A Tale of Three Perspectives - Part I "The Disciples"

The historical recording of the day of Pentecost found in Acts chapter 2 can actually be seen from three different perspectives: The Disciples, The surrounding Crowd, and The Holy Spirit. Over the next couple of days I want to look at each perspective and see if it will help us look at this passage a little differently than maybe we have before. Let's start with the Disciples.

I've often wondered if the manifestation of the Holy Spirit in Acts 2 was anything like the disciples were expecting. Look at it from their eyes for a moment. They have been promised for months (go all the way back to John 14) that the Holy Spirit was going to come and give them power. Like anybody who is human their expectations must have been far ranging in what they thought was going to happen. I'm pretty sure no one thought that a violent sound like a rushing wind would invade their entire building sending people running toward them, and that fire would come to rest upon their heads. That couldn't have been what any of them were expecting, I'm sorry. I'm almost positive they did not wake up one morning and say, "wow I hope the Holy Spirit blows us away and lights us on fire."

Yet this is how it happened, this violent, wild encounter that would leave them marked for life. Not only that, but immediately after the experience they were challenged with using that new found power to preach the story of Christ to thousands of people. That's some pressure guys. Yet the disciples rose to the challenge. They not only had this wild ride with the Holy Spirit, but they also turned around and began to launch a movement. I think the main point to see here is that the disciples let the Holy Spirit be the Holy Spirit. They didn't put him in a box because there was no box to put him in. We should take that same approach to the Spirit. Get him out of your box and see God launch a movement through you.

I challenge you today to spend some serious time thinking about how you view the Holy Spirit and the filling of the Spirit. Begin to ask God to bust open your box and change your perspective. Don't fall in to the trap of expecting God to move in the same way all the time, but let God be God.

Here's your group question: Are there any views you have about the Holy Spirit or the baptism in the Holy Spirit that you've based on experience or witnessing? Are those views biblical or not? What can you do to allow God to move in your life in new and unique ways?