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Acts 2 (New International Version)

Acts 2
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[a] 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?"

38Peter replied, "Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. 39The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off—for all whom the Lord our God will call."

40With many other words he warned them; and he pleaded with them, "Save yourselves from this corrupt generation." 41Those who accepted his message were baptized, and about three thousand were added to their number that day.


The Miracle at Pentecost

When I'm out in the community, and I'm wearing my clergy shirt with the white collar I love being approached by people with their questions. I regularly hear "are you a pastor?", or "could you pray for me?", or "I have this question about God," and I love all of those questions. There's only one question that consistently rubs me the wrong way, which is, "what religion (or kind of Christian) are you?" This question tells me that we The Church (universal, not just the folks who gather in the building I preach at on Sunday mornings), have not done a very good job of looking like The Church as it did here in the book of Acts. They all stood together, united, praying to receive the Holy Spirit. That same Holy Spirit united them in a miracle of speach so that people from all points of the world that they knew heard the Message in terms that they could understand. 3000 people joined The Church on that day. The point is, when people who don't have faith in Jesus see people who do have faith in Jesus standing united, saying the same thing, they listen. I pray for that again.

Questions to Consider
1)How have you experienced the Holy Spirit in your life?

2)What can you do, in your world, to promote unity in The Church?

3)How have you portrayed the Gospel in your world?