Tongues like Fire - The Book of Acts

Published Oct 28, 2024, 9:30 AM

In this Bible Story, the Holy Spirit descends on the disciples like a whirlwind. The strength and authority of Jesus is poured out on the disciples as they proclaim the glory of Christ. Thousands were added to the church that day, and the movement of Christ’s family began. This story is inspired by Acts 1:1-2:42. Go to BibleinaYear.com and learn the Bible in a Year.

Today's Bible verse is Acts 2:3 from the King James Version.

Episode 217: Crowds of Jews from all over the world were gathering in Jerusalem for Pentecost. Just then, while Peter and the rest of the disciples were gathered together near the temple, the Holy Spirit came on them like tongues of fire. The Holy Spirit enabled them to preach to the crowds in their native languages the things that God had done through Jesus. As Peter was proclaiming these things to them, three-thousand men and women came to receive forgiveness and be baptized into the family of believers.

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Executive Producers: Steve Gatena & Max Bard

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Bible Story narration by: Todd Haberkorn

Let us pray. And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them. Acts two three, Holy Spirit, I thank you for overwhelming me with the wind of your presence. I thank you that in the same way that tongues like fire fell on the disciples, that same anointing is falling on me. As your words fill my mouth, May they be heard and understood across all boundaries and borders. May your words of freedom be felt and experienced in the hearts of all that I speak to. I praise you Lord, because revival is breaking out all around me. I praise you Lord that through the power of the Holy Spirit, I am equipped to fully realize the purpose of mine life. Add daily to the number of those who are impacted by the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Use me as a conduit to speak words of hope and life to everyone I meet today. I declare that the wind of change is upon us, and your wind of goodness is about to blow us away. In Jesus' name, Amen, thank you for praying with us today. Continue your time with God by listening to today's Bible story brought to you by Bible in a Year dot.

Com, Tongues like Fire, and our last story, Jesus commissioned his disciples to.

Go in power in a thought. He comforted them and told them that the Holy Spirit would come to help them. So now the disciples wait on the Holy Spirit to move. In this story, the Holy Spirit shows up like a whirlwind. The Disciples show up to the Temple and declare the truth of Christ to people of all nations. Inspired by the Book of Acts.

Hello, I'm pastor Jack Graham with today's episode of the Bible in a Year podcast. Thanks for joining us. In our most recent episode, we learned of the mission Jesus gave to his followers and all of us as he ascended into heaven. He commanded us to go into all the world and make disciples of all nations, making it clear that God's plan of salvation is for everyone in the world. With the mission came the promise of the Holy Spirit. And today we're going to hear how the disciples and others gathered in an upper room to wait for the promise of the Holy Spirit, how they prayed, and how God gave the Gospel message to them in the presence and the power of Pentecost Less now listen to today's reading from God's Word.

It was Pentecost, a time when devoted people of all nations came to Jerusalem to celebrate and worship God. The uproar caused by Jesus's death had subsided, and all seemed to be coming back to normal. The high priests stood in the temple courtyards, watching people pass by with their sacrifices and money purses. They finally began to feel powerful again. The rumors of Jesus's resurrections still lingered, but they were hopeful that they had heard the last of his name. A small wind began to blow through the city of Jerusalem, and the tents in the temple courtyards swayed to the gentle guests. Among the sea of people were the Twelve. They walked with intention, moving towards the temple steps where Jerusalem once stood. Peter and the rest of the Disciples stood boldly for all to see. People began to look as the wind picked up even more. Then, like the breath of God himself, a sound from heaven boomed like a mighty wind. The entire House of God was filled with the wind of God. Flames appeared from the sky, resembling tongues of fire. They hovered over the mouths of the disciples. The Holy Spirit had arrived, just as Jesus had promised. The life of God was given to each disciple. They began to utter the truths of God with boldness and eloquence. Yet the strange thing was that every man and woman in the temple heard their words and their own native language. Parthians, medes, Elamites, Mesopotamians, Judeans, Cappadocians, Asians, Phrygians and Pamphylians, Egyptians, Libyans, Romans, Jews, Cretans and Arabians all heard the disciples pre which the truth of God and their own tongue. Who are these men, they asked, aren't they uneducated men from Galilee? How is it that we hear them all in our own languages. Many were amazed and confused at what was taking place, but others were not as impressed. They are drunk, some of them yelled, they are drunk fishermen from Galilee. Peter stepped out from among them and looked at the crowd. We are not drunk. It is only morning, after all, Peter declared, a small chuckle could be heard from the crowd. Peter looked at the sea of faces below. He was welled up with love. The love of Jesus overcame him. He was born to be here. People of Israel, hear my words, Peter shouted. Jesus of Nazareth did mighty works among you. You saw them with your own eyes. He was delivered into the hands of the priests and killed you crucified him. However, God used him to defeat the sting of death, where Jesus could not be held by the grave. The crowd became silent as they listened to the Holy Spirit speak through Peter. The once angry and foolish fisherman was now preaching in front of thousands of people. Brothers and sisters, Our King David died and was buried in his tomb. You can still visit it today, But the tomb of Jesus is empty.

He is raised.

Let all the house of Israel therefore know for certain that God has made him both Lord and Christ. Peter paused for a moment, looking at the lost souls that stood before him. Repent, repent, and be baptized for forgiveness and atonement for your sins are in Jesus and no longer in the temple. All who are far off come to Peter's astonishment. Thousands of people came forward to be prayed for and be baptized. Three thousand souls believed in the finished world of Jesus that day, and they devoted themselves to the teaching of the Twelve Disciples. They grew in community and fellowship with one another. Ah came upon every soul. They shared all that they had with one another. Day by day, the Lord added to their numbers as they preached the Gospel, broke bread, and met in each other's homes. Souls were being saved. Revival had begun, and the world would never be the same.

In our scripture today we begin in Jerusalem on the day of Pentecost. Jesus had ascended to Heaven just ten days before, and the disciples were still waiting for the promise of the Spirit. Just as Jesus commanded them. They were expecting the power of God to fall upon them and enable them to preach the Gospel to the world. Pentecost was an important date of feasting for the Jews, so as Peter and the other disciples gathered in the temple courts. Jews from all over the known world had gathered in Jerusalem to commemorate the harvest of wheat. Little did anyone know at that time, but this Pentecost would involve a different kind of harvest, a harvest of souls. Suddenly, as they waited and prayed, the sound of rushing wind came from heaven and filled the place. Then the disciples and those gathered with them saw tongues of fire coming down and resting on their heads. It was as though they became human candles, lit up by the presence of God. The Spirit of God, the promised helper and advocate, has now arrived, and those who had followed Jesus and were waiting for the power that came from God, they received that power in the presence and the promise of the Holy Spirit that day. The Spirit of God, of course, has always been present, and he often filled people. Throughout the Bible. Joseph, David, Joshua, and many others experienced the power of the Holy Spirit, but it was not permanent. This time it was difference. This was the fulfillment of the promise that Jesus had given days before, and also according to the Scripture a fulfillment of Joel's prophecy that God would pour out his spirit on all flesh, that men and women would prophesy and speak God's truth to others. This is exactly what happened on that day. When the Holy Spirit came. They began to speak with languages as the Spirit enabled them, so that people understood the gospel as they spoke God's truth. Travelers and foreigners who were there to worship could understand their mother tongues. All that these men and women were saying. They were amazed and astounded, unable to understand how these men from Galilee, most of whom had never traveled more than a few miles from home, could speak in these languages that they had never known or studied, languages that people had spoken all over the world. When some of the people who observed this saw it, they assumed the men were drunk and speaking gibberish. But Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, stood up and spoke. Peter, the same man who was known for lashing out, speaking before thinking, acting brashly, began to calmly and confidently address the crowd. The man who denied the Lord three times, now full of the spirit speaks with power and conviction, with boldness and courage. In Acts two, verse seventeen, we hear as he proclaims that today was the fulfillment of the prophecy of Scripture, and in the last days it shall be. God declares that I will pour out my spirit on all flesh, and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams. As he continued, Peter poured out the truth of the gospel to those gathered that day. He spoke of who Jesus is and what he did by dying on the cross and rising again. Many of that crowd, no doubt, had been there when they cried out, crucify him, crucify him, and the blood of Jesus was on their hands. But rather than the stain of condemnation, the blood of Jesus Christ would cleanse them of their sins and change their lives if they would only repent and receive him. The very death for which they were responsible was the very means by which God brought salvation and redemption to them. His words cut them to the core. Convicted of their sins, they said, what must we do, and Peter told them about repentance, turning from their sin, and trusting in Christ. He spoke to them about being baptized in the name of Jesus. And as they turned from their sin, confessed and trusted Christ for his grace, they too received the incredible gift of God's spirit. This day of Pentecost was a harvest of souls. More than three thousand came to Christ Day and believed in the gospel. It was the birth of the Church, the body of Christ, and is more heard about the good news of Jesus Christ. Their numbers grew day after day after day. Multitudes of people were coming to faith in Christ. The spirit of God had sparked a fire that would spread across Jerusalem, Judaea, Samaria, and to the uttermost parts of the world and change the course of history and the destiny of mankind. There would be those who would try to extinguish the flame of God, but nothing would stop the movement of Jesus Christ into the world. God's word would not be stopped, and neither could his people. Dear God, we thank you for the dear Holy Spirit. Thank you for giving us this promise and your presence in our lives every single day. Thank you for today's scripture in Acts chapter two and what happens when we proclaimed the gospel and your spirit worked through us. May you give us boldness that we may believe and that we may proclaim the good news of Jesus Christ. And let me just say to someone listening to this right now who does not have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, if you will repent of your sin, that means to turn from your sin, to be willing for God to change your heart and forgive you of all your sin by receiving Christ as your Lord and savior, then you also will receive the power of God in your life to forgive you, to change you, and to make you a brand new person and give you the promise of heaven. Put your faith and trust in Jesus today. In his name we pray Amen. Thank you for listening to today's Bible in a Year podcast. I'm Jack Graham of Dallas, Texas. You could download thepray dot Com app and make prayer and Bible study the priority of your life. And if you enjoyed this podcast, tell so what about it, Pass it on, let others know because it is our desire to get God's word to as many people as possible, as fast as possible. And if you want to know more about what it means to be a Christ's follower, what it means to be a disciple of Jesus, then go to Jack Graham dot org Jack Graham dot org and we have many resources that are available for you there. God bless you.

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