Repent and be baptized in the name of Jesus [Act 2]

Repent and be baptized in the name of Jesus

Acts 2:14-47

Key Verses: ³⁸ 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. ³⁹ The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off--for all whom the Lord our God will call."

The last week message ended with the coming of the Holy Spirit upon one hundred twenty followers of Jesus. The result was very remarkable. All of them spoke in tongues of other languages, declaring the wonders of God. This was a signature event that God brought about with a clear message for the world. But thousands of people who gathered to celebrate the Pentecost had no idea what it meant. So in amazement and puzzling look, they asked this question, ‘What does these mean?’ [v12]

To answer this, Peter made a speech to these crowds. This speech is significant in two ways:

1.       It is the first message by Jesus’ disciples to the outsiders, unbelievers. So in it is how the disciples of Jesus understood the meaning of Jesus life and his teaching.

2.       Since this is the first message after Jesus ascension, this is the key message from Jesus to the world, what it means regarding his work on the earth. In this regard today’s message can be taken as the message of the whole bible, the message for the age of the last days.

He explained this in three steps:

First, he answers the question on why these people speak in tongues.
Second, he explains how the Holy Spirit came through the work of Jesus.
Third, the power displayed in these men proves to the fact that Jesus, the one whom they crucified, is the Lord and Messiah for all human races.

Lastly Peter present them God’s offer for the sinner who committed themselves in crucifying Jesus, the Lord and Messiah.

1.       In the last days, God pours out his spirit to all people [14-21]

Peter started his address by denying that these people got drunk. This is not the effect of alcohol. What is it then?

He said this is an out pouring of the Holy Spirit according to the promise given through the prophet Joel.

Pouring out of spirit on such a large mass of people is totally strange or new idea; This was never seen and was unheard of; except one occasion during the time of Moses, sent his spirit to 70 tribal leaders. So for ordinary men and women, knowing or receiving HS is unheard of. So unless it is explained, it cannot be understood.

God gave his word through the Prophet Joel about what was yet to come, that would make a turning of history:

V16-18

First what is said would happen in the last days?  In the last days, God would pour out His Holy Spirit to all men and women. Before the last days, how did God administer the world? At creation God spoke to men directly. But when became just flesh, God expressed that His Spirit would not be with men forever [Gen 6]. Since then up until this time, the mainstay of God’s governing of human races came through three ways; human conscience, human government and the law of God. The intervention of the Spirit of God was rare and God sent his spirit only to a particular person for a particular purpose. But in the last days, God will govern through the Holy Spirit though human conscience, human government and the law are still at work. In other word in this age—the last days—the mainstay of God administration is through the Holy Spirit. So we can call it the age of Holy Spirit. It is very important for us to know this because God moves things and works his will by giving the Holy Spirit to people like you and me. Simply without knowing and acknowledging and utter dependence on Holy Spirit, we do not know the sense of direction of God and we live in ignorance of God’s will and purpose on each of our lives.

Then how does the Holy Spirit express himself upon men? Or what are the evidences of such works of Holy Spirit in this age?

¹⁷ "'In the last days, God says, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your young men will see visions, your old men will dream dreams. ¹⁸ Even on my servants, both men and women, I will pour out my Spirit in those days, and they will prophesy.

1.       God pours out his spirit to all, men and women, young and old.

2.       God send them the Holy Spirit and entrust them visions, dreams and prophecies. These three are hall marks of the out pouring of the Holy Spirit and these are the ways how God moves his work to accomplish His purpose in this ‘last day’.

Examples of these are:

·         Prophecy: Agabus
Acts 11:28 One of them, named Agabus, stood up and through the Spirit predicted that a severe famine would spread over the entire Roman world. (This happened during the reign of Claudius.) (Act 11:28 NIV)
Acts 21:10 After we had been there a number of days, a prophet named Agabus came down from Judea. ¹¹ Coming over to us, he took Paul's belt, tied his own hands and feet with it and said, "The Holy Spirit says, 'In this way the Jewish leaders in Jerusalem will bind the owner of this belt and will hand him over to the Gentiles.'" (Act 21:10 NIV)

·         Visions/Dreams
Acts 9:10 In Damascus there was a disciple named Ananias. The Lord called to him in a vision, "Ananias!" "Yes, Lord," he answered. ¹¹ The Lord told him, "Go to the house of Judas on Straight Street and ask for a man from Tarsus named Saul, for he is praying. ¹² In a vision he has seen a man named Ananias come and place his hands on him to restore his sight." (Act 9:10 NIV)
Acts 11:5 "I was in the city of Joppa praying, and in a trance I saw a vision. I saw something like a large sheet being let down from heaven by its four corners, and it came down to where I was. ⁶ I looked into it and saw four-footed animals of the earth, wild beasts, reptiles and birds. (Act 11:5 NIV)
Acts 16:9 During the night Paul had a vision of a man of Macedonia standing and begging him, "Come over to Macedonia and help us." (Act 16:9 NIV)

What are these for?

1.       It is for believers sake;
1 Corinthians 14:22 Tongues, then, are a sign, not for believers but for unbelievers; prophecy, however, is not for unbelievers but for believers. (1Co 14:22 NIV)
Paul urged the believers to seek such gift from the Holy Spirit:
1 Corinthians 14:1 Follow the way of love and eagerly desire gifts of the Spirit, especially prophecy. (1Co 14:1 NIV)

2.       Help them see what God is doing or see the purpose of God for the coming future in regard to judgment and salvation of men

3.       It is given for the purpose of God’s work—witness and mission; it is unlikely for personal power or authority or benefit.  

4.       It is available for all believers: men and women, old and young.

How long will God pour out His spirit? Until when?

V19-20

There will be a cosmic signs that brings the changes of cosmic bodied, sun, moon and the earth itself.. These things will happen just before the coming of the Lord. So the sending of Holy Spirit is a prelude or anticipation of the day of the Lord, the coming of Jesus Christ in power and glory. Also the day of the Lord marks the end of the age of the Holy Spirit. In between Jesus ascension and his second coming, the mainstay of God’s work is through the Holy Spirit. God does this by pouring out the Holy Spirit on everyone who calls on the name of the Lord.

In the past, we, human beings are left to struggle with our conscience, rules of human governments, and the law.  Even now, when we do not receive the Holy Spirit, we struggle to make right and just of the things of life through the ways of these three things. But by struggling with these three things, we never get near to what is right and just.

But now God is willing to send to everyone who calls on the name of the Lord the Holy Spirit. In Him we are one with God’s goodness and righteousness and are fully accepted by God almighty.

As we have seen this, the Holy Spirit came as Jesus came and ascended and it will stop when Jesus comes back as the Lord. So in answering of our question on ‘How can the Holy Spirit come?’,  we have to begin from Jesus.

2.       Jesus was accredited by God but you crucified him to death. But God raised him from the dead [22-24]

Who is Jesus?

Here Peter identifies are two things that were obvious and any one can accept these two facts without any major objections:

a.       He was accredited by God:. ‘accredit’ means to give official authorization to or approval of. It means that God provided him with full credentials to be the son of God through many miracles and powers. God’s power and his accreditation to Jesus were evident in plain eyes. But full revelation and out right expression of God’s truth and power in his son Jesus for the first time in history for the sake of God’s grace and mercy to human being;

b.      They crucified him on the cross because Jesus was offensive to men’s pride but you reject ted him and condemned him and killed on the cross.  

But one more truth about him is that God raised him from the dead. God not only freed him from the agony of death but also, death itself cannot hold on him.

How can Peter prove this?  

3.       God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Messiah."[25-36]

David’s prophecy about coming Messiah: [25-28; Ps 16:8-11]

V25-28

As we look at the original word of David, David was talking about himself from the beginning to the end.

He talks about his death and his belief that God would not leave his body to decay. Simply he saw the resurrection of his body. It was about his death and burial in the tomb and associated pain and fear. In the midst of this, he had comfort in God’s presence with him and his love for him because he was firmly assured that he would not be left in a tomb dead. God would not leave his body to decay but to be raised to life

Was David talking about himself?

1.       David died and buried and his tomb is here.  This means that David never rose from the dead. So this prophecy is not about him at all.

2.       David was given a promise that one of his descendants, a king would come and establish a lasting kingdom. God is revealing to David about coming Messiah since God promised to David about sending him as one of his descendants. So it is about coming Messiah! His suffering, his resurrection!

Let’s look at the prophecy itself carefully:

Here he concludes this prophecy that God the Father made known to him the path of life. He saw the life in the midst of all hardship and pain and impending death. At the end, he rejoices and glad seeing this ahead; simply he envisioned his death and resurrection by the power of God in his grace.

Death brings all of life to a stop. It is because of fear and dread and uncertainty, particular fear of God’s judgment. Death is the fruit of sin and its judgment. It is the cause of pain, sorrow and agony as they saw Jesus on the cross. But the Messiah Jesus saw the path of life beyond death. In this way, the path of life, unveiled for the first time.

Actually David was seeing ahead of the things that Messiah would go through the death to life. Jesus was crucified and died. David describes what would go through the mind of the Messiah during this time what went through the mind of Jesus. At the heart of this is his resurrection. This is what David said in his prophecy. This clearly tells us that 1000 year before the coming of Christ, God planned the suffering, death and resurrection of Jesus and he revealed this to David. In this way God’s word in history tells of what went on Jesus’ life. This is what the disciples saw with their own eyes in the life of Jesus! It was an amazing fulfillment and unlocking of the mystery of Jesus suffering and death!

What could they conclude based on this?

V32.

Here Peter declared that God raised this Jesus to life and they were witness of it. What they saw about Jesus is what they read on the prophecy of coming Messiah!  This makes certain that Jesus has resurrected. What is the key point here? For the first time God revealed the truth; the path of life that overcomes death. It is for us all.

But Jesus resurrection did not end here

[v33] ³³ Exalted to the right hand of God, he has received from the Father the promised Holy Spirit and has poured out what you now see and hear.

Now Jesus is sitting at the right hand of God and he is endowed with the power to gives out the Holy Spirit that you see now.  This is a wild idea if this claim cannot be substantiated.

Here again God gave David a prophecy about coming Messiah;

David ‘s Psalm [Ps 109] [34-35]

God is saying to my lord, that is the Messiah: God told him to sit at his right hand until God makes his enemy a footstool for Jesus’ feat.  He was again talking about what the coming Messiah was to do; He ascended to heaven and he sits at the right hand of God. At the right hand of God, Jesus, the Messiah received the Holy Spirit and sent him to his people.

God made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both the Lord and Messiah. [36]

·         Be assured of this: be certain of who Jesus is and how God was with him in your mind and in your understanding:
They rejected Jesus and they were so sure of what they did; But they must turn their ways and be certain of the fact that Jesus is the Messiah and the Lord!

·         You murdered Jesus but he is the Lord and Messiah; coming King-Savior. Lord is ‘title for God’ Jesus is in fullest sense God [not like my lord in David’s psalm] himself and he is the coming King, Savior!

·         Messiah Jesus: a. gave his life to redeem their sins; paying for their sins. B. He is the first revealer and the only agent of the path of life. C. He is sitting at the right hand of God with all authority and power. D. he sent the Holy Spirit to effect the power of salvation on each.

What shall we do [37]!

·         Deep conviction to what they did—murdering of the Son of God; flagrant opposition and rebellion to God!

·         It is impossible for those who crucified the Lord and King to be accepted by God again. “What shall we do! Is there any remedy” any way to get out of this, the coming wrath of God!

·         We are the same in the sense that we rejected Christ as the Lord, demeaning his power and his love and his truth—deceived others, committing adultery, cheating… ? or the root of all these..   Each of us has rejected God and demeaned his name; even killed him. Committing the same crime as these Jews! No difference between these people and us. ; the obvious outcome is this rebellion, if left unresolved what would happen? Certain judgment of God!  What shall we do!! We are ruined; keen awareness of the fact that they are under judgment of God

4.       "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. [38 -40]

Repent and be baptized—these two are the essential necessities to step into God’s forgiveness and receiving Holy Spirit.
What is exactly repentance?  Repentance is to keenly know how sinful we have been and to feel the need of God’s help. It is well seen in the David’s Psalm
David was a great king and a great man of faith. He was great not simply because of his faith in the Lord. He committed adultery with Bathsheba and murdered her husband. But he justified himself by saying to himself that as a king he has authority to do so.  When Nathan rebuked him, David confessed that he had sinned against the Lord. What is the true repentance is well seen in his Psalm:
Psalm 51:1 For the director of music. A psalm of David. When the prophet Nathan came to him after David had committed adultery with Bathsheba.
Have mercy on me, O God, according to your unfailing love; according to your great compassion blot out my transgressions. ² Wash away all my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin. ³ For I know my transgressions, and my sin is always before me. ⁴ Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight; so you are right in your verdict and justified when you judge. ⁵ Surely I was sinful at birth, sinful from the time my mother conceived me.

Here we can find few characteristics of repentance:

The first one [v4] is to know that one sinned against God and violated his authority. This sinfulness is not just doing something bad to others but to offend God’s love and his goodness, and his authority as the Lord.
The second feature [v3] is one’s willingness to bear the consequence of sin. The consequence of sin is death.
The root of sin [v5] is in the fact that one is utterly sinful in his being and knowing the helplessness in this mortal body.

Finally [v1-2] repentance is to seek God’s mercy and to ask him forgiveness in his grace When one offended God the Lord, there is nothing that we can do. Utter dependence on God’s mercy and love and grace.

Having done all these, it is God’s promise to send the Holy Spirit to those who repented and accepted Jesus from heart that all these came about. So it is not a matter of if’s or but’s. It is promise of God.  Not long ago, Bob and Tom were baptized. So God is with them through the Holy Spirit.  It is a gift given freely without paying anything for it. And you will receive the gift of Holy Spirit. This is a promise of Holy Spirit [John 16:7].  This is for entire human races; It is God’s desire to welcome all men and women to his kingdom through Jesus’ suffering, death. This is how God embarked the age of Holy Spirit. This began through and by his son Jesus. It shall end when Jesus comes as the Lord and King!

How many accepted Jesus? [41] three thousand! How does the work of Holy Spirit testify to us in our present time?

In the history of America the coming of Holy Spirit was evident in the spiritual awakenings; first in 1730-40; the second in 1800-1830; the third in 1857-1860. It’s been said during this time that weekly over 50,000 people came to believe.  Azusa Street revival in 1906 brought about the Pentecostal movement.  

In Korea, Pyongyang revival in 1907-1910 laid the foundation of Christianity today in Korea. These are only the events that stood out in history. Actually God pours out His Spirit in many parts of the world even now and every man and women who repent and baptized in the name of Jesus receives the Holy Spirit. You and I are the living proof of this.

5.       Believers life [42-47]

⁴² They devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. –

Four things, they devoted! Their lives are wholly involved in time and mind and spirit. Materials; whatever involves life.

To the disciple’s’ teaching—about the life of Jesus and his teaching first priority and center of life.

To fellowship: among people—the original word is ‘koinonia’: it means to give someone in share of something. , material sharing  for common good for the whole community, esp. the needy, and have common time with meal ; worship together—inclusive of all—general fellowship friendship –unity as a whole.

To breaking of bread—having meals together like family, a part of or associated with teaching prayer and praise.  ; it is not just engaging in meeting only but in the life of private fellowship

To prayer: When it says prayers, it may not mean to participate in prayer meetings. Rather it means that they prayed together not as a ritual but with specific prayer topics with a common goal and purpose. In prayer they were united in purpose and goal, which are for the community and to advance God’s purpose.

These are the result of receiving the Holy Spirit. These are the things that we do and see. None among the people of the world does such things; what we do  is an expression what God did among us through the Holy Spirit: what we do is not a creation of our will or organization, not of human design for a certain purpose. They did these things not just one or few times but these became the life itself; so it says ‘Everyday’, ‘continue’ to meet together.