If you have 5 minutes!
Re-read Acts 1:8 & Read Acts 2:5-13
“But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” 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 their own language being spoken. 7 Utterly amazed, they asked: “Aren’t all these who are speaking Galileans? 8 Then how is it that each of us hears them in our 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 taking the opportunity to speak about Jesus to the international community present in Jerusalem at that time, the disciples started to fulfill the different parts of Jesus’ commission (Jerusalem…ends of the earth) all in one go! Although they are only engaging with those within Judaism at this stage. There are potentially some interesting connections between the outpouring of the Spirit and the fact that, at the time, people were celebrating Pentecost (a harvest festival that took place 50 days after Passover and which, later on, became an anniversary of the giving of the Law at Sinai – thought to have taken place 50 days after the Exodus).[1] However, it could also be that Luke simply includes this detail to explain why so many people from so many different places were all in Jerusalem at the same time![2]
➡ There are currently people of many different nationalities living in Loughborough. How proactive are we in seeking to reach those whose culture and nationality is different from our own? Is there anything you could do differently in this regard? (For some ideas on this, check out “Claire’s 24-hour Mission Trip!”)
If you have a bit longer :-)
As Beverly Gaventa observes, the outpouring of the Spirit was “no private event,” rather the disciples were immediately cast into the public arena.[3] Moreover, not all those present received them well! Rather, as Tom Wright challengingly notes, then – as “again and again in Acts” – there is “opposition, incredulity, scoffing and sneering at what the apostles say and do, at the same time as great success and conviction.”[4] In this regard, I am pretty certain that I’d experience more of the latter if I were more willing to risk the former.
➡ Looking back over the past week, have there been times when you’ve not said or done something that would have helped people see more of Christ through you because you were worried what they might think? How do you feel about this?
➡ Maybe we could all try to do or say at least one thing this week that helps someone who doesn’t know Christ find out more about him, even if there’s a risk they might think we’re a bit odd?!
➡ Are there any public Christian figures that are on your heart for you to pray for? If not, maybe ask God if there’s anyone you could be supporting in this way. Those I can think of would include: the Archbishop of Canterbury, Steve Chalke, the Pope, the Bishop of London, Alister McGrath (a theologian)… (you probably know of others!)
[1] See John Stott, “Acts,” pg. 62.
[2] Beverly Gaventa, “Acts,” pg. 74.
[3] Beverly Gaventa, “Acts,” pg. 74.
[4] Tom Wright, “Acts,” pg. 29.
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