Daily Thoughts from Acts: Baptism in the Spirit (Acts 2:1-4)

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.  (Acts 2:1-4 ESV)

Jesus chooses the Day of Pentecost, a harvest festival in Israel, to baptize his disciples in the Spirit.  And in fact a harvest is about to occur.  Baptism suggests that he “immersed” or “washed” his disciples in the life of the Spirit, making possible all the various ministries the Spirit provides to us (indwelling, sealing, gifting, filling, anointing, guaranteeing, witnessing that we are children of God, empowering).  It so happens that on this occasion of their baptism in the Spirit the Spirit, the third member of the Trinity, fills them to enable them to speak in languages they did not previously know.  So He manifests His presence in them by the act of filling them, a very specific ministry we will see repeated in Luke’s account of the early church.

The promise of the Spirit is consistent with many prophecies in the Old Testament concerning the kingdom, but what is unexpected is that he begins this work without the king being present on earth and that the manifestation He gives is the ability to speak in languages they didn’t already know.  However, as Peter will explain from Joel’s prophecy, visions and prophecies were predicted at the Spirit’s outpouring, and tongues is a form of prophecy.

The symbols of wind rushing and what looked like little flames above their heads depict power and holiness.  Those present are probably 120 in all, including the 12 apostles.  It marks the first people group, the Jews, to receive the Spirit.  We will see Samaritans and then Gentiles receive this baptism in the days to come after the birth of the infant church of Jesus Christ.  And a harvest of souls will be reaped this day from among the Jews visiting Jerusalem and the residents of the city.

Unfortunately, much controversy has arisen over the baptism in the Spirit.  I used to come this passage in the past with some trepidation instead of excitement, because I feared it would support a view of Spirit baptism that wasn’t true of my experience and therefore meant I was lacking something I should have.  I wanted a clear cut reason to believe what I already believed about Spirit baptism and freedom from the out-of-control way I thought other people depicted the work of the Spirit.  I have since gotten my clear cut reason to believe what I already believed, but I no longer dread the “out-of-control” work He does.  It’s not really out of control but out of my control, and I’m glad.  He suits His work to each of us individually and does things we might not expect.  But that is good, not something to be feared.

Suffice it to say that this passage and several others will establish that the baptism in the Spirit is normally now something that occurs at your conversion to Christ.  It is not dependent on something you do, some ritual you go through, or some experience you have (speaking in tongues?).  I think that will become evident as we go through Acts, but if you want to jump ahead on this study, see this.

The presence of the Holy Spirit in the life of the church is the key mark of our New Covenant relationship with Christ.  It is a taste of what will be fully experienced in the kingdom.  He is here in Christ’s stead to help us become all that Christ meant us to be.  Jesus has not left us alone.