Acts 2: The Holy Spirit Empowers the Churches

THE HOLY SPIRIT CAME TO EMPOWER AND GUIDE THE LORD’S CHURCHES IN THEIR WORK UNTIL THE END OF THE CHURCH AGE.

WE KNOW THROUGH THE BOOK OF ACTS THAT 120 BELIEVERS OBEYED THE COMMAND OF JESUS TO WAIT IN JERUSALEM FOR THE POWER PROMISED TO ARRIVE.

THESE INCLUDED THE DISCIPLES, MARY, THE MOTHER OF JESUS, THE BROTHERS OF JESUS.

DURING THE WAITING TIME, CHURCH BUSINESS WAS BEING CONDUCTED AS LOTS WERE CAST TO DETERMINE A REPLACEMENT FOR JUDAS ISCARIOT, AND MATTHIAS WAS CHOSEN.

SO THE DAY OF PENTECOST WAS NOT THE ACTUAL DAY CHOSEN TO ESTABLISH THE CHURCH AS IT WAS ESTABLISHED BY JESUS DURING HIS EARTHLY MINISTRY.

THE PENTECOST DAY WAS THE EMPOWERING DAY FOR THE CHURCH TO BEGIN ITS MISSION UNDER THE HOLY SPIRIT.

 2:1-4:

THE FEAST OF PENTECOST ALWAYS FOLLOWED PASSOVER BY 50 DAYS.

IT CELEBRATED THE FIRST FRUITS OF THE WHEAT HARVEST. NUMBERS 28:26 HAD INSTRUCTED NO WORK DONE THEN, AND A NEW MEAT SACRIFICE GIVEN IN A HOLY CONVOCATION.

PENTECOST WAS ONE OF THREE GREAT FEAST DAYS AMONG THE HEBREW PEOPLE, AND IT REQUIRED A GATHERING IN JERUSALEM.

IN THIS CASE THE TIME WAS TEN DAYS AFTER THE ASCENSION OF THE LORD.

HIS FOLLOWERS WERE TOLD TO WAIT AND THAT IS EXACTLY WHAT THEY DID, AND THEY WERE IN ONE ACCORD.

AS THEY WAITED AND LIKELY PRAYED, SCRIPTURE SAYS THERE WAS THE SOUND OF A MIGHTY WIND. WE NOTE THAT SCRIPTURE DOES NOT SAY THERE WAS WIND, JUST A SOUND LIKE IT.

VERSE 3 SAYS THERE APPEARED TONGUES OF FIRE OVER THE FOLLOWERS. AGAIN, SCRIPTURE DOES NOT SAY THERE WAS FIRE BUT ONLY THE APPEARANCE OF IT AS THE PRESENCE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT ARRIVED AND DIVIDED ITSELF INTO INDIVIDUAL SECTIONS AND CAME OVER EACH FOLLOWER.

WE ARE TOLD THAT THIS WAS THE INDWELLING OF THE HOLY GHOST INTO EACH ONE JUST AS HAPPENS TO EACH CHRISTIAN CONVERT SINCE, A DIVINE GIFT TO REMAIN WITH A BELIEVER FROM CONVERSION UNTO MORTAL DEATH.

WE WILL LATER SEE THE SAME OCCURRENCE AT SAMARIA (8:17), AND CARESAREA (10:44), AND EPHESUS (ACTS 19:6), MEANING THE BAPTISM OF THE HOLY SPIRIT PROMISED BEFORE.

THOSE INSTANCES PROVED THAT THE LORD HAD INTENDED GENTILES TO BE A PART OF THE CHURCH AND THE SPIRIT WAS FULFILLING THAT PLAN.

THE MANIFESTATION EVIDENCE OF THIS MOMENT WAS THE POWER GIVEN THOSE WHO HAD RECEIVED IT WERE ABLE TO SPEAK IN MANY DIFFERENT LANGUAGES SO THAT ALL GATHERED THERE COULD HEAR AND UNDERSTAND THE GOSPEL IN THEIR OWN LANGUAGE.

THESE FOLLOWERS GENERALLY SPOKE IN ARAMAIC AND DID SO WITH A SPECIAL ACCENT FROM GALILEE AS WE KNOW FROM THE ACCUSATION OF PETER WHEN JESUS WAS ARRESTED AND HIS ACCENT GAVE HIM AWAY AS A FOLLOWER OF JESUS.

2:5-13:

GALILEANS WERE KNOWN TO BE CORSE AND UNEDUCATED PEOPLE AND NOT ELOQUENT OF SPEECH.

WHEN THOSE GATHERED THERE HEARD FOLLOWERS SPEAKING IN THE FOREIGN TOUGUES, THEY WERE AMAZED

HERE WAS A REVERSAL OF THE COMMAND OF GOD IN GENESIS 11 WHERE HE GAVE MANY DIFFERENT LANGUAGES TO THOSE BUILDING THE TOWER OF BABEL AND THE CONFUSION CAUSED THE BUILDING TO STOP. THIS CHANGE WAS INSTANTLY DONE.

THIS LANGUAGE WAS ALSO INSTANTLY DONE AND WHEN IT WAS HEARD, SOME FELT THE FOLLOWERS WERE DRUNK ON WINE, SPOUTING GIBBERESH. THESE WERE MOCKERS OF UNBELIEF.

ALL GATHERED THERE COULD HEAR AND GRASP THE MEANING OF THE GOSPEL TEACHING AND THEREBY TAKE IT WITH THEM AS THEY RETURNED TO THEIR OWN HOME TOWNS.

VERSES 8-11 LIST FOR US THE VARIOUS LANDS THAT WERE INCLUDED IN THIS GATHERING WHO HEARD THE GOSPEL AND WE NOTE IN VERSE 10 THAT THERE WERE STRANGERS FROM ROME IN THIS CROWD.

WE HAVE NEVER BEEN GIVEN THE IDENTITY OF THOSE WHO FOUNDED THE ROMAN CHURCH BUT MANY BELIEVE IT ACTALLY STARTED ON PENTECOST DAY AND THESE STRANGERS TOOK IT

HOME WITH THEM AND OPENED THE CHURCH THERE.

2:14-36:

JUST AFTER THE POWER TO SPEAK IN OTHER LANGUAGES WAS SEEN IN THE FOLLOWERS, PETER ROSE TO SPEAK.

HE PREACHED THE FIRST SERMON OF THE NEW CHURCH THAT DAY.

HE QUICKLY DISPOSED OF THE IDEA OF FOLLOWERS BEING INFLUENCED BY WINE AND SAID THE THESE FOLLOWERS HAD BEEN GIFTED BY THE SPIRIT THEIR ABILITY AND THAT IT WAS MID MORNING WHICH WAS PRAYER TIME, NOT DRINKING TIME.

BEGINNING IN VERSE 16, PETER CITED THREE OLD TESTAMENT PASSAGES, JOEL 2:28-32, PSALM 16:8-11, & PSALM 110:1.

THESE OT PASSAGES FORETOLD THE EVENTS THAT WERE HAPPENING ON PENTECOST DAY IN JERUSALEM.

IT SEEMS PROPER TO RECALL THAT IN THE OT, THE SPIRIT PASSAGES MENTIONED WERE GOD PLACING HIS SPIRIT ON KINGS, PROPHETS, AND PRIESTS.

UNDER THE NEW COVENANT, THE SPIRIT ENTERS EVERY BELIEVER AS A GIFT OF FAITH.

PETER SAID THAT THE GOSPEL WAS NOW AVAIALABLE TO ALL PEOPLE, JEW AND GENTILE ALIKE SO THAT PEOPLE COULD REPENT AND BELIEVE REGARDLESS OF THEIR ETHNIC OR CULTURAL BACKGROUND.

THE FOCUS OF PETER’S TEACHING IN THIS SERMON WAS ELOQUENT BUT SIMPLE. HE TAUGHT OF THE CRUCIFIED AND RISEN MESSIAH, THE LORD JESUS CHRIST.

HE FOCUSED UPON THE IMPORTANT POINT THAT JESUS HAD DIED, WAS BURIED, AND ROSE AGAIN TO ARRANGE THE SALVATION OF ALL WHO WOULD BELIEVE. PETER NEEDED TO PREPARE THE PEOPLE FOR WHAT HE WOULD SAY NEXT.

THE DEATH OF JESUS ON THE CROSS WAS, ACCORDING TO PETER, IN THE OVERALL PLAN OF GOD FROM ETERNITY PAST.

PETER THEN TOOK THIS MOMENT TO SAY THAT THE WICKED ACTIONS BY THE JEWISH LEADERS IN JERUSALEM WERE RESPONSIBLE FOR BRINGING ABOUT THE DEATH OF JESUS.

HIS INCLINATION WAS NOT TO PLEASE THE CROWD BUT RATHER TO BE COMPLETELY TRUTHFUL.

HE STRONGLY PROCLAIMED THAT DESPITE THE DEATH OF JESUS, ARRANGED BY THE JEWS, HE WOULD NOT REMAIN IN DEATH.

HE WOULD BE RAISED AGAIN, RESURRECTED BACK INTO LIFE BY GOD.

PETER LIKENS THIS RAISING TO THE BIRTH PAINS WHICH ARE DIFFICULT TO BEAR BUT CANNOT STOP THE BIRTH OF THE CHILD COMING.

THE PAINFUL DEATH OF JESUS DID NOT STOP THE RESURRECTION TO COME.

PETER THEN QUOTED PSALM 16 TO EXPLAIN THE RESURRECTION. THE PSALMIST WAS NOT SPEAKING OF HIS OWN BODY BUT WAS PROPHECYING ABOUT THE BODY OF THE HOLY ONE TO COME THAT WOULD NOT REMAIN IN THE TOMB.

PETER IS SAYING THAT DEATH COULD NOT HOLD JESUS AND THAT KING DAVID FORETOLD THIS MOMENT SO THAT ALL ISRAEL MAY KNOW IT AND UNDERSTAND IT.

THERE WAS NO CORRUPTION TO THE BODY OF JESUS .

THERE WERE MANY EYE WITNESSES TO HIS RISING AND SAW HIM,

PETER REMINDED THE PEOPLE THAT DAVID HAD DIED AND HIS BODY WAS STILL BURIED IN JERUSALEM, AND HE DID NOT ASCEND BODILY TO HEAVEN.

THE POINT WAS THAT EVEN THOUGH THE JEWS HAD ARRANGED THE CRUCIFIXION, HE WAS SHOWN TO BE BOTH LORD AND CHRIST, AND HIS RESURRECTION WAS CLEAR PROOF OF THAT FACT.

WE SHOULD MAKE AN IMPORTANT POINT HERE IN THIS PORTION OF THIS CHAPTER.

MORE THAN SEVERAL PEOPLE HAVE BEEN RAISED FROM DEATH BY JESUS AND APOSTLES. JESUS RAISED LAZARUS AFTER FOUR DAYS IN HIS TOMB, AND THIS FACT WAS THE BREAKING POINT TO THE PHARISEES TO MORE STRONGLY SEEK THE DEATH OF JESUS.

BUT NO ONE WHO WAS EVER RAISED FROM DEATH WAS RESURRECTED.

JESUS ONLY WAS RESURRECTED BECAUSE AT HIS RISING HE REURNED IN HIS GLORIFIED FORM. ALL OTHERS WHO WERE RAISED RETURNED INTO THEIR SINFUL MORTAL BODIES AND EVENTUALLY DIED AGAIN A MORTAL DEATH.

JESUS AROSE NEVER TO DIE AGAIN.

2:37-41:

AS PETER PREACHED, ANOTHER WORK WAS DONE BY THE HOLY SPIRIT. HE MOVED INTO THE HEARTS OF THOSE LISTENERS AND THEY WERE CONVICTED AND REALIZED THE HEAVY HEART THAT SIN HAD PLACED IN THEIR BODIES.

THEY WERE SAID TO BE “PRICKED” IN THEIR HEARTS RECOGNIZED THAT ALL WERE COMPLICIT IN THE DEATH OF JESUS WHO HAD COME TO SAVE.

EVERY HUMAN BEING IS ALSO COMPLICIT IN THIS MATTER AS WE ARE BEINGS INFESTED BY BOTH ORIGINAL SIN AND A LIFELONG SIN NATURE.

PETER GAVE THEM THE ANSWER THEY WERE SEEKING. THEY ASKED WHAT SHOULD THEY DO, AND PETER TOLD THEM TO REPENT, MEANING TURN AWAY FROM SIN AND TO CHRIST, AND BE BAPTIZED.

EVERY GENERATION SINCE THAT ONE NEEDS TO HEAR THE SAME ADVICE AND TO ACT UPON IT WHEN CALLED BY GOD.

IN THIS INSTANCE WE ARE TOLD THAT 3,000 WERE SAVED.

HERE BEGAN THE LIFE CHANGING WORK OF THE GOSPEL AS GUIDED BY PREACHING LED BY THE HOLY SPIRIT.

MANY OF THESE 3,000 WENT HOME CHANGED AND SURELY TOOK THE MESSAGE WITH THEM TO OTHERS, WHICH WAS IN OBEDIENCE OF THE GREAT COMMISSION IN CHAPTER ONE, BE WITNESSES.

2:42-47:

ONCE THE PROMISE OF THE POWER OF THE HOLY SPIRIT ARRIVED AT PENTECOST, THE DISCIPLES BEGAN TEACHING WHAT THEY HAD BEEN TAUGHT BY JESUS HIMSELF.

THE LORD’S CHRISTIAN CHURCH (THE PROFESSING & POSSESSING CHURCH) STILL HEARS THE SAME MESSAGE SPOKEN ON PENTECOST DAY.

IT IS THAT JESUS CAME TO SEEK AND SAVE THOSE LOST AND FAITH IN HIM WITH A BROKEN SPIRIT AND CONTRITE HEART THAT REPENTS FROM SIN AND CLINGS FOREVER TO HIM.

WE MUST NEVER FORGET THAT OUR ETERNAL LIFE BEGINS AT THE SAME MOMENT FAITH ARRIVES AND IS EVIDENCED BY OUR INDWELLING OF THE GIFT OF THE SPIRIT PROMISED LONG AGO.

THE RESULT OF ALL THESE EVENTS WAS THAT FROM THAT MOMENT ONWARD THE LORD ADDED TO THE CHURCH AS HE SAW FIT (2:42).

ACTS 2 BEGINS WITH THE ANTICIPATION OF THE HOLY SPIRIT COMING TO DELIVER THE POWER JESUS HAD PROMISED.

DURING THIS TIME WONDERS AND SIGNS WERE DONE AND MEETINGS BEGAN TO CONTINUE TO SPREAD THE GOSPEL, WITH INSTRUCTION AND BELIEF IN THE APOSTLE’S DOCTRINE.

STUDY, WORSHIP, AND FELLOWSHIP WAS EVIDENT AMONG THE SAINTS.

VISUALLY, WHEN THE 3,000 SAVED WERE LEAVING JERUSALEM TO TRAVEL HOME, THEY WERE NOT EXTERNALLY CHANGED.

BUT IN HEART, THE DIVINE POWER CHANGED EACH FROM WHAT THEY HAD BEEN INTO NEW CREATURES, HAVING FAITH, BELIEVING,

AND EACH LIFE FOREVER CHANGED.

ONCE PETER STARTED PREACHING THIS FIRST SERMON HE WAS FILLED WITH THE POWER OF THE HOLY SPIRIT.

HE EXPLAINED THAT THE GIFT OF THE HOLY SPIRIT WAS EXACTLY WHAT GOD HAD PROMISED THROUGH HIS PROPHET JOEL:

“… TO POUR OUT MY SPIRIT IN THOSE DAYS.”

AND THOSE DAYS OF THE PROPHECY HAD ARRIVED.

THE FIRST CHRISTIAN SERMON WAS CHRIST CENTERED.

PETER PREACHED CHRIST, HIS INCARNATE LIFE, CRUCIFIXION, DEATH, RESURRECTION, AND PRESENCE WITHIN THE HOLY SPIRIT GIFTED TO THE 120 WHO WAITED, AS INSTRUCTED, TO RECEIVE IT.

PETER DID ALL THIS IN JUST OVER 600 WORDS.

HE EXPLAINED GOD’S OFFER OF HIMSELF IN CHRIST, WHAT PEOPLE HAD DONE TO REFUSE IT; WHAT GOD DID DESPITE THE REFUSAL, AND WHAT COULD HAPPEN TO THOSE WHO NOW RESPONDED.

THE BASIC PURPOSE IS A CLEAR DECLARAION THAT LIFE IN CHRIST IS GOD’S WILL FOR HIS PEOPLE AND ALL CREATION.

IT WAS GOD WHO WAS MANIFESTED IN THE ONE KNOWN AS JESUS.

HE DID THE MIRACLES, WONDERS, AND SIGNS THROUGH HIM.

PETER COULD PREACH WITH SUCH OBVIOUS COURAGE BECAUSE HE WAS CONVINCED THAT THE MESSIAH’S LIFE, DEATH, AND RESURRECTION WERE THE MANIFESTATION OF GOD’S IRREVOCABLE WILL FOR SALVATION OF THE WORLD, BEGINNING THAT DAY.

WHAT PETER IS SAYING TO THE CROWDS IN JERUSALEM IS THAT GOD’S WILL IS THE ATONEMENT AND THAT RECONCILIATION COULD NOT HAVE BEEN STOPPED, DELAYED, OR ALTERED BY MAN.

IT WAS GOD’S PLAN AND HE DID IT.

THOSE WHO CRUCIFIED JESUS THOUGHT THEY WERE THE DECIDERS OF HIS DESTINY, BUT GOD’S GREATER WILL WAS BEING DONE THROUGH IT ALL.

WHAT HE SAID ABOUT GOD’S WILL IN THE ATONEMENT STRIPPED AWAY THEIR ARROGANCE.

THEY THOUGHT THEY HAD JUDGED JESUS AND PUT HIM TO DEATH.

JESUS WAS GOD’S JUDGEMENT ON THE WORLD.

THE SUFFERING SAVIOR’S DEATH WAS GOD’S WILL FOR THE JUDGMENT AND ATONEMENT OF SIN.

BUT IT WAS ALSO GOD’S GRACE. SALVATION WAS ONLY MOMENTS AWAY FOR THESE UNDESERVING LOST SOULS.

WHAT APPEAL OF PETER’S PREACHING CUT TO THE CORE OF THEIR CONSCIOUSNESS? THE CLEAR DECLARATION OF WHO CHRIST IS AS THE WILL OF GOD FOR THEM.

THE JEWS WERE NOT UNDERSTANDING THAT THEY WERE NOT DEALING WITH A CARPENTER FROM GALILEE, BUT GOD HIMSELF.

NO WONDER THEY CRIED OUT, “WHAT SHALL WE DO?”

PETER WAS READY WITH AN ANSWER AS THE FIRST CHRISTIAN INVITATION WAS GIVEN TO A CONGREGATION:

“REPENT, AND LET EVERY ONE OF YOU BE BAPTIZED IN THE NAME OF JESUS CHRIST FOR THE REMISSION OF SINS; AND YOU SHALL RECEIVE THE HOLY SPIRIT.” (VERSE 38)

THE CALL TO BE BAPTIZED MUST HAVE BEEN SHOCKING TO THEM.

BAPTISM WAS USED BY THE JEWS FOR RADICAL RECONSECRATION OF ONE WHO WAS IN URGENT NEED OF FORGIVENESS OF THEIR SIN.

PETER WAS TELLING THEM THEIR SINS WERE BOTH SPIRITUAL AND MORAL.

WHAT MADE THIS MOMENT SO BOLD WAS THAT PETER SAID THEY MUST BE BAPTIZED IN THE NAME OF JESUS.

“NAME” MEANS POWER AND AUTHORITY. JESUS CHRIST HAS THAT AUTHORITY TO SAY: “YOUR SINS ARE FORGIVEN”.

WHEN HIS POWER CONVINCES A HEART TO REPENT IT IS HE WHO HAS CREATED BOTH THE DESIRE AND THE HEART’S RESPONSE.

NONE MAY COME BEFORE DIVINE CALLING.

IT MAY SEEM THAT THE DECISION TO RECEIVE THE HOLY SPIRIT IS OUR CHOICE, BUT THAT CHOICE IS HIS FULL INFUSION OF DESIRE FOR HIM, MAKING US WILLING TO RECEIVE.

THAT MOMENT BEGINS THE SANCTIFICATION OF THE SINNER WHICH IS THE BENDING OF THE HUMAN WILL TO THE DIVINE WILL.

WHAT IS ACTUALLY HAPPENING TO THESE 3,000 HEARTS LISTENING TO PETER IS THEY FINALLY UNDERSTAND THAT JESUS CHRIST HAS SET THEM FREE IN THEIR HEARTS TO WANT WHAT HE WANTED TO GIVE.