The events following the ascension of Christ to Heaven are thrilling to read. Before He left, Jesus told His disciples to wait for the filling of the Holy Spirit in the upper room. After that, they would become His witnesses, telling all that Jesus Christ of Nazareth had been the true Messiah, the One prophesied who would come to redeem Israel and deliver them from their sins.

When ten days later, as the disciples had faithfully obeyed their Lord, and had passed the time praying and listening to preaching from God’s Word, the Spirit did come in great power. The first manifestation of His filling was a supernatural ability for the disciples to speak in foreign languages. They left that upper room and began intermingling with the great crowd, boldly declaring the ‘wonderful works of God.’

In amazement the people listened as men from many different nations and languages were represented in that crowd. Though the disciples had no grasp of the various languages, from their mouths came the message of Christ clearly heard by each person, regardless of their language. This demonstration of tongues was an obvious working of God, causing the crowd to split in their reactions.

Many who heard were spellbound, not fully understanding what was happening, but awestruck by what was happening. They were hearing the Gospel in their own native language. How could that be? A general cry went out through the crowd asking how such a thing could be happening.

One part of the crowd seemed eager to hear the message, and were hungrily digesting it as if starved for such truths. Others were not so positive. From the crowd came some who began shouting jeering words of unbelief. They even accused the disciples of being drunk with alcohol. The account is found in…

Acts 2:12 And they were all amazed, and were in doubt, saying one to another, What meaneth this?
13 Others mocking said, These men are full of new wine.

When the truth of Jesus and His sacrificial death for man’s sins reached their ears, there were many who received the truth gladly, for they longed for something to fill the empty void in their hearts. They willingly listened, comprehended, and believed.

Those who refused to believe reacted the way unbelievers always do, by mocking the truth. They were unable to deny the miracle they were witnessing, and could not prove that the message they were hearing was false, so they resorted to juvenile mocking.

When we share the Gospel, we should not be surprised in those who mock. It is not a signal that we are being unsuccessful, it means that the truth is causing a reaction. We are unable to control the response, only the delivery. Let us be faithful to give the truth, and let the Holy Spirit work on the hearts of the listeners, even those who mock, for they sometimes eventually allow the truth to take hold.