Acts 2:1-21

The Holy Spirit Comes at Pentecost
1When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. 2Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. 3They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. 4All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them. 5Now there were staying in Jerusalem God-fearing Jews from every nation under heaven. 6When they heard this sound, a crowd came together in bewilderment, because each one heard them speaking in his own language. 7Utterly amazed, they asked: "Are not all these men who are speaking Galileans? 8Then how is it that each of us hears them in his own native language? 9Parthians, Medes and Elamites; residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, 10Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya near Cyrene; visitors from Rome 11 (both Jews and converts to Judaism); Cretans and Arabs-we hear them declaring the wonders of God in our own tongues!" 12Amazed and perplexed, they asked one another, "What does this mean?" 13Some, however, made fun of them and said, "They have had too much wine."Peter Addresses the Crowd
14Then Peter stood up with the Eleven, raised his voice and addressed the crowd: "Fellow Jews and all of you who live in Jerusalem, let me explain this to you; listen carefully to what I say. 15These men are not drunk, as you suppose. It’s only nine in the morning! 16No, this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel: 17" ‘In the last days, God says, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your young men will see visions, your old men will dream dreams. 18Even on my servants, both men and women, I will pour out my Spirit in those days, and they will prophesy. 19I will show wonders in the heaven above and signs on the earth below, blood and fire and billows of smoke. 20The sun will be turned to darkness and the moon to blood before the coming of the great and glorious day of the Lord. 21And everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.’
Devotional (by Jana Goebel):
As I read this passage this morning, I found myself watching for the actions of the disciples. First of all I noticed that they didn’t seem to react to the wind rushing and the tongues of fire. Perhaps they did, but the text doesn’t tell us. I wonder if they were so accustomed to supernatural events from watching Jesus, and so eager with anticipation for the Spirit’s arrival, that they didn’t even realize how strange these events were.
Then this fire comes to rest on them, and they don’t burn. I suppose that this would clearly make them aware of the Spirit’s presence if they hadn’t figured it out. Then they start speaking in languages that each person there can understand- languages that they had likely never spoken before! If that’s not enough, we can see by Peter’s response that they not only were able to speak these languages but they could understand them.
It is all so amazing! As I stare at the page with wonder, I find myself hoping that I am as willing to be open to the Spirit’s work in my own life. Am I able to surrender my idea of how the world is supposed to work, to accept God’s supernatural hand at work through the Spirit? I pray that I will daily surrender to that and allow the Spirit to use my life however he sees fit.

Prayer: Father, thank you for your guiding Spirit. Lord, make me consciously aware of the Spirit at work in my life, and help me to surrender to your will so I can be used by you in any way that you desire. In Jesus’ name, Amen.