TogetherReadActs2:1–47(NRSV)

WhenthedayofPentecosthadcome,theywerealltogetherinoneplace.2Andsuddenlyfromheaventherecameasoundliketherushofaviolentwind,anditfilledtheentirehousewheretheyweresitting.3Dividedtongues,asoffire,appearedamongthem,andatonguerestedoneachofthem.4AllofthemwerefilledwiththeHolySpiritandbegantospeakinotherlanguages,astheSpiritgavethemability.

5NowthereweredevoutJewsfromeverynationunderheavenlivinginJerusalem.6Andatthissoundthecrowdgatheredandwasbewildered,becauseeachoneheardthemspeakinginthenativelanguageofeach.7Amazedandastonished,theyasked,“ArenotallthesewhoarespeakingGalileans?8Andhowisitthatwehear,eachofus,inourownnativelanguage?9Parthians,Medes,Elamites,andresidentsofMesopotamia,JudeaandCappadocia,PontusandAsia,10PhrygiaandPamphylia,EgyptandthepartsofLibyabelongingtoCyrene,andvisitorsfromRome,bothJewsandproselytes,11CretansandArabs—inourownlanguageswehearthemspeakingaboutGod’sdeedsofpower.”12Allwereamazedandperplexed,sayingtooneanother,“Whatdoesthismean?”13Butotherssneeredandsaid,“Theyarefilledwithnewwine.”

14ButPeter,standingwiththeeleven,raisedhisvoiceandaddressedthem,“MenofJudeaandallwholiveinJerusalem,letthisbeknowntoyou,andlistentowhatIsay.15Indeed,thesearenotdrunk,asyousuppose,foritisonlynineo’clockinthemorning.16No,thisiswhatwasspokenthroughtheprophetJoel:

17‘Inthelastdaysitwillbe,Goddeclares,thatIwillpouroutmySpirituponallflesh,andyoursonsandyourdaughtersshallprophesy,andyouryoungmenshallseevisions,

andtheFamine

andyouroldmenshalldreamdreams.18Evenuponmyslaves,bothmenandwomen,inthosedaysIwillpouroutmySpirit;andtheyshallprophesy.19AndIwillshowportentsintheheavenaboveandsignsontheearthbelow,blood,andfire,andsmokymist.20Thesunshallbeturnedtodarknessandthemoontoblood,beforethecomingoftheLord’sgreatandgloriousday.21TheneveryonewhocallsonthenameoftheLordshallbesaved.’

22“YouthatareIsraelites,listentowhatIhavetosay:JesusofNazareth,amanattestedtoyoubyGodwithdeedsofpower,wonders,andsignsthatGoddidthroughhimamongyou,asyouyourselvesknow—23thisman,handedovertoyouaccordingtothedefiniteplanandforeknowledgeofGod,youcrucifiedandkilledbythehandsofthoseoutsidethelaw.24ButGodraisedhimup,havingfreedhimfromdeath,becauseitwasimpossibleforhimtobeheldinitspower.25ForDavidsaysconcerninghim,

‘IsawtheLordalwaysbeforeme,forheisatmyrighthandsothatIwillnotbeshaken;26thereforemyheartwasglad,andmytonguerejoiced;moreovermyfleshwillliveinhope.27ForyouwillnotabandonmysoultoHades,orletyourHolyOneexperiencecorruption.28Youhavemadeknowntomethewaysoflife;youwillmakemefullofgladnesswithyourpresence.’

29“FellowIsraelites,ImaysaytoyouconfidentlyofourancestorDavidthathebothdiedandwasburied,andhistombiswithustothisday.30Sincehewasaprophet,heknewthatGodhadswornwithanoathtohimthathewouldputoneofhisdescendantsonhisthrone.31Foreseeingthis,DavidspokeoftheresurrectionoftheMessiah,saying,

‘HewasnotabandonedtoHades,nordidhisfleshexperiencecorruption.’

32ThisJesusGodraisedup,andofthatallofusarewitnesses.33BeingthereforeexaltedattherighthandofGod,andhavingreceivedfromtheFatherthepromiseoftheHolySpirit,hehas

pouredoutthisthatyoubothseeandhear.34ForDaviddidnotascendintotheheavens,buthehimselfsays,

‘TheLordsaidtomyLord,“Sitatmyrighthand,35untilImakeyourenemiesyourfootstool.”’

36ThereforelettheentirehouseofIsraelknowwithcertaintythatGodhasmadehimbothLordandMessiah,thisJesuswhomyoucrucified.”

37Nowwhentheyheardthis,theywerecuttotheheartandsaidtoPeterandtotheotherapostles,“Brothers,whatshouldwedo?”38Petersaidtothem,“Repent,andbebaptizedeveryoneofyouinthenameofJesusChristsothatyoursinsmaybeforgiven;andyouwillreceivethegiftoftheHolySpirit.39Forthepromiseisforyou,foryourchildren,andforallwhoarefaraway,everyonewhomtheLordourGodcallstohim.”40Andhetestifiedwithmanyotherargumentsandexhortedthem,saying,“Saveyourselvesfromthiscorruptgeneration.”41Sothosewhowelcomedhismessagewerebaptized,andthatdayaboutthreethousandpersonswereadded.42Theydevotedthemselvestotheapostles’teachingandfellowship,tothebreakingofbreadandtheprayers.

43Awecameuponeveryone,becausemanywondersandsignswerebeingdonebytheapostles.44Allwhobelievedweretogetherandhadallthingsincommon;45theywouldselltheirpossessionsandgoodsanddistributetheproceedstoall,asanyhadneed.46Daybyday,astheyspentmuchtimetogetherinthetemple,theybrokebreadathomeandatetheirfoodwithgladandgeneroushearts,47praisingGodandhavingthegoodwillofallthepeople.AnddaybydaytheLordaddedtotheirnumberthosewhowerebeingsaved.

BACKGROUND

ItishelpfultogetsomebackgroundontheFeastofPentecost.TodosoreadExodus34:22-24andDeuteronomy16:9-17.InIsrael,allfamiliesweretoappearbeforetheLordthreetimesayearatthreespecificfestivals,Passover,theFeastofWeeks(Pentecost),andtheFeastofBoothsinthefall.EachofthesefeastscelebratedGod’srichgenerosityofcovenantlove.PassoverconnectstotheFeastofWeeks,celebratedonthefiftiethdayafterPassover,(PentacostcomesfromtheGreekPentēkostēmeaning“fiftieth")asthefirstsignofGod’sblessinginthelandafterGod’sworkofsalvationfromthelandandhandofEgypt,theplacewhereGodsavedthemthroughdeath.

ThisweekwecelebratePentecostandthepouringoutoftheHolySpiritonthosegatheredinJerusalemfortheFeastofWeeks.Thiseventoccurs50daysaftertheResurrectionofJesus.ResurrectionSundayandPentecostSundayareinterrelated.

QUESTIONSFORREFLECTION

1. Doyou(we)holdPentecostSundaywiththesamevalueasResurrectionSunday?Whyorwhynot?

2. WhatkindofconnectiondoyouseebetweentheresurrectionofJesusChristandthe

pouringoutoftheSpirit?

3. WhatislostwhenwefailtorecognizethemeaningofPentecost?

4. TakeafewminutestoreadActs2again,specificallyverses12,32,and37.Therearethreeimplicitquestionsthatoccurwithinthepassage.Howareeachofthesequestionsanswered?

• Whatdoesthismean?(v.12)• Whoisdoingthis?(v.32)• Whatshallwedo?(v.37)

5. Yearslater,afterthefirstPentecostofthechurch,afamineoccurredinIsraelandtheeffectinthecityofJerusalemwasgreat.Thechurchsufferedinpovertyandgreatmaterialwant.Paul,whosoughttotakethemessageofunitybetweenJewandGentile,painfullyboretheweightofthoseofhisownpeopleinJerusalemwhoquestionedandcriticizedhisworkamongtheGentiles.PaulknewofthisfamineandoverseveralyearsbeganacollectiontotaketoJerusalem,whichofcoursegothimarrestedandopenedhiswaytoRome.HewantedtobringthisfirstfruitofferingatPentecosttomakeapointofGod’soneSpiritworkamongallpeople.ReadRomans15.25-31tohearhisrationaleforthisPentecostaloffering.

• WhywasPaultakingthiscollectiontoJerusalem?• WhymighthehavewantedtodeliverthisatPentecost?• HowdoesPaulseerelationshipbetweenspiritualblessingandsocialactsofcareforthe

poor?

6. WhathasthisunprecedentedseasonforourchurchtaughtyouabouttheroleoftheHolySpiritinourcommunity?

PRAYINGFOROURCOMMUNITY

InyourCommunityGrouporinyourpersonalstudytimeprayforeachotheroroneselftobeopenandreceptivethewindsofGod’sSpiritworkingamongus.PraiseGodfortheresurrectedlifeofChristlivingthroughusthankingGodaswellforthegiftoftheSpiritthatunitesusandenablesustocontinuegivinggenerouslywithoutreserveorworry.