When the Day of Pentecost had fully come, they were all with one accord in one place.  (2) And suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting.  (3) Then there appeared to them divided tongues, as of fire, and one sat upon each of them.  (4) And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, And began to speak with other  tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.  (5) And there were dwelling in Jerusalem Jews, devout men, from every nation under heaven .  (6) And when this sound occurred, the multitude came together, and were confused, because everyone heard them speak in their own language.  (7) Then they were all amazed and marveled, saying to one another, “Look, are not all these who speak  Galilean?  (8) And how is it that we hear, each in our own language in which we were born?  (9) Parthians and Medes and Elamites, those dwelling in Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus And Asia, (10) Phrygia And Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya adjoining Cyrene, visitors from Rome, both Jews and proselytes, (11) Cretans and Arabs – we hear them speaking in our own tongues the wonderful works of God.

Acts of the apostles was written by the gospel writer Luke.  Our verses today concern an historical event and he writes of the physical manifestations marking the birth of the church.

Pentecost Sunday was one of the three solemn feast days that Jewish males from all of the known world were required to attend in Jerusalem and a great crowd of devout Jews were gathered there for this festival.  50 days after the resurrection of Christ the promised Spirit descended – not just with the disciples but in them.

Luke writes – factually with no sensationalism – that the disciples were all together at one place for this baptism of the church.  Suddenly there was the sound of a great wind – Luke’s version only mentions the sound, not the effects – and this violence of the noise made a crowd gather – they were both afraid and ready to receive the grace of God.  (There are no atheists in foxholes.)  Luke tells us that tongues, as of fire, had descended on each of the disciples and miraculously, they were speaking in languages not known by the speakers but understood by the listeners – God had given them the ability to preach the gospel to Hellenistic Jews from all of the known world.  This was on the heels of the great commission from Jesus and tells us salvation is now open to all people – not just Israel. God was identifying with His church, all because of what Christ had done. The church and the gospel came to us not by chance but by the appointment of God.