It just hit me again: 3000 people baptized on this day! How practically could that be accomplished and what an amazing beginning! I once saw a video clip of the Archbishop of York baptising seven adults outdoors on Easter Sunday and he did a double dip for each of them, but it looked hard work!
For me, I have to alter my thinking about the scenario presented here to think not of the odd passers by but the area around the Upper Room being full, overcrowded with people, like a very busy market square!
We may question why it was that there was this huge response, here are some answers:
1. The coming of the Holy Spirit happened in a very busy city at one of the busiest times of year.
2. The coming of the Holy Spirit was witnessed as external marvels demonstrating internal transformation: something very special went on that day!
3. The proclamation about the cross brings great effect. Jesus foretold this in John 12 v 32 and throughout history since then it has divided people in their response.
4. The recognition of what had been done to Jesus produced an immediate response: ''What are we to do?''
5. Peter declares the message of repentance and baptism as a response to the crowd's plea.
6. Perhaps this demonstrates the power of the crowd to encourage good action in contrast to the crowd at the trial of Jesus baying for His crucifixion.
So, in one day the members of the Jesus-following community grow by 2500%. The equivalent of the weekly average congregation of Bearfield growing from 60 to 1500! Then we would have a space problem.