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Acts 2:1–13 - Pentecost: The Coming of the Holy Spirit
Would you open your bibles with me to Acts chapter 2. We are going to spend the next 3 Sundays parking in this second chapter of Acts because Acts 2 is going to set up a framework for us to understand our God, our mission, and our response a bit better. If you’re taking notes, Acts 2 exists in 4 scenes:
- Acts 2: 1-4 The Promise Fulfilled
- Acts 2: 5-13 The Crowd’s Astonishment
- Acts 2: 14-36 Peter’s Sermon
- Acts 2: 37-47 The Response
Well let’s pray and invite the Author of the Scriptures to teach us His word. Here at Friends Church, we value the word of God and the ways of Jesus. The Bible is what we do. We read it, live it, love it, preach it, use it. The Bible is what we do.
Today we will look at the promise fulfilled and the crowd’s astonishment. I want to offer you this morning an answer to the question asked in Acts 2:12 And all were amazed and perplexed, saying to one another, “What does this mean?” Acts 2:12 What a proper question to Ask, what does this mean? How many times has God done something in your life that leaves you with the question, what does this mean? It is healthy to notice what God is doing in your life and still ask, and seek, and knock. It is not wrong to question. Faithful questioning is a part of our human life. It’s how we found out you don’t eat certain berries or mushrooms, and it’s what teaches kids about gravity early on.
Hard lesson in gravity
Faithful questioning is seeking the Lord in what He is doing so that we can rightly respond to Him. We will see this throughout Acts that God is doing new things and it’s difficult for people to understand and get on board. Some people will try and explain it away, but God will not be mocked. Let’s jump into our text together and answer the question: what does this mean?
V1
We are looking at the promise fulfilled. Verse one says, when the day of pentecost arrived they were all together in one place Acts 2:1 So let’s break this down a little bit. What does this mean? Pentecost is a Greek word meaning 50th because this feast is held 50 days after Passover and the author Luke is Greek defining a feast in our bible known as the feast of weeks. Unlike other feasts that could be celebrated in one’s hometown, Passover, Pentecost or feast of weeks, and Sukkot (the Feast of Booths) called for a grand pilgrimage to the City of David, Jerusalem. These journeys, even during the pain of Passover, were occasions of joy, as families and friends reunited along the way. Yet the heart of these gatherings was far deeper: the covenant people of the Lord coming together in one place, echoing the powerful moment when all Israel stood united to receive the Law at Mt. Sinai.
Pentecost reminds us of 2 things:
- The Harvest: It is a celebration of the first fruits of the wheat harvest, offering gratitude to God for His provision.
- The Giving of the Law: It marks the time when God gave the Torah to Moses and the people of Israel at Mount Sinai, signifying the covenant relationship between God and His people.
So keep this in your mind, people gathered in Jerusalem from all over only 3 times a year and this time the reason they are gathering is to thank God for providing everything they need to survive, and it’s reminding them of gathering like they did on mount Sinai when they received the law of God. So we should be thinking of rejoicing in first fruits, and laughter, and fun, and yummy food, and even Jesus’ words man shall not live by bread alone but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God, and how God is faithful to his people; all of this is happening to set the stage for what God wants to do. We shouldn’t just gloss over the fact that they are all together in one place.
Application Point: There is something so powerful and so beautiful about what the people of God do when we are united, all together in one place. This reminds me of our Sunday morning gatherings. Why do we wait on the Lord together like this? Because we know that there is comfort and strength when we rejoice with those who rejoice and mourn with those who mourn as God has commanded us to do. They just lost Jesus, replaced Judas, and are waiting on prophecy while everyone in the city is partying. I know some of your situations but I don’t know all of them.
Some of us are here this morning rejoicing and thank you Jesus, you’re here! Some of us are here this morning and we are mourning and thank you Jesus, you’re here! We wouldn’t be who we are as a church without you. This matters because love abounds when we pray together, fellowship together, seek the Lord together, encourage one another, sit in the pain of life together, when we live our lives together because Love abounds when we are all together in one place. It’s the beauty of this singular verse for our present situation. Jesus knows and He cares that’s why He’s called us all to be here today, it is not by coincidence but by the very finger of God orchestrating all things for His glory.
V2-4
We have made it through one verse, thank you Jesus and have mercy on us! And suddenly there came from heaven a sound like a mighty rushing wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. And divided tongues as of fire appeared to them and rested on each one of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance. Acts 2:2-4 Notice the imagery being used in Luke’s words here: It sounds like a mighty rushing wing, it filled the entire house, divided tongues as of fire appeared to them.
This is a real thing happening. This is something they are hearing, feeling, seeing. Not only that, Luke is doing a really good job at telling us something we should already know from the Old Testament. This is how God starts new things and shows that He is present in it. What do I mean by that? The garden, God walks with Adam, His glory is there. The tabernacle, God’s presence fills it, His glory is there. The first temple God’s presence fills it, His glory is there.
The second temple? Oh no! God’s presence doesn’t fill it! But we have a prophet who says its glory is going to be greater than the first temple? How can he say that when God didn’t do the thing! He does the thing! Luke chapter 2, Jesus Himself is in the temple and The Holy Spirit testifies through the mouth of Simeon and he says He will be a light for revelation to the gentiles and for what?
For GLORY to your people Israel. Come on now. What does this mean? It means God is doing a new thing and He is birthing His church for His glory! And you will be filled you are the temple of God and the Holy Spirit will fill you and you will bring Him glory! Let Acts speak to your dry bones this morning, come alive! May He set you ablaze! Be alive in Christ Jesus and may the glory of God shine in the temple of God your living body! What does this mean?
It means God birthed His church by the same empowering Holy Spirit that hovered over the face of the deep and instructed and led Israel. The same empowering source for Jesus ministry is the empowering source for our ministry as His Church. Let’s be encouraged by that. We don’t do this life alone on our own strength. Thank you, Jesus for that. Now what to do with tongues. Let’s see how the first pentecostals did it here in Acts and we’ll figure it out together.
V4-8
What happens in verses four through eight is nothing shy of the power of the Holy Spirit miraculously doing what only God does. You have ordinary country folk, Galileans, who are known for things but not for talking real good. They weren’t stupid by any means, just normal country folk. As one famous theologian once said, “Mama says stupid is as stupid does.” I live in movie quotes, I’m sorry! Ok?! But in all seriousness, it was a striking reality that these people were not known for being well spoken and yet God is going to give them a powerful gift.
This is interesting, we’ve got the wind filling the house and fire tongues appearing and resting upon them, and then it is realized in them being filled with the Spirit and the Spirit giving them the ability to speak in other tongues. There’s a connection here that needs to be made for us: They are witnessing Jesus leading them from heaven, that’s the exchange here Jesus ascends, the Spirit descends, and now through the Holy Spirit they witness with their own eyes and ears the wind and fire presence of God, now they are empowered to be witnesses of Jesus through their own mouths. So what does this mean? What they witnessed empowers them to be a witness.
Application: This is true for us also, friends. We cannot go out and preach something that we don’t have. Have you ever felt in a moment that you don’t have what it takes to preach the gospel? Can I offer you this morning a moment of freedom of why any one of us who have put our faith in Jesus, any one of us can proclaim the good news of the gospel of Jesus Christ? Because it’s not about what you’ve done, or who you are, or how well you can speak! The gospel isn’t about you! It’s for you but it’s not about you!
Here’s the encouragement the gospel is about what He’s done, who He is, and what we’ve witnessed. It’s not good news because you don’t smoke crack anymore! It’s not good news because you got your job back! It’s not good news because you quit drinking and stopped looking at porn! Is that all shockingly amazing news for someone’s life? Absolutely! But let’s not put the cart in front of the horse. This is the byproduct of what Jesus has done, Who Jesus is, and what we’ve witnessed. I’m not interested in behavior modification if it isn’t someone standing completely undone before Christ Jesus their King.
That’s where real life change happens. So then it is our job not to manufacture fruit, that’s the Spirit’s job, it is our job to witness, empowered by the Spirit. Be encouraged that every single one of us who have put our faith in Jesus Christ can proclaim the good news!
The people now gathered hearing this are bewildered. All of them hearing the mighty works of God in their native tongue. Let’s open up the idea of the gift of tongues here. I think this really leads us to the question of why God gives gifts in general. Can we start there? I’ll put a verse with each point here as it might be helpful to our understanding. So Why does God give gifts?
He wants to. And He’s God and I’m not. Whoever speaks, as one who speaks oracles of God; whoever serves, as one who serves by the strength that God supplies—in order that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ” (1 Peter 4:11) Can we start there? This is such a healthy start to the conversation. Let me tell you why. It puts the whole thing into perspective. If he’s God and I’m not, what am I going to say? “I really don’t like how this whole thing ended up God. it’s pretty messy how some people understand it and others don’t. Let me tell you how I would’ve done it God.”
He’s a good father and He gives good gifts and He’s God and I’m not. His glory over mine all day long. This is a really healthy mindset to approach this in.
To do as Jesus did. To Edify The Church. “To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good” (1 Corinthians 12:7). “And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ” (Ephesians 4:11-12). Just as much as God birthed His church, He will build His church. Gifts are given so that we can join in the ministry and build one another up. We do as Jesus did. We serve one another in love. It’s how He operated His life, in the power and gifts of the Spirit.
We Demonstrate God’s Grace. “Having gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let us use them” (Romans 12:6). “As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God’s varied grace” (1 Peter 4:10). Just like right here in Acts 2, they are demonstrating God’s grace to these people. They are seeing that Christ died for them and now have the ability to receive salvation. Many times the gifts of God are a tangible piece of God’s grace in our lives.
We live on Mission with God in His power. You will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth” (Acts 1:8). “And they went out and preached everywhere, while the Lord worked with them and confirmed the message by accompanying signs” (Mark 16:20). A huge portion of why God gives gifts is to confirm the message He gave. This is why Jesus worked so many miracles and it confirms the mission entrusted to them by Jesus in Acts 1.
I cannot faithfully offer you this without a healthy pastoral warning of what the gifts are not. There are so many stories in the bible that tell us that God won’t be mocked and fake signs and wonders will only lead to judgement. Let me list a few for you:
- The Magicians of Pharaoh (Exodus 8:19).
- Nadab and Abihu offering “unauthorized fire” (Leviticus 10:1-2)
- The Golden Calf idolatry (Exodus 32)
- The Prophets of Baal (1 Kings 18:20-40)
- Satan’s I wills (Isaiah 14:12-15)
- The Seven Sons of Sceva (Acts 19:13-16)
- Simon the Sorcerer (Acts 8:9-24)
- Herod Agrippa I (Acts 12:21-23)
- False Prophets and Teachers (Matthew 24:24, 2 Timothy 3:6)
This is a reality throughout the history of God’s people and it’s a reality for us. People have tried to fake God’s signs and wonders, tried to fake being God, or tried to use God for their own gain for millenia. It never ends in their favor. Don’t go down this road. God will not be mocked.
Spiritual Gifts are NOT for My Glory, My Name, or My Kingdom There is no room for self-exaltation, self-ambition, or self-promotion in the kingdom of God. Spiritual gifts are not to impress others. It’s not impressive to use a gift in an immature way. It is impressive to build up others and the kingdom of God for His name and His glory. Let God do His work. It’s a blessing to be used by God.
Spiritual Gifts are NOT for Spiritual Manipulation or Control. I can’t express my hatred for this enough. I’m certain if it breaks my own heart and mine is deceitfully wicked and I can’t know it, how much more do you believe this breaks God’s heart? Repent and turn away from this at once. I know there is healing in the name of Jesus. It’s one thing to be led astray, it’s highly unfavorable to be found leading others astray. This isn’t a scare tactic, but a healthy warning that this is not how you learned Christ. (Eph. 4:20)
Spiritual Gifts are NOT for Ignoring God’s Standards. As humans, we find the path of least resistance. It’s what we do. If your understanding of Scripture leads you to a place where there is less accountability in your life, I can almost guarantee you that this is not the proper interpretation of the Scriptures. If in your understanding of freedom there are zero boundaries, then that isn’t freedom, that is chaos. If the gift of teaching, or tongues, or knowledge leads you away from fellowship, away from submission to Jesus and the authority of His leadership in the church, if it’s leading you away from wise counsel and to isolate, or “Start a new thing” because they don’t agree with you up the road, this isn’t the way of Jesus. Countless church plants and home fellowships have been started “in the name of Jesus” but they were truly birthed “in the name of pride ignoring God’s standards.”
V9-11
We have a list of all of these regions. Here’s a thought that I found for you, it’s that this whole list centers around Jerusalem and becomes a sort of compass rose. The first group begins east of Jerusalem (Parthians, Medes, Elamites, mesopotamians) and then moves back to judea, second group moves north (cappadocia, Pontus, Asia, Phrygia, and Pamphylia) and then back in the direction of Jerusalem, the third group moves west from Jerusalem to North Africa, Rome and then again back to Jerusalem by means of Crete, and the fourth compass point is represented by the collective “Arabs.”
This helpful observation explains the inclusion of Judeans. Although this might be a nugget to put in your pocket for bible study purposes, the meat is that the gospel is going out to every nation, tribe, and tongue. The Curse of Babel is being unraveled by the power of the Holy Spirit. The Abrahamic promise to bless all nations is being pumped out. God is on the move and His people are on His Mission!
Invite the worship Team up
V12-13
The miracle of Pentecost leads people to one of two things as they are amazed and perplexed: Either the question, “What does this mean?” or a mocking of the work of God, “They are filled with new wine.” We are faced with the same thing today in light of the mighty works of God. You have an opportunity today to respond to the good news! The same Spirit that filled the house, that rested as fire on the disciples, and empowered them to proclaim the mighty works of God is the same Spirit alive and active in His Church, in this church, today.
God doesn’t call you to witness from your own strength; He fills you with His power to declare His glory, no matter your background or ability. The question we answered today is “What does this mean?” but the question you must face is “What will you do with it?” Will you marvel at what God has done and let the Spirit set you ablaze for His mission, or will you dismiss the work of the Holy Spirit as the voice of drunks? The choice is ours, but the call is clear: be witnesses of His glory, empowered by His Spirit, gifted by Him, for a valley that desperately needs Jesus. Let’s worship King Jesus together.
Acts 2:14–41 - Peter's Sermon and the First Converts
As we continue walking through Acts 2, looking at Peter’s first sermon, I want to take a moment to remind us why we’re teaching through the Bible like this—chapter by chapter, verse by verse. Some of you may have come from churches where topical preaching was the norm, and you might be wondering, Why not just pick relevant topics each week? Wouldn’t that be more engaging?
The short answer? We’re committed to feeding on the full counsel of God’s Word, not just the parts that are easy or immediately applicable. Paul addresses this in 1 Corinthians 3:1-2, where he says:
“But I, brothers, could not address you as spiritual people, but as people of the flesh, as infants in Christ. I fed you with milk, not solid food, for you were not ready for it. And even now you are not yet ready.” (1 Corinthians 3:1-2, ESV)
Similarly, Hebrews 5:12-14 warns against staying in spiritual infancy:
“For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the basic principles of the oracles of God. You need milk, not solid food, for everyone who lives on milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, since he is a child. But solid food is for the mature, for those who have their powers of discernment trained by constant practice to distinguish good from evil.” (Hebrews 5:12-14, ESV)
That’s exactly why we’re walking through Scripture this way—because maturity comes from being deeply rooted in the Word, not just skimming the surface. When Jesus restored Peter in John 21, He didn’t say, Entertain my sheep, Inspire my sheep, or Keep them comfortable. He said:
“Peter, do you love me? Feed my lambs. … tend my sheep. … Feed my sheep.” (John 21:15-17, summarized)
We are training sheep to be carnivores! I had an ai create an image of a carnivorous sheep eating a meat book and this is what popped out!
Show Carnivore Sheep Photo
And how did Peter respond to that call? In Acts 2, he stood up and preached the Word—quoting Joel, quoting David, pointing people straight to Jesus through Scripture.
Peter understood something vital: God’s Word is our source of life. When others were walking away from Jesus in John 6, Peter didn’t chase them down with something more appealing. Instead, he made this powerful declaration:
“Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life.” (John 6:68, ESV)
That’s why we’re committed to teaching the Bible like this—letting the Word of God shape us instead of shaping it to fit what we want.
Some of you have told me how much you’re loving this kind of teaching—how it’s helping you understand the Bible in ways you never have before. That’s encouraging! It means we’re being fed, we’re growing, and we’re letting God speak to us through His Word.
So today, as we look at Peter’s first sermon in Acts 2:14-36, let’s recognize that this is exactly the model we’re following. Peter didn’t preach his opinions—he preached the Scriptures, and the Spirit moved. That’s my prayer for us today. Let’s pray and open the Word together and see what God has for us in Acts 2:14-36.
There are not many Sundays where we get to study a sermon together. I’m giddy because we are looking at the first Apostolic sermon given in Scripture. That’s a huge win for the church and our rich heritage because The Holy Spirit saw it fit to enlighten King David and the Prophet Joel to prophesy of Jesus, and then saw fit to enlighten the Apostle Peter to preach for the first time and opened His mouth, and then had Luke the author write it empowered by the Holy Spirit, the church would use this text for millennia from Jerusalem, to judea and samaria, and to the ends of the earth! All over the world, to then land it in Belmont County Ohio in 2025 for us to read and be encouraged as we preach the gospel on the first Sunday of February 2025. It is an honor to open this text with you this morning and see the beauty and majesty of our King Jesus. I pray that we remain faithful to God’s word while we build relevant applications for who we are in Christ for today. Can I show you the structure of Peter’s Sermon?
Section | Key Focus |
Introduction (2:14-16) | Not drunk! Prophecy Fulfilled! |
Explain the word of God (2:17-21) | The Holy Spirit is being poured out, fulfilling Joel 2:28-32. |
Proclaim Jesus through the word of God (2:22-32) | Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection fulfill prophecy (Psalm 16:8-11). |
Exalt Jesus fulfilling the word of God (2:33-36) | Jesus is exalted as Lord and Messiah, fulfilling Psalm 110:1. |
V14-15
Peter stepped forward and this was the leadership God intended for the 12. It is hard to lead, would you agree? I believe that God has called each and every one of us to some form of leadership in our lives. Think about Peter for a second. He denies Jesus three times, is restored in like manner by Jesus asking him do you love me then feed my sheep, also three times. Sees Jesus taken up and then is committing himself to prayer with the other disciples and chooses the 12th apostle. Now the Holy Spirit comes upon him and he opens his mouth for the first time about his friend and king Jesus. This has to be such a restoring moment for Peter.
Application: Has God ever called you to do something difficult in your life that you didn’t feel capable of doing because of your own failure? You are not alone! That is the history of our great legacy as a church. God calls, equips, and anoints ordinary people like you, me, and Peter to do the extraordinary work of the kingdom of God. Peter was not a first round draft pick, neither was Paul, neither am I, and neither are you. And that’s ok!
I take great comfort in knowing that God uses the foolish to confound the wise. This is what Paul wrote about it: For consider your calling, brothers: not many of you were wise according to worldly standards, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth. But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are, so that no human being might boast in the presence of God.
And because of him you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, righteousness and sanctification and redemption, so that, as it is written, “Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord.” 1 Corinthians 1:26-31 be strengthened in the Lord to walk in all that He has called you to because He will equip you, and encourage you, and anoint you to be bold and courageous just as He did for Peter here. It is hard to lead well, yes this is true. it is not by our strength but by His Spirit. When we trust that He goes before us, empowers us, and works through us, leadership shifts from burden to blessing. I am thankful for that. Notice how Peter starts his sermon with a bit of a joke. I love that he does this. My kinda guy! He says, “hey look, no one is drunk, it’s only 9am yall calm down”
V16-21
In verse 16 notice how he starts, this is what was uttered through the prophet Joel. Very powerful that Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, is recognizing that this same Spirit is what filled Joel and caused the utterance that we now call the book of Joel. Now to understand Peter’s sermon really well, we need 3 main texts:
3 main Scriptures for Peter’s Sermon
- Joel 2
- Psalm 16
- Psalm 110
Right here in the sermon is where he is going to use Joel 2. If you read Joel 2 carefully, you’ll notice that the Holy Spirit is actually interpreting Joel 2 through the mouth of Peter. Meaning, Peter is clarifying and applying Joel 2 to these people and their current situation. God’s spirit would not be used in just one person, or a type of people, but ALL people. It’s not just male leaders who are going to proclaim the wonders of God: your sons, daughters, old, young, slave, free, all will be filled with the Spirit to speak the truth of God. Peter is making 3 things abundantly clear to 3,000 people gathered:
- Peter explains that what they are witnessing is the fulfillment of prophecy—the promised outpouring of God’s Spirit. God is pouring His spirit out on all people and this is a huge emphasis here. It is actually setting up the entire book of Acts here because the gospel is going to go out to all people empowered by the Holy Spirit and none will miss out on the call, the gifts, or the work of the Spirit of the living God.
- The “last days” have begun, and signs and wonders accompany them. The Spirit through Peter is making it clear that the last days start now! They are in it! These might be physical signs and some were noticed in Luke’s gospel at the death of Jesus, but it can also be rightly assumed that these are Hebrew apocalyptic metaphors speaking of political collapse caused by God’s judgement on a nation. But God is doing a new work. His response to the Romans and the Jews for murdering His son is the outpouring of the Spirit and the start of the season of the last days.
- Salvation is available to all who call on the name of the Lord. It will still be some time before the gospel fully goes out to the gentiles, but the thought is very clear here: If you were wondering if you needed to be Jewish to be a Christian, or if you need to have any prerequisites of being “holy” the answer is no. Salvation is available to all who call on the name of the Lord. You can come to Jesus today, right now. Call upon the name of the Lord. The name of the Lord is a strong tower; the righteous man runs into it and is safe. Proverbs 18:10 Do you need to know that you are safe today? No matter what you’ve heard or felt in this life, you can know for certain that you are safe with Jesus today. I need that today.
V22-24
We have to pay close attention to how explicit Peter is here with the story of Jesus: Life, Ministry, Death, Resurrection. These pieces cannot be missed when we share the gospel. It is not good news if Jesus didn’t live a perfect life. It’s not good news if we don’t mention His ministry. It’s not good news if He didn’t die. And it’s not good news if God didn’t raise him up. What an exquisite display of how we preach the gospel in the first apostolic sermon. Here’s a few points of interest: His life and ministry is described as God attesting to who Jesus is. That God actually planned and foreknew this would happen, but YOU ALL crucified and killed Him as lawless men. God raised him up because He couldn’t be held by death. The people there knew of Jesus’ life, ministry, and death. This was a historical fact and needed no further explanation to that crowd. What did need biblical proof and explanation to them was the resurrection.
Application: Before we hop into Peter’s explanation of the resurrection, I want to take a moment and share this: It may seem easy to try and sum up portions of the good news without sharing explicitly what happened. We have got to do a better job of this as followers of Jesus. I think it comes from a good place, honestly. We want people to know and experience Jesus the way we do, right? I so badly want all people to know Jesus the way I do, but I cannot forsake the essentials here. The truth is, when I forgo the essentials of the gospel, I do them a disservice.
I truly believe that leaving parts out isn’t faithful. Here’s a thought that struck me to my core and I want to share it and explain it, no sinner does God a favor by accepting Christ. God is complete in who He is. He is not in need, we are. salvation is entirely a gift of grace, a work of God’s mercy, and a call to humble surrender.
What we DON’T do
We don’t beg people to “give God a chance.” He is already Lord—our response does not change that.
We don’t present Jesus as an optional add-on. He is the way, the truth, and the life (John 14:6), not a lifestyle enhancement.
We don’t sugarcoat the call to repentance. The gospel is a summons to surrender. It calls people to repentance, not self-improvement. Surrender your will and your life to Jesus. There is no other way.
HOW WE DO IT
Clarity Over Comfort The gospel is not just “Jesus loves you”—it is the good news that saves sinners from judgment and brings them into eternal life with God. Be clear in the message as Peter was. Don’t be mean, speak the truth in love, and be clear with the message. Jesus does love them. So much that He would live for them, minister to them, die for them, be raised from the dead, and call them into a right relationship with Him. be clear and bold in love.
Invitation Over Information Sharing the gospel is not just teaching information; it is calling people to respond to Jesus. Sharing the gospel can sometimes fail because people hear the message but are not challenged to make a decision. The goal here is an invitation into a relationship with God, not here’s the facts and facts don’t care about your feelings so you need to repent! If God invites us to relationship with Him I can assume one of the greatest platforms we have to share the gospel is the relationships we are in. I’m NOT saying flirt to convert here, ok?
I’m saying you can leverage relational equity with the gospel. Don’t become so comfortable with friends that are nonbelievers that you forget that God has called you into a relationship with them as an agent of heaven for the sake of their soul. Yes, love them. And one of the ways you love them is by sharing the good news of Jesus Christ with them.
Dependence Over Pressure It is not our job to save people—only God can do that. Trust the Holy Spirit’s work and be dependent upon him and not pressuring people to do something. Our role is to share the truth in love; the Spirit convicts hearts. Be faithful and watch how He is faithful to His mission also. God wants us to be dependent upon His Spirit.
V25-32
Peter shares the explanation of the resurrection through Psalm 16. Peter is saying that David did not speak of Himself but of someone greater than Himself. He even says, look there’s a grave over there. That’s where King David is buried so this cannot be about him. You won’t abandon His soul to Hell, and your Holy One won’t see corruption. That’s Jesus! Let’s be so clear about what we are saying here: Jesus took on the full weight of God’s wrath on the cross, bearing our sin as if He were guilty, though He remained sinless. In this act of perfect love, He suffered in our place without ever becoming a sinner Himself.
His resurrection is the ultimate proof that His sacrifice was enough, that our sins are truly forgiven, and that death has been defeated. If Jesus had stayed in the grave, we would have no hope—but because He lives, we live. This is why the resurrection is so important to us. The question everyone must face is this: If the resurrection is true, what does this demand of your life?
V33-35
The final point that Peter is going to make clear from the Scriptures, specifically Psalm 110, is: What is Jesus doing now since He is alive? The answer is Jesus is not just alive; He is enthroned in glory, ruling as King of heaven! Jesus, from His exalted place, has sent the Holy Spirit to empower His people. The reign of Jesus is happening now, and every enemy of God will ultimately be defeated. Come on now!
V36
Peter wants to make sure that we are certain that this Jesus is both Lord and Christ. The fact that Peter is using Joel and Psalms to describe what Jesus is doing and who He is should tell us that when Peter says Lord he’s not talking about a Lord like Caesar or a position. He’s talking about Jesus being Yahweh the God of the Old Testament. Isaiah 42:8 – “I am the Lord; that is my name; my glory I give to no other.” If God does not share His glory with another, then Jesus, who now reigns in glory, is God. The king of Kings, Lord of Lords and He is worthy of all of our praise.
Conclusion: Church, this is not just a history lesson—this is our reality! Peter’s sermon wasn’t just for the crowd in Jerusalem that day; it’s for us, right here, right now. I remember the day I gave my life to Jesus, the Lord used a sermon like this that cut my heart the way these peoples hearts were cut. And I stood for Christ, and today you have an opportunity to stand for Christ. Today will you stand for Christ.
If today for the first time, you have heard the good news of Jesus Christ, I ask that you would stand in the goodness and grace of your God repent from your life and turn to Jesus. He is might to save! If today the gospel has convicted your heart and you were reminded of the goodness of your God and must rededicate your life to Him, you have an opportunity today as it is written today is the day of salvation! Stand for Christ and swear your allegiance to Him and His kingdom! The Spirit has been poured out.
The gospel has been proclaimed. Jesus is not just alive—He is enthroned! He is ruling, reigning, and calling all people to repentance and faith. If Jesus is both Lord and Christ, then every knee will bow—You can do this in joyful surrender today. Today is the day of salvation. Run to Him. Call on His name. Be filled with His Spirit. Live under His reign. Because Jesus is King—so let’s live like it and worship Him together!
Acts 2:42–47 - The Fellowship of Believers
Does anyone have a life verse? Do you know what I’m talking about? A verse in the bible that you cling to or has inspired your life. Maybe you’ve had a few life verses and for different seasons and different times, God keeps bringing you back to a certain place in His word. I’ve had that but for some reason in my childhood and teen years, as the Lord was drawing me out of a life of sin and darkness, there was a verse that kept popping up over and over again to me.
It is Genesis 4:7 “If you do what is right will you not be accepted? If you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at your door, its desire is to have you but you must master it.” It would pop up over and over again in so many embarrassing places as God was slowly showing me His presence in my life and I was running from God. Today we get to look at the church’s life verse which explains in great detail the mission of God’s church the “how” if you will of God’s church. Let’s pray together and open God’s word.
We are looking at the response to Peter’s Sermon, or better said, the words of the Holy Spirit through Peter’s mouth.
V37
Now when they heard this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and the rest of the Apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?” This is the response of anyone who hears the good news of Jesus Christ. It says they are pierced through by the words of the Spirit of God. When you are faced with the fact that this Jesus, who lived a sinless life, ministered to you and your family with all that He had, became sin, your sin, to die in your place, and then rose from the dead to show that God fully accepted His payment which means that you are fully accepted, fully loved, and fully forgiven, the right response is “what shall I do?”
There is no other proper response to the Lord and Christ of your life. We must realize today that there is but one way to an abundant life here on earth and an eternal life with God and that is through His son Jesus Christ. We can talk about anything else in church that you like or don’t like, but you cannot get around the founding cornerstone of the Church: Jesus Christ who lived, served, died, and rose from the dead, is seated at the right hand of the Father and is coming back again for you and for me. This is to whom we swear allegiance to. This is our glory as a church, we glory in Jesus Christ. If you’re here this morning or joining us online and you’ve got faith in Jesus, I need you to turn to someone next to you and say, Jesus is my Lord and Savior.
V38-39
Now Peter is about to share something very important and profound about what we do in response to hearing the gospel:
“Repent and be Baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promise is for you and for your children and for all who are far off, everyone whom the Lord our God calls to Himself.”
Let’s start with step one: REPENT! What do we mean by this word? Repentance isn’t just feeling bad about something you’ve done—it’s a complete change of direction. Imagine you’re driving down a highway and suddenly realize you’re headed straight for danger. What do you do? You don’t just acknowledge the mistake—you hit the brakes, turn around, and head in the right direction. That’s what repentance is! It’s not just saying, “Oops, I messed up.” It’s recognizing that you’ve been going the wrong way, turning away from sin, and running toward God. It’s a mind change, and a heart change that leads to a life change. Jesus doesn’t just call us to admit we’re wrong— though that needs to happen.
He calls us to follow Him in a new way of living. True repentance is about surrendering our thoughts and the way we live and stepping fully into the new way of living Jesus offers. So let’s talk about baptism now for a moment. Do you really need to be baptized to be saved? My answer: you don’t understand baptism. Do you need to put your body in water to come to know Jesus? Absolutely not. If that’s what baptism is, you’ve boiled it down to a meaningless bath. Baptism is so much greater than this. Baptism is a renouncing of everything you once knew and a holding fast to what you’ve been baptized into.
This is why Peter says to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. There is no other baptism here, don’t be baptized in the name of anything or anyone else! You haven’t been baptized into a church’s rules or a denomination, or anything else. Baptism is still used in this way for us, we baptize in the name of Jesus. It seems that other cultures still understand this principle of baptism well. I have a friend who was pastoring a church where catholicism and Greek orthodox churches were the norm. A young girl put her faith in Jesus at their church and wanted to be baptized. She went home to her Greek Orthodox family and told them she was going to be baptized. her mother told her she would murder her and then commit suicide before she’d be baptized at a non-denominational church. Her mother knew that she meant she would be renouncing all else, including the Greek Orthodox church. For this reason I would say yes, you must be baptized!
You must renounce all else and hold fast to Jesus Christ. The reason I believe baptism to be so powerful in our lives is it is an outward sign of the inward commitment we have made to Christ. So there is nothing magic about the water, the water doesn’t save you, here it is a response to the gospel and a showing of the repentance that has taken place. Baptism does not save, Jesus saves. Baptism does not forgive sins, Jesus forgives sins. Baptism does not give the gift of the Holy Spirit. Jesus gives the gift of the Holy Spirit. Baptism does not cleanse and purify… A good shower or bath does that for you physically. The finished work of Jesus Christ does that for you spiritually. Repent and Renounce all else, and put your trust in Jesus. Be baptized to declare to the world that all of this is true in your life!
So what do we do? Repent and be baptized in the name of Jesus.
What does Jesus do? Forgives sins, gives the Holy Spirit.
Who’s it for? you! your children!! those FAR off!!! EVERYONE!!!!
This is the great response to the gospel and the work of the Holy Spirit in one’s life.
V40-41
Like any good preacher, this couldn’t be the totality of his sermon, Luke had to summarize the rest of the sermon with verse 40 “With many other words.” Long winded Peter the preacher had to wrap it up and put a bow on it: he summarized it in the phrase “Save yourselves from this crooked generation.” This is the point of the extra stuff he said. It’s a wrap up of the sermon and the conclusion of his first point in the sermon, “Everyone who calls upon the name of the Lord will be saved.” Peter knows that you need to put your faith in Jesus and call upon His name.
It’s what will save you. It is the only thing that will save you. Verse 41 is the action steps they took. Of the crowd gathered there, 3,000 souls came to know their savior. They received his word and they were baptized and added that day. We need to do the same, receive God’s word, renounce all else and cling to Jesus, so that we can be added to the kingdom of God this very day. It is the proper response to Jesus.
V42 You remember when we were talking about life verses? Well, we are here now! This isn’t just a verse on a page—it’s the heartbeat of the Church!
Let’s say it together as a church: “And they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers.” — Acts 2:42 This matters so much because they actually did this! They weren’t just thinking about these things, or talking about how nice it would be—they devoted their lives to it. This wasn’t a revival night; it was a way of life, a response to the outpouring of the Holy Spirit. Think about that for a second—everyone was included in this devotion: The young and the old, The sons and the daughters, The slave and the free. This is exactly what was prophesied by Joel—the Spirit moving across all people, bringing them together in a unified devotion to:
- The apostles’ teaching—Learning and growing in the truth of God’s Word.
- Fellowship—Doing life together in real community.
- Breaking bread—Sharing meals and remembering Christ’s sacrifice.
- Prayer—Seeking the Lord in faith, together as one body.
This wasn’t just something they did; it was who they were. The Holy Spirit doesn’t just create momentary excitement—He brings forth lifelong devotion to Jesus, His people, and His mission. This is our life verse because this is our life! The same Spirit that moved in Acts 2 is moving in us today! How do I know that? Because God is doing this work right now in us. I believe it in the very core of my being.
Invite The Generations to The Stage
Let me break this down a little bit for you. This year, 2025, we have 7 living generations. I want to give you a bit of perspective this morning on what I mean about intergenerational ministry and what it means to me and what it takes to do this well. These are some of the lovely faces of our church family. There are 2 types of information we can gather: Quantitative and qualitative. Our church is really good at gathering quantitative information. If you ask someone about the success of church, a common answer would be to look to quantitative data.
That’s ok to some extent. Here in Acts 2 we have quantitative data 12 apostles, 120 disciples, preaching in the temple, small groups at home, 3,000 get saved after pastor Peter preaches. Amazing! Acts 2 also provides us qualitative data. Devoted to apostles teaching, fellowship, breaking of bread and the prayers. This is hard data to measure. What is the metric? How do you measure discipleship and growth in Christ? We judge by fruit, in community, through our devotion. To be able to do this well we need one singular voice and answer to this cornerstone question: Have you accepted Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior? Awesome, we have a church. Now answer this, “What is your favorite part about church?” “how” do we do it? When we focus on all of this it is so hard to nail down.
Can I challenge you with this thought this morning? Are we devoted? Are we committed to this same life together? Are you willing to sacrifice the self, the comfort, the “me being the priority” for the sake of devotion to Christ? If you are, grab the person’s hand standing next to you. Because when the Church lives like this, the world sees Jesus. God thank you for being faithful from generation to generation. We share in victories, in struggles, in life and you remain steadfast in it all.
V43 This verse reveals something powerful about the early church: God’s presence was so real, so undeniable, that everyone felt it.This is one of the greatest evidence of God’s power: He changes hearts. One of the worst conditions of the human soul is a lack of reverence for God. Romans 3:18 – “There is no fear of God before their eyes.” A heart that doesn’t fear God is a heart that is cold, distant, and lost. But here in Acts 2, God was so present, so active that people couldn’t ignore Him. This wasn’t just excitement from the crowd. It wasn’t hype—it was deep conviction, a holy awareness that God was moving. A true move of God brings a deep reverence, not just enthusiasm.
V44-45
All who believed were together and had all things in common. Imagine the scene: More than 3,000 new believers, many of whom had traveled to Jerusalem for Pentecost, suddenly found themselves staying longer than planned, learning about Jesus, and building a new way of life. But they had a problem—no jobs, no homes, no means to support themselves. So what did the church do? They shared everything.
This wasn’t forced collectivism or an early experiment in communism—it was voluntary, Spirit-led generosity that came from a deep love for one another. They took the Jewish culture of feast-time hospitality—where visitors were welcomed and cared for—and turned it into an everyday reality. No one was left behind. Those who “had” sold possessions and gave freely, not because they were obligated, but because Jesus was more valuable to them than their wealth.
The power of God was so strong among them that their grip on material things loosened—what mattered most was caring for each other. Yet, we also see that this system wasn’t meant to last forever—the Jerusalem church would later require financial support from other churches (Romans 15:26, 2 Corinthians 8-9). The lesson here isn’t about a financial model; it’s about the heart of the church. When Jesus becomes our greatest treasure, generosity becomes our natural response. Their unity wasn’t based on shared interests or backgrounds—it was based on a shared Savior. This is what it looks like when the Holy Spirit transforms people—selflessness, unity, and love in action.
V46-47
The early church wasn’t just a once-a-week gathering—their faith was a daily, shared experience of worship, fellowship, and mission. “Day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they received their food with glad and generous hearts.” They lived out their faith both publicly and privately—worshiping in the temple courts while also sharing meals and life together in their homes. Their Christian walk wasn’t compartmentalized—it was woven into every part of their daily lives.
And notice their attitude: joyful, generous, and unified. Their faith wasn’t a burden; it was a source of constant joy. There was simplicity in their devotion—no gimmicks, no strategies, just a people so filled with love for Jesus that it overflowed into love for one another. They weren’t just going through the motions of religion—they were delighting in God and in His people. And what was the result? God grew the church. “And the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved.” They weren’t focused on church growth strategies—they were focused on being the church: worshiping, learning, serving, and sharing life together. When the church operates the way God intended—rooted in worship, fellowship, and love—He takes care of the rest. Souls were being saved daily because their lives were a radiant testimony to the power of the gospel.
This is God’s prescription for church growth. If we are faithful to be the church, He will be faithful to build it. No gimmicks, no manufactured hype—just a Spirit-filled people devoted to Jesus and to one another. This is what real revival looks like: A life lived for Christ, day by day, committed to loving Him and His people.
Conclusion: I want to come back to this piece as we close: They devoted themselves. They devoted themselves to the Word, to fellowship, to breaking bread, and to prayer. They lived with awe, generosity, and joy. And because of that, the world saw Jesus.
Let me ask you—is this the church we are building today? Are we devoted to one another, to worship, to prayer, and to living out the gospel every day? Are we marked by unity, joy, and generosity? Because when we are, God moves. Like we saw, when we take care of being the church, God takes care of growing the church.
So let’s not settle for less than what God intended. Let’s be a church that is alive, faithful, and filled with the Spirit. Let’s be a church that lives the life verse of Acts 2:42, not just reads it.
Let’s be a church where people see Jesus in us! Be reminded that the same Spirit that moved in Acts 2 is moving in us today. So let’s devote ourselves, trust His leading, and watch Him transform lives—starting with ours.
