Luke says that when the fiftieth day after Passover had fully come, the disciples were all gathered in one place, waiting as the Lord had instructed. Then there was a sound like a rushing strong wind coming into the house and the room they occupied. And they saw “tongues” of fire, one hovering over the head of each person in the room. They began speaking in other languages “as the Spirit gave them utterance.” The people who were crowded into Jerusalem for the Pentecost feast, after hearing the noise of the wind at that place and of the people speaking in tongues, gathered around them and “marveled” at what they saw, people who were of all one dialect speaking in many different languages. The account says that “Parthians, Medes, Elamites, dwellers in Mesopotamia, and in Judea, Cappadocia in Pontus, and Asia, Phrygia, and Pamphylia in Egypt, and in the parts of Libya about Cyrene, and foreigners from Rome, Jews and proselytes, Cretes, and Arabs” all heard their own languages coming from these Galilean Christians.

Many marveled, Luke said, but some mocked, attributing the miracle of the tongues to “new wine.” Peter answered, “these are not drunk, as you suppose, as it is only the third hour of the day,” or 9 A.M. Then Peter began a sermon, fulfilling the prophecy that when the Spirit came on the disciples they would receive power to witness for Jesus and his Gospel to all nations. Luke records Peter's sermon, the first evangelistic sermon in Christian history, in Acts 2:16–24. Peter then showed how the prophesies concerning the Christ (Messiah) as the descendant of David the great king, pertained to Jesus. And then Peter showed those who wanted to repent how to be saved (see Acts 2:36–47).

The First Megachurch

Not only was a megachurch, as congregations of several thousand members are called today, reportedly founded in Jerusalem on Pentecost, but most likely dozens, possibly scores, of churches were created by members of the crowd who were in Jerusalem for the feast, heard Peter's sermon, were baptized, and returned home to tell the news to friends and relatives. Presumably, those with the gift of tongues that day were interpreting Peter's words in all the languages represented.

Memories Still Fresh

Many of these people had been in Jerusalem for Passover just more than fifty days earlier and had seen Jesus being hailed on what Christians now call Palm Sunday, his preaching in the Temple, and his being crucified, and it's likely his passion was a topic of conversation at the time. The seed that had been planted had sprung up and already was having its first fruits, on this the festival of the first fruits of harvest. Not only would Passover become the most important feast in the new church (as Easter is called in most non English-speaking churches), Pentecost would also be adopted from Judaism to be commemorated everywhere Christians established congregations and received the Holy Spirit.