Sunday School Lessons: Acts 2 Pt. 1

Acts 2:  Pentecost
Acts 2:1-13                        Acts 2:14-47
The Coming of the Holy Spirit            The First Sermon

2:1When the day of Pentecost arrived, they were all together in one place.

Jewish Feasts
Passover—Represents the Death of Jesus
First Fruits—Represents the Resurrection
Pentecost—represents the Church
    Types, shadows, signs
When the day of Pentecost was “fully come” or fulfilled.
They were all together in one place
    Who? Where?  What were they doing?  Why were they doing it?

Acts 2:2-3  And suddenly there came from heaven a sound like a mighty rushing wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. 3And divided tongues as of fire appeared to them and rested on each one of them.

    The coming of the Holy Spirit wasn’t the wind but it sounded like a mighty rushing wind.  There were tongues “as of fire” but it wasn’t fire. 
It got their attention; they knew something unique was happening!

Acts 2:4 And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance.

Jesus told them this would happen (Read Acts 1:4-5)

What does it mean to be “filled with the Holy Spirit?”

Three things have to happen first:

Regeneration (born again) John 3:5
Indwelt by the Spirit (Romans 8:9)
Sealed by the Holy Spirit (Eph. 1:13-14
This filling, or baptism, placed the believers into the church.  (1 Corinthians 12:13)
Our baptism is a sign, too; it signifies something.  It is a sign of God’s placing the individual into the Church.

“They spoke in other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance”
   
    These are not unknown tongues.
    Jews from all over were in Jerusalem to celebrate the Feast of Pentecost

All men were required to come for three of the Feasts, some did not speak Hebrew.
The Apostles were from Galilee; they spoke Hebrew and Aramaic.  They did not know how to speak some of the languages that were represented by the men present that day.  The Holy Spirit helped them to speak in the languages of those who were there.

Just like Jesus’ birth in Bethlehem, the day of Pentecost happened on a single day in history.  Its miracle does not have to be repeated over and over.  The Holy Spirit came on that day just as Jesus had said, and is here now.  The Holy Spirit is in the world today and His job is to glorify Jesus (Jn. 16:14)

Acts 2:5-6 Now there were dwelling in Jerusalem Jews, devout men from every nation under heaven. 6And at this sound the multitude came together, and they were bewildered, because each one was hearing them speak in his own language.

This drew a crowd.  Every one heard them speak in his own language.  The Gospel, the Good News of the mighty acts of God, was being preached and the people could understand it.

Acts 2: 7And they were amazed and astonished, saying, "Are not all these who are speaking Galileans? 8And how is it that we hear, each of us in his own native language? 9Parthians and Medes and Elamites and residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, 10Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya belonging to Cyrene, and visitors from Rome, 11both Jews and proselytes, Cretans and Arabians—we hear them telling in our own tongues the mighty works of God."

There were people from three continents present, both Jews and proselytes (converts)

Acts 2: 12And all were amazed and perplexed, saying to one another, "What does this mean?"

They were amazed and confused.  “What is going on???”

Acts 2: 13 But others mocking said, "They are filled with new wine."

Some didn’t believe it was from God. They thought they were drunk. 

Review:  So, what just happened?

The Holy Spirit called out a body of believers to form the Church. This was the fulfillment of the OT Feast of Pentecost

Remember, the Feast of Firstfruits pointed to Christ’s Resurrection.
Christ stayed with the believers for 40 days before He ascended.
The Feast of Pentecost happened 50 days after the Firstfruits, so that means the believers waited for 10 days for the coming of the Spirit.

From the Resurrection to the Ascension was 40 days
From the Resurrection to Pentecost was 50 days