Tag Archives: Pentecost

Easter

Pentecost

8,179 Comments

Text: Acts 2:1-8; Leviticus 23:15,16

Summary: The Holy Spirit descended at Pentecost. The disciples were able to preach in different languages to the people in Jerusalem and many people were saved.

Last week we learned that Jesus ascended, or went up, to heaven forty days after he rose from the dead. Today I want to tell you what happened ten days later. Something wonderful happened on Pentecost, the Jewish feast of harvest. The word Pentecost means “fiftieth day” because this feast was held fifty days after Passover. The feast was at the time when the first ears of the corn crop were gathered and the people thanked God for providing for their needs. (Leviticus 23:15,16) Listen to what happened on this particular day.

(Read Acts 2:1-8)

 

Pentecost
The Descent of the Spirit by Gustave Doré (1832-1883). Scan courtesy of The Doré Bible.

 

When I imagine a rushing mighty wind I think of the noise made by a tornado, which is loud and makes a roaring sound. There was no wind blowing in the place where the disciples were, but something was making a loud noise. It was the Holy Spirit descending, or coming down, from heaven to be with the believers. It happened just like Jesus said it would. Jesus went up to heaven and the Holy Spirit came down. (Jesus couldn’t be everywhere while on earth, but the Holy Spirit could.)

I want you to think back to the story of the Tower of Babel for a moment. God made different languages to confuse the people there and that caused them to separate and move away from each other. In our story today God was using the Holy Spirit to allow the disciples to speak different languages to bring people together. These people in Jerusalem had come from many different places for the feast and they spoke different languages. They were amazed when they heard the disciples speak to them in their own language!

Then Peter stood up to preach his first sermon. When he was through about 3000 people were saved! (every preacher’s dream) Wherever the Holy Spirit is at work people will come to a saving faith in the Lord Jesus. It is the job of the Holy Spirit to teach you about Jesus and give honor and glory to Him (John 16:14). The Holy Spirit comes to live inside you when you ask Jesus into your heart. He marks you as God’s child and will never leave you. We can be thankful that Jesus sent the Holy Spirit after he went up to heaven.

©2000 by Jim Kerlin. All rights reserved.