The initial experience of the filling of the Holy Spirit

The infilling of the Holy Spirit

1) 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.

Pentecost was a Jewish feast held fifty days after Passover; it was a time of celebration for the first-fruits of the harvest.

At Passover, the first sheaf to be reaped from the barley harvest was presented to God; but at Pentecost, the first fruits of the wheat harvest were given to God. Therefore, Pentecost is called the day of first fruits (Numbers 28:26). Also, Jewish tradition taught that Pentecost commemorates the day when the Law was given to Israel; the feast was sometimes called by the Jews shimchath torah, or "joy of the law".  So on Pentecost, Israel received the Law, and the Church received the Spirit of Grace in fullness.

Notice that the company of believers was all with one accord in one place; they were gathered together sharing the same heart, the same love for God, the same trust in His promise, and the same geography. Before we can be filled, we must recognize our emptiness; by gathering together for prayer, in obedience, these disciples were doing just that. They recognized they did not have the resources in themselves to do what they could or should; they had to rely on the work of God.

The association of the sound of a mighty rushing wind, filling the whole house, is strange, but probably has connection with the fact that in both Hebrew and Greek, the word for spirit (as in Holy Spirit) is the same word for breath or wind.

The tongues of fire appearing over each one is also unusual, probably having association with John the Baptist's prophecy that Jesus would baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire (Matthew 3:11).

The idea behind the picture of fire is usually purification, as fire is used by a refiner to make pure gold, or as it can burn away that which is temporary, to leave that which is lasting. This is an excellent illustration of the principle that the filling of the Holy Spirit is not just for abstract power, but for purity. In certain places in the Old Testament, God would show His special pleasure with a particular sacrifice by kindling the fire for it Himself; fire from heaven would come down and consume the sacrifice.

The experience of the followers of Jesus on Pentecost was another example of God sending fire from heaven to show His pleasure and power, but this time, it descended upon living sacrifices.

Under the Old Covenant, the Holy Spirit rested on God's people more as a nation - Israel; but under the New Covenant, the Holy Spirit rests upon God's people as individuals - the tongues of fire sat upon each of them.

Essentially, the mighty rushing wind and the tongues of fire were only unusual, temporary phenomenon which accompanied the true gift: and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit.

Observations on the Acts 2 filling with the Holy Spirit:

• They were filled in fulfillment of a promise

• They were filled as they appropriated in faith

• They were filled in God's timing

• They were filled as they were together in unity

• They were filled in unusual ways

• The experience of speaking in tongues

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 them speaking in his own language. 7) Utterly amazed, they asked: "Are not all these men who are speaking Galileans? 8) Then how is it that each of us hears them in his own 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."

In response to the filling of the Holy Spirit, the company of believers (not only the twelve apostles), began to speak with other tongues, languages that they had never been taught, and they did this as the Spirit gave them utterance.

The multitude gathered from many nations was there because of the Feast of Pentecost; many of these were the same people in Jerusalem at the last feast - Passover, when an angry mob demanded the execution of Jesus.

A crowd quickly gathered, being attracted by this sound (either the rushing mighty wind or the speaking in other tongues); when they came they heard the Christians speak in their own foreign languages; apparently the Christians could be heard from the windows of the upper room, or they went out onto some kind of balcony or into the temple courts. Not many homes in that era could hold 120 people; it is far more likely that this upper room was part of the temple courts, which was a huge structure, with porches and colonnades and rooms - the crowd would come from people milling about the temple courts.

The crowd heard the Christians speaking . . . the wonderful works of God; all were amazed and perplexed, but some used it as a means of honest inquiry (Whatever could this mean?), others used it as an excuse to dismiss the work of God (They are full of new wine). Galileans were known to be uncultured and poor speakers; this was all the more reason to be impressed with their eloquent ability to speak in other tongues. "Ever since the early church fathers, commentators have seen the blessing of Pentecost as a deliberate and dramatic reversal of the curse of Babel."

Whatever could this mean?

Speaking in tongues is an issue that has started no small controversy in the church; people are still asking the same question these bystanders asked on the day of Pentecost.

The issue centers on what the whole purpose for the gift of tongues is. Some think that the gift of tongues was given primarily as a sign to unbelievers (1 Corinthians 14:21-22), and as a means to miraculously communicate the gospel in diverse languages - and as such, a miracle no longer present in the church today. Others argue that the gift of tongues, while a sign to unbelievers as stated by 1 Corinthians 14:21-22, are primarily a gift of communication between the believer and God (1 Corinthians 14:2; 13-15), a gift still given by God today.

Many people have mistakenly interpreted this incident in Acts 2 to assume that the disciples were speaking in tongues, preaching to the gathered crowd; but this idea is wrong. Notice what the people heard the disciples saying: speaking . . . the wonderful works of God; the disciples were declaring the praises of God, thanking Him with all their might in unknown tongues; the gathered crowd merely overheard what the disciples were exuberantly declaring to God. The idea that these disciples were communicating to the diverse crowd in tongues is manifestly absurd; the crowd had a common language (Greek), and Peter preached a sermon to them in it! (2:14-40).

The gift of tongues is a personal language of prayer given by God, whereby the believer can communicate with God beyond the limits of knowledge and understanding (1 Corinthians 14:14-15). Tongues have an important place in the devotional life of the believer, but a small place in the corporate life of the church (1 Corinthians 14:18-19), especially in "public" meetings (1 Corinthians 14:23).

When tongues are practiced in the corporate life of the church, it is to be carefully controlled, and never without an interpretation given by the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 14:27-28). The ability to pray in an unknown tongue is not a gift given to every believer (1 Corinthians 12:20). The ability to pray in an unknown tongue is not the evidence of the filling of the Holy Spirit; this emphasis has led people to seek the gift of tongues (and to counterfeit it) merely to prove to themselves and others that they really are filled with the Holy Spirit.

The debate around whether the gift of tongues in Acts 2 is the same as the gift of tongues in 1 Corinthians centers around the problem that the speech of Acts 2 was immediately recognized by foreign visitors to Jerusalem, while the speech of 1 Corinthians was unintelligible to those present except with a divinely granted gift of interpretation.

However, those that emphasize the differences, to the point where they argue for two gifts of tongues, neglect to notice that the differences have more to do with the circumstances in which the gifts were exercise than with the gifts themselves.

In Jerusalem, the group being addressed was uniquely cosmopolitan; at feast time (Pentecost), Jews of the dispersion from all over the world were in the city. Therefore, the likelihood that there would be foreign ears to hear a tongue spoken in a different language was much greater. On the other hand, in Corinth (though a rather cosmopolitan city itself), the gift was exercised in a local church, with members all sharing a common language. If one had the same diversity of foreigners visiting the Corinthians church when all were speaking in tongues, it is likely that many would hear members of the Corinthian church speaking in our own tongues the wonderful works of God.

As well, it begs the question to assume that everyone who spoke in tongues on Pentecost was speaking in a language immediately intelligible to human ears present that day. We are told that they all . . . began to speak with other tongues; therefore there were more than 120 individuals’ speaking in tongues. Since the nations spoken of in verses 9-11 number only fifteen (with perhaps others present but not mentioned), it is likely that many (if not most) of the 120 spoke praises to God in a tongue that was not understood by someone immediately present. The text simply does not indicate that everyone speaking in tongues could be understood by someone present.

However, we should not assume that those who were not immediately understood by human ears were speaking "gibberish," as tongues are referred to with derision. They many have been praising God in a language completely unknown, yet human (what would the language of the Aztecs sound like to Roman ears?), or in a completely unique language given by God and understood by Him and Him alone. After all, communication with God, not man, is the purpose of tongues (1 Corinthians 14:2). The repetition of simple phrases, unintelligible and perhaps nonsensical to human bystanders does not relegate such speaking to "gibberish." Praise to God may be simple and repetitive, and part of the whole dynamic of tongues is that it by-passes the understanding of the speaker (1 Corinthians 14:14), being understood by God and God alone.

All in all, we should regard the gift of Acts 2 and the gift of tongues in 1 Corinthians as one in the same, simply because the same term (hetaeras glossais) is used for both, and because the verb translated gave them utterance in Acts 2:4 is frequently used in Greek literature in connection with ecstatic speech.

Peter's sermon on the day of Pentecost

Introduction

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 men are not drunk, as you suppose. It's only nine in the morning!

Peter stands, and preaches to the crowd as a representative of the whole group of apostles. We should notice that the speaking in tongues stopped when Peter began to preach; the Holy Spirit was now working through Peter's preaching, and would not work against Himself through tongues at the same time.

There is a remarkable change in Peter; he has a boldness that is a complete contrast to his denials of Jesus before he was filled with the Holy Spirit.

Peter deflects the mocking criticism that the disciples were drunk; it was unthinkable that people would be so drunk so early in the day (about 9:00). Clarke says that most Jews - pious or not - did not eat or drink until after the third hour of the day, because that was the time for prayer, and they would only eat after their business with God was accomplished.

We shouldn't think that the Christians were acting as if they were drunk; the idea of "being drunk in the Spirit" has no foundation in Scripture; the comment from mockers had no real basis in reality.  "Nor, must we add, did the believers' experience of the Spirit's fullness seem to them or look to others like intoxication, because they had lost control of their normal mental and physical functions, No, the fruit of the Spirit is 'self-control', not the loss of it."

Peter quotes the prophet Joel.

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 heaven 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.'

In the midst of this great outpouring of the Holy Spirit, amidst signs and wonders and speaking in tongues, what does Peter do? Essentially, he says "Let's have a Bible study!” This did not quench the Spirit; it fulfilled what the Holy Spirit wanted to do. All the other things were merely preparatory to this place. Unfortunately, many people set the Word against the Spirit; they can almost think it's more spiritual if there is no Bible study. Sadly, this is often due to the weak and unspiritual teaching of those who teach the Bible!

This quotation from Joel 2:28-32 focuses on God's promise to pour out His Spirit on all flesh; this day is a near fulfillment of that promise, with the final fulfillment coming in the last days (which Peter had good reason to believe he was in).

The idea of the last days is that it is the times of the Messiah, encompassing both His humble coming and His coming in glory. Because Jesus had already come in humbleness, they were aware that His coming in glory could be any time. Though there were still to be some 2,000 years until Jesus returns, until this point, history had been running towards the precipice of the ultimate establishment of God's kingdom on earth, but from this time on, history runs parallel to that precipice, ready at any time for the consummation. It may also be helpful to see the last days as like a "season" - a general period of time, more than a more specific period, like a week. In the whole span of God's plan for human history, we are in the "season" of the last days.

In using the quotation from Joel, Peter explains what these curious onlookers have seen - the Holy Spirit poured forth upon the people. Before, the Holy Spirit was given in drops; now it will be poured forth.

Peter also uses the quotation to an evangelistic purpose; this outpouring of the Holy Spirit means that God is offering salvation in a way previously unknown; whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved. The idea is expressed in Proverbs 18:10: The name of the LORD is a strong tower; The righteous run to it and are safe.

Peter introduces the focus of the sermon: the resurrected Jesus

22) "Men of Israel, listen to this: Jesus of Nazareth was a man accredited by God to you by miracles, wonders and signs, which God did among you through him, as you yourselves know. 23) This man was handed over to you by God's set purpose and foreknowledge; and you, with the help of wicked men, put him to death by nailing him to the cross. 24) But God raised him from the dead, freeing him from the agony of death, because it was impossible for death to keep its hold on him.

Many people would think that it would be enough for Peter to stop after the quotation from Joel - think of what we have in it! (An outpouring of the Holy Spirit; miraculous dreams, visions, and prophecy; signs and wonders regarding the day of the Lord; and an invitation to call on the name of the Lord) But it isn't enough, because Peter hasn't spoken about the saving work of Jesus on our behalf. Everything until now has been introduction, now comes the essential message.

Peter starts off with hear these words - as he had said before, let this be known to you, and heed my words (2:14). Peter wanted people to pay attention, and he spoke as if he had something important to say - something many teachers fail to do.

Peter refers to what these people already knew about Jesus - they already knew of His life and working of miracles. Often in speaking to people about Jesus, we should start with what they already know about Him.

Peter knows that Jesus' death was by the determined counsel and foreknowledge of God; yet that those who rejected Him and called for His execution were responsible for the actions of their lawless hands. Peter did not flinch at saying, "you crucified this Man who was sent by God" - his first concern was not to please his audience, but to tell them the truth.

Yet, it was not possible that Jesus should remain bound by death, as explained by Peter's following quotation from Psalm 16. It was not possible that Jesus should remain a victim of the sin and hatred of man; He would certainly triumph over it. In the term pains of death, the word pains, is actually the word for "birth pains"; in this sense, the tomb was a womb for Jesus! "It was not possible that the chosen one of God should remain in the grip of death; 'the abyss can no more hold the Redeemer than a pregnant woman can hold the child in her body.'"

Peter develops the theme of the resurrected Jesus

25) David said about him:
   ”‘I saw the Lord always before me.
       Because he is at my right hand,
       I will not be shaken.
    26) Therefore my heart is glad and my tongue rejoices;
       my body also will live in hope,
    27) because you will not abandon me to the grave,
       nor will you let your Holy One see decay.
    28) You have made known to me the paths of life;
       you will fill me with joy in your presence.'
29) "Brothers, I can tell you confidently that the patriarch David died and was buried and his tomb is here to this day. 30) But he was a prophet and knew that God had promised him on oath that he would place one of his descendants on his throne. 31) Seeing what was ahead, he spoke of the resurrection of the Christ, that he was not abandoned to the grave, nor did his body see decay. 32) God has raised this Jesus to life, and we are all witnesses of the fact. 33) Exalted to the right hand of God, he has received from the Father the promised Holy Spirit and has poured out what you now see and hear. 34) For David did not ascend to heaven, and yet he said,
   " 'The Lord said to my Lord:
       "Sit at my right hand
    35) until I make your enemies
       a footstool for your feet." '
36) "Therefore let all Israel be assured of this: God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ."

Peter tells us that Psalm 16:8-11 is prophetic, with application to the Messiah; Jesus probably taught Peter this Himself when He instructed the disciples in the Scriptures (Luke 24:44-45).

Although Jesus bore the full wrath of God on the cross, as if He were a guilty sinner, guilty of all our sin, even being made sin for us (2 Corinthians 5:21), even that act was an act of holy, giving love for us - so that Jesus Himself did not become a sinner, even though He bore the full guilt of our sin. This is the gospel message! That Jesus took our punishment for sin on the cross, and remained a perfect Savior through the whole ordeal - proved by His resurrection.

For this reason, He remained the Holy One, even in His death; and it was incomprehensible that God's Holy One should be bound by death - the resurrection was absolutely inevitable.

Peter points out that this Psalm cannot be speaking of its human author, David - he is dead and remains buried; it must be speaking prophetically of Jesus.

The basic evidence of the resurrection was simply the report of reliable eye-witnesses: of which we are all witnesses.

Peter affirms that what is going on is the work of the risen and ascended Jesus, who was sent His Holy Spirit upon His church.

The sermon is concluded with a summation: All Israel should know that even though they crucified Jesus, God has declared Him both Lord and Christ. It is as if Peter was saying, "You were all wrong about Jesus. You crucified Him as if He was a criminal, but God has proven that He is Lord and Messiah." When Peter exhorted them that whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved (2:21), there is little doubt that the Lord was referring to: Jesus. "That the early Christians meant to give Jesus the title Lord in this highest sense of all is indicated by their not hesitating on occasion to apply to him passages of Old Testament scripture referring to Yahweh."

Response to the preaching of Peter

The question is posed in response: what shall we do?

37) When the people heard this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and the other apostles, "Brothers, what shall we do?"

It is fascinating to see what an incredible work of the Holy Spirit was going on; Peter offers absolutely no invitation, merely a declaration of truth - but the listeners themselves supply the invitation! The exercise of the gift of tongues produced nothing in the listeners but astonishment and mocking; it wasn't until the gospel was preached that conviction from the Holy Spirit came. This was the work God really wanted to accomplish.

Cut to the heart is a good way of describing the conviction of the Holy Spirit; they now knew that they were responsible for the death of Jesus (as we all are), and that they had to do something about it.

Peter had a little experience with cutting before; when Jesus was arrested he cut off the right ear of one of the men who came to arrest Jesus (John 18:10). All this made was an embarrassing mess that Jesus had to clean up - this was Peter in the flesh, doing the best he could with a literal sword of human power. When Peter's life had been changed by the resurrected Jesus, and when the power of the Holy Spirit had come upon him, he now does some effective cutting - cutting hearts, opening them to Jesus; this is what Peter could do in the power of the Spirit, doing God's best with the sword of the Spirit, God's Word. Which sword was more powerful?

When God is working on someone's heart, they want to come to Him; they will act to come to Him. Perhaps that's why people are listening to this right now - because they want to come to God!

Peter's invitation

38) Peter replied, "Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. 39) The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off--for all whom the Lord our God will call."
40) With many other words he warned them; and he pleaded with them, "Save yourselves from this corrupt generation."

Peter must have been pleasantly astounded to see what God had done in this situation; instead of people wanting to crucify him because of Jesus, he has thousands of people who want to trust in Jesus as Lord and Messiah.

Peter gives them something to do, in response to their question. This means that we must do something to be saved; we must do something to follow Jesus. It doesn't just "happen".

The first thing Peter tells them to do is to repent. To repent does not mean to feel sorry, but it means to change one's mind or direction - they had thought a certain way about Jesus before (considering Him worthy of crucifixion), now they must turn around their thinking, embracing Him as Lord and Messiah. Repent sounds like such a harsh word in the mouths of many preachers and in the ears of many listeners; but it is an essential aspect of the gospel - the first word of the gospel. 

When John the Baptist preached, he said Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand! (Matthew 3:2); when Jesus began to preach, He said Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand (Matthew 4:17). Now when Peter begins to preach, he starts with repent!

Repentance must never be thought of something we must do before we can come back to God; repentance describes what coming to God is - turning from where we were going before, and turning towards God. In this sense, repent is a word of great hope - it says "you don't have to continue the way you've been going, you can turn to God" - something many people desperately want.

The second thing Peter says they must do is be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ, as an expression of their belief and complete trust in Him. Baptism was making a clear statement; in that day, Jews were not commonly baptized, only Gentiles who wanted to become Jews. For these Jewish men and women to be baptized showed just how strongly they felt they needed Jesus. "While baptism with water was the expected symbol for conversion, it was not an indispensable criterion for salvation."

The promise is to you: then, the gift of the Holy Spirit will be given to them as it was given to the original group of disciples; and as it will be given to succeeding generations of those who believe. The most glorious news about the outpouring of the Holy Spirit was that it was something that these people could take part in - they didn't only have to be observers.

Peter continued to urge the crowd to come in repentant surrender to Jesus; any generation that is responsible for putting Jesus to death is a perverse generation; but since every generation is responsible for Jesus death, every generation needs salvation.

The response documented

41) Those who accepted his message were baptized, and about three thousand were added to their number that day.

This day of Pentecost saw an amazing harvest of souls; the church went from about 120 to 3,120 in one day. Think of how this touched lives; many of the 3,000 were undoubtedly pilgrims who had come to Jerusalem for the feast of Pentecost, expecting something special from God - but not expecting anything like this.

Those who believed on Jesus that day were glad to do so; even making a dramatic statement in baptism. Even though baptism was such a dramatic statement, these all were willing to make it, and with the huge resources of water available on the temple mount, it was not difficult to find a place where the baptisms could take place.

What a baptism service that must have been! But God continues to do such great things; after the 1990 Summer Harvest Crusade, there was a mass baptism at Corona del Mar. They couldn't count how many were baptized, but the event was attended by more than 5,000 people; it was reported as the largest baptism service in the history of America.

The life of these first believers

The foundation of their Christian existence

42) They devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.

On the day of Pentecost, the sound of the rushing wind, the tongues of fire, and the conversion of 3,000 were all remarkable events, but these things were the abiding legacy.

They continued steadfastly in the apostle's doctrine; they relied on the apostles to communicate to them who Jesus was and what He had done; they just trusted in Jesus, now they want to know more! Thankfully, God has allowed us to sit under the apostle's doctrine - the New Testament record. Every pastor should seek to be unoriginal, in the sense that we don't have our own doctrine, but that of the apostles.

The continued in fellowship; the Greek word koinonia has the idea of association, communion, fellowship, participation - to share in something. We share the same Lord Jesus, we share the same guide for life, we share the same love for God, we share the same desire to worship Him, we share the same struggles, we share the same victories, we share the same job of living for Him, we share the same joy of communicating that gospel to others.

They continued in the breaking of bread; even living so close to the time when Jesus was crucified, they still never wanted to forget it - how much more should we?

They continued in prayers; whenever God's work is being done, God's people are praying.

Everything else we read about the power and glory of the early church flows from this foundation. From Luke's description of the early Christian community, "The educated reader would have got the impression here that the Greek ideal of society had been realized."

The power of God was present among them

43) Everyone was filled with awe, and many wonders and miraculous signs were done by the apostles.

The power of God was manifest in two ways: many wonders and signs were done, and where God is moving, lives will be touched in miraculous ways.

The power of God was also evident because fear came upon every soul; we only have the kind of reverent awe we should have towards God when He is working with power in our lives.

The hearts of the people were close together, sharing in the common life of Jesus

44) All the believers were together and had everything in common. 45) Selling their possessions and goods, they gave to anyone as he had need.

With the influx of more that 3,000 believers, most of whom stayed in Jerusalem and didn't have jobs, the family of Christians had to share if they were to survive. We shouldn't regard this as "early communism," because it was voluntary, temporary, and flawed to the extent that the church is Jerusalem was in continual need of financial support from other churches - we don't have any evidence this continued very long.

The Jews had a tremendous custom of hospitality during any major feast like Pentecost; all visitors were received into private homes, and no one could charge for giving a bed or a room to a visitor, or for supplying their basic needs. The Christians took this tremendous feast-time hospitality and made it an everyday thing.

The power of God is evident here because Jesus had become much more important to them than their possessions.

The Christian family lived together, and saw itself grow

46) Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, 47) praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.

The church is meant to worship God and learn His Word together, but it is meant to do more; God wants us to share our lives with one another.

Their Christian experience was daily, joyful and simple - good examples for us to follow.