Peter Responds, Part 1
Acts 2:14-18.
But Peter standing with the eleven, lifted up his voice and addressed them: “Men of Judea and all who dwell in Jerusalem, let this be known to you, and give ear to my words.
“For these people are not drunk, as you suppose, since it is only the third hour of the day.
“But this is what was uttered through the prophet Joel:
“‘And in the last days it shall be, God declares,
that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh,
and your sons and daughters shall prophesy,
and your young men shall see visions,
and your old men shall dream dreams;
even on my male servants and female servants
in those days I will pour out my Spirit and they shall prophesy. “‘
Dear People Who Belong to God,
The Pentecost event gave the disciples the first opportunity to begin fulfilling the Great Commission. Already, there was a large crowd gathered.
Fearless (v. 14-15).
The same Peter who had succumbed to fear and denied Jesus fifty days before (Mark 14:66-72) now stood boldly with the other eleven apostles and addressed the crowd. A major change had taken place in Peter’s life and he was not afraid anymore. The coming of the Holy Spirit emboldened the apostles in readiness for the task of preaching the gospel.
Foretold (v. 16).
Peter declared to the crowd that what they had just witnessed was something that the prophet Joel had prophesied centuries before. Peter now understood the mission of Jesus. People must be confronted with the gospel, brought to the knowledge of the truth and repentance, and that was the work of the Holy Spirit.
Filled (v. 17-18).
The Spirit, Joel had said, would be poured out generously and would cause people to prophesy, see visions, and dream dreams (Joel 2:28-29). This prophecy should be understood in its poetic context. Joel was not saying that only young men would see visions and only old men would dream. He is poetically declaring that people, young and old, male and female would be filled with the Spirit and become spokespersons for God. A new era had begun. The Holy Spirit was to no longer selectively fill a few prophets, kings, and priests but would now dwell in the heart of everyone who yielded his life to Christ. This is the key to victorious living. Those in Christ are empowered to live lives that are pleasing to God, just as Peter was emboldened to speak without fear. Any attempt to live without the Spirit will end in the same spectacular failure as that of Peter in his denial of Jesus. Have you given your life to Christ so as to receive the Spirit?
Your Loving Pastor Chris.