PARISH OF COCKINGTON
Torquay,
The
Pentecost Story
Acts 2 vv 1 – 21
When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together
in one place.
Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind
came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting.
They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that
separated and came to rest on each of them.
All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began
to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them.
Now there were staying in Jerusalem God-fearing Jews from
every nation under heaven.
When they heard this sound, a crowd came together in
bewilderment, because each one heard them speaking in his own language.
Utterly amazed, they asked: "Are not all these
men who are speaking Galileans?
Then how is it that each of us hears them in his own
native language?
Parthians, Medes and Elamites;
residents of
(both Jews and converts to Judaism); Cretans and
Arabs--we hear them declaring the wonders of God in our own tongues!"
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
These men are not drunk, as you suppose. It's only
nine in the morning!
No, this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel:
"`In the last days, God says, I will pour out my
Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your young men
will see visions, your old men will dream dreams.
Even on my servants, both men and women, I will pour
out my Spirit in those days, and they will prophesy.
I will show wonders in the heaven above and signs on
the earth below, blood and fire and billows of smoke.
The sun will be turned to darkness and the moon to
blood before the coming of the great and glorious day of the Lord.
And everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be
saved.'
Copyright © The Parochial Church Council of the Parish of Cockington