articlesforchristians

Peter Preaches Christ/God’s Plan for Us
THE DAY OF PENTECOST

• The Feast of Pentecost was a holy day in Israel fifty days after the Passover. Jews from all over the Roman Empire were gathered at Jerusalem.
• The news spread fast of what took place in the upper room.
• Jesus had promised the disciples that the day would come when their hearts would be filled with joy that no one could take away. The baptism of the Holy Ghost was that promise.
  • John 16:22-24 And ye now therefore have sorrow: but I will see you again, and your heart shall rejoice, and your joy no man taketh from you. And in that day ye shall ask me nothing. Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my name, he will give it you. Hitherto have ye asked nothing in my name: ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full
• Peter later described it as Joy unspeakable.
  • Peter 1:8 Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing. ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory:
• As the disciples continued to rejoice, suddenly amazement rippled through the crowd like a wave
• The multitudes of foreign Jews began to hear the disciples praising God in their own native languages. They know the disciples had no way of knowing these languages.
  • Some asked” What meaneth this?”
  • Others dismissed the whole event by accusing the disciples of being drunk.

PETER PREACHES

• Peter heard their false accusations of drunkenness and immediately stood up in the disciples’
  defense.
• Peter was not the same fearful man who had cowardly denied his Lord as Jesus was being
  led to be crucified.
• It was a man who was given power from on high through the baptism of the Holy Ghost.
• It was Jesus who foresaw events when He gave Peter the keys of the Kingdom of Heaven.
  • Peter was ready to use those keys
  • This time his words were not words of defeat but of victory.

PETER PREACHES WITH POWER

• Peter preached with power that only the anointing of the Holy Spirit can give.
• His message began with
  • Acts 2:14-15  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: For these are not drunken, as ye suppose, seeing it is but the third hour of the day.
• This was Fulfillment of Joel’s Prophecy
  • prophecy
    • An inspired utterance of a prophet, viewed as revelation of divine will.
    • A prediction of Un future made under divine inspirations.
    • Such an inspired message or prediction transmitted orally or in writing.
  • Peter declared that the outpouring of the Holy Ghost was the fulfillment of Joel’s wonderful prophecy that in the last days God would pour out His Spirit upon all flesh
    • Joel 2:28 And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions
• The Exalted Christ
  • Peter climaxed his sermon by declaring that God had made that same Jesus, whom they had crucified, both Lord and Christ
  • Conviction gripped the hearts of the people as Peter preached
  • In desperation and heart felt sincerity, they cried out to Peter and to the rest of the apostles.
    • Acts 2:37 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?
• GOD’S PLAN FOR SALVATION
  • “What shall we do?” was all important to them. They wanted to know how to be saved.
  • The responsibility rested on Peter’s shoulders to deliver the New Testament plan for salvation.
  • Peter was given the keys to the Kingdom, now he was ready to use the keys and without hesitation, Peter’s voice boomed out the following:
    • Acts 2:38 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
  • By obeying God’s command to repent of their sins and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ, they were promised the same baptism of the Holy Ghost that the 120 had received that same day.
  • In the next verse, Peter extended the promise of the Holy Ghost to all believers throughout the church age until Jesus comes again
    • Acts 2:39 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.
  • Peter spoke many other words, exhorting the crowd to save themselves without delay.
  • By the time Peter had finished, 3000 souls presented themselves for baptism in Jesus’ name
    • Acts 2:40-41 And with many other words did he testify and exhort, saying, Save yourselves from this untoward generation. Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls.