(Part One)

God’s Acts – “In the last days, I will pour out my Spirit.”

Have you ever been in a group of people where the kidding suddenly takes an ugly turn? The words grow more unkind, the laughter more evil as the dark words are said in hurtful sarcasm. This talk generally leads to evil things being said about another group or even a person in their own group. What we don’t understand we usually “pick on” so we will still be considered intelligent and higher on the food chain, but what we are really doing is dragging ourselves down. Do we stand up and speak Truth? Or are we quiet and timidly walk away?

Peter did not walk away when the jeers turned to “They’re drunk on cheap wine”, when the disciples began Truth-telling in all languages in a miraculous, joyful way realizing that all could understand in their native tongue.

Peter stands and boldly speaks because of the pouring out of the Holy Spirit in and over Him directing his every word. We will hear this “sermon” in pieces for there is much to glean from his Truth-telling in an evil world. We can learn much from what the Holy Spirit said through Peter.

Peter begins with the words of the prophet, Joel. Always begin with background information, what the people may have heard, then add what they may not know. This is a very teachable moment and the beginning of establishing God’s church on the works of Jesus Christ, the Cornerstone.

Acts 2, The Message
Peter Speaks Up
14-21 That’s when Peter stood up and, backed by the other eleven, spoke out with bold urgency: “Fellow Jews, all of you who are visiting Jerusalem, listen carefully and get this story straight. These people aren’t drunk as some of you suspect. They haven’t had time to get drunk—it’s only nine o’clock in the morning. This is what the prophet Joel announced would happen:

“In the Last Days,” God says,
“I will pour out my Spirit
on every kind of people:
Your sons will prophesy,
also your daughters;
Your young men will see visions,
your old men dream dreams.
When the time comes,
I’ll pour out my Spirit
On those who serve me, men and women both,
and they’ll prophesy.
I’ll set wonders in the sky above
and signs on the earth below,
Blood and fire and billowing smoke,
the sun turning black and the moon blood-red,
Before the Day of the Lord arrives,
the Day tremendous and marvelous;
And whoever calls out for help
to me, God, will be saved.”

22-28 “Fellow Israelites, listen carefully to these words: Jesus the Nazarene, a man thoroughly accredited by God to you—the miracles and wonders and signs that God did through him are common knowledge—this Jesus, following the deliberate and well-thought-out plan of God, was betrayed by men who took the law into their own hands, and was handed over to you. And you pinned him to a cross and killed him. But God untied the death ropes and raised him up. Death was no match for him.

What can we learn and think about all day long?
Peter tells his fellow countrymen the Truth of the Person of Jesus Christ who prophets talked about as the same person the Jews put to death. But God raised Him from death. Jesus arose victorious over death. Death was no match for him! Our sin, no match for His glorious redeeming power! Is your hope restored in just these words today? The world may try to “bury” us with evil words, jeers, and sarcasm about how we choose to live our lives, but someday Jesus, the Truth will come for His own. Nothing, absolutely nothing is impossible with our God!

Tomorrow…what David said about our Lord…

Dear Heavenly Father, Thank you for Peter’s boldness because of the power of Your Holy Spirit speaking through him to the people there and to us today. Thank you for the joy, hope and peace Your Word gives us today. Be with us this day. Direct our words as we relate to others today. May the joy in our hearts be evident in our walk. In Jesus Name, Amen