Thought on This Chapter
A few short months before this Peter really blew it.
He denied Christ 3 times. The third time with cursing. He then gave up the
work of God and went back to the profession of fishing. Peter quit but
Jesus was not done with Peter.
ACTS 2:14 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:
At the feast of Pentecost Peter stands up and preaches
in power and God uses him greatly.
ACTS 2:41 Then they that gladly received his word were
baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand
souls.
3000 people were saved and then baptized. God
used Peter's preaching that day and He will continue to use Peter. Many
more will be saved after listening to Peter's preaching. Peter will also
write some of the New Testament.
Peter is a great example of the grace of God in the
life of a man who messed up. We all stumble now and then. It does
not mean that God will put you on a shelf and never use you for His work again.
Peter might have denied Christ and warmed himself at
the enemies fire, but Peter had a repentant heart for what he did. He went
out and wept bitterly. We never again find Peter denying Christ. In
fact Peter was martyred for his faith. Peter truly had a repentant heart
and was still greatly used by God.
If you have stumbled in some area, you can still be
used by God. Maybe it will be in a different area of work, but God still
wants to use you. What is required is a truly repentant heart. Turn
from what you have done, confess it to God, seek forgiveness and then get busy
again for the Lord.
1Jo 1:7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the
light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his
Son cleanseth us from all sin. 1Jo 1:8 If we say that we have no sin, we deceive
ourselves, and the truth is not in us. 1Jo 1:9 If we confess our sins, he is
faithful and just to forgive us [our] sins, and to cleanse us from all
unrighteousness.
Thought On This Chapter
The miracle of speaking in languages that you did not
know had gotten the attention of a multitude. The Bible says that there
were many devout men in the crowd. They were religious but they were lost.
Peter now stands up to preach, and what does he preach? He preaches a
resurrected Saviour. He starts off by showing that the Old Testament had
foretold the miracle that they just witnessed. Then he reminds them of the
prophecy that there would come a day when salvation is from calling upon the
name of the Lord.
ACTS 2:21 And it shall come to pass, that whosoever
shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved.
Now Peter tells them plainly who the Lord is that they
must call upon to be saved.
ACTS 2:22 Ye men of Israel, hear these words; Jesus of
Nazareth, a man approved of God among you by miracles and wonders and signs,
which God did by him in the midst of you, as ye yourselves also know:
ACTS 2:23 Him, being delivered by the determinate
counsel and foreknowledge of God, ye have taken, and by wicked hands have
crucified and slain:
ACTS 2:24 Whom God hath raised up, having loosed the
pains of death: because it was not possible that he should be holden of it.
The Lord that men must call upon to be saved is the
Resurrected Christ. There is none other that can save.
Act 4:12 Neither is there salvation in any other: for
there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.
So Peter has shown how Jesus was the fulfillment of
prophecy. He has told them that they must call upon the Lord to be saved.
They now know who they must call upon to be saved. Now at the end of the
sermon Peter makes it very clear how you must call upon Him. Not any kind
of calling will do. Empty words that you do not mean will not save.
Saying certain words that someone tells you to repeat will not save if you don't
really mean them. Belief is all that saves. You cannot be saved by
works. But it must be a real belief that comes from a repentant heart.
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.
Repentance is a real change of mind and that will
result in a change of action. Repentance comes about by hearing the Word of
God and getting under conviction. In verse 37 it tells us that they were
pricked in their heart. They had God sent conviction, this led to
repentance, calling upon the Lord, and salvation. Today's feel good non
convicting preaching leads to false professions of faith.
The first question is have you ever called upon the
Lord with a repentant heart? Were you pricked in the heart? Were you
under conviction of your awful sin? If you had no repentance in your heart
when you called upon the Lord, then you never got born again.
Heaven will not be your home.
The second question is are you supporting a church that
preaches convicting messages on salvation?
I hope that you are saved. If you are not, you
can be. Realize the depth of your awful sin. Know that you are on
your way to hell. Turn from the world and turn to God. Believe with
a repentant heart and call upon the Lord, and He will save you.
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King James Bible Main Index:
ACTS 2:1 And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place.
ACTS 2:2 And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting.
ACTS 2:3 And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them.
ACTS 2:4 And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.
ACTS 2:5 And there were dwelling at Jerusalem Jews, devout men, out of every nation under heaven.
ACTS 2:6 Now when this was noised abroad, the multitude came together, and were confounded, because that every man heard them speak in his own language.
ACTS 2:7 And they were all amazed and marvelled, saying one to another, Behold, are not all these which speak Galilaeans?
ACTS 2:8 And how hear we every man in our own tongue, wherein we were born?
ACTS 2:9 Parthians, and Medes, and Elamites, and the dwellers in Mesopotamia, and in Judaea, and Cappadocia, in Pontus, and Asia,
ACTS 2:10 Phrygia, and Pamphylia, in Egypt, and in the parts of Libya about Cyrene, and strangers of Rome, Jews and proselytes,
ACTS 2:11 Cretes and Arabians, we do hear them speak in our tongues the wonderful works of God.
ACTS 2:12 And they were all amazed, and were in doubt, saying one to another, What meaneth this?
ACTS 2:13 Others mocking said, These men are full of new wine.
ACTS 2:14 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:
ACTS 2:15 For these are not drunken, as ye suppose, seeing it is but the third hour of the day.
ACTS 2:16 But this is that which was spoken by the prophet Joel;
ACTS 2:17 And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams:
ACTS 2:18 And on my servants and on my handmaidens I will pour out in those days of my Spirit; and they shall prophesy:
ACTS 2:19 And I will shew wonders in heaven above, and signs in the earth beneath; blood, and fire, and vapour of smoke:
ACTS 2:20 The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and notable day of the Lord come:
ACTS 2:21 And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved.
ACTS 2:22 Ye men of Israel, hear these words; Jesus of Nazareth, a man approved of God among you by miracles and wonders and signs, which God did by him in the midst of you, as ye yourselves also know:
ACTS 2:23 Him, being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, ye have taken, and by wicked hands have crucified and slain:
ACTS 2:24 Whom God hath raised up, having loosed the pains of death: because it was not possible that he should be holden of it.
ACTS 2:25 For David speaketh concerning him, I foresaw the Lord always before my face, for he is on my right hand, that I should not be moved:
ACTS 2:26 Therefore did my heart rejoice, and my tongue was glad; moreover also my flesh shall rest in hope:
ACTS 2:27 Because thou wilt not leave my soul in hell, neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption.
ACTS 2:28 Thou hast made known to me the ways of life; thou shalt make me full of joy with thy countenance.
ACTS 2:29 Men and brethren, let me freely speak unto you of the patriarch David, that he is both dead and buried, and his sepulchre is with us unto this day.
ACTS 2:30 Therefore being a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him, that of the fruit of his loins, according to the flesh, he would raise up Christ to sit on his throne;
ACTS 2:31 He seeing this before spake of the resurrection of Christ, that his soul was not left in hell, neither his flesh did see corruption.
ACTS 2:32 This Jesus hath God raised up, whereof we all are witnesses.
ACTS 2:33 Therefore being by the right hand of God exalted, and having received of the Father the promise of the Holy Ghost, he hath shed forth this, which ye now see and hear.
ACTS 2:34 For David is not ascended into the heavens: but he saith himself, The Lord said unto my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand,
ACTS 2:35 Until I make thy foes thy footstool.
ACTS 2:36 Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made the same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ.
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?
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.
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.
ACTS 2:40 And with many other words did he testify and exhort, saying, Save yourselves from this untoward generation.
ACTS 2:41 Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls.
ACTS 2:42 And they continued stedfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers.
ACTS 2:43 And fear came upon every soul: and many wonders and signs were done by the apostles.
ACTS 2:44 And all that believed were together, and had all things common;
ACTS 2:45 And sold their possessions and goods, and parted them to all men, as every man had need.
ACTS 2:46 And they, continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart,
ACTS 2:47 Praising God, and having favour with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved.
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General Information About the Book of Acts.
The book of Acts was written by Luke (see general notes
on the book of Luke). Acts covers a period of 32 years.
When reading the book of Acts take special note of the following P's:
The Person of our lord Jesus Christ The Power of the
Holy Spirit. The Preachers (Paul, Peter, Stephen, and
Phillip).
The Places (Jerusalem, Antioch, and Rome).
The Program (Missions and Witnessing).
General information on the book of Acts continued.
ACTS 2:6 Now when this was noised abroad, the multitude came together, and were
confounded, because that every man heard them speak in his own language.
ACTS 2:7 And they were all amazed and marvelled, saying one to another, Behold,
are not all these which speak Galilaeans?
ACTS 2:8 And how hear we every man in our own tongue, wherein we were born?
These verses explain very clearly what tongues were. Verse six says that
every man heard them speak in his own language.
Verse eight attaches a man's own tongue to the land they were born.
Verses 9 - 11 tell us the different countries involved.
This is what tongues were. They would preach and the Egyptians heard them
in the Egyptian language. The Arabians heard the same man preach in
Arabians language and so on.
One man preaching and a multitude all hearing in his own language is what
tongues were. This never happens today. The jibberish that people
claim are tongues today are not Biblical tongues.
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