Chapter 2, Acts 2: 1-47, Pentecost

Prayer:

Heavenly Father, we come before You today as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to You, as this is our spiritual act of worship. We give You our full attention, hearts, and minds, in Jesus’ name, Amen.

VV 1-4, And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place.² And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting.³ And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them.⁴ And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.

Pentecost is 50 days after Easter. On Pentecost, The Holy Spirit descended upon the disciples. A sound and a wind came from heaven and tongues of fire sat upon each one of them. The Holy Spirit indwelled everyone and they spoke in tongues.

. VV 5-13, 5 And there were dwelling at Jerusalem Jews, devout men, out of every nation under heaven. 6 Now when this was noised abroad, the multitude came together, and were confounded, because that every man heard them speak in his own language. 7 And they were all amazed and marvelled, saying one to another, Behold, are not all these which speak Galilaeans? 8 And how hear we every man in our own tongue, wherein we were born? 9 Parthians, and Medes, and Elamites, and the dwellers in Mesopotamia, and in Judaea, and Cappadocia, in Pontus, and Asia, 10 Phrygia, and Pamphylia, in Egypt, and in the parts of Libya about Cyrene, and strangers of Rome, Jews and proselytes, 11 Cretes and Arabians, we do hear them speak in our tongues the wonderful works of God. 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.

Jews from Jerusalem and all nations of the first-century world were in the upper room. They were confused because everyone was speaking in another person’s language. They were amazed and astonished. They could not understand what was happening. Some people thought they were drunk with wine.

VV 14-21,14 But Peter, standing up with the eleven, lifted up his voice, and said unto them, Ye men of Judaea, and all ye that dwell at Jerusalem, be this known unto you, and hearken to my words: 15 For these are not drunken, as ye suppose, seeing it is but the third hour of the day. 16 But this is that which was spoken by the prophet Joel; 17 And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams: 18 And on my servants and on my handmaidens I will pour out in those days of my Spirit; and they shall prophesy: 19 And I will shew wonders in heaven above, and signs in the earth beneath; blood, and fire, and vapour of smoke: 20 The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and notable day of the Lord come: 21 And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved.

      Peter silenced the crowd saying that nobody was drunk as it was only 9 am. This day was prophesied by prophet Joel. The Holy Spirit had come upon the people and made them speak in foreign tongues and prophesy. He quoted Joel 2: 28-32. Young people would prophesy, and old people would dream dreams. Prophet Joel also prophesied on cosmic events in the heavens during Christ’s second coming. Everyone who called on the name of the Lord will be saved.

Joel 2:28, “And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions.”

VV 22-28, ²² Ye men of Israel, hear these words; Jesus of Nazareth, a man approved of God among you by miracles and

wonders and signs, which God did by him in the midst of you, as ye yourselves also know: ²³ Him, being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, ye have taken, and by wicked hands have crucified and slain: ²⁴ Whom God hath raised up, having loosed the pains of death: because it was not possible that he should be holden of it. ²⁵ For David speaketh concerning him, I foresaw the Lord always before my face, for he is on my right hand, that I should not be moved: ²⁶ Therefore did my heart rejoice, and my tongue was glad; moreover also my flesh shall rest in hope: ²⁷ Because thou wilt not leave my soul in hell, neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption. ²⁸ Thou hast made known to me the ways of life; thou shalt make me full of joy with thy countenance.

Peter gave his opening addressed the multitude in the upper room as the spokesman of the apostles. He accused the Jews of crucifying, Jesus of Nazareth, but God raised Him from the dead. This was prophesied by King Davidn1000 years BC in Psalm 16:8-11.

Psalm 16:8-11, “I have set the Lord always before me because He is at my right hand I shall not be moved. Therefore, my heart is glad, and my glory rejoiceth, my flesh also will rest in hope. For thou will not leave my soul in Sheol, neither will thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption. Thou will shew me the path of life, in Thy presence is fullness of joy, at thy right hand are pleasures for evermore.

VV 29-31, 29 Men and brethren, let me freely speak unto you of the patriarch David, that he is both dead and buried, and his sepulchre is with us unto this day. 30 Therefore being a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him, that of the fruit of his loins, according to the flesh, he would raise up Christ to sit on his throne; 31 He seeing this before spake of the resurrection of Christ, that his soul was not left in hell, neither his flesh did see corruption.

Peter delivered his sermon on the day of Pentecost, the birthday of the first-century Christian church. He quoted 2 Samuel 7: 12-13.

God promised to King David through the Davidic covenant, that one of his future descendent would become the Messiah.

2 Sam 7: 12-13, “When thy days be fulfilled, and thou rest with thy fathers, I will set up thy seed after thee, which shall proceed from thy bowels, and I will establish his kingdom. He shall build a house for My name, and I will stablish the throne of his kingdom forever.’’

VV 32-36, 32 This Jesus hath God raised up, whereof we all are witnesses. 33 Therefore being by the right hand of God exalted, and having received of the Father the promise of the Holy Ghost, he hath shed forth this, which ye now see and hear. 34 For David is not ascended into the heavens: but he saith himself, The Lord said unto my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand, 35 Until I make thy foes thy footstool. 36 Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made the same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ.

Peter quoted a messianic Psalm 110:1. Hebrew for LORD is Yahweh. Through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, David prophesied and called his son, Jesus, who was not even born, as Yahweh.

God raised Jesus from the dead and exalted Him to the highest place in heaven. Jesus is both Lord and Christ.

Philippians 2: 9-10, ‘’Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him and given him a name which is above every name. That at the name of

Jesus every knee should bow, of thigs in heaven, and things on earth, and things under the earth.

Psalm 110:1, “The LORD said unto my Lord, sit thou at my right hand, till I make thine enemies thy footstool.”

VV 37-39, 37 Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do? 38 Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. 39 For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call.

     The Jews were convicted by Peter’s sermon. They asked Peter what to do. Peter told them to repent of their sins and be baptised in the name of Jesus. Whoever called on the name of the Lord will be saved.

VV 40-42, ⁴⁰ And with many other words did he testify and exhort, saying, Save yourselves from this untoward generation. ⁴¹ Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls. ⁴² And they continued stedfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers.

About 3000 people believed in Jesus and were baptised. They received the apostle’s teaching, fellowshipped, broke bread, and prayed.

VV 43-47,43 And fear came upon every soul: and many wonders and signs were done by the apostles. 44 And all that believed were together,

     and had all things common; 45 And sold their possessions and goods, and parted them to all men, as every man had need. 46 And they, continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart, 47 Praising God, and having favour with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved.

     The first-century Christian church was born in Jerusalem. The believers sold all their possessions and gave all the proceeds to the apostles. The broke bread in the house church, praised God, and the church continued to grow.

Application:

When the Holy Spirit filled the people, they spoke in tongues. Speaking in tongue is speaking in another language. A Chinese may speak in Arabic. A German may speak in French and so on and so forth. Tongue is a known language of another nation. People of other nations who heard the tongue in his own language and could understand and interpret its meaning.

Prayer:

Heavenly Father, thank You once again for speaking to us. Thank You for the day of Pentecost when You gave the Holy Spirit to the Jews in the upper room in Jerusalem. Thank You for this historic moment when the church was born, in Jesus’ name, Amen.