As Jesus had promised, the Holy Spirit descended on the day of the Pentecost. On that occasion about 120 people were filled with the Holy Spirit at the same time and began to speak in tongues as the Holy Spirit gave them utterance (Acts 2:4). What was it that happened for the first time when the Holy Spirit came? It was speaking in tongues. The gift of speaking in tongues is not manifested gradually over the course of a person’s faith life after having received the Holy Spirit; it is given as soon as he receives the Holy Spirit and is the very first sign.
Jesus never said, “You will start speaking in tongues at the same time as receiving the Holy Spirit.” The disciples were not aware that they would be speaking in tongues. However, Jesus had said, “At that day you will know that I am in My Father, and you in Me, and I in you” (John 14:20). He meant that the disciples themselves would know of this the moment they receive the Holy Spirit. And His word was exactly right. Every one of the 120 disciples began speaking in tongues the moment they received the Holy Spirit. Although Jesus had never said, “You will speak in tongues upon receiving the Holy Spirit,” all the disciples gathered in Mark’s upper room began to speak in tongues automatically.
Many Christians today consider it unnecessary to speak in tongues. Of course, speaking in tongues does not aid
in living our lives in this world. However, it is not to man that one speaks in tongues in the first place. First Corinthians 14:2 says, “For he who speaks in a tongue does not speak to men but to God, for no one understands him; however, in the spirit he speaks mysteries.” There is no one apart from God who can understand speaking in tongues. God has granted us this gift, for He was determined not to leave our spirits neglected but to listen to the mysteries spoken from our spirits.
If anyone wishes for God to be with him until the end of the world, he must have God listen to his spirit’s
concerns. We should not disdain the gift of speaking in tongues simply because we cannot understand it. It is a prayer that God hears. Be it so that a person does not speak in tongues; yet if he hinders another from speaking, he will never be forgiven as he is directly opposing God and blaspheming against the Holy Spirit (Matt. 12:31-32).
Actually, there were interference and opposition towards the gift of speaking in tongues from the first day the Holy Spirit had come. The people at the time said that those speaking in tongues were drunk on new wine (Acts 2:13). Even Apostle Paul said that if the unbelievers saw the whole church speaking with tongues, they would
think that they are out of their minds (1 Cor. 14:23). Nevertheless, everyone who believed in Jesus received the Holy Spirit during the days of the early church. Instead it was considered strange if a believer had not received the Holy Spirit even after receiving baptism. Therefore, the Apostles went wherever there were believers, even to foreign countries so that they would receive the Holy Spirit. And regardless of where it was, whoever received the Holy Spirit also began speaking in tongues automatically.[FONT=굴림]
-extracted from overseer Sung Hyun Kim's sermon on June 8, 2014 [/FONT]