A Surprising Change

Scripture – Acts 2:1-6: ¹When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. ²Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. ³They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. ⁴All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them. ⁵Now there were staying in Jerusalem God-fearing Jews from every nation under heaven. ⁶When they heard this sound, a crowd came together in bewilderment, because each one heard them speaking in his own language.

Reflection: – At last, the gift Jesus told them to wait for came. The power He promised now was in them. I wonder if it was anything like they expected.

There are some key dynamics I see here. First, “they were all together in one place.” Jesus told them to wait, and so they did – together! There are things that happen when the wider Christian community is together that are different than when we’re separated. Sometimes God breaks into corporate worship with a power that’s greater than anything I receive in times of individual devotion and worship.

The second thing I notice is they kept themselves ready. They were listening. All at once they heard “a sound like the blowing of a violent wind.” Then saw something – “What seemed to be tongues of fire.”

Then “all of them were filled with the Holy Spirit.” They began speaking different languages. People around them heard this and came together to see what was going on. All at once this Christian adventure took on a whole new shape. What would happen from here on out?

When you come to a time of worship, what are you ready for? What do you expect? How have you been surprised?