Acts 2:1-21When 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.”
14 But Peter, standing with the eleven, lifted up his voice and addressed them: “Men of Judea and all who dwell in Jerusalem, let this be known to you, and give ear to my words. 15 For these people are not drunk, as you suppose, since it is only the third hour of the day. 16 But this is what was uttered through the prophet Joel:
17 “‘And 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;
18 even on my male servants and female servants
in those days I will pour out my Spirit, and they shall prophesy.
19 And I will show wonders in the heavens above
and signs on the earth below,
blood, and fire, and vapor of smoke;
20 the sun shall be turned to darkness
and the moon to blood,
before the day of the Lord comes, the great and magnificent day.
21 And it shall come to pass that everyone who calls upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.’
We had a wonderful experience worshiping at Westminster Cathedral in London on the Sunday after Easter. The pastor delivered a powerful message about the resurrection of Jesus. He talked about how the disciples of Jesus thought the story was over, and then Jesus appeared to them behind closed doors. The story that they thought was over was alive again. He made the point that when Jesus said, “Peace be with you,” it wasn’t a wish. It was a present reality. A gift. Then Jesus breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you withhold forgiveness from any, it is withheld.”
“On Pentecost Sunday Jesus’ breath of the Spirit becomes a gale-force wind of the Holy Spirit,” the Westminster Pastor said. Indeed. The sound was like that of a rushing wind. Tongues of fire appear on the Apostles. Then they begin to speak in languages they had not previously known. The people there – Parthians, Medes, people from Mesopotamia and many others hear the message of Jesus in their own language.
God was speaking to them in the languages they thought in. They dreamed in those languages. They spoke to their dearest ones in those languages. God was speaking to them in their heart language. He wanted them to know deeply and certainly that his love and salvation was for them. And us. God has seen to it that this message has been declared to all people throughout the ages. No matter our ethnicity, cultural status, age, sex, or size: God’s love in Jesus is for you.
We cannot believe in Jesus or come to him by our own reason or strength. But the Holy Spirit has called us by the Gospel and enlightened us with his gifts. And that same Holy Spirit has inspired believers down through the ages to share the Gospel message. And we are the recipients of his work. The gale-force wind of the Spirit is still blowing. And even today, as God promised through the prophet Joel, “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.