Acts 2

1. When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place.

This is known as the Feast of First Fruits which is fifty days after Passover. It was a time to say, “Lord the first of all that I have belongs to You!”

2 – 3

Suddenly a noise came from heaven. It sounded like a strong wind blowing. This noise filled the whole house where they were sitting.

They saw something that looked like flames of fire. The flames were separated and stood over each person there.

The Lord was using all these things to show the city that this was from God, not from men.

4. They were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and they began to speak different languages. The Holy Spirit was giving them the power to speak these languages.

Some people teach that you must have what they call a “second blessing” so that you can have the Holy Spirit in your life. The Bible teaches that you cannot be saved without the Holy Spirit. It also teaches that we are to keep on being filled with the Holy Spirit many times (Ephesians 5:18).

Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of His. Romans 8:9
For if you are able to speak in tongues, you will be talking only to God, since people will not be able to understand you. 1 Corinthians 14:2

5 – 6

There were some religious Jews staying in Jerusalem who were from every country in the world. When they heard this noise, a crowd came together. They were all surprised, because each one heard them speaking in his own language.

God will use unusual situations to bring people together to hear the Gospel. We should be alert and ready to speak when this happens.

7 – 8

They were completely amazed at this. They said, “Look! Aren’t all these men that we hear speaking from Galilee? But each of us hears them in his own language. How is this possible? We are from different places:

So you see that speaking in tongues is a sign, not for believers, but for unbelievers. 1 Corinthians 14:22

9 –11

Parthia, Media, Elam, Mesopotamia, Judea, Cappadocia, Pontus, Asia, Phrygia, Pamphylia, Egypt, the areas of Libya near Cyrene, Rome (both Jews and those who had become Jews), Crete and Arabia. But we hear these men telling in our own languages about the great things God has done!”

This was the known world at the time. The seed of the Gospel was planted and later we find Christian churches in these places.

12. They were all amazed and confused. They asked each other, “What does this mean?”

Pay attention to how God prepares people to ask questions so that we can give the answer!
13 – 15

But others were making fun of them, saying, “They have had too much wine.” But Peter stood up with the eleven other apostles. In a loud voice he spoke to the crowd: “My fellow Jews, and all of you who are in Jerusalem, listen to me. Pay attention to what I have to say. These men are not drunk, as you think; it is only nine o’clock in the morning!

See how Peter is very comfortable and completely healed of his broken heart for saying that he did not know Jesus. He was afraid before, but the Holy Spirit took his fear away.

16 – 18

But Joel the prophet wrote about what is happening here today: ‘God says: In the last days I will give My Spirit freely to all kinds of people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy. Your old men will dream dreams. Your young men will see visions. At that time I will give My Spirit even to My servants, both men and women. And they will prophesy.

They asked Jesus, “Do you hear what these children are saying?” “Yes,” Jesus said. “Have you not ever read the Scriptures? For they say, ‘You have taught children and infants to give You praise. Matthew 21:16

19 – 20

I will show miracles in the sky and on the earth: blood, fire and thick smoke. The sun will become dark. The moon will become red as blood. And then the great and glorious day of the Lord will come.
The Jews would remember the darkness that came when Jesus was on the cross. Peter was telling them about what God was doing now and what He will do in the future. Even men who are not following Christ are interested in the last days. The things that are coming brought the presence of God on the people.

21. Then anyone who calls on the Lord will be saved.’

Peter must not have dreamed that the Lord would use him later to lead Gentiles to Jesus. Acts 10:44, Joel 2:28-32

22. “Men of Israel, listen to these words: Jesus from Nazareth was a man God used to clearly show this to you by the miracles, wonders, and signs God did through Him. You all know this, because it happened right here among you.

The Pharisees had turned the people against Jesus and made them afraid that something would happen to them if they did not agree to kill Jesus. We see here that they are listening because even now, the Holy Spirit is helping them to get rid of that fear and to pay attention to Peter.

23. Jesus was given to you, and you killed Him. With the help of evil men you nailed Him to a cross. But God knew all this would happen. This was God’s plan which He had made long ago.

Peter says that this was God’s plan it was not an accident. Maybe some of the people were remembering that Moses said, “You shall not murder.” At Jesus’ trial the people had yelled, “Let His blood be on us and our children!” Matthew 27:25

24. God raised Jesus from death. God set Him free from the pain of death. Death could not hold Him.

The people would have heard stories that the body of Jesus was missing and that he had been raised from the dead.

25 – 28

For David said this about Him: I keep the Lord before me always. Because He is close by my side, I will not be hurt. So I am glad, and I rejoice. Even my body has hope.

This is because you will not leave Me in the grave. You will not let your Holy One rot. You will teach Me God’s way to live. Being with you will fill Me with joy.’

Peter shows that David was speaking in the Spirit and telling us that Jesus would be raised from the dead. See Psalm 16:8-11.

29 – 30

“Brothers, I can tell you truly about David, our ancestor. He died and was buried. His grave is still here with us today.

David was a prophet and knew what God had said. God had promised David that he would make a person from David’s family a king just as he was.

The Jews have been taught since they were children that the Messiah would come from the family of David. Isaiah 11:10

31. David knew this before it happened. That is why he said: ‘He was not left in the grave. His body did not rot.’ David was talking about the Christ rising from death.

Some people may have remembered that Jesus said He would be in the earth for three days and three nights. Matthew 12:38 – 40,

32 – 33

So Jesus is the One who God raised from death! And we are all witnesses to this.
Jesus was lifted up to heaven and is now at God’s right side. The Father has given the Holy Spirit to Jesus as He promised. So now Jesus has poured out that Spirit. This is what you see and hear.

Remember that there are 120 people standing with Peter. The city would have been amazed that so many people would say that they have seen Jesus risen from the dead.

34 – 35

David was not the one who was lifted up to heaven. But he said: The Lord said to my Lord: Sit by Me at my right side, until I put Your enemies under Your control.’

Now, the Scripture would make sense to the people. David would not sit on the throne with God but the Messiah would. They would be asking themselves, “am I one of God’s enemies?” Psalm 110:1

36 – 37

“So, all the people of Israel should know this truly: God has made Jesus both Lord and Christ. He is the One you nailed to the cross!”
When the people heard this, they were sick at heart. They asked Peter and the other apostles, “What shall we do?”

When we are walking with the Lord and full of His Word, as we speak people’s hearts are opened.

38. Peter said to them, “Change your hearts and lives and be baptized, each one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.

Some churches say that this verse means that you have to be baptized to be saved. We see that the house of Cornelius was saved without being baptized (Acts 10:47). We see that the thief on the cross was saved without being baptized.

When we are baptized we are showing the world that we are dead to our old life and risen with Christ. Baptism does not save us, but it shows that we take a stand for Christ publicly.

39. This promise is for you. It is also for your children and for all who are far away. It is for everyone the Lord our God calls to Himself.”

Here was a clue that not only Jews can be saved.

40 – 41

Peter warned them with many other words. He begged them, “Save yourselves from the evil of today’s people!” Then those people who accepted what Peter said were baptized. About 3,000 people were added to the number of believers that day.

We see that the Jews had to change their minds about who Jesus was. People know that the world is evil and they are looking for a way of escape. Their spirits told them that the Gospel was the truth and they reached for like a drowning man.

42. They spent their time learning the apostles’ teaching. And they continued to share, to break bread, and to pray together.

We see here that we do not just pray a prayer to become a Christian and then go back to our regular life. We become disciples, which means learners. If all we do is go to church on Sunday and never learn anything then we are not disciples.

43. The apostles were doing many miracles and signs. And everyone felt great respect for God.

Jesus said that this would happen. John 14:12

44 – 46

All the believers stayed together. They shared everything. They sold their land and the things they owned. Then they divided the money and gave it to those people who needed it.

The believers met together in the Temple every day. They all had the same purpose. They broke bread in their homes, happy to share their food with joyful hearts.

This changed after the death of Ananias and Sapphira. Acts 5:11

47. They praised God, and all the people liked them. More and more people were being saved every day; the Lord was adding those people to the group of believers.

It is a sad thing when Christians walk around with a sour face. There are false teachings that give some Christians an excuse so that they can say, “These people were not chosen to be saved anyway. I do not have to be nice to them!” We see that when Peter was finished talking, the people liked the Christians and did not feel that they were looked down on but loved.