Going Global
Opening Prayer
Lord, pour out Your Spirit in me today. Show me the wonders of Your Word.
Read ACTS 2:1–21
When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. 2 Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. 3 They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. 4 All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them.
5 Now there were staying in Jerusalem God-fearing Jews from every nation under heaven. 6 When they heard this sound, a crowd came together in bewilderment, because each one heard their own language being spoken. 7 Utterly amazed, they asked: “Aren’t all these who are speaking Galileans? 8 Then how is it that each of us hears them in our native language? 9 Parthians, Medes and Elamites; residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, 10 Phrygia 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!” 12 Amazed and perplexed, they asked one another, “What does this mean?”
13 Some, however, made fun of them and said, “They have had too much wine.”
Peter Addresses the Crowd
14 Then Peter stood up with the Eleven, raised his voice and addressed the crowd: “Fellow Jews and all of you who live in Jerusalem, let me explain this to you; listen carefully to what I say. 15 These people are not drunk, as you suppose. It’s only nine in the morning! 16 No, this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel:
17 “‘In the last days, God says,
I will pour out my Spirit on all people.
Your sons and daughters will prophesy,
your young men will see visions,
your old men will dream dreams.
18 Even on my servants, both men and women,
I will pour out my Spirit in those days,
and they will prophesy.
19 I will show wonders in the heavens above
and signs on the earth below,
blood and fire and billows of smoke.
20 The sun will be turned to darkness
and the moon to blood
before the coming of the great and glorious day of the Lord.
21 And everyone who calls
on the name of the Lord will be saved.’
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Reflect
How far is your home from Jerusalem? That’s how far the Gospel has traveled. Thank God that it got to you!When the McDonald brothers opened their first hamburger restaurant in 1948 they probably had no idea of how far the name would travel. Similarly, the disciples had no idea how the Gospel would spread. But some of them may have seen the clues. Jesus wasn’t bound by racial and religious boundaries (e.g., John 4:9). His first resurrection appearances were to women. And, clearest of all, he told his followers what would happen as a result of him giving them the Holy Spirit (1:8).
Now it happened—explosively! The physical signs of the Spirit’s coming on them (1,2) caused a huge stir in Jerusalem. The timing couldn’t have been better—Jerusalem was full of Jews from around the world (5), there for the festival. And miraculously, the boundary that would normally have stopped them from understanding the message was broken down (6).
For Peter, who had grown up with Joel’s prophecy (16–21), it now made sense. Seizing the opportunity, he preached to the crowd the amazing message that salvation, rescue and wholeness were available to anyone (21).
Apply
Is it hard for you to imagine certain people receiving God’s salvation? Pray that God will expand your imagination!
Closing prayer
Lord, give me the courage to share your Good News with someone today.
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