Acts 2:1-13 “The Power of Pentecost” (Pentecost – Part 1)
“…‘what must I do to be saved?’ They said,
‘Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household.’” Acts 16:30-31 (NASB)
Key Verse(s)- Pentecost and the sign of “tongues” —> People’s reaction
Acts 2:11-13 (NASB) *The initial reaction – Some were open, some were not!
“’…we hear them in our own tongues speaking of the mighty deeds of God.’ And they all continued in amazement and great perplexity, saying to one another, ‘What does this mean?’ But others were mocking and saying, ‘They are full of sweet wine.’” Note: We often get a similar reaction when sharing the Gospel today!
Key x-References – How the word “tongues” is used in Scripture
Leviticus 23:4-16 (excerpts NASB) *The spiritual calendar of Israel—3 major feasts
4 “These are the…holy convocations which you shall proclaim at the times appointed for them. In the first month, on the fourteenth day of the month at twilight is the LORD’S Passover. Then on the fifteenth day of the same month there is the Feast of Unleavened Bread…9 … ‘When you enter the land which I am going to give to you and reap its harvest, then you shall bring in the sheaf of the first fruits of your harvest to the priest’…15 You shall also count for yourselves from the day after the sabbath, from the day when you brought in the sheaf of the wave offering; there shall be seven com- plete sabbaths. You shall count fifty days to the day after the seventh sabbath; then you shall present a new grain offering to the LORD.” Note: “Pentecost” = “fiftieth”
Judges 7:5 (excerpts NASB) *The literal physical organ of the “tongue”
“So he brought the people down to the water. And the LORD said to Gideon, “You shall separate everyone who laps the water with his tongue as a dog laps…” cf. Mark 7:33
Psalm 12:3 (NASB) *The literal function of the “tongue” as in speaking a language “May the LORD cut off all flattering lips, The tongue that speaks great things.”
Psalm 57:4 (excerpts NASB) *The figurative, or descriptive use of the word “tongue” “My soul is among lions; I must lie among those who breathe forth fire, Even the sons of men, whose teeth are spears and arrows And their tongue a sharp sword.”
Isaiah 5:24 (excerpts NASB) *The figurative, or representative use of “tongue” “Therefore, as a tongue of fire consumes stubble And dry grass collapses into the flame, So their root will become like rot and their blossom blow away as dust; For they have rejected the law of the LORD of hosts And despised the word of the Holy One …”
1 Corinthians 12:10 (excerpts NASB) *Key New Testament teaching on use of “tongues” “…various kinds of tongues…” Note: “tongue(s)” is used 20x in 1 Corinthians 12-14
Key Terms (most words have a ‘field of meaning’ —> various translations)
“tongue” (vv.3,4,11) Greek #1100 (50x), NASB glôssa, from a primary root ‘projecting point’; thetongue,alanguage:–tongue(25),tongues(25)-cf.English“glossolalia”
“language” (vv.6,8) Greek #1258 (6x/all in Acts), NASB dialektos, from Gk. Root #1256: speech, language:– dialect (3), language (3) – cf. English “dialect”
“So the church throughout all Judea and Galilee and Samaria enjoyed peace, being built up; and going on in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit, it continued to increase.”
Acts 9:31 (NASB)
The Book of Acts Series #4 7/4/21
The Birth and Expansion of the Church of Jesus Christ “…you shall be My witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and even to the remotest part of the earth.”
Acts 1:8 (NASB)
Introduction – The transitional nature of the Book of Acts 1:1-5 I. Christian witness in Jerusalem 1:6-8:3
A. The Risen Lord – The 40 days between Jesus’ resurrection & ascension 1:6-26
- The Ascension—Christ returns in His resurrected body to His father 1:6-11
- The Upper Room – 1:12-26
B. Pentecost – Outpouring of the Holy Spirit – The birthday of the Church 2:1-47 1. Pentecost/Jewish Feast of Weeks – Holy Spirit indwells the Church 2:1-13 2. Peter’s 1st Christian sermon – Explains the prophetic significance 2:14-36 3. People’s response to Peter’s message-an ingathering of believers 2:37-47
C. Healing the lame man in the Temple, Peter’s 2nd Sermon 3:1-26 D. The beginning of persecution 4:1-37
E. Purging from within, more persecution from without 5:1-41
F. Choosing co-laborers – The first deacons 6:1-7
G. Stephen, the first martyr 6:8-8:3
II. Christian witness in Palestine and Syria 8:4-12:25
A. The Christians Scattered 8:4-40
B. The Conversion of Paul 9:1-31
C. The Conversion of Gentiles 9:32-11:30
D. The Christians Persecuted by Herod 12:1-25
III. Christian witness to the uttermost part of the earth 13:1-28:31 A. The First Missionary Journey 13:1-14:28
B. The Council at Jerusalem 15:1-35
C. The Second Missionary Journey 15:36-18:22
D. The Third Missionary Journey 18:23-21:26
E. The Journey to Rome 21:27-28:27 Conclusion 28:28-31
Key Verse(s) – Outpouring of Holy Spirit manifested by speaking in “other tongues” Acts 2:2-4 (NASB) *The fulfillment of the Lord’s promise (cf. Acts 1:4-5)
“And suddenly there came from heaven a noise like a violent rushing wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. And there appeared to them tongues as of fire distributing themselves, and they rested on each one of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit was giving them utterance.”
Acts 2:-7-8 (NASB) *Note the parallel construction – “tongues” (v.4) = “language” (v.8)
They were amazed and astonished, saying, “Why, are not all these who are speaking Galileans? And how is it that we each hear them in our own language…?”
“…the disciples were continually filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit .” Acts 13:52 (NASB)