Acts 10:44-46 – While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit fell upon all those who heard the word. And those of the circumcision who believed were astonished, as many as came with Peter, because the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out on the Gentiles also. For they heard them speak with tongues and magnify God.

One of the things that never made sense to me is why so many churches forbid the public use of the prayer language. That causes me to ask a couple of questions. First of all why would someone forbid the public use of tongues when that was the very thing that caused the Jewish believers to accept these gentiles. The leaders of the church in Jerusalem weren’t having it until they heard from Peter that the gentiles were all speaking in tongues. The second question I have is this, if you cannot speak in tongues publicly how could anyone ever receive that gift. Is there a special place you have to go to pray for people (a back room or something) or maybe there is a “magic number” of people allowed in a room to allow this gift to be expressed. Here is how the Spirit Filled Life Commentary describes this scene.

“Peter’s sermon is suddenly interrupted by the Gentile believers’ receiving the charismatic gift of the Holy Spirit. A favorable response of Cornelius and his friends to the sermon is indicated: “all who heard the message” and “praising God”. God takes the initiative by letting the Holy Spirit fall upon these uncircumcised believers as Peter preaches to them. They receive the same Spirit–baptism as did the believers at Pentecost. As the audible, visible, initial evidence of being filled with the Spirit, Cornelius and his friends speak in tongues—a manifestation that later causes the church leaders to glorify God and to acknowledge that “God has granted even the Gentiles repentance unto life”. The six Jewish Christians accompanying Peter to Caesarea are surprised by the falling of the charismatic gift of the Spirit on these Gentiles. Clearly God here pours out his Spirit on the household of Cornelius in the Pentecostal fashion. The similarities between the outpouring of the Spirit at this occasion in Caesarea and on the Day of Pentecost in Jerusalem are striking.”

I am grateful that the people who discipled me in my early days as a Christian had no such restrictions, they strongly and patiently urged me to receive the charismatic gift and the evidence of speaking in other tongues. Without that gift being expressed regularly in our lives I am afraid the church will have little lasting influence on our generation.