For the past few weeks, we have been studying the story of Pentecost in Acts 2. This study includes the coming of the Holy Spirit. His presence manifest itself in the wind, fire, and sound of various languages being spoken in understanding. As this miraculous situation occurs, some determine that they are drunk with wine. Peter stands up to address the crowd.

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. (15) These men are not drunk, as you suppose. It’s only nine in the morning! (16) No, this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel: (17) “‘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. (18) Even on my servants, both men and women, I will pour out my Spirit in those days, and they will prophesy. (19) I will show wonders in the heaven above and signs on the earth below, blood and fire and billows of smoke. (20) The sun will be turned to darkness and the moon to blood before the coming of the great and glorious day of the Lord. (21) And everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.’ --Acts 2:14-21 NIV

Peter quotes Joel in explaining this occurrence He tells them that the people are not drinking wine. He says, ”it is only nine in the morning!“ They are not filled with wine, but they are filled with the spirit of God. As I was studying this passage this week, I appreciated the way in which John Stott focuses on the word ”poured out“

Is not this the significance of the verb ‘pour out’? The picture is probably of a heavy tropical rainstorm, and seems to illustrate the generosity of God’s gift of the Spirit (neither a drizzle nor even a shower but a downpour), its finality (for what has been ‘poured out’ cannot be gathered again) and its universality (widely distributed among the different groupings of humankind).

He tells us that this word is significant because of its,

1. generosity, abundance
2. finality, you can’t put it back in
3. universality, to all people, all flesh

It is the same word that is used by Jesus to describe his blood being poured out

This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins. --Matthew 26:28 NIV

It is the same word that describes the coins being scattered in the temple as Jesus overturns the tables,

So he made a whip out of cords, and drove all from the temple area, both sheep and cattle; he scattered the coins of the money changers and overturned their tables. --John 2:15 NIV

The Spirit’s coming was lavishly poured out in a way that had never before been seen.
The word in Hebrew that is used in Joel for ”poured out“ is used in the OT 114 times. Of those 114 times, 90 times are associated with blood. It is also translated ”shed“. Once blood has been poured out, it cannot be taken back. It is a permanent act that is extensive in nature. So the Holy Spirit being poured out in Acts 2 is an act of God that uses the same verb that describes the ”shedding of blood“ Jesus blood was poured out for our sins, and now the Holy Spirit is poured out for our edification. God, you are a generous God, a loving God, a lavish God. Your gifts are bountiful. You are never frugal in your giving to us. In Acts 2, you give us your Spirit in an all out manner.
Thank you God for the gift of the Holy Spirit. Thank you God that we are now indwelled by you in this grand way. We are showered with your presence, we now have your Spirit heaped on us, poured out on us.

Amen