God’s Guiding Word: Spiritual Renewal

May 19

Introduction

Acts 2:1–13: Today marks the day when many Christians celebrate Pentecost. God sends the Holy Spirit to give power and courage to the gathered believers. They begin to tell the good news about Jesus, which people hear in many different languages. Some people are happy and excited, while others make fun of the Lord’s followers.

Today’s Key Verse: Acts 2:4

They were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to talk in other languages, as the Spirit enabled them to speak.

Reading

2 When the day of Pentecost came, all the believers were gathered together in one place. ² Suddenly there was a noise from the sky which sounded like a strong wind blowing, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. ³ Then they saw what looked like tongues of fire which spread out and touched each person there. ⁴ They were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to talk in other languages, as the Spirit enabled them to speak.

⁵ There were Jews living in Jerusalem, religious people who had come from every country in the world. ⁶ When they heard this noise, a large crowd gathered. They were all excited, because all of them heard the believers talking in their own languages. ⁷ In amazement and wonder they exclaimed, “These people who are talking like this are Galileans! ⁸ How is it, then, that all of us hear them speaking in our own native languages? ⁹ We are from Parthia, Media, and Elam; from Mesopotamia, Judea, and Cappadocia; from Pontus and Asia, ¹⁰ from Phrygia and Pamphylia, from Egypt and the regions of Libya near Cyrene. Some of us are from Rome, ¹¹ both Jews and Gentiles converted to Judaism, and some of us are from Crete and Arabia—yet all of us hear them speaking in our own languages about the great things that God has done!” ¹² Amazed and confused, they kept asking each other, “What does this mean?”

¹³ But others made fun of the believers, saying, “These people are drunk!”

Reflect

How is the coming of the Holy Spirit described? What caused a large crowd to become excited? In what ways do you experience the Holy Spirit in your life?

Pray

Amazing God, through the power of your Holy Spirit, many people today are able to hear your message in their heart language and have come to know of your love and salvation. I thank and praise you, Lord God, for the gift of your Holy Spirit in my life. Amen.

Tomorrow’s Reading

Acts 2:14–28: The apostle Peter speaks to the crowd.