of God's power, holiness, and life-giving Spirit. This was the birth of the Church— God was now living in His people.  Jesus predicted this in John 14:17.

They spoke in other languages (glossolalia). The believers—mostly simple Galileans—began to speak in the native languages of the diverse Jewish pilgrims gathered in Jerusalem from "every nation under heaven" (v. 5). The curse of The Tower of Babel was reversed (Genesis 11)! What bewildered the crowd was not a meaningless sound, but a message that was intelligible, undeniable, and directed at them personally.

Today, believers in Christ have received the Holy Spirit to empower us to share the gospel with a world that needs to hear it, in a way they can understand. Your life, your words, and your actions are meant to be the intelligible proclamation of God's power and grace. Where is the Holy Spirit prompting you to speak the message of Christ with clarity and power today?

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