Peter seizes the day. Acts 2.14-41

Good Morning.  

Picture the 120 gathered together, and filled with the Spirit for the first time in history.  They begin to speak in unknown languages--unknown to them, but not to the Jewish pilgrims who had traveled to Jerusalem to observe Pentecost.  A crowd gathers and hears the good news of the Gospel, each in his own language--nothing short of amazing.  Some, however, accuse the messengers of being drunk.  Peter will not stand for that.  Please read Acts 2.14-41, www.biblegateway.com-- http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=ac%202.14-41;&version=31; for the passage.  Peter's sermon needs to be studied in its entirety, because it is brilliant and powerful.

~First, Peter tells the crowd in no uncertain terms that the disciples were absolutely not drunk.  What the people were witnessing had been foretold by the prophet Joel, "In the last days, God says, I will pour out my spirit on all people . . . I will show wonders in the heaven above and signs on the earth below. . ."  This is interesting because Joel's passage about last days refers to the time period beginning after Jesus ascended to Heaven--and part of that was being fulfilled in their view; beyond that, God will pour out his Spirit in what we think of as 'the last days', yet to be fulfilled, and hey--you and I may be living in the last days!  No, they weren't drunk, they were filled with the Holy Spirit, evidenced by the message they bore.                              ~People who are filled with the Holy Spirit glorify God.

And, about the message:

~Peter lets the Jewish crowd know: 'Jesus of Nazareth was the Messiah, and you put him to death'-- "But God raised Him from the dead, freeing him from the agony of death, because it was impossible for death to keep its hold on Him." vs. 24   I picture the strong hands of a mighty God reaching down to open the claws of darkness and death to release his precious Son from their grasp.  Again, Peter validated his words through Scripture; this time that which had been foretold in Psalm 16, 'you will not abandon Me to the grave, nor will you let your Holy One see decay!'  "God raised this Jesus to life, and we are all witnesses of the fact."  So powerful.  Then, in verse 36, he boldly tells the Jews, "Therefore let all Israel be assured of this: God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ."  [Wait just a second here--is this the same impulsive, impetuous, cares-too- much-about-what-other-people-think Peter we have known? Dang. He has changed!  Changed by a resurrected Lord; changed by the power of the Holy Spirit resting on him.]  Peter uses "Christ" as the title of Jesus which means "anointed" or "chosen one" in Greek.  The Hebrew word for Christ is "Messiah."  The Jews had no component in their beliefs that allowed for a 'suffering or crucified Messiah'; Peter is letting them know--Jesus was indeed the Christ, Messiah, Son of the Living God, and again reminds them that they were the ones who had crucified him. (Clearly, he was not running for public office, because he just takes this difficult truth right to them!)

~The Holy Spirit was moving amongst the Jewish pilgrims, (as we see their response), and they asked Peter, and the other eleven disciples standing alongside him, 'what should we do?' How shall we then live? And Peter answered with words (the Holy Spirit equipped him with what to say), that are as true today as they were poignant and timely then: "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." (v.38)   Notice with me, my friends, that we are called to repent--which means to 'turn away from'--our sins, because in Jesus, we have forgiveness of sins--and only through Jesus.  Then, we will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.  Peter stressed baptism, because to be baptized in the name of Jesus meant a severing of their ties with Judaism.  This is still true today.  Baptism was also a tangible sign of repentant heart. 'Want to be refreshed by the Holy Spirit, or perhaps filled with the Holy Spirit for the first time?  Heed Peter's words.

Seize the day,

Christine