Pentecost: Receiving God's Power Acts 2:1-47

Then Peter quotes from David who in the Old Testament prophesied the resurrection of Jesus. The promised Messiah had come. The atoning work had been accomplished. Peter declares, '"Therefore let all Israel be assured of this: God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ"' (Acts 2:36).

This preaching is kerugmatic. This preaching is Christ-centered. This preaching is biblically based, quoting the authoritative Scriptures. That's very important, that preaching be biblically based.

My father was doing doctoral work at Harvard University when Billy Graham came to New England back in 1949 and 1950. Huge crowds came to hear Billy Graham preach. Night after night, he filled Mechanics Hall. Then he filled the Boston Garden. Then some 50,000 people gathered on the Boston Commons. Then Graham went all over New England. Huge crowds came to hear him preach.

My father recalls how his professors, many who did not believe in Jesus Christ but were academicians of religion, church history and theology, noted that Billy Graham said, "The Bible says." Some suspicioned that he didn't really believe this. That was his escape clause. The fact was, Billy Graham was simply preaching Jesus Christ as the Scriptures declared Jesus Christ. By the Holy Spirit of God, people were coming to faith.

This kind of preaching is evocative of a response. Some of the people who heard Peter that day of Pentecost were, according to Luke, "cut to the heart," and they said to Peter and the other apostles, "'Brothers, what shall we do?"' (Acts 2:37). Peter replied, "'Repent and be baptized, every 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. The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off-for all whom the Lord our God will call"' (Acts 2:38-39). Peter continued to preach, warning them of the corruptness of this generation.

What was the result of this preaching? Luke writes, "Those who accepted his message were baptized, and about three thousand were added to their number that day" (Acts 2:41).

That is kerugmatic preaching that had with it strands of teaching, exhortation, and application to all of life.

Fifth, let's look at the practice of Pentecost of a people who have received God's power

Luke shows us four specific practices of a living, Holy-Spirit-filled church. Luke records, as history, the practice in these words ofActs 2:42-47: "They devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. Everyone was filled with awe, and many wonders and miraculous signs were done by the apostles. All the believers were together and had everything in common. Selling their possessions and goods, they gave to anyone as he had need. Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved."