Dec. 21, 2025

The last time we met we covered the ascension of Jesus and the replacement of Judas with Mathias. This week the Holy Spirit descends on the gathering of the disciples and the begin to speak in tongues. This is a point of controversy in the Church today, so we are going to spend some time on this topic.

Acts Lesson 3 Study Questions

1.    And when this sound occurred: A crowd quickly gathered, being attracted by this sound, which was either the sound of the rushing mighty _____ or the sound of speaking in other _______. When the crowd came, they heard the Christians speaking in their own foreign languages.

2.    Look, are not all these who speak Galileans? People from Galilee (Galileans) were known to be ___________ and poor speakers. This was all the more reason to be impressed with their ability to speak eloquently in other ___________. 

3.    Whatever could this mean? What are we to make of the phenomenon of speaking in ________? Speaking in tongues has been the focal point for significant _________ in the church. People still ask the same question these bystanders asked on the day of Pentecost.

4.    Some think that the gift of tongues was given primarily as a sign to ___________ (1 Corinthians 14:21-22) and as a means to miraculously communicate the gospel in _________ languages.

5.    Others argue that the gift of tongues, while a sign to unbelievers as stated by 1 Corinthians 14:21-22, are primarily a gift of _____________ between the ________ and God (1 Corinthians 14:2, 13-15), and is a gift still given by God today.

6.    Began to speak with other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance: Was this speaking in tongues in Acts 2 the _____ gift of ________ described in 1 Corinthians 12 and 1 Corinthians 14?

7.    Those who believe they are two separate gifts emphasize that the speech of Acts 2 was immediately recognized by ________ visitors to Jerusalem, while the speech of 1 Corinthians was unintelligible to those present except with a divinely granted gift of ____________.

8.    The apostles shared the gospel with the crowds, speaking to them in their own __________. The crowds were amazed: “We hear them declaring the wonders of God in our own tongues!” (Acts 2:11). The Greek word translated “_________” literally means “__________.” 

9.    Paul’s personal comment regarding ________ that were not interpreted emphasizes the importance of clear ______________: “In the church I would rather speak five intelligible words to instruct others than ten thousand words in a tongue” (1 Corinthians 14:19).

10.      “Cessationists” argue that the gift of tongues was a warning to the Jews that God was going to _______ Israel for rejecting Jesus Christ as Messiah. Therefore, when God did in fact judge Israel (with the destruction of Jerusalem by the Romans in AD 70), the gift of tongues no longer served its intended ________.

11.    At the same time, if the gift of speaking in tongues were active in the church today, it would be performed in agreement with _________. It would be a real and intelligible _________ (1 Corinthians 14:10). It would be for the purpose of communicating God’s Word with a person of another language (Acts 2:6–12).

12.     Raised his voice: There was a remarkable _______ in Peter. He had courage and boldness that was a complete contrast to his denials of Jesus before being _______ with the Holy Spirit.

13.    It shall come to pass in the last days: The idea of the last days is that they are the times of the Messiah, encompassing both His ________ coming and His return in glory. Because Jesus had already come in humility, they were aware that His _______ in glory could be any time.

14.     This was a glorious emphasis on Pentecost. Under the Old Covenant, _______ people were filled with the Spirit at certain times for specific purposes. Now, under the New Covenant, the ___________ of the Holy Spirit is for all who call upon the name of the LORD, even ___________ and ____________.