The Church Is Born
The Church Is Born
Last week we looked at the events of the Day of Pentecost when the disciples were filled with the Holy Spirit. The “promise of the Father” to “pour out His Spirit on all people” was fulfilled. We established last week that the in-filling of the Holy Spirit signified “complete control” of the lives and spirits of the disciples. The third person of the trinity, the Holy Spirit, is now “with and living in” the lives of the disciples. This filling of the Holy Spirit brought dramatic changes in the lives of the disciples accompanied by the sign of speaking in “other tongues as the Spirit enabled them”.
However, like any other move of God, questions are bound to be asked by those who are yet to understand what is going on. Sometimes, we mock what we do not understand and that is exactly what happened on the Day of Pentecost.
The people who had witnessed the outpouring of the Holy Spirit had questioned saying, “What does this mean?” Others mocked, “They have had too much wine”.
Apostle Peter gives a Holy Spirit inspired answer to their questions and to their mocking. At the end of Peter’s preaching, the Church was born through the convicting work of the Holy Spirit.
Acts 2: 14-17, 21, 32-41
14Then Peter stood up with the Eleven, raised his voice and addressed the crowd: "Fellow Jews and all of you who live in Jerusalem, let me explain this to you; listen carefully to what I say. 15These men are not drunk, as you suppose. It's only nine in the morning! 16No, this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel:
17" 'In the last days, God says, I will pour out my Spirit on all people……………. 21And everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.'[c]
32God has raised this Jesus to life, and we are all witnesses of the fact. 33Exalted to the right hand of God, he has received from the Father the promised Holy Spirit and has poured out what you now see and hear. 34For David did not ascend to heaven, and yet he said,
" 'The Lord said to my Lord: "Sit at my right hand 35until I make your enemies
a footstool for your feet." '[g]
36"Therefore let all Israel be assured of this: God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ."
37When the people heard this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and the other apostles, "Brothers, what shall we do?"
38Peter replied, "Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. 39The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off—for all whom the Lord our God will call."
40With many other words he warned them; and he pleaded with them, "Save yourselves from this corrupt generation." 41Those who accepted his message were baptized, and about three thousand were added to their number that day.
Here are my observations in addition to the ones you may have:
1. Apostle Peter was full of the Holy Spirit as he spoke. Notice the boldness that has come to him as a result of being filled with the Holy Spirit. This is no longer the Peter who was hiding and denying Christ. There was a definite change. There must also be definite changes in our lives when we are filled with the Holy Spirit.
2. The first line of defense was for Peter to point people to the scripture in Joel 2:28-32, and Psalms 16:8-11; 110:34-35. The Holy Spirit works with the Word. The Holy Spirit puts life to the Word of God. A life filled with Holy Spirit must therefore be filled also with the Word of God. Peter preached the Word and not his own imagination.
3. Notice that Peter was not explaining speaking in “other tongues”. The Holy Spirit, through Peter was after the big picture. The tongues were self explanatory because the people heard the disciples in their own native languages proclaiming the “wonderful works of God”. Peter goes straight to the meat of the Gospel. “God has made this Jesus whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ”. If we can only learn from Peter and not be distracted by every other thing. We must preach Christ the savior and not the signs (other tongues, healing the sick, etc – Mark 16:15-17). When we preach Christ, then the signs follow and not the other way round.
4. Look at the Holy Spirit at work! “37When the people heard this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and the other apostles, "Brothers, what shall we do?" Remember Jesus told the disciples that when the Holy Spirit comes, He shall convict the world of sin” John 16:7-1. This is exactly what happened. This is why the Holy Spirit has been poured out so that our hearts can turn and repent through the super natural work of the Holy Spirit. Do you have someone in mind, pray for the Holy Spirit’s conviction?
5. The proper response to the Gospel must be the same as in the Day of Pentecost. “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. Repentance must follow the hearing of the Word of God. The people repented and received the promised Holy Spirit. “You, however, are controlled not by the sinful nature but by the Spirit, if the Spirit of God lives in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Christ.” (Romans 8:9). If you are a believer in Christ, you have the Holy Spirit of God.
6. Notice the calling forth of the universal Church in the first preaching of Peter. 39”The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off—for all whom the Lord our God will call." This Gospels is to reach the end of the world and not just Jerusalem. Thank God that we are today one of those “who are far off”.
7. Look at the number of the first response to the Gospel following the out pouring of the Holy Spirit. “About three thousand were added to their number on that day”. I say Wao! The Church is born. What a miracle! The worst of sinners can change instantly by the power of the Holy Spirit.
I thank God that the Holy Spirit lives in us. I thank God that the Holy Spirit is still active and working in our world to save us from our sins. I thank God that we are now more than 3000 believers in Christ. I thank God that the disciples obeyed the voice of the Holy Spirit and spoke not minding the scoffing. Lord, help us to hear your voice and grant us power to boldly proclaim and live out the Gospel of Jesus Christ, Amen. Has God sent someone your way? Then speak Christ to him or her and allow the Holy Spirit to do His work of conviction and salvation.
Last week we looked at the events of the Day of Pentecost when the disciples were filled with the Holy Spirit. The “promise of the Father” to “pour out His Spirit on all people” was fulfilled. We established last week that the in-filling of the Holy Spirit signified “complete control” of the lives and spirits of the disciples. The third person of the trinity, the Holy Spirit, is now “with and living in” the lives of the disciples. This filling of the Holy Spirit brought dramatic changes in the lives of the disciples accompanied by the sign of speaking in “other tongues as the Spirit enabled them”.
However, like any other move of God, questions are bound to be asked by those who are yet to understand what is going on. Sometimes, we mock what we do not understand and that is exactly what happened on the Day of Pentecost.
The people who had witnessed the outpouring of the Holy Spirit had questioned saying, “What does this mean?” Others mocked, “They have had too much wine”.
Apostle Peter gives a Holy Spirit inspired answer to their questions and to their mocking. At the end of Peter’s preaching, the Church was born through the convicting work of the Holy Spirit.
Acts 2: 14-17, 21, 32-41
14Then Peter stood up with the Eleven, raised his voice and addressed the crowd: "Fellow Jews and all of you who live in Jerusalem, let me explain this to you; listen carefully to what I say. 15These men are not drunk, as you suppose. It's only nine in the morning! 16No, this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel:
17" 'In the last days, God says, I will pour out my Spirit on all people……………. 21And everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.'[c]
32God has raised this Jesus to life, and we are all witnesses of the fact. 33Exalted to the right hand of God, he has received from the Father the promised Holy Spirit and has poured out what you now see and hear. 34For David did not ascend to heaven, and yet he said,
" 'The Lord said to my Lord: "Sit at my right hand 35until I make your enemies
a footstool for your feet." '[g]
36"Therefore let all Israel be assured of this: God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ."
37When the people heard this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and the other apostles, "Brothers, what shall we do?"
38Peter replied, "Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. 39The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off—for all whom the Lord our God will call."
40With many other words he warned them; and he pleaded with them, "Save yourselves from this corrupt generation." 41Those who accepted his message were baptized, and about three thousand were added to their number that day.
Here are my observations in addition to the ones you may have:
1. Apostle Peter was full of the Holy Spirit as he spoke. Notice the boldness that has come to him as a result of being filled with the Holy Spirit. This is no longer the Peter who was hiding and denying Christ. There was a definite change. There must also be definite changes in our lives when we are filled with the Holy Spirit.
2. The first line of defense was for Peter to point people to the scripture in Joel 2:28-32, and Psalms 16:8-11; 110:34-35. The Holy Spirit works with the Word. The Holy Spirit puts life to the Word of God. A life filled with Holy Spirit must therefore be filled also with the Word of God. Peter preached the Word and not his own imagination.
3. Notice that Peter was not explaining speaking in “other tongues”. The Holy Spirit, through Peter was after the big picture. The tongues were self explanatory because the people heard the disciples in their own native languages proclaiming the “wonderful works of God”. Peter goes straight to the meat of the Gospel. “God has made this Jesus whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ”. If we can only learn from Peter and not be distracted by every other thing. We must preach Christ the savior and not the signs (other tongues, healing the sick, etc – Mark 16:15-17). When we preach Christ, then the signs follow and not the other way round.
4. Look at the Holy Spirit at work! “37When the people heard this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and the other apostles, "Brothers, what shall we do?" Remember Jesus told the disciples that when the Holy Spirit comes, He shall convict the world of sin” John 16:7-1. This is exactly what happened. This is why the Holy Spirit has been poured out so that our hearts can turn and repent through the super natural work of the Holy Spirit. Do you have someone in mind, pray for the Holy Spirit’s conviction?
5. The proper response to the Gospel must be the same as in the Day of Pentecost. “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. Repentance must follow the hearing of the Word of God. The people repented and received the promised Holy Spirit. “You, however, are controlled not by the sinful nature but by the Spirit, if the Spirit of God lives in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Christ.” (Romans 8:9). If you are a believer in Christ, you have the Holy Spirit of God.
6. Notice the calling forth of the universal Church in the first preaching of Peter. 39”The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off—for all whom the Lord our God will call." This Gospels is to reach the end of the world and not just Jerusalem. Thank God that we are today one of those “who are far off”.
7. Look at the number of the first response to the Gospel following the out pouring of the Holy Spirit. “About three thousand were added to their number on that day”. I say Wao! The Church is born. What a miracle! The worst of sinners can change instantly by the power of the Holy Spirit.
I thank God that the Holy Spirit lives in us. I thank God that the Holy Spirit is still active and working in our world to save us from our sins. I thank God that we are now more than 3000 believers in Christ. I thank God that the disciples obeyed the voice of the Holy Spirit and spoke not minding the scoffing. Lord, help us to hear your voice and grant us power to boldly proclaim and live out the Gospel of Jesus Christ, Amen. Has God sent someone your way? Then speak Christ to him or her and allow the Holy Spirit to do His work of conviction and salvation.
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