The Gospel & Jews in Jerusalem

Soon after Jesus ascended to Heaven, His disciples began to proclaim the good news about who Jesus was, what He did, and why people should trust in Him as their Savior.

Fifty days after Jesus’ death and resurrection, Jerusalem was again bustling with Jews speaking different languages. Pentecost had come, and with it, faithful Jews from all over the Mediterranean world representing at least 14 different countries.

Jesus’ followers were all together in one place. Suddenly, just as Jesus promised, the Holy Spirit came upon each of them with a sound like a gale-force wind filling the building and what looked like tongues of fire over their heads. The Spirit enabled them to speak different languages.

The devout Jews that were celebrating the feast heard the sound and came running. Arriving at the house, they each heard their language being spoken and were thunderstruck.

Heads spinning, confused and bewildered, they spoke with each other: “Aren’t these all Galileans? How can we be hearing them talk in our mother tongues? They’re speaking our languages, describing God’s mighty works! What’s going on here?”

Some didn’t seem to understand any of what was spoken (possibly those from Jerusalem who spoke only Greek or Aramaic), so they joked, “They are drunk on cheap wine.”

Then, the Eleven stood up in front of the crowd. Peter stepped forward and, using a passage from the prophet Joel, boldly explained they were not drunk but that the Spirit of God was working in ways they had not seen before but would be common in the future. He went on: “Listen carefully, Israel. The miracles and signs God did through Jesus the Nazarene are common knowledge, evidence of God’s working through Him. But according to God’s precise plan, He was betrayed by men who had their own ideas about the Law; they handed Him over to you, and you killed Him, nailing Him to a cross. But God freed Him from death’s grip; death couldn’t hang on. David described this centuries ago:

‘God is always with me; He’s always at my side,
So nothing, no one moves me; I’m happy to abide
In Him, I have my hope; he’ll lead me all the way
Through Hades low. Corruption? No! His Holy One won’t stay!
Delivered at my death, I know the path to life;
Your presence brings me joy and freedom from all strife.’

“Friends, we all know full well that our ancestor David is dead and buried; we’ve seen his tomb. But as a prophet, knowing that God had promised a descendant for his throne, he looked ahead and wrote of the Messiah’s resurrection (‘He’ll never let me go, to Hades low. Corruption? No!’). God raised Jesus up—we’re all witnesses! Now, from the right hand of God, He poured out the Spirit, which is what you are seeing and hearing. David didn’t ascend to Heaven, but prophesying, he said, ‘God said to my Master, “Sit at my right hand until I make your enemies a stool for resting your feet.”’

“Know this without a doubt: God made Jesus whom you killed on a cross the Master and Messiah.”

The Holy Spirit used Peter’s message to cut through the façade of many. They knew he was right, so they asked, “Brothers, what should we do now?”

Peter answered, “It’s time for a change. Turn from your old ways to God. Then, be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ, demonstrating your genuine faith in Him. Your sins will be forgiven, and you’ll receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.”

How exciting it must have been for Peter and the others when about 3,000 believed and were baptized that day!