The
Pentacost Story Like the rush of a mighty wind
...
Acts 2:1-20
When the day of Pentecost had come,
they were all together in one place. And suddenly from heaven there came a sound
like the rush of a violent wind, and it filled the entire house where they were
sitting. Divided tongues, as of fire, appeared among them, and a tongue rested
on each of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak
in other languages, as the Spirit gave them ability.
Now there were
devout Jews from every nation under heaven living in Jerusalem. And at this sound
the crowd gathered and was bewildered, because each one heard them speaking in
the native language of each. Amazed and astonished, they asked, "Are not
all these who are speaking Galileans? And how is it that we hear, each of us,
in our own native language? Parthians, Medes, Elamites, and residents of Mesopotamia,
Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts
of Libya belonging to Cyrene, and visitors from Rome, both Jews and proselytes,
Cretans and Arabs—in our own languages we hear them speaking about God’s
deeds of power."
All were amazed and perplexed, saying to one
another, "What does this mean?" But others sneered and said, "They
are filled with new wine."
But Peter, standing with the eleven,
raised his voice and addressed them, "Men of Judea and all who live in Jerusalem,
let this be known to you, and listen to what I say. Indeed, these are not drunk,
as you suppose, for it is only nine o’clock in the morning. No, this is what
was spoken through the prophet Joel: "In the last days it will be, God declares,
that I will pour out my Spirit upon all flesh, and your sons and your daughters
shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream
dreams. Even upon my slaves, both men and women, in those days I will pour out
my Spirit; and they shall prophesy. And I will show portents in the heaven above
and signs on the earth below, blood, and fire, and smoky mist. The sun shall be
turned to darkness and the moon to blood, before the coming of the Lord’s
great and glorious day. Then everyone who calls on the name of the Lord shall
be saved.
Charles Henderson
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The Rev. Charles P. Henderson is a Presbyterian minister and is the author of God and Science (John Knox Press, 1986).
A revised and expanded version of the book is appearing here. God and Science (Hypertext Edition,
2015).
He is also editor of a new book, featuring articles by world class scientists and theologians, and illustrating the leading views on the relationship between science and religion: Faith, Science and the Future (CrossCurrents Press, 2017).
Charles also tracks the boundry between the virtual and the real at his blog: Next World Design, focusing on the mediation of art, science and spirituality in the metaverse.
