We have finished our fifty-day Easter celebration. It's interesting that the end of Dr. Luke's account of the spread of Easter faith leads us back to the beginning of the story. The Pentecost story marks the start of the church's ministry, just as Jesus' ministry began with the announcement of the Spirit's empowerment. Jesus said that the church would reach the ends of the earth once the Spirit was given, and when the Spirit was given, people from all over the world came to the church. Luke's storytelling is impressive. In verse one, Jesus tells his disciples that the Father has specific times and dates set by his own authority. The day of Pentecost was one of those days, a day to celebrate the end of the wheat harvest and the beginning of the world harvest. As one of the three major festivals for Jews, God-fearing Jews from all over the world filled the streets of Jerusalem.
The followers of Jesus, numbering 120, were gathered together in one place, possibly at the Temple where they spent their days. They were likely praising God for the works of Jesus and praying for the promised outpouring of the Spirit. Suddenly, a violent wind from heaven filled the house they were in, accompanied by what appeared to be tongues of fire resting on each of them. This was a public event, not a private mystical experience, meant to be memorable for future generations. The central event of Pentecost was that all 120 were filled with the Holy Spirit, allowing them to prophesy and be witnesses for Jesus to the ends of the earth. This was the calm before the storm, and the storm had arrived.
The phrase "and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them" has been debated among charismatic Christians. Some believe it refers to glossolalia, a heavenly language spoken for the benefit of fellow believers that needed translation. However, these "other tongues" are actually foreign languages that allowed disciples to speak to foreigners without translation. This gift was given for the purpose of prophesying to unbelievers and was the main gift of the Spirit mentioned in the book of Acts. It enabled the church to spread the Gospel to the ends of the earth. In Acts, God brought people from all over the world to Jerusalem to celebrate the harvest. They were amazed to hear the Gospel preached in their own languages by Galileans. However, some in the crowd mocked the disciples, saying they were drunk.
The first sermon in the New Age of the Spirit was a combination of amazement and mockery. This sermon set the pattern for all subsequent Gospel sermons. Peter contextualized the message to follow by explaining the event that had happened. He then preached about Jesus Christ being crucified and Risen as Lord and Christ. He exhorted his listeners to repent and be baptized. Peter preached in the power of the Spirit, and by the power of the Spirit, 3000 people became Christians that day. This is a summary of the story of Acts and of the church throughout the ages. Peter grabbed the attention of the crowd by addressing both the amazed and the mockers. He commanded them to listen carefully and semi-humorously put down the mockers. Then he demonstrated the gift of prophecy. This involved careful exegesis of Scripture, creative exposition of what God has done in Christ, and bold application to people's lives. Peter's explanation of what the crowd had experienced showed his exegesis skills. He turned to an obscure minor prophet, "this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel." Using an alternative interpretation of Joel 2:28-32, Peter informed them that they had now entered "the last days." He didn't mean that in the apocalyptic sense of the very last moments of the planet during which horrific events would occur. He meant that in the salvific sense of the long-promised days when the Messiah would bring salvation to Israel and the world.
The "last days" are more complex and lengthy than we may realize. The initial last days, mentioned in verses 17 and 18, will witness the outpouring of the Spirit on all types of people, the salvation of many, and the gradual arrival of the kingdom. The ultimate last days will involve the punishment of the wicked, the end of the world, and the creation of new heavens and earth. In the meantime, we are living in the last days where "everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved." We are no longer waiting for the return of Christ, but we are now on a mission for Him, guided and empowered by His Spirit. There are three significant aspects of these early last days. Firstly, the Spirit is poured out on "all flesh," which means all kinds of people, regardless of gender, age, or status. This includes men and women, young and old, servants and masters, who all receive the Spirit and prophesy. This is how the Gospel will spread, as all of God's children testify about Jesus wherever they are in the world. Secondly, there are two ways in which the Gospel will spread: through the gift of prophecy and through signs and wonders. The prophecy of Joel mentions signs and wonders in the heavens and on earth, including apocalyptic events such as "blood and fire and billows of smoke, the sun turned to darkness and the moon to...." Some of this refers to the final last days, which is "the coming of the great and glorious (terrible) day of the Lord."
As we read through Acts, we can see that along with the gift of prophecy, there were other signs and wonders such as healing the sick, raising the dead, taking care of widows, and giving away money. There is disagreement about whether these miraculous signs still exist, but the Bible does not say that they have stopped. However, it is clear that the Gospel is most powerful when God's people demonstrate the power of the Spirit through acts of love, mercy, justice, and peace. The main purpose of the outpouring of the Spirit is conversion and salvation. The Spirit's work focuses on saving people, and Peter's sermon emphasizes this by declaring that everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved. The Spirit moves 3000 people to respond to the call for salvation. The true significance of Pentecost is not the wind, fire, and tongues, but the Spirit-empowered proclamation of the Gospel that will spread to the ends of the earth and ultimately save the world. Acts begins in Jerusalem and ends in Rome, demonstrating the power of the Gospel to reach all people. The greatest evidence of the Spirit's filling is the gift of prophecy given to all of God's children, so that even those in other religions and skeptics of all religions can call on the name of the Lord Jesus and be saved.
