"Pandemic" - Acts 2:1-4

  • Series: "Pandemic" - The Gospel Unleashed
  • by: Chris Mayfield 06/28/09

Acts 2:1-4

We see God’s plan making sense here as the 40 days that Jesus appeared to his followers served first to give proof of his physical resurrection, and secondly it allowed the coming of the Holy Spirit to be at a very opportune time. The day of Pentecost, which came 50 days after the week of Passover, was also known to the Jews as Feast of Weeks or Feast of Harvest. So this would have been a time when many Jews were gathered in Jerusalem who normally may not have been. This gave a larger than normal crowd as witnesses to the coming of the Spirit as well an opportunity for the wondrous works of God to be displayed. And that is exactly what we see in the coming verses.

Engage the Text

  1. Luke describes the power and presence of the Holy Spirit upon each of them as “divided tongues as of fire”. Can you think of a previous example where God’s presence is represented by fire?
  2. Here we see God spanning multiple languages, not bound by any communication barriers!  What do we learn about God in seeing this?
  3. Is this “filling of the Holy Spirit” the same as the indwelling of the Holy Spirit that we proclaim? Or is it instantaneous/momentary?
  4. Does “speaking in tongues” only mean other languages? Support your answer with other biblical texts.

From Thought to Action

  1. What is the role of the Holy Spirit in our lives?
  2. How do we submit to the work of the Holy Spirit?
  3. Do you give authority and hence submit to the leadership and work of the Holy Spirit or fight to suppress the Spirit’s leading?

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