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Tag: Jesus

  • We are Beggars in the House of God

    We are Beggars in the House of God

    Begging for Blessing

    You may have had a beggar at your door recently. My new neighbor asked me if he should expect any ‘trick or treaters’ invading our neighborhood. Probably not, I responded. We generally have sweets here for ourselves that I could give away to a beggar, I assured. But he thought it might be best to go out and buy some treats just in case.

    My neighbor then left to buy some sweets so as to not disappoint some little child at his door expecting a blessing.

    ACTS of Simon Peter

    Building a New Synagogue of Simon – שִׁמְעוֹן
    Continuing in Jerusalem from where we last left Peter:

    You may ask what my neighbor buying a treat to bless some little beggar at his door has to do with Peter and the Apostles as they enter into the gates and public courtyards of the Temple in Jerusalem.

    I can think of more than one parallel to our 21st century walk as disciples of Jesus Christ.

    So as we resume our journey with Simon Peter in Acts of the Apostles, don’t miss the Apostles’ hearts of graciousness accompanying the powerful signs of the Holy Spirit continuing to attract crowds to yet another sermon by Peter.

    Acts of the Apostles

    crowds of Shavuot worshiping at western wall in Jerusalem

    What has happened so far?

    Miracles, Wonders & Signs: Peter’s Amazing Answer

    Luke’s account begins with a brief look back at his first account, the Gospel.

    • To these [the Apostles] He also presented Himself alive after His suffering, by many convincing proofs, appearing to them over a period of forty days.. – Acts 1:3a
    • [The risen Christ Jesus had assured them] “..but you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be My witnesses both in Jerusalem and in all Judea, and Samaria, and as far as the remotest part of the earth.” – Acts 1:8

    The Apostle Simon Peter has already preached to the crowds:

    • Peter stood up among the brothers and sisters (a group of about 120 people was there together) [in an upper room in Jerusalem]. – Acts 1:15b
    • 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 2:2
    • .. they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with different [languages], as the Spirit was giving them the ability to speak out.. [Those in the crowds of Jerusalem were amazed and asked each other] And how is it that we each hear them in our own [dialect in] which we were born? – Acts 2:4,7,8 excerpt
    • But Peter, standing up with the eleven, lifted up his voice, and said unto them, [preaching in the power of the Holy Spirit from Old Testament scripture]:

    And it shall be in the last days,’ God says,
    ‘That I will pour out My Spirit on all mankind;

    Acts 2:14a, 17a – Simon Peter preaching to the crowds of Pentecost in Jerusalem from the prophet Joel
    • [Simon tells the crowds: ] ..he looked ahead and spoke of the resurrection of the Christ, that He was neither abandoned to Hades, nor did His flesh suffer decay. It is this Jesus whom God raised up, a fact to which we are all witnesses. – Acts 2:32

    .. the promise of the Holy Spirit from the Father, He has poured out this which you both see and hear.

    Into this context and setting in first century Jerusalem we continue with Simon Peter and the Eleven as they obediently have remained in Jerusalem and the church continues to grow.

    Be saved from this perverse generation!
    Peter said to them,
    “Repent, and each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.

    Everyone kept feeling a sense of awe; and many wonders and signs were taking place through the apostles.

    • 44 And all the believers were together
    • and had all things in common;
    • 45 and they would sell their property and possessions
    • and share them with all, to the extent that anyone had need.
    • 46 Day by day continuing with one mind in the temple,
    • and breaking bread from house to house, they were taking their meals together with gladness and sincerity of heart, 47 praising God and
    • having favor with all the people.
    HERE ARE SINNERS REPENTANT, BLESSING EACH OTHER AND OTHERS — DAILY — IN WORSHIP AND COMMUNITY.

    THIS is the WITNESS OF THE CHURCH to ALL who encounter them, THAT, an evidence and sign in itself.

    And the Lord was adding to their number day by day those who were being saved.

    ACTS of the apostles 2:47b

    A Beggar at the Temple Door

    a crippled boy on the ground

    ACTS 3:

    Now Peter and John went up together into the temple at the hour of prayer, being the ninth hour.

    The Day of Pentecost is past and three thousand souls have been worshiping day by day with the Apostles.

    And a certain man lame from his mother’s womb was carried, whom they laid daily at the gate of the temple which is called Beautiful, to ask alms of them that entered into the temple

    What will be the next ACT of the Apostles Peter and John?

    Christian Witness with an Everyday Beggar

    Imagine it — this is no child at your door, a costumed beggar charming you out of some candy.

    NO, these desperate men of no means were as familiar at the entrances and exits of the public places as defeated men by the highway having no place to go with temporary signs – beggars asking alms of ANY who might help the invisible poor.

    Yet Luke reveals that this beggar must had friends. They carried him to the place of worship daily. Or perhaps these men were part of his family who relied on his help by generated mercy of others.

    The crowds who passed him by knew who he was; NOT a child, but a man handicapped from birth. No fault of his, but what could they do?

    And mostly, their alms on occasion made them feel a little better about their own charity to him.

    Note: Peter and John do not simply give the man something (or look away from him and move on, but the Apostles engage this beggar in conversation of lasting consequence.

    Peter and John had witnessed the power of Jesus’ compassion

    Luke 10:

    The one who listens to you listens to Me, and the one who rejects you rejects Me; but the one who rejects Me rejects the One who sent Me.”

    Now the seventy-two returned with joy, saying,

    “Lord, even the demons are subject to us in Your name!”

    Turning to the disciples, He said privately, “Blessed are the eyes that see the things you see..

    Eternal Life

    25 And, behold, a certain lawyer stood up, and tempted him, saying, Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?

    26 He said unto him, What is written in the law?

    Jesus engages the man in conversation, meaningful conversation which the Lord illustrates with the now familiar to us parable of the Good Samaritan. (Remember, Judeans did not particularly like the Jews from Samaria and those from other distant states or regions.)

    “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho and fell into the hands of robbers..

    But a Samaritan on his journey came up to him, and when he saw the man, he had compassion.”

    Gospel of Luke 10:30b,33 CSB + Jesus addressing the question: ‘Who is my neighbor?’

    This man who was robbed on his journey to Jericho was no beggar. But Jesus points out that he certainly needs help.

    Jesus asks, ‘Which of the the three helped the man;’ that is, ‘who was his neighbor’?

    The Apostles knew both the parable and the accompanying miracles. Seventy-two disciples of Jesus had just worked many miracles when the lawyer had asked what to do to inherit eternal life.

    Returning now to Peter and John headed to the temple for worship:

    Peter’s ACT of compassion

    Seeing Peter and John about to go into the temple, he asked for alms.

    Acts of the Apostles 3:3 RSV

    And Peter directed his gaze at him, with John, and said, “Look at us.”

    The lame man looked at them eagerly, expecting some money.

    But Peter said, “I do not have silver and gold, but what I do have I give to you:

    Acts of the Apostles 3:6a NASB20

    Do you suppose the two-way conversation between the eyes of the lame beggar and Peter continues in intense anticipation here?

    You are the beggar at the door and the man says ‘I have no money.’

    Peter is a neighbor who has gone out of his way to give a sweet blessing to this poor man…

    So many do little or just pass by.. YOU lay there HELPLESS still.. you, a poor lame beggar.

    Yet Peter and John continue with their own intense and compassionate stares…

    They ACT personally, as if the two are alone in their transaction..

    Then the man who has NOT passed by you, helpless at the gate of the place of worship continues:

    In the name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene, walk!”

    The command of Peter: Acts 3:6b

    Peter had witnessed Jesus Christ the Nazarene make a man walk!

    And Simon Peter had touched and seen the Lord’s hands and feet which had been nailed to a Cross!

    Peter and John had a commission from Christ to build His church once receiving the Holy Spirit.

    Yet another sign of the Holy Spirit

    With John at his side, as they had both been observers of Jesus healing a man like this lowered by friends into a room full of Jews listening to Jesus preach, Peter now reaches down to the man near the crowds before him:

    And grasping him by the right hand, he raised him up; and immediately his feet and his ankles were strengthened.

    Act of Peter reaching down to a man lame from birth + Acts 3:7

    Recalling Christ’s Authority to Heal

    Luke 5:

    Now it happened that while the crowd was pressing around Him and listening to the word of God, He was standing by the lake of Gennesaret; and He saw two boats lying at the edge of the lake; but the fishermen had gotten out of them and were washing their nets. And He got into one of the boats, which was Simon’s…

    But when Simon Peter saw this, he fell down at Jesus’ knees, saying,

    “Go away from me, Lord, for I am a sinful man!” ..

    And Jesus said to Simon, “Do not fear; from now on you will be catching people.”

    When they had brought their boats to land, they left everything and followed Him.

    This had been three years ago. Since then, Peter and John have seen MANY more miraculous things — unexplainable signs from God — ACTS of Jesus’ power and authority over men and creation.

    • While He was in one of the cities, behold, there was a man covered with leprosy; and when he saw Jesus, he fell on his face and begged Him, saying, “Lord, if You are willing, You can make me clean.” And He reached out with His hand and touched him, saying, “I am willing; be cleansed.” And immediately the leprosy left him.
    • One day He was teaching, and there were some Pharisees and teachers of the Law sitting there who had come from every village of Galilee and Judea, and from Jerusalem; and the power of the Lord was present for Him to perform healing. And some men were carrying a man on a stretcher who was paralyzed; and they were trying to bring him in and to set him down in front of Him. But when they did not find any way to bring him in because of the crowd, they went up on the roof and let him down through the tiles with his stretcher, into the middle of the crowd, in front of Jesus.

    Simon Peter and John had witnessed the power of God through Jesus many times.

    A Beggar Worshiping with the Apostles

    And leaping up, he stood and began to walk; and he entered the temple with them, walking and leaping and praising God.

    And all the people saw him walking and praising God; and they recognized him as being the very one who used to sit at the Beautiful Gate of the temple to beg for charitable gifts, and they were filled with wonder and amazement at what had happened to him.

    Acts of the Apostles 3:8-10 NASB

    The very sight of this crippled man everyone knew LEAPING UP must have taken away the breath of those who witnessed this great sign!

    • REMEMBER the lame man lowered by his friends into a crowded room so that Jesus could heal him?
    • What was it the Lord had said?

    And seeing their faith, He said,

    “Friend, your sins are forgiven you.” .. “I say to you, get up, and pick up your stretcher, and go home.”

    Gospel of Luke 5:20, 24b NASB + Jesus commanding a Lame man to walk

    Peter and John saw a beggar’s faith

    And as the lame man which was healed held Peter and John, all the people ran together unto them in the porch that is called Solomon’s, greatly wondering.

    Acts of the Apostles 3:11 Authorized Version

    Friend, your sins are forgiven you, or at least they could be — IF only you would come to the Lord Jesus Christ.

    For by our admitted failings, like Peter, we are all sinful men and sinful women.

    In the name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene, walk!”

    The command of Peter: Acts 3:6b

    Won’t you walk on in witness in the name of Jesus Christ beside John and Simon Peter and the Apostles? For they were, after all, just sinners like you and like me.

    ALL are beggars before the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ, who will greet us at the gate. 

    NEXT: Simon Peter walks to Solomon's Portico to preach to the crowds
  • Be saved from this perverse generation!

    Be saved from this perverse generation!

    And the people stood by, watching. And even the rulers were sneering [G1592] at Him, saying, “He saved others; let Him save Himself if this is the Christ of God, His Chosen One.”

    Gospel of Luke 23:35 NASB20 – The Perverse witness of Jesus suffering on a Cross sacrificed for the sins of the world

    Do perverse leaders not manipulate the crowds of every generation?

    Not everyone had ears to hear Peter on Pentecost, nor were all touched by the Holy Spirit.

    Public trials and crucifixions of the first century included a mocking of criminals, a public perversion of the LORD’s mercy for the Jews, theatre for the mobs at the expense of the marginalized. (Certainly media for the multitudes is no different today.)

    Some Jews coming to Jerusalem to celebrate Pentecost spoke of Peter with similarly sneering questions like those they had formerly asked Jesus or mocked Him at the Cross.

    WHY is this Galilean preaching about that supposed King Jesus the Nazarene we crucified on a cross just two months ago?

    Luke has already told us about the motives of these men in his Gospel about Jesus, the Christ.

    Now the Pharisees, who were lovers of money, were listening to all these things and were ridiculing G1592 Him. And He said to them,

    “You are the ones who justify yourselves in the sight of people, but God knows your hearts; because that which is highly esteemed among people is detestable in the sight of God.”

    Luke 16:14-15 NASB20 – following Jesus’ parable about ‘The Unrighteous Manager’ –

    Peter would have previously witnessed opposition by these religious men to teaching of their promised Messiah Jesus. Some of these same religious men present this Pentecost had won political followers by their perverse sense of justice at the Cross of Jesus.

    The Heart-piercing POWER of the HOLY SPIRIT!
    Peter Preaches to Jerusalem’s Crowds

    ACTS of the Apostles 2:

    ¿Cómo, pues, les oímos nosotros hablar cada uno en nuestra lengua en la que hemos nacido?

    Hechos 2 :: Reina-Valera 1960 (RVR60)
    ACTS 2:
1550 Stephanus New Testament; Arabic Bible: Easy-to-Read Version حُلُولُ الرُّوحِ القُدُس; Revised Chinese Union Version (Simplified Script) Shen Edition; Hindi Bible: Easy-to-Read Version

    “How is it that each of us can hear them in our own native language?

    Acts of the Apostles 2:8 CSB

    but others were mocking..

    ΠΡΑΞΕΙΣ ΤΩΝ ΑΠΟΣΤΟΛΩΝ 2
SBL Greek New Testament
Biblia Sacra Vulgata
King James Version
מעשי השליחים Habrit Hakhadasha/Haderekh
ACTS 2:13

ἕτεροι δὲ διαχλευάζοντες ἔλεγον ὅτι γλεύκους μεμεστωμένοι εἰσίν
alii autem inridentes dicebant quia musto pleni sunt isti
Others mocking said, These men are full of new wine.

    13 אולם בקרב הקהל היו גם כאלה שלעגו: “הם סתם שיכורים!”

    WAIT! Did you get that?

    • “Look, aren’t all these who are speaking Galileans? – Acts 2:7b CSB
    • “How is it that each of us can hear them in our own native language? – Acts 2:8 CSB
    • They were all astounded and perplexed, saying to one another, “What does this mean? ” – Acts 2:12 CSB
    • But some sneered and said, “They’re drunk on new wine.” – Acts 2:13 CSB

    SOME got it AND some did NOT.

    Those with ears to hear were ‘pierced to the heart’ [v.37] AND some stiff-necked leaders simply mocked the Apostles [v.13] as they had the Lord, Christ Jesus.

    A Perverse Generation Misses the Point

    Those who turn their backs on the Spirit sneer at God’s punishment for sin.

    Peter had preached of David:

    .. he looked ahead and spoke of the resurrection of the Christ, that He was neither abandoned to Hades, nor did His flesh suffer decay.

    Acts 2:31 NASB20

    Yet the scoffers would neither see the signs, hear the Spirit nor listen to the truth of Scripture. These always make excuses for their own perversity against the righteousness of the Lord.

    Peter said to them, “Repent..

    Many did, yet those who sneer at God refuse to be convicted by abandonment to Hell and Death.

    And with many other words he solemnly testified and kept on urging them, saying, “Be saved from this perverse generation!”

    Appeal of the Apostle Peter to those who will repent – Acts of the Apostles 2:20

    σκολιός –

    Strong’s Definitions σκολιός skoliós, skol-ee-os’; from the base of G4628; warped, i.e. winding; figuratively, perverse:—crooked, froward, untoward [that is: Improper; unseemly; Unfavorable or adverse; Froward; perverse {source: ibid}]

    Can you think of any of THIS GENERATION who are like THAT?

    See the description [above] of a generation against whom the Peter warned when the Apostle exhorted those of his first century listeners to REPENT and

    “Save yourselves from this untoward generation.

    Acts of the Apostles 2:40b KJV

    How would YOU respond to Peter’s sermon?

    ΠΡΑΞΕΙΣ ΤΩΝ ΑΠΟΣΤΟΛΩΝ 2 [ACTS 2:]

    I WILL POUR OUT MY SPIRIT UPON ALL FLESH ACTS 2:17 picture of flames

    ‘AND IT SHALL BE IN THE LAST DAYS,’ God says, ‘THAT I WILL POUR OUT MY SPIRIT ON ALL MANKIND..’

    And it shall be that everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.’

    ACTS of the Apostles 2:21 NASB

    ‘This Man Jesus..’

    .. this Man, delivered over by the predetermined plan and foreknowledge of God, you nailed to a cross by the hands of godless men and put Him to death. But God raised Him from the dead, putting an end to the agony of death, since it was impossible for Him to be held in its power.

    ACTS 2:24-25 – The Apostle Peter preaching of Jesus’ death in the flesh and resurrection of His body!

    Therefore, since He has been exalted..

    .. He has poured out this which you both see and hear.

    ARE YOU ONE OF THOSE WHO WOULD NOW ASK THE APOSTLES WHAT TO DO?

    Peter said to them, “Repent, and each of you 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 your children and for all who are far away, as many as the Lord our God will call to Himself.”

    ACTS of the Apostles 2:38-39 NASB

    Then Peter continued preaching for a long time, strongly urging all his listeners, “Save yourselves from this crooked generation!”

    ACTS OF THE APOSTLES 2:40 New Living Translation

    ARE YOU ONE WITH EARS TO LISTEN TO PETER’S CONTINUED PLEA?

    For surely we are a generation nearer THE END of these last days.

    AGAIN, when they heard this, they were pierced to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “Brothers, what are we to do?” And they did what Peter and the Apostles taught them to do.

    TO A GENERATION NEARER THE END OF THESE LAST DAYS?

    So then, those who had received his word were baptized;

    and that day there were added about three thousand souls.

    They were continually devoting themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.

    ACTS of the Apostles 2:41-42 NASB
    collage of worldly leaders - ACTS 2:40 "Be saved from this perverse generation.

    Do YOU ‘devote’ your ‘self’ to ‘the Apostles teaching‘ OR to hours lost to sin in a perverse 21st century generation of these ‘last days?’ 

    To be continued...
  • Miracles, Wonders & Signs: Peter’s Amazing Answer

    Miracles, Wonders & Signs: Peter’s Amazing Answer

    Peter’s Answer to the Acts of Pentecost

    How does the anointed follower of Jesus Christ answer the unanswerable questions from the multitudes? Luke records not only the truly awesome events of Pentecost and bewilderment by the crowds, but also the Apostle Simon Peter’s amazing answer to thousands gathered in Jerusalem.

    Acts 2:

    And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind..

    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 of the Apostles 2:2a,6 KJV
    Pentecost – a narrative of the fifty days fulfilled
    Previously: We witnessed the Holy Ghost in a crowded upper room.

    (I spoke last time how we might more appropriately [from the KJV] view the Holy Ghost and cloven tongues like as of fire lighting on each one.)

    One hundred together as one in prayer in the upper room in Jerusalem receive the Holy Spirit!

    We now join the Twelve as they move on into the crowds on the busy streets of Jerusalem and multitudes in the Temple.

    Acts of Perplexed Jerusalem Crowds on Pentecost

     Now there were Jews residing in Jerusalem, devout men from every nation under heaven.

    Acts of the Apostles 2:5 NASB

    (Not so different from the crowds of a single Sunday of a 21st century Christmas or Easter festival, is it?) 

    NOTE on Population of Jerusalem [~80,000, possibly swelling above 100,000 during the three festival weeks]
- Jewish historian Josephus, who would know because he had lived there during the 60s AD, estimated the number of Pharisees alone to be 6,000 (Josephus, Antiquities of the Jews, 17.42) - * recommended source

    Amazed and Astonished

    Image an extended and formal debate between two devout religious officials (perhaps a Pharisee and and Sadducee) wondering how Simon Peter and these other lowly uneducated followers of Jesus from ‘up north’ could possibly speak to others in another language.

    And they were all amazed and marvelled, saying one to another,

    Behold, are not all these which speak Galilaeans?

    Acts 2:7 KJV

    Of course earlier Luke showed us debate with Jesus by perhaps some of the same ‘devout men’ who some attend these very public festivals just for the wine, prestige or public parties.

    They were amazed (beside ones self to explain it, as I pointed out last time) and astonished G2296)].

    This is the same reaction of Peter and others to the risen Christ, which Luke records in his first account.

    And when He [Jesus] had said this, He showed them His hands and His feet. While they [the Apostles] still could not believe it because of their joy and astonishment G2296, He said to them, “Have you anything here to eat?”

    Gospel of Luke 24:40-41 NASB20 – Strong’s G2296 – thaumazō

    Luke describes the reaction of these men on Pentecost with this same adjective which John employs for an earlier debate of Jesus’ with Nicodemus about the same Holy Spirit which had anointed the Apostles this day.

    “Do not be G2296 amazed G2296 that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’

    “The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear the sound of it, but you do not know where it is coming from and where it is going; so is everyone who has been born of the Spirit.”

    Gospel of John 3:8 NASB20

    The HOLY Spirit – The Directed WIND of ACTS

    Luke uses the same word πνεῦμα that John records from the words of Jesus [John 3:8] as ‘wind‘ and ‘Spirit,’ [pneuma] 70 times in Acts of the Apostles.

    As Jesus had told Nicodemus,

    “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless someone is born of water and the Spirit G4151, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. That which has been born of the flesh is flesh, and that which has been born of the Spirit G4151 is spirit G4151.

    Gospel of John 3:5-6 – Jesus teaches Nicodemus on the Holy Spirit [G4151]

    Debate about Peter & the Apostles

    • “Look, aren’t all these who are speaking Galileans?
    • —we hear them declaring the magnificent acts of God in our own tongues.”
    • “What does this mean?”

    But others were jeering and saying, “They are full of sweet wine!”

    Acts of the Apostles 2:13 NASB

    14 But Peter, taking his stand with the other eleven [now including Mathias], raised his voice and declared to them:

    “Men of Judea and all you who live in Jerusalem, know this, and pay attention to my words. For these people are not drunk, as you assume, since it is only the third hour of the day [that is, 9 o’clock in the morning]..

    As Luke has already told us, the crowds include hundreds of ‘devout men from every nation under heaven.’

    Certainly these religious leaders had been led to the Apostles by the sound of the Spirit. Although you may not recall the words of ‘this Galilean,’ these devout Jews will know the Scriptures Peter is about to preach.

    Peter preaching from a balcony in Jerusalem on pentecost

    .. On the contrary, this is what was spoken through the prophet Joel:

    Joel 2:

    Blow a trumpet in Zion,
    And sound an alarm on My holy mountain!
    Let all the inhabitants of the land tremble,
    For the day of the Lord is coming;
    Indeed, it is near,
    2 A day of darkness and gloom,
    A day of clouds and thick darkness..

    21 Do not fear, land; shout for joy and rejoice,
    For the Lord has done great things..

    The fig tree and the vine have yielded in full.
    23 So shout for joy, you sons of Zion,
    And rejoice in the Lord your God;
    For He has given you the early rain for your vindication..

    The Promise of the Spirit

    Hebrew link above is CJB & WLC only

    28 It will come about after this
    That I will pour out My Spirit on all [flesh] mankind;
    And your sons and your daughters will prophesy,
    Your old men will have dreams,
    Your young men will see visions.
    29 And even on the male and female servants
    I will pour out My Spirit in those days..

    For on Mount Zion and in Jerusalem
    There will be those who escape,
    Just as the Lord has said,
    Even among the survivors whom the Lord calls.

    The Prophesy of Joel 2:28-29, 32b *2:28 begins as v.3:1 in Hebrew

    Acts 2:

    17 ‘And it shall be in the last days,’ God says,
    ‘That I will pour out My Spirit on all mankind;
    And your sons and your daughters will prophesy,
    And your young men will see visions,
    And your old men will have dreams;
    18 And even on My male and female servants
    I will pour out My Spirit in those days,
    And they will prophesy.
    19 And I will display wonders in the sky above
    And signs on the earth below,
    Blood, fire, and vapor of smoke.
    20 The sun will be turned into darkness
    And the moon into blood,
    Before the great and glorious day of the Lord comes.
    21 And it shall be that everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.’

    Peter’s Amazing Answer from Scripture

    Jesus’ Apostle Simon Peter speaks to his fellow faithful Jews, many men gathered to hear from the place of this loud noise some explanation for this amazing sign.

    Do you recall the interchange between Judeans near Jesus’ trial and Peter? The Apostle knows first hand how they associate Galileans (and Samaritans) as lesser Israelites of David’s line.

     “Men of Israel, listen to these words:

    Jesus the Nazarene, a Man attested [proven] to you by God [theos] with miracles [dynamis, power], and wonders [a prodigy, portent or omen] and signs which God performed through Him in your midst, just as you yourselves know— this Man, delivered over [to enemies, or to the power, the will, of some one] by the predetermined plan and foreknowledge of God, you nailed to a cross by the hands of godless men and put Him to death.

    The astounded men in the crowd must have wondered:

    • Do these men have this same Power [dynamis] which they have just heard?
    • Will this Disciple of Jesus now addressing so many continue with his opening indictment?

    Yes, and Peter continues with yet another amazing witness of these historic events:

    But God raised Him [the man attested, Jesus of Nazareth] from the dead, putting an end to the agony of death, since it was impossible for Him to be held in its power.

    Acts of the Apostles 2:24 NASB

    THIS SPEAKER [PETER] HAS JUST TOLD MEN WHO NAILED JESUS TO A CROSS JUST FIFTY DAYS AGO THAT THIS MAN [JESUS] COULD NOT BE HELD BY THE POWER OF DEATH!

    Peter then returns to Scripture in order to present the Jews an understanding of the Lord and their Messiah, Jesus.

    Son of David

    Luke has already told those who have read in his Gospel account:

    He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David: And he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end.

    Gospel of Luke 1:32-33 KJV

    The Apostle Simon Peter begins here by addressing the house of Jacob by saying, “men of Israel.”

    “For David says concerning Him:

    ‘I foresaw the LORD always before my face,
    For He is at my right hand, that I may not be shaken.

    Acts 2:25 NKJV

    Psalm 16

    Mikhtam. By David:

    Protect me, God,
    for you are my refuge.
    I said to Adonai, “You are my Lord;
    I have nothing good outside of you.”

    7 I bless Adonai, my counselor;
    at night my inmost being instructs me.
    8 I always set Adonai before me;
    with him at my right hand, I can never be moved;

    Acts 2:25-

    Therefore my heart was glad and my tongue was overjoyed;
    Moreover my flesh also will live in hope;

    Because thou wilt not leave my soul in hell, neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption.

    Acts 2:27 KJV, quoting Psalm 16:10 –
    [NASB]- For You will not abandon my soul to Sheol;
    You will not allow Your Holy One to undergo decay.

    Tehillim 16:11 (LXX 15:11) ἐγνώρισάς μοι ὁδοὺς ζωῆς πληρώσεις με εὐφροσύνης μετὰ τοῦ προσώπου σου τερπνότητες ἐν τῇ δεξιᾷ σου εἰς τέλος

    תּֽוֹדִיעֵנִי אֹרַח חַיִּים שֹׂבַע שְׂמָחוֹת אֶת־פָּנֶיךָ נְעִמוֹת בִּימִינְךָ נֶֽצַח׃

    “You have revealed the paths of life to me;

    you will fill me with gladness

    in your presence.

    Acts 2:28 CSB, Peter, quoting David from Psalm 16:11 
    Certainly, the Apostle must have paused here..
Peter no doubt would have surveyed the eyes of those men in the crowd revealing the impact of the Spirit through these Scriptures upon their hearts.

    Brothers

    Peter, this lowly Galilean addressing multitudes of devout men (with their wives and families gathered beside them for this Jewish festival celebrated fifty days after Passover), now addresses these Judeans, Israelites and faithful pilgrims in Jerusalem endearingly as ‘brothers.’

    ἀδελφός - Strong's G80 - adelphos
 -  From ἄλφα (G1) (as a connective particle) and delphus (the womb) -  a brother (literally or figuratively) near or remote i.e. a fellow believer, united to another by the bond of affection

    Don’t miss the personalness of the Apostle’s appeal to those convicted by the Spirit.

    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 of the Apostles 2:29 KJV

    Since he was a prophet, he knew that God had sworn an oath to him to seat one of his descendants on his throne.

    Seeing what was to come, he [David] spoke concerning the resurrection of the Messiah:

    He [the Christ] was not abandoned in Hades, and his flesh did not experience decay.

    Acts 2:30-31 CSB [also linked above with KJV & NASB]

    Luke’s account here in the King James Version brings to mind the familiar genealogy from the opening of his Gospel.

    “..that of the fruit of his loins, according to the flesh [that is: from David’s descendants], he [Yᵊhōvâ] would raise up Christ to sit on his [David’s] throne..”

    The Apostle Peter reveals to the multitudes through Scripture they know well:

    DAVID, King over a United Kingdom of Israel a thousand years ago — David who was also a PROPHET — predicted the resurrection of Israel’s Messiah.

    Then Peter, with the eleven other Apostles who have also shown the crowds signs of speaking in their own native languages standing at his side, confirms their own personal witness to ALL:

    We witnessed Jesus’ resurrection!

    [Brethren, Peter has already addressed them]:

    “It is this Jesus [iēsous] whom God [theos] raised up, a fact to which we are all witnesses.

    Acts of the Apostles 2:32 NASB20

    Just picture what some men and women among the multitudes must have thought hearing this!

    Peter has already restated David’s prophesy, in addition to quoting the prophet Joel. Now the Apostle proceeds to the logical conclusion:

    Therefore, since He [Jesus] has been exalted at the right hand of God, and has received the promise of the Holy Spirit from the Father, He has poured out this which you both see and hear.

    Acts of the Apostles 2:33 NASB

    34 For it was not David who ascended into the heavens, but he himself says:

    Peter quotes David to affirm his conclusion from PSALM 110:1

    The Lord declared to my Lord,
    ‘Sit at my right hand
    until I make your enemies your footstool.    ‘

    110:1  לְדָוִד מִזְמוֹר נְאֻם יְהוָה לַֽאדֹנִי שֵׁב לִֽימִינִי עַד־אָשִׁית אֹיְבֶיךָ הֲדֹם לְרַגְלֶֽיךָ׃

    Therefore let all the house of Israel know for certain that God has made Him both Lord and Christ—this Jesus whom you crucified.”

    Acts of the Apostles 2:36 NASB – Conclusion of Peter’s sermon

    THIS IS THE END OF PETER’S SERMON.

    “No it’s not,” you say.

    "This can't be the end of Peter's sermon, because the Apostle has more to add."

    While it is true that Luke adds an important interaction between Peter and someone from the crowd, allow me to ask you this:

    Doesn’t your pastor END the words of his sermon without interchange or response from his church audience?

    (We don’t hear Peter say, “Let us pray,” or “Amen.”

    The crowds did not see Peter walk away from the pulpit as his praise band begins a song.)

    NEXT:

    Like some moments following contemporary sermons in the Spirit, worship continues in the hearts of some. The Apostle’s speech certainly is guided by Scripture, but primarily Peter preaches by the HOLY SPIRIT. So the question which follows from the crowd, also the work of the Spirit in the hearts of men, will bring Peter to continue with a powerful answer.

    Next, we will hear Peter’s answer to pierced hearts.

    To be continued...