Acts Acts

Pentecost and the Holy Spirit

Discover Jesus as: Authority Acts 2 Read on Bible Gateway (HCSB)

Day 338 of 730
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INTRO

In our study of Acts 1 yesterday, the door was opened for us to talk about what the book of Acts is really all about. In Revive School, we’re expanding your understanding of how every book of Scripture points to Jesus. Acts 2 can be interpreted in many different ways, but today we’re going to focus on what the Scripture says

TEACHING

Acts 2:1: “When the day of Pentecost had arrived.” Pentecost has now been around for a couple thousand years. Many of us don’t associate Pentecost with anything else, but I want to make an analogy about this day. Leviticus 23 contained the idea of Pentecost, but it wasn’t called Pentecost. There were things in the Old Testament that were named differently in the New Testament simply because the Hebrew or Aramaic text of the Old Testament transitioned to Greek. Pentecost means 50 days. There was a feast—although it wasn’t called Pentecost—in Leviticus 23. It was the Feast of First Fruits, or the feast of the harvest. When you’re growing fruits and vegetables, why would it be so important to recognize both first fruits and the full harvest? The Israelites gathered the first fruits and took them to the priest on the first day after the Sabbath, and the priest waved the offering of the first fruits before the Lord. Then they counted seven Sabbaths, or seven full weeks plus a day, to come up with 50 days.1

In Acts 2:1, the phrase, “when the day of Pentecost was fully come” (KJV) meant the full harvest had come or the end of the feast. So, 50 days had passed. What had happened 50 days before Pentecost? The resurrection of Jesus. Why was that important? On the first day of this feast, the priest did a wave offering of the first fruits. Here’s Jesus, alive from the dead, waving in the face of death and saying the first of the harvest has come. Now there will be a massive harvest because Jesus was the first fruit. This is what the Feast of Pentecost is all about. So, 50 days after the Resurrection, the disciples were together in the upper room. This is the day of the full celebration of the harvest; and it has also been called the birth of the church.2

Remember in Acts 1:4, Jesus told the disciples to wait in Jerusalem for the promise of the Father. God’s plan was always looking forward, not backward, focusing on what God was doing now. In John 14:15–17, Jesus said He would ask the Father to give the disciples another Counselor, the Spirit of truth, to be with them and in them. In Luke 24:49, Jesus said He would send the promise of the Father on the disciples to empower them from on high. Three times, this was promised by the Father. This wasn’t Jesus’ idea or something that just happened one day. This was part of God’s plan. The harvest feast in Leviticus pointed to the events of Pentecost in the New Testament.

Acts 2:2: At this time, there were approximately 120 people gathered together. This rushing mighty wind would have been something that sounded like a violent tornado or a hurricane. The wind would have been so loud that they would have heard it moving.

Acts 2:3–4: Remember that our word for Jesus in the book of Acts is Authority because He is the one who has given authority so we can be witnesses of Him everywhere we go. Mindi’s painting for this book features fire feathers. Feathers represent the presence of God, and fire represents the power of the Holy Spirit. We have a powerful presence going with each one as they walk out in the Holy Spirit.

Verse 3 says, “tongues, like flames of fire” rested on each one of those gathered together. They were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to talk in tongues or languages as the Spirit gave them the ability. When do you think of fire being with someone in Scripture? The children of Israel were accompanied by a cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night as they wandered in the wilderness. In that time, the fire guided a people group. Now, in the New Testament, the Spirit works individually within each person to give each believer the authority to walk out their faith. Isaiah 28:11 says, “With stammering lips and another tongue will he speak to this people” (KJV). Isaiah prophesied Pentecost. In Matthew 3:11, John the Baptist said he baptized with water, but One would come after him who would baptize with the Holy Spirit and fire. In Mark 16:17, after instructing His followers to go into the world and preach the gospel, Jesus described the signs that would accompany those who believe; they will drive out demons, speak new languages, pick up snakes, not be harmed by drinking anything deadly, and lay hands on the sick to heal them.

Acts 2:5–13: Jews from every nation had gathered in Jerusalem for Pentecost. God had brought them into Jerusalem so they would see the miracle of what happened by the power of God. The people in the crowd heard in their own language what the disciples said, and they were amazed and wondered, “What could this be?” The Spirit of God enabled each person to hear in his own language the message of the gospel from the disciples. While some were amazed, others mocked the disciples and claimed they were full of wine.

Acts 2:14–21: Filled with the Spirit, Peter stood up and called the men of Judah and Jerusalem to pay attention to his words. Peter said these events were spoken by the prophet Joel. Peter’s message in verses 17–21 was taken from Joel 2:28–32. In John 20:22, on the day of His resurrection, Jesus met with the 11 disciples and breathed on them, saying, “Receive the Holy Spirit.” In Luke’s account, Jesus “opened their minds to understand the Scriptures” (Luke 24:45). The Holy Spirit is the divine interpreter who helps us understand Scripture. Jesus had promised the Holy Spirit would come on them (Acts 1:8). In the Old Testament, the Holy Spirit came upon people for a time to equip them for service. When the Spirit came upon King Saul, he was a different man. When the Spirit came on Samson, he had supernatural strength. When the Spirit comes on us, we have the ability to be His witnesses because the Authority of Christ has been given to us individually. That’s what all this is about. Jesus wants the full harvest. He was the first fruit who has given us the ability to become harvesters who go into the harvest field as His harvesters. That’s why we’re empowered with the Holy Spirit.

In verses 19–21, Peter moved from the Day of Pentecost (vv. 17–18) into the very last days of the existence of this earth.

CLOSING

There is so much in this passage that we are challenged to look it up and study it for ourselves to answer the questions: What do I believe Jesus has intended? What was the promise of the Father? What was the plan of God? How am I incorporated into it?”

  1. Warren W. Wiersbe, The Wiersbe Bible Commentary: New Testament (Colorado Springs: David C Cook, 2007), pp. 325–326.

  2. Wiersbe, pp. 325–326.

Questions

  1. Imagine yourself in the room on the day of Pentecost. What would you have been thinking and feeling? Why do you think some people thought those filled with the Spirit were drunk? How often do we do the same thing when something unexplainable or miraculous happens?
  2. God used the prophet Joel to foretell what happened on the day of Pentecost and even the days we are living in today (Acts 2:17–21). Do you believe there are still prophets today? Do you think everything that was prophesied in this passage has already happened?
  3. In Acts 2:23, what did Peter mean when he said, “You used lawless people to nail Him to a cross and kill Him”?
  4. Acts 2:21 says, “Then everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” How then do we know that David and many of the great men of the Old Testament went to Heaven? (Act 2:26–28).
  5. How would the world we live in today be different if we lived out Acts 2:38–47? What does this say about the importance of repentance, unity, prayer, fellowship, and generosity in the church?
  6. What did the Holy Spirit highlight to you in Acts 2 through the reading or the teaching?

Next: the Daily Word →

Daily Word

Laura Martin Acts 2:37–39

“When they heard this, they came under deep conviction and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles: ‘Brothers, what must we do?’ ‘Repent,’ Peter said to them, ‘and be baptized, each of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promise is for you and for your children, and for all who are far off, as many as the Lord our God will call.’”

Peter’s audience came to believe that Jesus was the Messiah and Lord—Israel’s hope for salvation. Upon realizing this, they were deeply convicted and asked Peter, “What must we do?” Peter responded, “Repent and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.” As they accepted Peter’s message, the Holy Spirit came upon them, and they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching, fellowship, breaking bread, and prayer. They saw the Lord work in supernatural ways, and the Lord added to their numbers daily.

Without conviction, things are just mediocre—conviction brings deep belief, passion, and devotion that are contagious. Do you have conviction that Jesus is Lord and Messiah of your life? Do your daily actions and words reflect your conviction? It’s one thing to believe in Jesus, but it’s another thing to reflect this belief. Are you more devoted to social media updates or a specific TV program than to reading God’s Word, praying, and making time for fellowship with other believers? Live your life with a conviction for Jesus and expect the Holy Spirit’s presence and power as you walk it out in faith. With conviction, lives will change.

“When they heard this, they came under deep conviction and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles: ‘Brothers, what must we do?’ ‘Repent,’ Peter said to them, ‘and be baptized, each of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promise is for you and for your children, and for all who are far off, as many as the Lord our God will call.’”

— Acts 2:37–39

FURTHER SCRIPTURE

  • Acts 2:42 — “And they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching, to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread, and to the prayers.”
  • Ephesians 3:19–20 — “And to know the Messiah’s love that surpasses knowledge, so you may be filled with all the fullness of God. Now to Him who is able to do above and beyond all that we ask or think according to the power that works in us.”
  • 1 Thessalonians 1:5 — “For our Gospel did not come to you in word only, but also in power, in the Holy Spirit, and with much assurance. You know what kind of men we were among you for your benefit.”