LANGUAGE BARRIER
Opening Prayer
Holy Spirit, speak to me today through Your Word.
Read Acts 2:1–13
The Holy Spirit Comes at Pentecost
2 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[a] 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,[b] 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.”
New International Version (NIV)Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Reflect
When was the last time God did something in your life that was unexpected?Pentecost, or ‘the Feast of Weeks,’ was the festival that encouraged the Jews to think back to the period between God rescuing them from Egypt and the giving of the Law to Moses, around seven weeks. The festival was intended to symbolize the anticipation and desire for God giving His Word to His people. The disciples had definitely been waiting in anticipation (1:4, 8) but couldn’t have expected anything like what actually happened (2–4).
Because of the festival, Jerusalem was filled with Jewish pilgrims from all over the world (5). And yet, enabled by the Spirit, the disciples were speaking every language under the sun and could be understood (6–8).
What did it mean (12)? God was doing a new thing and it was breaking out into the world. He desires that all people everywhere hear the Gospel and glorify Him – your sister, neighbor, colleague, fellow student, and people from places that you haven’t heard of and perhaps can’t even pronounce (Cappadocia anyone?). Every different language brought together by the one and only Savior.
Apply
Ask God to fill you with His Holy Spirit and to give you power to tell other people how wonderful Jesus is. How might you wait in anticipation for what He wants to do in your life?
Closing prayer
God, I want all that You have for me. Have Your way in my life today. I am Yours. Now, begin to praise God.
Book and Author Intros
Extras
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