Acts 2:14–21 with Joel 2:28–32.
Upon receiving the Holy Spirit at pentecost, Peter stands up, with the 11 and begins to deliver his first alter call by quoting from Joel 2: 28-32.
5. a. Peter stood up with the Eleven
b. What a difference the simple act of standing up, and thus showing support and unity, would make all around us, today. In contrast, most of us spend much more time standing back, waiting or just getting out of the way. Notice that the 11 weren’t doing anything at this point other than standing up, but by the sheer act of showing unity, the power of Peter’s words is magnified 12-fold. Not to get too deep, but notice also that Peter stood up with the Eleven, not the other way around. They weren’t backing him, like we see people on a stage at a political rally, they were together, unified, Peter was just the rock that the holy spirit put words into.
6. (Challenge) It began with Jesus sending the Holy Spirit to baptize the believers on earth now that the price of sin has been paid. Isa 2:2, Hsa 3:5 and Mic 4:1 all speak of the “last days” as a time of conviction, repentance and a regathering of the flock to Zion. John 16:7-8: But I tell you the truth: It is for your good that I am going away. Unless I go away, the Counselor will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you. When he comes, he will convict the world of guilt in regard to sin and righteousness and judgment.
7. The culmination of the “last days” is: the coming of the great and glorious day of the Lord.
8. According to these verses, I believe the outpouring of the Holy Spirit is only for special people (like evangelists, pastors, and missionaries) who have choosen to believe in Jesus Christ as Savior and obey His will. BUT, I also believe that all who choose to accept Jesus as savior are called to be special people. I think we all have someone we are to evangelize to, we all have someone we are supposed to care for as a shepherd, and I am absolutely convinced we are all called into mission work, to further the kingdom. That mission work may be across the globe or it may be, literally, in our own backyard. By the sheer fact that we are a new creation when we accept Christ, baptized in the spirit, by my definition – we are special people with a mission. As I read the bible, I don’t see a lot of calling for believers to sit back – we are to stand up.
9. The day of the Lord is the judgment day, when the wrath of a just God is unleashed on the sins of the world. Zep 1:18 – Neither their silver nor their gold will be able to save them on the day of the LORD’s wrath. In the fire of his jealousy the whole world will be consumed, for he will make a sudden end of all who live in the earth.
With all of this eschatalogical discussion (that’s a wow word meaning “the end days”) I think it is critically important to read 2 Peter 3:3-18. Even at the time of the Apostles there were scoffers who said, I don’t see anything different, life just goes on.
In these verses Peter explains that God isn’t slow, He is patient, wanting to give each person an opportunity to hear the word, repent and accept the gift. But mistake not, for the 3000+ hearing Peter’s sermon that day, they had heard the word and the opportunity to repent and accept the gift had arrived.
The same can be said for me an you – there is no time to delay. As the stock broker commercials say, past performance does not accurately predict future results: The fact that Jesus did not return yesterday, does not mean that He will not return, today. Is your house in order?
The Notes are Good 