This reflection is the second in our study of the book of Acts. You need to review, God’s Power, My Purpose, God’s Plan, which was the first article in this series. 

Read Acts 2: 1-13, which is the foundation for this reflection. 

Let me point out that the book of Acts has two major parts:

• Part One: How the movement of Christians was born in chapters 1 and 2. Chapters 3 through 12 are about the growth of the Church with Peter as the primary leader. 
• Part Two: How God called Paul (formerly known as Saul and the persecutor of Christians) to a ministry with non-Jews. This section covers the rest of the book (chapters 13 through 28).

What do we then learn from Acts 2: 1-13? 

To help us do just that, I will divide this piece of scripture into two parts: what happens in private, and what happens in public. 

 

 

They were all together and in one place 

 

 

What happens in private, to the disciples, meant to be together and in one place. 

Read verse 1,

When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. 

You need to understand that the disciples chose to be together and in one place, first, because it was Jesus’ command (Acts 1:4). 

Also, they wanted to be with each other because of the fear of the religious leaders who had killed their risen Master, Jesus Christ. 

The concept of being together is so powerful even for us all today. The power that lies in togetherness draws on unity in terms of mission, vision, and values. 

To “togetherness,” add being in one place. 

Now, I don’t want you to limit the concept of “one place,” only to the physical environment. I would like us to view “one place” as “space.” 

It is the space we make available, free, unoccupied for all. 

The disciples, in Acts 2, had created space for all. The question is “do we create space for others in our Church?” 

The other things that happen in private are what you see in verses 2 and 3, 

Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them. 

As a result of being together (following Jesus’ command) and making space for each other in the upper room, they each received the Holy Spirit.

In those private moments, two things happened. 

First, there were miracles of sound and sight. Those are manifestations of God pouring out of His Spirit in us. There will always be miracles of sound and sight (see verse 2). 

Second, the Holy Spirit made the disciples burn and speak as a result of the tongues of fire that had come upon each one of them (read verse 3). 

 

 

The Multitude is amazed

 

 

When Pentecost happened according to Acts 2, it was during the festival of Weeks, one of the three major festivals in the Jewish tradition.

They usually celebrated it on the 50th day after the immolation of the paschal lamb, which is also the day Jesus had died on the cross (our Paschal Lamb). 

That’s why we, Christians, use the same timeline to celebrate Pentecost, which always occurs 7 weeks after Easter Sunday. It falls on the 8th Sunday (counting Easter Day). 

Since the festival of Weeks is such a major celebration in Jerusalem there were Jews from a lot of places around the world. Read verses 9-11,  

Parthians, Medes, and Elamites; residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya near Cyrene; visitors from Rome; Cretans and Arabs. 

Remember what Jesus had said to the disciples in Acts 1:8, 

But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.

[bctt tweet=”Becoming God’s witnesses is the only plan for God to use us and reach out to other people with the Gospel.” username=”emmanuelnaweji”]

And, this plan was to reach every human being starting in Jerusalem and going to the ends of the earth. 

Every time I read Acts 2, I always think of God as the best marketing strategist ever.

He knew that on the Day of Pentecost, there would be people, from all over the world, in Jerusalem. And, that was the perfect time to begin implementing His plan of redemption. 

Read verses 5 through 13. 

You see several things in this passage. The first one is the fact that there were many people in Jerusalem when the Holy Spirit came down on the disciples. 

If you do the math, based on how many converted to the message (3,000 – see verse 41), we could say there were over 10,000 at least who might have witnessed Pentecost. 

So, what was private now has become public, and as a result, the multitude is amazed. 

The pouring of the Holy Spirit on the disciples gave birth to the First Church. We will talk more about this community in the next article. 

In the meantime, let’s keep in mind that the first Church was very diverse with people from many places around the world. 

 

 

In Conclusion

Acts 2 is a reminder that the Holy Spirit isn’t only about the physical manifestations (speaking in tongues, noise, etc.), but a better understanding of God’s plan and power. It teaches us the truth that God’s Spirit makes us burn to share the message that Jesus is Lord and Savior to every human being, no matter who they are and where they may be from, and that anyone is welcome into God’s Church.