This lesson focuses on the additional effect of Peter’s Pentecost sermon; he has interpreted the “suddenly from heaven” phenomena of dancing flames, rushing wind, and “other tongues” (Gr. glossolalia) as a sign of the Spirit’s presence (2:1-4 with 2:14-21) foretold in the ancient prophecies. The sermon boldly proclaims Jesus’ resurrection as the basis for the Pentecost event (2:36) and answers the only question left to be asked: “Brothers, what should we do” (2:37)?

While Peter’s short answer included conversion through repentance, baptism, and the gift of the Spirit, the long-impact of such a response was to enclose these converts into a common life-fellowship, prayers, meals, and instruction-that would nourish such conversion.

Verses 44-45 give us a glimpse into the socio-economic situation of these new converts: mutual caring, deep commitment to the meeting of human needs, and an evident lack of structure and hierarchy.

 

What does this story do? It surprises. It erupts. The story of Pentecost begins with bone-rattling, flame-dancing hope in the God who brings change and upheaval to our neatly compartmentalized lives. But Christian Pentecost ends with not with a bang nor a whimper but with a process for changing converts into a new humanity.

God’s power and human repentance form a powerful combination. New life that begins in unwieldy fashion takes the shape of a community that in inclusive, committed, ritual, and already beginning to be distinguished by peculiar practices.

If the Spirit’s power impacts the way we handle our wealth, where today are our worshiping communities offering examples of the economic reordering of life? Do we have in Luke’s story a hopelessly naïve utopian fantasy or can we hear this story as a social critique of contemporary structures and practices?

 

You might want to begin the way Fred Craddock begins one of his homilies on this passage by noting the fine, strong word that the word “Pentecost” is.

Suggest the tension created when we tamper with the word-say by adding -al to the end of the noun; now we have a word that has found its way into our own contemporary vocabularies: Pentecostal. Suggest some of the caricatures that the word Pentecostal conveys.

Shift: what else do we note about Pentecost? Other tongues? Check. Dancing flames. Rushing wind. Check. Economic equality? What the? Yes, seems that Luke also focuses on other Pentecostal evidence that the Spirit is working. The Spirit that forms a new human community in Jesus seems interested in changing attitudes and economics as a direct result of changing hearts. The new community practices challenge the social order of the day. Resurrection life and the giving of the Spirit is more than being Pentecostal - it is inviting God into our economics as well as our hearts.

Quote:

The scriptural tradition [in Acts 2] is relentless in its critique of unjust ruling structures. It constantly pursues the agenda of justice and envisions in the establishment of God’s reign through resurrection a just world in which there is plenty for all. For such a world we work, pray, and preach. The passage challenges us to be the church and to anticipate, to be a sign of, an embodiment of God’s future empire. We have so much to lose in order to gain such a world.