When something incredible happens, people always come up with at least two explanations for it.  On the day of Pentecost, when the Holy Spirit came to the 120 believers and they all spoke in other tongues, so the folks gathered in Jerusalem  from all over the known world could understand, it was no different. Here's how Luke recorded it:  ¹²They stood there amazed and perplexed. “What can this mean?” they asked each other.  ¹³But others in the crowd ridiculed them, saying, “They’re just drunk, that’s all!” Acts 2:12-13 NLT  Some were amazed and perplexed at the incredible event.  Others explained it away as just too much liquor doing the talking. 

We reserve amazement for times when something natural or supernatural makes us realize something bigger than us is going on.  Perplexity comes when we're just baffled by an event.  The crowd who responded in this way to the Spirit's coming and the amazing results were on the right track.  Those who dismissed it as drunken mumblings couldn't have been farther from the truth.  Yet, that's what happens so often in matters of faith--one person believes and is blessed, while another person doubts, rationalizes and misses the blessing.  As we'll see tomorrow through Friday, the Apostle Peter offered a reasonable explanation of what went on, and challenged folks to believe.  Even so, some in the crowd dismissed the event, while many responded in faith and became the "firstfruits" of the Church as Pastor Brad put it in his message on Sunday.

At some level each of us is in the same boat as those in the crowd on the first, Christian Pentecost.  We can accept God's work for what it is--amazing and perplexing.  Or we can attempt to offer a "rational" explanation and miss out on God's activity in our lives.  My prayer is each of us will respond to God's amazing and perplexing ways with faith today and every day He gives us, so we'll enjoy His grace and extend His glory!

Let's pray:  Heavenly Father, Thanks so much for doing things that amaze and perplex us!  Thanks for being so much bigger, greater and wiser than us.  Fill us anew with Your Holy Spirit so we may respond to You in deep and abiding faith, and thus experience the power of Your life in us.  This we pray in Jesus' name.  Amen.