Pentecostal Day Witnesses

Now there were staying in Jerusalem God-fearing Jews from every nation under heaven. Acts 2: 5

Men and women, families even, from different language backgrounds are in Jerusalem. At this time of year, walk down the city streets and you'll hear all kinds of tongues being spoken. It is celebration time and people from all over have crowded into Jerusalem to celebrate their Jewish Festival. Hearing different tongues being spoken is not any phenomenon.

I dare say that it’s not unusual at all, especially at this time. Yet, these foreign-language speaking people, are totally taken by what they are hearing. It is hearing that causes a change in manner and behaviour to these people, who are not part of the upper room Spirit-speaking disciples of Jesus Christ. People on the streets, about their own business, strangers, foreigners walking along, are all drawn together because of their hearing.

The power of which Jesus spoke, the power which would come upon them, with the receiving of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost, was most widespread. Not one of those witnesses was privy to the actual outpouring of the Spirit on the disciples, but they sure were witnesses to the undeniable, unarguable evidence of the present, dynamically working Holy Spirit.

Our eyes, minds, eras and hearts, with rapt attention, look at the witnesses who were present on that morning.

Let’s listen to some obvious, yet stunning facts about this hearing at Pentecost. What is there so special about this hearing? For one thing, as previously mentioned, although these people may be Jews, or friends of Judaism, who have come from near and far to celebrate Passover, not one of them is thinking of the Pentecostal outpouring. Yet it to these ignorant people that Sovereign God gives the privilege of witnessing His power, truth and trustworthiness.  God gives hearing to those who in the dark about Him and His Outpoured Spirit, unbelievable hearing.

Let reason a few facts here about their hearing.

Physical Hearing. These worshippers of God, but non-disciples of Jesus, are all blessed with physical hearing. They have the gift of hearing, for not one of them is physically deaf. We know that this hearing is a gift of God. These witnesses are all hearing people.

Phenomenal Hearing. Why have I chosen to us the word phenomenal? Obviously and simply because these people have been completely captured by what they are hearing. They are hearing what is so totally dumbfounding and unbelievably different, they leave their respective day's agendas, plans and business, to follow their hearing. Have you ever stopped to think, to see, to be stunned by the fact that every single hearer who is a witness, has been drawn to the place from which the speaking is coming? They are drawn to the place from which the sounds come. 

Personal hearing.  Of course it is personal, for we are told that each witness heard the disciples speaking in his or her own language. Indeed, this is individualised hearing, for they all hear their own native language being fluently spoken. It is exactly as if they were back home. Can you imagine? Can you fathom this? These men and women have no need for an interpreter and no need for a microphone, since they are all able to hear their own mother-tongues. They are not just hearing babble or noise. They are hearing a message, a Word from God. We hear them declaring the wonders of God in our own tongues! Acts 2: 11b.

Let’s halt a bit! Is this not a Pentecostal miracle? This Pentecostal miracle is evidenced by ordinary believers in God, who do not know of the Risen Jesus and the promise of the Spirit. People stand outside the Pentecostal Place looking up, baffled, for they are hearing Galileans declaring the wonders of God, in their own particular languages. Have you seen how this experience causes hearers to respond in different ways? Although they all experience this unexplainable phenomenon, some take their hearing seriously, while others make fun of it.

What are our individual responses when we are made witnesses to some Pentecostal Power?