Acts 2:12-16 - Ray Nabors

Amazed and perplexed, they asked one another, “What does this mean?”

Some, however, made fun of them and said, “They have had too much wine.”

Then Peter stood up with the Eleven, raised his voice and addressed the crowd: “Fellow Jews and all of you who live in Jerusalem, let me explain this to you; listen carefully to what I say. These people are not drunk, as you suppose. It’s only nine in the morning!

This large group of 16 named and diverse cultures and languages then displayed a contrast that was not new then and continues on to current modern times. People of all nationalities and cultures have different opinions about the things seen and heard. That very thing is voiced in this case. Some were amazed and bewildered at what was happening wanted to know what was going on. Others just made fun of the group in center stage and wrote it off as these folks are just drunk. Jesus not only dealt with these attitudes on a daily basis but warned the disciples and us that this opposition would be the normal for believers.

The Peter, did what he has always done best, right or wrong, steps up as the spokesman for the group. But there is a big difference this time, Peter was now filled with the Holy Spirit. I suspect that he was immediately given the words that needed to be said and the power to do it boldly. He raised his voice in order to be heard over the crowd and the others with him.

He got their attention and then directly addressed the accusations of the skeptics, but also answered the inquisitive. Peter tells them the truth of the matter and then quotes Joel 2:28-32. (Of course he did not have the chapter and verse numbers at that time. Those are for our benefit?) What was happening is all part of God’s Plan.

What else is a benefit? The fact that we have gained knowledge that we are not alone in our own struggles and conflicts. We have the same Holy Spirit and the same truth. We also can draw on the experiences of the early Christians and know that things are not really any different, only updated

We can choose to allow Christ to be in charge or continue to ‘be the boss’.