Category Archives: Pentecost

Acts 2: the coming of the Holy Spirit on Pentecost

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What happened in on Pentecost in Acts 2?

Any knowledgeable Christian knows that early believers spilled onto the street speaking in tongues. Peter preached to the crowd that gathered, and 3,000 people believed and received baptism.

In other words, Acts 2 described the birthday of the church, but let’s not pass too quickly over the opening verses of the chapter. The first four verses describe five important events.

They were all together in one place

Acts 2:1 says they were all together in one place. Who are “they”?

Ten days separate the Ascension from Pentecost, ten days that saw some important decisions.… Read the rest

Speaking in tongues: why are some churches so afraid?

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On the day of Pentecost, 120 followers of Jesus began speaking in tongues. That is, they spoke in some other language besides the one or ones they knew. They spilled out into the street. Some foreigners in Jerusalem for the festival recognized their own native languages.

That strange sign caught people’s attention. Peter addressed the crowd and 3,000 of them believed in Jesus. The Christian church was born.

Speaking in tongues on that occasion began to reverse the confusion of languages God had inflicted on the builders of Babel. It brought a kind of unity where there had been division before.… Read the rest

Pentecost––and Babel––is every day

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We have just passed Pentecost Sunday. Just as with Christmas, Easter, and other times on the church calendar, we do not merely remember something that happened in the distant past. Each event continues to change the world to this day and beyond. Final fulfillment will come only when Jesus returns.

When I say Pentecost is every day, I don’t mean that tongues of fire still appear over people’s heads. I don’t mean that 120 people speak in tongues every day and that other people recognized 14 of the languages. But on Pentecost, the Holy Spirit invaded this world and began to take it back from the devil.… Read the rest

Holy drunkenness on Pentecost

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Did your church acknowledge Pentecost? If so, how? The church has become divided over the significance of the events of the first Christian Pentecost.

Pentecostals emphasize the supernatural events and consider them normative. Others fear them and try to explain them away.

Some even teach that God no longer performs supernatural acts and that anyone who claims otherwise follows the devil! So what happened? And what does it matter now?

… Read the rest