Introduction: Most people know that Acts 2 in introducing the coming of the Holy Spirit, after Jesus ascends back into the Heavens, is extravagant and very colourful in its presentation! In fact it is the opposite to the language that is used when Jesus slipped out from the Throne of Eternity into an animal’s manger! Open your Bible and follow along the whole passage if you wish to, but I’m to skip over a lot of the better known portions! 1 When the day of Pentecost arrived, they were all together in one place. And 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.
13 But others mocking said, “They are filled with new wine.” Comment: This would have been a new experience for all those watching on and listening to the events and the resultant behaviour of the followers of Jesus! It is not every day that one can speak and without translators expect to be heard by groups of people speaking many languages, each language spoken perfectly clearly! It was a scrambled mess of hearing being sorted out ? – Was it just a miracle!
But Peter, standing with the eleven, lifted up his voice and addressed them: “Men of Judea and all who dwell in Jerusalem, let this be known to you, and give ear to my words.
22 “Men of Israel, hear these words: Jesus of Nazareth, a man attested to you by God with mighty works and wonders and signs that God did through him in your midst, as you yourselves know— this Jesus, delivered up according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God, you crucified and killed by the hands of lawless men. God raised him up, loosing the pangs of death, because it was not possible for him to be held by it. – ‘Peter, that definitely is not the way to win a crowd over! Accusing them of murder!’
36 Let all the house of Israel therefore know for certain that God has made him both Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom you crucified.”
Now when they heard this they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?” And Peter said to them, “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. For the promise is for you and for your children and for all who are far off, everyone whom the Lord our God calls to himself.” …. 41 So those who received his word were baptized, and there were added that day about three thousand souls. – And that is surely unexpected! But the church has begun to be built up! Praise God!
Ezek 36: 26&27 – And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes and be careful to obey my rules.
Prayer: I am amazed, my God!
As I read it! 