3. Holy Spirit converts crowds

Ch 2:1-47

2:1-47 The day of Pentecost (Jewish Harvest festival, 15 days after 2nd day of Passover) was completed and they were all together. Then suddenly out of heaven came a sound as though caused by a violent wind. It filled the whole house where they were sitting. There appeared to them spreading out, tongues as of fire. It sat on each on of them. They were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in their tongues as the Spirit prompted them to speak out. Now there were in Jerusalem at that time Jews who were devout men from every nation under heaven. When the sound came the multitude assembled. They were confounded because each of them heard someone speaking to him in his own language. They were amazed and marvelled saying. "Are not all these people who are speaking Galileans? How is it that we each hear (them) speak in the language to which we were born - Parthians, Medes, Elamites and (the languge) of those who inhabit Mesopotamia and Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, and both Phrygia and Pamphylia, (Also included are) Egypt and the regions of Libya that belong to Cyrene as also visitors from Rome, both

Jews and Jewish converts. (There are) also Cretans and Arabians. Do we not hear them speaking in our own tongues about the great deeds of God? All were amazed and were troubled. They said to each other "What does this mean?" But others were mocking (them) and said "They have been filled with sweet wine." Monday Start But standing up Peter with the eleven lifted up his voice and spoke out to them. c/f Lk 21:37 "Jewish fellows and those who live in Jerusalem. Let this be known to you and listen to what I say. For these men are not drunk as you imagine. It is (only) the third hour of the day (9a.m.) But this is what has been spoken about through the prophet Joel "It shall be in the last days, says God, that I will pour out my Spirit upon all flesh and your sons will prophesy and your daughters and your young men will see visions. Your old men will dream dreams. Onto my male servants and female servants I will pour out my spirit in those days and they will prophesy. c/f Lk 21:34-36 I will do wonders in heaven above and there will be signs on the earth below. (that is,) blood and fire and the vapour of smoke. The sun will be turned into darkness and the moon into blood before the day of the Lord comes - the great and notable day. It will be that everyone who invokes the

name of the Lord will be saved." Israelites. Hear these words. Jesus the Nazarene, a man approved by God, dwelt amongst you with powerful deeds and wonders and signs. God did all this through him (and) in your midst, as you yourselves know. This man through a fixed plan and fore-knowledge of God, was given up through the hand of lawless men. (And) fastening on him you killed him. God raised (him) up thereby loosening the pangs of death because it was not possible for him to be held by it. David says about him "I foresaw the Lord always before me because he is on my right hand lest I be moved. Therefore my heart was glad and my tongue rejoiced. Now also my flesh will live in hope because You will not abandon my soul in Hades. Nor will You give your holy one over to see. corruption. You have made known to me the ways of life. You will fill me with gladness in your presence." Men - brothers, you can speak with plainness about the patriarch David - that he both died and was buried. His tomb is amongst us until this day. Yet being a prophet and knowing that God swore an oath to him about the fruit of his loins and about sitting on Continued over

Continued 2:1-47 his throne, he foresaw and spoke about the resurrection of the Christ. Neither was he (the Christ) abandoned in Hades. Nor did his flesh see corruption. This Jesus was raised up by God and we are witnesses to this. Finish He is therefore at the right hand of God. He has been exalted. He received the promise of the Holy Spirit from the Father and He poured this out which you both see and hear (now). For David did not ascend to the heavens. But he says "The Lord said to my Lord. ”Sit on my right until I make your enemies your footstool.” Tuesday Start Assuredly therefore let all the house of Israel know that God has made him both Lord, and Christ, this Jesus whom you crucified.

And hearing this, they were stung to the heart. Then Peter said to the remaining apostles. “What may we do brothers? Repent and let each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ with a view to forgiveness of your sins and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For to you is the promise and to your children and to those far away - as many as our Lord and God calls to himself. And with many other words he gave solemn witness and exhorted them saying. "Let this perverse generation be saved." Those therefore who welcomed his word were baptized and there were added that day about three thousand souls. Finish And they continued

steadfastly in the teaching of the apostles and in the fellowship, in the breaking of the loaf and in the prayers. Everyone was fearful. and many wonders and signs happened through the apostles. All those who believed came together and owned everything in common. They sold properties and possessions and distributed (the money) to all, according to anyone's need. From day to day they continued steadfastly with one mind, in the temple and going from house to house to break bread. They shared food in gladness and simplicity of heart, praising God and having favour with all people. The Lord added people from day to day to the ones who were being saved.

The last question asked in Luke's gospel was about the Kingdom and when it would be coming. This was the first question to be addressed by Luke in the Acts of the Apostles. As Jesus had promised, the Holy Spirit came upon the assembled Apostles and soon Peter was addressing the crowds gathered in Jerusalem. There had been the idea that the Messiah or the Christ would reassert a kingdom such as that established by King David hundreds of years before. But Peter reminds the people that the Kingdom of David was actually limited as it did not extend beyond death. Who knows what awaited one in Hades? On the other hand Jesus had won forgiveness for the sins of humanity from the Father-Originator of the Universe. So a Kingdom could be established beyond death. People could be safe from the aftermath of their sins. Their own repentance and request for forgiveness would assure them of this. Peter tells the crowd that King David in fact foresaw that a greater kingdom than his own would eventually come. Peter shows that with Jesus, this Kingdom has indeed arrived. The resurrection of Jesus shows this. Ultimately, (as Mark showed) all the anxieties about establishing a viable type of society come down to the safety of the individual. The Kingdom that has been brought in by Jesus can reach throughout this world and, into the next one.

In terms of the line of logic followed by Reality Search, the type of society and way of life presented by Jesus re the balance of time and place, enables people to reach a deeper harmony with the overall structure of the Cosmos. In the gospel of John (to be written around the turn of the first century) people will be challenged to intimately identify with the balance that is integral to the cosmos and which is integral to the Originator of the Cosmos.