1. FULFILLMENT OF CHRIST'S PROMISE.

Acts 2:1-4.

(1) And when the day of Pentecost was now come (Gr. was being fulfilled), they were all together in one place. (2) And suddenly there came from heaven a sound as of the rushing of a mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. (3) And there appeared unto them tongues parting asunder (or, parting among them; or, distributing themselves), like as of fire; and it sat upon each one of them. (4) And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.

The great day was at hand, the advent of the Holy Spirit. It took many long years of preparation until the first Messianic prophecy, " The seed of the woman shall bruise the serpent's head," was fulfilled, and Christ's first coming into the world was made possible. The promise was given, the preparation made, and the second advent was made possible—the coming of the Holy Spirit. They were without strength and without guidance. They had often been to their limit, but now they go beyond the possible into the impossible.

This event occurred the fiftieth day after the Sabbath of the passover week, Pentecost meaning fiftieth. In the Old Testament it is known as the Feast of Weeks, Feast of Harvest, also called the Day of First-fruits. At the time of the Passover, a sheaf was brought from the harvest, and offered before the Lord, and fifty days later, at the time of Pentecost, two loaves were offered before the Lord. There was a marked difference between these two offerings. At the Passover, the sheaf was offered just as it grew. It was offered without a sin offering. This sheaf represented Jesus. The sheaf cut off was presented for the sins of the world. It was without leaven, for He Himself was the Sin Offering, and was typically offered to God at every Passover. The hundred and twenty were not so. They were like the two loaves. The two loaves were offered with leaven and with a sin offering. If these wave loaves needed a sin offering every year at Pentecost to make them acceptable unto God, then this company that was waiting in the upper room are like the two loaves, and their Sin Offering is Jesus, who makes them acceptable to God.

When the priests, including the High Priests, were washed for service and consecration, the High Priest was anointed immediately by the Holy Spirit as he entered upon his ministry. The common priests were washed, but anointed later. This anointing, in the Old Testament, is typical of the baptism of the Holy Spirit. The disciples had been washed, and this is the day of their anointing. They are now kings and priests, taking orders from the King on the Throne, looking to the Holy Spirit as their Leader, for strength and power to carry these orders into execution.

The three great feasts, where all the male members were to be present, were the Passover, Pentecost, and Tabernacle. We are told that in the time of Nero more than two and one-half million Jews gathered in Jerusalem from all parts of the world, to attend the Passover, and this feast being in the summer, would give an opportunity for greater numbers from all parts of the world to be present in Jerusalem than at any other season.

After the exile, special services were held to remember the giving of the Law, which was fifty days after they came out of Egypt. The Jews still observe this day, and read publicly in the Synagogue that portion of Exodus which describes the giving of the Law, the first chapter of the Prophet Ezekiel, and the third chapter of Habakkuk. This may have been the reading at the very time when the room was being Spirit-filled, where the disciples were gathered. It was Sunday; it was the fiftieth day from the Passover Sabbath; it was early in the morning, before nine o'clock.

They were all present; they were united; and the outward manifestations of the Spirit were: (1) the sound of a mighty wind, the house being filled by His presence, the lifegiving power of the Spirit; (2) cloven tongues as of fire, each of the hundred and twenty being crowned with one. Fire here may have reference to the Spirit's purifying and energy; (3) speaking in foreign tongues. This was the wonderful way in which God now spoke in the Holy Spirit. Thus we have the three signs: mighty winds, tongues of fire, speaking in tongues, as the Holy Spirit's manifestation.

QUESTIONS.

• What was this feast called?

• What other names were given to this feast?

• Name the three Jewish feasts.

• What did the offering of the sheaf t3'pify?

• What was always offered with the two loaves, and why?

• Why was Jesus anointed at the time of His baptism?

• Name the three external manifestations.

• Why call it a baptism?

2. THE EFFECT ON THE MULTITUDE.

Acts 2:5-13.

(5) Now there were dwelling at Jerusalem Jews, devout men, from every nation under heaven. (6) And when this sound was heard, the multitude came together, and were confounded, because that every man heard them speaking in his own language. (7) And they were all amazed and marveled, saying, Behold, are not all these that speak Galilaeans? (8) And how hear we, every man in our own language wherein we were born? (9) Parthians and Medes and Elamites, and the dwellers in Mesopotamia, in Judaea and Cappadocia, in Pontus and Asia, (10) in Phrygia and Pamphylia, in Egypt and the parts of Libya about Cyrene, and sojourners from Rome, both Jews and proselytes, (11) Cretans and Arabians, we hear them speaking in our tongues the mighty works of God. (12) And they were all amazed, and were perplexed, saying one to another, What meaneth this? (13) But others mocking said, They are filled with new wine.

All the believers were given the cloven tongue, and spoke with the new tongue. The Holy Spirit, who brought this new tongue for each individual, made it possible for them to speak so that all the people could understand them. This talking in various languages drew attention of the passing crowd. The people were confounded and overwhelmed by surprise. They knew the people that were speaking were Galileans, and were aware that they had not learned to speak in the different languages of the people then present. Many in this congregation recognized at once that these people were under the influence of the heavenly power. Then there were some who mocked and, because they were not able to understand what was being said, attributed it to the influence of new wine. The tongue given and operated by the Holy Spirit sings praises to God, speaks for the higher development of man, and constantly magnifies the life of Christ to lost souls.

QUESTIONS.

• Why were so many people in Jerusalem at this time?

• What brought the people to the disciples?

• What astonished the hearers?

• How many countries were represented? 9-11.

• Why this "symbol of the tongues"?

  It represents the means by which the Gospel is to be spread. First revival opened men's mouths and set men talking.

• What did the mockers say?

3. PETER'S SERMON.

Acts 2:14-36.

(1) Introduction.—Acts 2:14-21.

a. His Defense.—Acts 2:14-15.

(14) But Peter, standing up with the eleven, lifted up his voice, and spake forth unto them, saying, Ye men of Judaea, and all ye that dwell at Jerusalem, be this known unto you, and give ear unto my words. (15) For these are not drunken, as ye suppose; seeing it is but the third hour of the day.

Peter is a changed man since the Resurrection and Ascension of Jesus, and the baptism of the Holy Spirit. He is standing with the eleven and begins the delivery of his sermon with a strong voice, so as to be heard by the people. He first makes his defense against the mockers, because they could not understand the language of the Holy Spirit spoken by the disciples, and concluded that their speaking was but drunken nonsense. Peter says it is but nine o'clock in the morning, and for this reason it would be next to impossible that the charge could be true. On Pentecost and other feast days, Jews would abstain from wine and food before that hour. Thus the early hour made it highly improbable that these church workers could be under the influence of wine.

QUESTIONS.

• What effect had Christ's resurrection and the gift of the Holy Spirit on Peter?

• What was the position of Peter when he spoke?

• What was the significance of the third hour to the church?

• Why could the mockers not understand the Apostles when they spoke by the power of the Holy Spirit?

b. His Explanation.—Acts 2:16-21.

(16) But this is that which hath been spoken through the prophet Joel:

(17) (Joel 2:28 ff) And it shall be in the last days, saith God, I will pour forth 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:

(18) Yea and on my servants (Gr. bondmen) and on my handmaidens (Gr. bondmaidens) in those days will I pour forth of my Spirit; and they shall prophesy.

(19) And I will show wonders in the heaven above, and signs on the earth beneath; blood, and fire, and vapor of smoke:

(20) The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the day of the Lord come, that great and notable day:

(21) And it shall be, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved.

The people had asked, "What meaneth this?" The Holy Spirit directs Peter to one of the Old Testament prophecies, found in the Book of Joel. Peter quotes these words from the Book of Joel. He does not mean to infer that these prophecies were all fulfilled on that day. He directs their attention to these prophecies to indicate that great surprises will be sprung upon the people, just like the one through which they are passing, when all these prophetic utterances will be fulfilled.

QUESTIONS.

• What is the sure light to the Christian's path?

• In what relation do the Word and Spirit stand to each other?

• What Scripture did the Holy Spirit bring to Peter's remembrance?

  When Peter was filled with the Holy Spirit, he was directed to the Bible for the true explanation.

(2) The Works of Jesus.—Acts 2:22-23.

(22) Ye men of Israel, hear these words: Jesus of Nazareth, a man approved of God unto you by mighty works (Gr. powers) and wonders and signs which God did by him in the midst of you> even as ye yourselves know; (23) him, being delivered up by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, ye by the hand of lawless men (or, men without the law; see Rom. 2:12) did crucify and slay.

Peter puts before his congregation the third part of his address, the whole story of the Messiah, whom they had rejected. He calls special attention to His work. He uses the name " Jesus of Nazareth," the name they were most familiar with, the name too that was written above His cross. It is the Holy Spirit's purpose to picture before them the humiliation and rejection of Jesus Christ and His resurrection by the use of the name " Jesus of Nazareth." Their attention is called to His preaching and miracles during the three years' ministry. The death of Christ was by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God. The sufferings of Christ had been revealed in different places in the Old Testament. All these things had come to pass according to the foreknowledge of God. Jesus says, " Ye have taken." They were the guilty instruments. Jesus was crucified and slain because they had delivered Him into the hands of the Gentiles who put Him to death.

QUESTIONS.

• What people were present to hear this sermon?

• Were any of these people present when Jesus was crucified?

• How long before this was He crucified?

• Name some miracles and wonders referred to here.

• State the facts expressed here.

  (a) That Jesus was approved of God by miracles;

  (b) it was in keeping with the foreknowledge of God;

  (c) they knew this to be so;

  (d) He was crucified by wicked hands.

   

(3) The Resurrection of Jesus.—Acts 2:24-32.

a. Statement of Fact.—Acts 2:24.

(24) Whom God raised up, having loosed the pangs of death: because it was not possible that he should be holden of it.

They showed to the Jews that they had really rejected Christ, and had Him crucified, and buried, and the tomb sealed and guarded, yet when God's power was manifested He was brought forth into life, and is at this moment the Messiah, our Redeemer.

QUESTIONS.

• Who raised up Jesus?

• Give meaning of " loosed the pangs of death."

• Why could death not hold Him?

  Jesus passed through death and made it the gateway to glory for His followers.

   

b. The Prediction by David.—Acts 2:25-31.

(25) For David saith concerning him, (Psa. 16:8 ff) I beheld the Lord always before my face; for he is on my right hand, that I should not be moved:

(26) Therefore my heart was glad, and my tongue rejoiced; moreover my flesh also shall dwell (or, tabernacle) in hope:

(27) Because thou wilt not leave my soul unto Hades, neither wilt thou give thy Holy One to see corruption.

(28) Thou madest known unto me the ways of life; thou shalt make me full of gladness with thy countenance (or, in thy presence).

(29) Brethren, I may say unto you freely of the patriarch David, that he both died and was buried, and his tomb is with us unto this day. (30) Being therefore a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him, that of the fruit of his loins he would set one (or, one should sit) upon his throne; (31) he foreseeing this spake of the resurrection of the Christ, that neither was he left unto Hades, nor did his flesh see corruption.

After stating the fact that Christ is now raised from the dead, the Holy Spirit, through Peter, calls their attention to the same teaching in the Psalm, and in the teaching in which they themselves have great confidence. The Spirit who spoke to David had Christ in view (Psa. 16). "My flesh shall rest in hope," cannot refer to David because David died and was buried. Therefore, it must refer to Christ. He also calls their attention to Psa. 110. This same Psalm Jesus had used to silence His enemies (Matt. 22:41-46). Jesus' answer to these enemies brings out four very important points in this Psalm:(1) that David is the author of the Psalm; (2) that he was given it under the direction of the Spirit; (3) that the Psalm speaks of the Messiah; (4) that it was someone who was superior to David. We are informed here by the Holy Spirit that Christ would ascend into Heaven, and sit on David's throne after the resurrection.

QUESTIONS.

Why address them as men and brethren? 29. Did David know that the Messiah should descend from him? Whose flesh did not see corruption? 31, cf. Psa. 110:1. Give the meaning of the quotation made by Peter.

c. The Witnesses of the Resurrection.—Acts 2:32.

(32) This Jesus did God raise up, whereof (or, of whom) we all are witnesses.

"This Jesus," the very One they had crucified, and whose miracles and teachings they thought they had destroyed, God has raised up. We are here to testify that He is a living Savior, and believe Him to be, by His authority and power, able to put all enemies under His feet. We have heard Him teach, we have seen Him work miracles. We saw Him crucified; we saw Him after God raised Him. He gave us His commission. We saw Him ascend behind the clouds. The Holy Spirit brings us the news that He is now at the right hand of the Father.

QUESTIONS.

• Compare this statement with 2:24.

• How many of the disciples were witnesses of His being alive?

• Do we know 'that Jesus lives, and are we witnesses?

• How can you tell a witness for Jesus from a witness for something else?

(4) The Manifestations of the Holy Spirit—Acts 2:33-36.

(33) Being therefore by (or, at) the right hand of God exalted, and having received of the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, he hath poured forth this, which ye see and hear. (34) For David ascended not into the heavens:but he saith himself, (Psa. 110:1) The Lord said unto my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand,

(35) Till I make thine enemies the footstool of thy feet.

(36) Let all the house (or, every house) of Israel therefore know assuredly, that God hath made him both Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom ye crucified.

Peter is not satisfied to point these people to the work accomplished by Christ's ministry, and to the fact that God raised Him from the dead, but assures them that the very manifestation of the Spirit's presence, in fulfillment of the Father's promise, bears witness to an exaltation not seen by human eyes. Since the Holy Spirit has come, we know that Jesus Christ is on the Father's throne. This was testimony that no man could question. Peter again takes these Jews back to the Old Testament, and refers them to Psa. 110, and really convinces them that David could refer to none else but Christ, who is now on the throne.

QUESTIONS.

What had been the promise of the Father? When did Jesus promise to send the Comforter? What did they see, and what did they hear? 33. Give value of quotation from David. 34-35.

The outpouring of the Holy Spirit was an evidence that Jesus was exalted and alive at the right hand of the Father.

The theme that Peter had in his mind from the first, Jesus the Messiah, was not announced until the conclusion of the address, verse 36. This, no doubt, seemed most fitting to the Holy Spirit, who was directing Peter in the preaching of this sermon, because the theme was distasteful to many. The arguments for this theme which he had in his mind are threefold, as shown in (1) The works of Jesus, (2) The Resurrection of Jesus, (a) by the testimony of Scripture, and (b) by their own testimony, (3) The Manifestations of the Holy Spirit.

4. THE EFFECT OF THE HOLY SPIRIT'S SERMON.

Acts 2:37-41.

(37) Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and the rest of the apostles, Brethren, what shall we do? (38) And Peter said unto them, Repent ye, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ unto the remission of your sins; and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. (39) For to you is the promise, and to your children, and tcr all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call unto him. (40) And with many other words he testified, and exhorted them, saying, Save yourselves from this crooked generation. (41) They then that received his word were baptized: and there were added unto them in that day about three thousand souls.

The results of the sermon speak for themselves, and clearly testify to the presence of the Messiah. The vast concourse of people is brought into an agony of conviction, and three thousand cry out, " Men and brethren, what shall we do? " This sermon was not pleasing to them because it was intellectual, or philosophical, or oratorical, but because it was spoken by men who were on fire with a message for soul saving, and the message went into their hearts. This is the first revival sermon on record.

Every revivalist should carefully study this sermon, fill his heart with biblical facts, deliver them with the tongue set on fire by the Holy Spirit, and the message cannot help piercing the hearts of men and women. The cry was answered by Peter immediately. Repent, change your mind and conduct, confess your guilt, love Jesus and be obedient to His teaching. " Be baptized." This Jesus had told Peter would be the result of teaching, and was the second step in the commission, " Baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost." By doing this, the one that repented confessed publicly his willingness to accept Jesus Christ as his Savior. Upon baptism, two conditions are met:(1) the forgiveness of sins, (2) the gift of the Holy Spirit. This promise was not limited to the Jews, who were then present, but included their offspring, and those " afar off," the Gentiles—an offer of salvation for all. The door of mercy is open. Every possible effort was made to rescue these sinners from the self-righteousness that would drag them to perdition. They were going away from God and the right.

QUESTIONS.

• What pricked them in the heart? 37, cf. 36.

• When convicted of sin, what did they say?

• What did Peter tell them to do?

• Meaning of the word "repent"? Give design of baptism.

• In whose name or authority were they to be baptized?

• On what condition was the Holy Spirit promised?

• What was wrong with the generation referred to in verse 40?

• What class of persons were baptized? 41.

• In what way did these converts make a public confession?

• What preparation was made by the church for this revival?

• What good results come to a church by a revival, besides that of saving souls?