5/19/13- Pentecost a Different Kind of Spirit

⁵ And there were dwelling at Jerusalem Jews, devout men, out of every nation under heaven.

⁶ Now when this was noised abroad, the multitude came together, and were confounded, because that every man heard them speak in his own language.

⁷ And they were all amazed and marvelled, saying one to another, Behold, are not all these which speak Galilaeans?

⁸ And how hear we every man in our own tongue, wherein we were born?

⁹ Parthians, and Medes, and Elamites, and the dwellers in Mesopotamia, and in Judaea, and Cappadocia, in Pontus, and Asia,

¹⁰ Phrygia, and Pamphylia, in Egypt, and in the parts of Libya about Cyrene, and strangers of Rome, Jews and proselytes,

¹¹ Cretes and Arabians, we do hear them speak in our tongues the wonderful works of God.

¹² And they were all amazed, and were in doubt, saying one to another, What meaneth this?

¹³ Others mocking said, These men are full of new wine.

¹⁴ But Peter, standing up with the eleven, lifted up his voice, and said unto them, Ye men of Judaea, and all ye that dwell at Jerusalem, be this known unto you, and hearken to my words:

¹⁵ For these are not drunken, as ye suppose, seeing it is but the third hour of the day.

¹⁶ But this is that which was spoken by the prophet Joel;

¹⁷ And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams:

¹⁸ And on my servants and on my handmaidens I will pour out in those days of my Spirit; and they shall prophesy:

¹⁹ And I will shew wonders in heaven above, and signs in the earth beneath; blood, and fire, and vapour of smoke:

²⁰ The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and notable day of the Lord come:

²¹ And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved.

Thoughts: From a secular point of view how might one describe Pentecost?  Maybe someone might say, it was a spiritual experience for you, but I don't want any of it.  Maybe the people seemed confused- even "drunk?"  Ironically Paul contrasts being filled with alcohol spirits with the Holy Spirit when he said, "be not drunk on wine but be filled with the Spirit."  (Eph. 5:18).  Whatever happened, it was something unusual so that 3,000 people were added to their number that day.  That they understood the gospel clearly- in their own language or not- is important.  From the outside looking in spiritual experiences are best labeled "crazy" so that we might keep our distance.  But to the three thousand who formed the next nucleus of the church it was the most enriching, awe-inspiring, wonderful experience ever!  There are no adequate secular words to describe the mystical, mysterious, mystifying spiritual experience with the living God.  

Prayer: Lord, let me not be afraid to listen to your Spirit and to respond to you knocking upon my heart's door.  

 Gloucester- Pentecost