Pentecost

Pentecost was the Jewish Feast of Weeks (Shavuot), celebrated fifty days after Passover. In AD 30, ten days after the Ascension, the disciples — about 120 men and women — were all together in one place in Jerusalem, devoting themselves to prayer (Acts 1:14–15; 2:1). "Suddenly there came from heaven a sound like a mighty rushing wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. And divided tongues as of fire appeared to them and rested on each one of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance" (Acts 2:2–4). The risen, ascended Christ had poured out the promised Spirit from the Father's right hand (Acts 2:33). Devout Jews from every nation under heaven were in Jerusalem for the feast, and the crowd heard the disciples declaring the mighty works of God each in his own language — Parthians, Medes, Elamites, residents of Mesopotamia, Cappadocia, Pontus, Asia, Phrygia, Pamphylia, Egypt, Libya, Rome, Crete, and Arabia. Peter, standing with the eleven, lifted up his voice and preached the first Christian sermon: Joel had foretold this outpouring; Jesus of Nazareth, attested by God with mighty works, had been crucified by lawless hands and raised up by God, of which the apostles were witnesses; this same Jesus God had made both Lord and Christ. Cut to the heart, the hearers asked what they should do; Peter answered, "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" (2:38). About three thousand souls were added that day. Pentecost is the birthday of the church and the inauguration of the new-covenant ministry of the Spirit promised by the prophets and by Jesus himself.