Acts 2:1-11 KJV
1 And when the day of Pentecost was 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 all the house where they were sitting.
3 And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them.
4 And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.
5 And there were dwelling at Jerusalem Jews, devout men, out of every nation under heaven.
6 Now when this was noised abroad, the multitude came together, and were confounded, because that every man heard them speak in his own language.
7 And they were all amazed and marvelled, saying one to another, Behold, are not all these which speak Galilaeans?
8 And how hear we every man in our own tongue, wherein we were born?
9 Parthians, and Medes, and Elamites, and the dwellers in Mesopotamia, and in Judaea, and Cappadocia, in Pontus, and Asia,
10 Phrygia, and Pamphylia, in Egypt, and in the parts of Libya about Cyrene, and strangers of Rome, Jews and proselytes,
11 Cretes and Arabians, we do hear them speak in our tongues the wonderful works of God.

In general this would not be the norm for the infilling of the Holy Spirit, you need not the show for the infilling to occur today, but if it did, it would perhaps not be talked about but in small clusters of people. Yet this is a special event because it is the day the Holy Spirit returned to his people and filled them with his Spirit. Just as Christ was baptized in the Jordan with the Spirit coming down like a dove, the Spirit this time came as cloven tongues of fire and it sat on each of them. Two understand the word cloven in the greek dictionary it means divided. Tongues divided upon each of them and rested on each of them(meaning the apostles and those in attendance in the upper room). Now several things must be known, that one Jesus had lived among the gentiles, and so had others, especially fishermen and tax collectors would of perhaps learn certain languages when trading in the markets and out at sea. We want to say the languages itself was unusual event that all spoke in languages they could not of known, but that not completely true. However some languages might not of been known to the apostles and other believers at the time of Pentecoste. What we know is it got the crowds attention. People from all over the known world it drew for they were in Jerusalem that day, and then you have the Jews plus their proselytes. However what they heard was the another blessing the wonderful works of God. Two blessings the fullfillment of the coming of the Holy Spirit and he did not just anoint one person but those in the upper room.

When Christ was baptized/anointed by God, it seems that God the Father, the Holy Spirit and John the Baptist did all the testifying of who Jesus was. However those in the city of Jerusalem had no clue what to think of all these apostles and disciples who began to speak in their language the wonderful works of God. This ability to speak was amazing to the crowd because they were known to be Galilean. The apostles testified about God and Christ Jesus by the power of the Holy Spirit. The power of God is for the glorification of God(Father, Son, And Holy Spirit).

The first course of evanglism is taking place. Speaking the wonderful works of God. The praise of the people of what God has done for them. Christ saved my soul would be one thing a believer might say, but it not the only thing. In tomorrow lesson we will talk about what was preached at the first evangelistic service by the Apostles, with Peter being the chief speaker.

The symbolism in Christ baptism was one of peace. Christ was coming in peace, but now the word of God is coming with fire to sweep the earth. Not a burning of actual flame, but a burning within the soul, though the Holy Spirit appears in cloven tongues, the fire burning represents the message of Jesus would be on fire. The old saying of brimstone and fire, still reigns true in a good revival service or a good message that warms or set the church a blazed to share the good news of Jesus. This spark of fire is to be passed on. God gives each believer the ability by the Holy spirit to pass the word along with the power of his Spirit. The flame that continues to grow to cleanse the earth of evil and corruption. To produce faith in mankind of the reality of God and his salvation plan coming in the form of baby, who would one day go to the cross and rise again, given eternal hope of salvation to all that would believe both Jew and Gentile.

Remember this is not a physical but a spiritual fire. Spiritual fire only fire manifest will be a spiritual fire by God's power. However I have been in a service where the the presence of the Holy Spirit came like a haze of smoke. No not a smoke machine. I am aware of those too. This was a unique experience that occurred after my healing of pain. More of covering or protection to the church perhaps. Now whether you believe it or not, then that your choice. I do not know if someone told me that story today if I would of believed it, then I think why not. Why can God not manifest his way has he did in Temple in Solomon Day, or at the time of Moses. It takes faith to believe in God and that God still does miracles and works in the lives of his people. I struggle with things I even hear and I think it is normal in our day and age to doubt everything we hear and see, often looking for an explanation. What one can learned maybe most is faith is so individual even if you are in a crowd of worshippers, because it still takes faith to worship and not to be a mimicker of the crowd or to follow the leader so to speak. Faith at some point has to be individual walk with God and truly a spiritual experience. Maybe the cloven tongue proves that with the dispersing of the disciples to many lands of many languages to share the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Though Apostles and disciples would stay for a time in Jerusalem, they would go forth and come and go as you and I do on a daily bases from our homes, schools, workplaces and churches. All part of something bigger but going forth and sharing news perhaps of all these places. Hopefully not in that order, hopefully faith, family, work/school and so forth to friends, family and then strangers first speaking the works of God. Let us remember the first revival was evangelism service in more then one language. What a blessing to have to many countries represented there. How many stories went back and told their homeland about their experience or had people from their homeland come to visit in Jerusalem and share their story and it was carried back home.

Dear Heavenly Father, let us learn to share the good news of Jesus first and for most in our life. In Jesus precious name, Amen.

Continual Scripture Study: Hebrews 1:7-8 KJV
7 And of the angels he saith, Who maketh his angels spirits, and his ministers a flame of fire.
8 But unto the Son he saith, Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever: a sceptre of righteousness is the sceptre of thy kingdom.