Bible reading for 40.Day 2025 | Acts 2:1-13, 41

In Acts 2, the Holy Spirit is poured out. Can you imagine how the scene unfolded? It must have been incredible! A sound like a mighty rushing wind, tongues of fire, and the languages of the nations happening all at once! Scriptures state that it was an amazing and astonishing scene.

This happened during the Shavuot, the Feast of Weeks, one of the Three Pilgrimage Festivals where all male Jews are to return to Jerusalem to present themselves before God. It was likely that there were many Jews and non-Jews from all over the world congregating, and thus this place was filled with people groups from all nations with all kinds of tongues.

What scene forms in your mind? What images of this powerful account do you see?

Age does not disqualify you

“Have you ever wondered how old the disciples were then?” I was stunned when I felt God ask me this question a while ago.

At the time when Jesus called them, Peter, the oldest, was probably in his mid-20s and married. Matthew was next, having a job as a tax collector. The others were likely unskilled young boys who had completed religious training, maybe as young as 12 or 13. Some were already working: James and John were fishermen who were old enough to work full-time. They were likely teenagers.

This means that at Pentecost, three years after they were first called by Jesus, the youngest disciple would be just around 15 years old and the oldest in his late 20s. This was not what I was expecting.

What can God do with young people such as these? If you’re in your teens or 20s, what do you think God thinks of you?

At Pentecost, the disciples spoke in other tongues as the Holy Spirit fell on them, and the people of many nations gathered there heard the Good News in their own languages!

Peter then preached his first public sermon, and 3,000 people came to believe in Jesus!

How could these young men be so bold? Perhaps that is how God has created young people – with purity of heart and a sensitivity to the leading of His voice and His Spirit.

I see that in my six-year-old daughter. Every morning and night as we pray, when asked if God has spoken to her, she will share what God says without fail and without hesitation. Perhaps as adults we have much to unlearn. Oh, to be a child again!

Witnesses to all the earth

The other detail we must pay attention to is that the purpose of this mighty encounter was for the people of the nations to know the Gospel in their own tongue.

The Holy Spirit came so that we would bring the Good News to the nations, near and far. Did you know that out of the 17,000 people groups in the world, there are more than 7,000 unreached people groups that have little or no access to the Gospel? That means that 3.4 billion people – about 42% of the world’s population – have not heard the Good News. That is not a small number.

What if we went All In to champion our young people to reach the unreached? If you’re a youth or young adult, choose to go All In for the Gospel. Can you imagine what God can do through you?

Let me share how God used a 15-year-old who joined us on a mission trip to an unreached nation.

Before the trip, while praying, this young lady saw a vision of balloons but could not make sense of it. On the trip, she saw a lady of a different ethnicity and religion making and selling balloons! The teenager struck up a deep conversation with the balloon seller, feeling the heart and love of God for her. She prayed for the balloon seller and felt the care of God for the both of them.

Church, let us go all in to champion our youths to reach the unreached. Youths, embrace the Great Commission, that those who have not heard the Gospel may find freedom and joy as they hear the Good News in their own language, just like it was at Pentecost.

Let us pray:

Lord, give us faith to champion, release and to go with our young ones to the unreached – not in five or 10 years, but now. Help our unbelief! Empower and fill our youths with boldness and love for the lost. Send them out with the confidence of Your presence, power and promise! May You have Your inheritance Jesus! In Jesus’ name we pray, Amen.

Reflect:

1. For the Church: What prejudice do you have about youths in ministry? Ask God to renew your mind.

2. For the youths: What is stopping you from telling your friends about God? Ask the Lord to give you boldness.

Pray: 

1. That the eyes and hearts of believers will catch the urgency to reach the harvest field of 3.4 billion souls that have yet to hear the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

2. That we will not only boldly preach the Good News to the ends of the earth but will train and empower our youths to do likewise.

3. That young and old will have pure hearts and be sensitive to the leading of the Holy Spirit, that the Gospel may be preached and thousands added to the Kingdom.

Follow Salt&Light on Telegram, Facebook or Instagram for more of LoveSingapore’s daily devotions until August 9, 2025.