The Power and Peace in Pentecost
The Birthday of the Church
What actually happened on that first day of Pentecost after Christ’s ascension?
Luke 24:49 APNT:
and I will send to you the promise of my Father. But remain in the city, Jerusalem, until you be clothed with power from on high.
When you think about it, someone who is not born again is walking around naked.
Acts 1:8 APNT:
But when the Holy Spirit comes on you, you will receive power and you will be witnesses for me in Jerusalem and in all Judea and also among the Samaritans, even to the ends of the earth.
Acts 2:1 APNT:
And when the days of Pentecost were fulfilled as all were assembled together,
“Pentecost” means 50 days; the Hebrew name is Shavuot, which means “weeks.” It was seven weeks after Passover. It was also called “Counting of the Omer.”
An omer is a unit of measure. It’s about four pounds of flour. Pentecost was at the time of the wheat harvest. They would harvest the first omer, the first sheaves, and from it would make two large loaves of bread to wave in the temple as the first offering on the day of Pentecost.
Like with the barley harvest around Passover, Jesus Christ was the first fruits from the dead. At the barley harvest, there was one loaf used in the temple service; then at Pentecost, there were two loaves used. They only knew that it was harvest and first fruits, but they didn’t know what it was really all about.
They always read the scroll of Ruth during Pentecost
Ruth was a gentile. She gleans in Boaz’s field, and Boaz becomes the kinsman redeemer for Ruth. Ruth and Boaz end up becoming the grandparents of David.
So the story of Ruth is of a gentile, someone who was rejected, who is redeemed and brought into God’s family. In fact, she is part of the Christ-line. Remember when Ruth lay down on the threshing floor and Boaz spread his cloak over her? That’s a pledge that there would be full redemption later. And that’s actually the story of Pentecost. When we receive Holy Spirit, that’s a pledge of the full redemption that is to come later when we receive our new bodies. Ruth was like a foreshadowing of the day of Pentecost.
The apostles had waited for ten days since the ascension. They go into the temple on the day of the wave offering. Watch what happens right after the wave offering in the temple.
Acts 2:2–4 APNT:
2 suddenly there was a sound from heaven as a powerful wind and the whole house in which they were sitting was filled with it.
3 And tongues that were divided appeared to them as fire and sat on each one of them.
4 And all of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and they began to speak in different languages, as the Spirit gave them to speak.
First, you have the sound of the wind, and then what looked like tongues of fire coming down on each of them.
The word “sound” in verse 2 means like an echo. A powerful wind. They heard the sound of the wind, but did not feel any wind! It’s like the Spirit, we don’t feel it.
The word for Spirit, ruach, can be translated as wind, breath, or spirit. Jesus had breathed on them when he taught them about this previously in John 20:22.
Everyone in the temple heard the sound of the wind or breathing, though they felt no wind.
Acts 2:3
(KJV) And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them.
(NET) And tongues spreading out like a fire appeared to them and came to rest on each one of them.
(NIrV) They saw something that looked like fire in the shape of tongues. The flames separated and came to rest on each of them.
It was “as fire,” not real fire, like a vision.
Wind and fire are both symbols of God’s presence.
John 3:8 APNT:
The wind will blow where it wants and you hear its sound, but you do not know [from] where it comes and to where it goes. So is everyone who is born from the Spirit.
The wind part represents power. In the Old Testament, fire represents both judgment and acceptance.
Judges 6:20–24 KJV:
20 And the angel of God said unto him, Take the flesh and the unleavened cakes, and lay them upon this rock, and pour out the broth. And he did so. 21 Then the angel of the LORD put forth the end of the staff that was in his hand, and touched the flesh and the unleavened cakes; and there rose up fire out of the rock, and consumed the flesh and the unleavened cakes. Then the angel of the LORD departed out of his sight. 22 And when Gideon perceived that he was an angel of the LORD, Gideon said, Alas, O Lord GOD! for because I have seen an angel of the LORD face to face. 23 And the LORD said unto him, Peace be unto thee; fear not: thou shalt not die. 24 Then Gideon built an altar there unto the LORD, and called it Jehovahshalom: [the Lord our Peace, ] unto this day it is yet in Ophrah of the Abiezrites.
The fire represented acceptance of the offering. That’s the first place Jehovah Shalom is used.
On the day of Pentecost, the fire indicated that God accepted them and that He would give them shalom (peace, protection).
Power and Peace
Acts 2:4 APNT:
And all of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and they began to speak in different languages, as the Spirit gave them to speak.
Speaking in tongues is an outward, overflowing of what God has put inside of us.
Acts 2:5–6 APNT:
5 And there were men who were living in Jerusalem who feared God, Judeans from all the nations that are under heaven.
6 And when that sound occurred, all the people gathered and were troubled, because each oneof them heard that they were speaking in their [own] languages.
There were two responses initially: “What is this about?” and mocking.
Whenever there is a move of God and His Word, there will be one of three reactions.
- Some will mock.
- Some will say they’ll hear more later.
- Some will believe.
Acts 17:32 APNT:
And when they heard of the resurrection that is from the dead, some of them mocked, and some of them said, “At another time we will hear you about this.”
Acts 17:34a APNT:
And some of them followed after him and believed.
Acts 2:13 APNT:
And others were mocking them, saying, “These [men] have drunk new wine and are intoxicated.”
The tradition was that, on the day of Pentecost, no one would eat or drink until after the offering was made—so they wouldn’t have been drunk.
Acts 2:14– APNT:
14 Afterward, Simon Peter stood up with the eleven apostles and raised his voice and said to them, “Men, Judeans, and all who live in Jerusalem, let this be known to you and listen to my words.
15 For these [men] are not intoxicated, as you suppose, for behold, it is still only the third hour [9:00 AM].
16 But this is that which was spoken by Joel the prophet:
17 It will be in the last days, said God, [that] I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh. Your sons will prophesy and your daughters and your young men will see visions, and your old men will dream dreams.
18 And on my servants and on my handmaidens I will pour out my spirit in those days and they will prophesy.
19 And I will give signs in heaven and mighty works on the earth, blood and fire and vapor of smoke.
20 The sun will be turned to darkness and the moon into blood before the great and terrible day of the lord will come.
21 And it will be [that] everyone who calls on the name of the lord will live.
The signs and mighty works spoken of in verse 19 included what was seen and heard, the wind, fire, and speaking in tongues.
Acts 2:32–35 APNT:
32 This Jesus has God raised and all of us are his witnesses.
33 And this is he who is elevated at the right hand of God and received from the Father the promise concerning the Holy Spirit. And he has poured out this gift that behold, you see and you hear.
34 For David did not ascend into heaven, because he said, The lord said to my Lord, sit at my right hand
35 until I place your enemies [as] a footstool for your feet.
The people wondered what it was all about, and Peter told them that it was about the resurrection.
Acts 2:36–41 APNT:
36 Therefore, all the house of Israel should truly know that God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, lord and Christ.”
37 And when they heard these [things], they were moved in their heart[s] and said to Simon and to the rest of the apostles, “What should we do, our brothers?”
38 Simon said to them, “Repent and be baptized, each one of you, in the name of the lord Jesus for the forgiveness of sins, so that you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.
39 For the promise is to you and to your children and to all those who are far away, those whom God will call.”
40 And with many other words he testified to them and begged them, saying, “Live apart from this perverse generation.”
41 And some of them willingly received his word and believed and were baptized. And there were added in that day about three thousand people.
The two loaves of the harvest were representing the giving of the Holy Spirit that God was to do on the day of Pentecost. At that time they received the first fruits of the Spirit.
Romans 8:15–16 APNT:
15 For you have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption by which we call, “Father, our Father.”
16 And the Spirit gives testimony to our spirit that we are the sons of God.
Romans 8:23–26 APNT:
23 And they are not alone, but we also who have the first[fruit] of the Spirit groan within ourselves and we wait for the adoption and the redemption of our bodies,
24 because we live in hope. But hope that is seen is not hope. For if we see it, why do we wait for it?
25 But if we hope for something that is not seen, we continue with endurance.
26 So also, the Spirit aids our weakness, for we do not know what is right to pray for. But the Spirit prays on our behalf with groans that are not describable.
In the prophecy in Joel that Peter talked about, it talked about the Word being written in their hearts, about overcoming all the powers of darkness,
After the wave offering, they took it home with them. It was a peace offering. It was the only offering that was leavened and that all the people shared in. They were to take it home and have a celebratory meal, praise God, and fellowship together. And that’s exactly what they did!
Acts 2:42 APNT:
And they were steadfast in the teaching of the apostles and were fellowshipping in prayer and in the breaking [of the bread] of communion.
Acts 2:47 APNT:
they were praising God, while giving mercies before all the people. And our Lord added every day those who were being given life in the church.
Scripture References
Scripture quoted by permission. Quotations designated (NET) are from The NET Bible® Copyright © 1996, 2019 by Biblical Studies Press, L.L.C. www.netbible.com. All rights reserved.
Scripture marked (NIrV) The Holy Bible, New International Reader’s Version®, NIrV®. Copyright © 1995, 1996, 1998, 2014 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
This teaching is also available on the Acts Now Fellowship website.
Bookstore Suggestions:
