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Acts 2:1-11
Acts 2:1-11
1. GOD'S PRECONDITIONS WERE FULFILLED (Moses)
a. Now God's Time had arrived.
The Day of Pentecost was the 50th /hé pentakonté/ day [(7x7)+1] after the
Passover; it was the Feast of Weeks ending with Bikkurim or Firstfruits.
Christ is the Firstfruits of them that slept, the first-begotten from the dead
(1 Corinthians 15:20). His New Life is available to all from Pentecost.
b. Now God's Team had assembled.
There were 120 believers by the Temple Gate, gathered "with one accord" in the
one place. They were ecumenical; multiracial; polyglottal. There were
Pharisees, Sadducees, and Zealots; there was Simon of Cyrene "called The
Black" (Acts 13:1 TEV) Between them they spoke Hebrew, Aramaic, Greek, Latin
and Cyrenaic even before the gift of Tongues.
2. GOD'S PROPHECIES WERE FULFILLED (Joel)
a. There was an Awesome Sound:
like the Wind of God that Ezekiel felt in Ezekiel 37:9-10? Maybe; but more
like the Wind of God that Jesus described to Nicodemus in John 3:8.
b. There was an Amazing Sight:
like the Flames of the Burning Bush Moses saw (that burned but was not
consumed, Exodus 3:2); or like St Elmo's Fire. These were not the *Ardent*
flames of the Judgment of God, but the *Lambent* flames of the Light of God.
c. There was an Astounding Syndrome:
the reversal of Babel confusion. All heard in their own tongues the wonderful
works of God, instead of hearing in foreigners' tongues of the wilful works of
man. What wonderful works? Christ's Resurrection and our Redemption. This
was not *Psychobabble*; this was *Glossolalia*.
3. GOD'S PURPOSES WERE FULFILLED (Jesus)
Here is Power for the People of God:
a. God's Power to Praise.
The most common use of Tongues today is in spontaneous outbursts of Praise to
God, and in prayer for things which we cannot clearly specify.
b. God's Power to Prophesy.
Of all the gifts of Pentecost, St Paul urges us to desire the gift of prophecy
(1 Corinthians 14:1ff). Prophecies edify the people, whereas Tongues only
baffle, bemuse and bewilder them. Peter quotes Joel 2:28 about *all*
prophesying.
c. God's Power to Preach.
Peter's extempore sermon is a model of Biblical exposition and practical
application, comparing Scripture with Scripture. All "off the cuff"; but born
out of his deep knowledge of the Lord, and of his Word; and inspired by the
Holy Spirit.
d. God's Power to Propagate.
As a result of the day's events, 3,000 people were baptised there and then. It
must have been like dancing in London's Trafalgar Square fountains! Why
3,000? 3,000 had been slain when the Law was promulged (Exodus 32:28). After
Judgment there is Mercy.
_________________________________________________________________________
In Christ,
Ben
--
Revd Ben Crick, BA CF
232 Canterbury Road, Birchington, Kent, CT7 9TD (UK)
http://www.cnetwork.co.uk/crick.htm
