The Lord Sends the Spirit
Aka
The Holy Spirit Comes
Acts 2:1-16 or 2:1-13
International Sunday School Lesson
April 14, 2013
Commentary
By
Jed Greenough
“…about three thousand were added to their number that day.” Acts 2:41a
The impact that the event from today’s Scripture had was a giant jump start to the beginning of the church. Acts 2:43 tells us, “Everyone was filled with awe at the many wonders and signs performed by the apostles.”
Just like last week when I talked about the dramatic lengths God will go to in showing His purpose so on that day was this demonstrated.
God had just sacrificed His son and as we celebrated last week raised Him from the grave. News such as this must go viral to use our modern vernacular for what happens so often today with the Iinternet.
In dramatic fashion all those from foreign lands were able to hear the Good News and when they returned to their own lands spread what they had discovered.
It is really amazing to consider isn’t it that a story that no man would make up about His God could be spread in a manner that he wouldn’t think up either?
There were no years of fledgling missionary work that would slowly add to their number but one moment accomplished it in an orderly fashion. Plenty of hard work would follow but the spark was lit not in foreign land but in God’s Holy City, the city of David amongst the Jewish people who had put His son to death mere days before.
Just as the Jews were celebrating that day the giving of the law to them through Moses so should we celebrate that day at Pentecost when God started a covenant with us. Just as the Jews were told then that day with Moses after being freed from bondage that they were to be a holy nation and a kingdom of priests, so should we be as we spread the good news that we have been freed from death. If not with the dramatic fashion of speaking in the language of whoever we meet then with the passion that the man of action not words Peter displayed!
For Discussion:
1. Discuss why the crowd reacted the way they did.
2. Discuss why one would make a statement about the disciples being drunk if they understood in their own language what they were saying. What would make them think they were drunk?
3. Discuss the dramatic things of God you may have experienced.
4. Discuss speaking in tongues today in comparison to this.
5. Discuss this large conversion of people.
6. Discuss the tongues of fire.
7. Discuss how many react when they are made fun of for professing Christ just as these disciples.
4-21-13: The Lord Will Return aka Living with Hope 1 Thessalonians 4:13-5:11
4-28-13: The Lord Will Triumph aka Hope Comes from God’s Grace 2 Thessalonians 2:1-4, 8-17 or 2:1-3, 9-17
5-5-13: Living Hope 1 Peter 1:3-16 or 1:3-12
5-12-13: Sure Hope aka Equipped with Hope 2 Peter 1:2-15, 20, 21 or 1:4-14
Scripture taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 Biblica. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved
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