Acts 2:1-39 – The Holy Spirit’s Powerful Message to All

Reverend Leo H. McCrary II

The Holy Spirit has been poured out into the world and has a message for all to hear. Who can receive the Holy Spirit, and what is the Spirit’s message?

Introduction

Acts 2 is best known for what happened on the Day of Pentecost.  In our study of Acts 1, we saw where Christ instructed the apostles not to depart from Jerusalem and wait for the Promise of the Father.  Three major things took place on the Day of Pentecost, two of which we will cover in this week’s study– the pouring out of the Holy Spirit, the first sermon, and the birth of the church.

Full Coming of the Day of Pentecost

Acts 2:1 When the Day of Pentecost had fully come, they were all with one accord in one place.  

• “The Day of Pentecost had fully come” refers to the holy feast instructions found in Leviticus 23.
  • Leviticus 23:4-8 covers the Feast of Passover, which Christ became the Passover, having been crucified on the day of preparation.
  • Leviticus 23:9-14 covers the Feast of Firstfruits.  In 1 Corinthians 15:20, Paul spoke of Christ becoming a firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep (passed away) through His resurrection.
  • Leviticus 23:15-22 covers the Feast of Weeks, where the children of Israel were instructed to count fifty days following the firstfruits to fulfill seven Sabbaths and they would offer a new grain offering to the Lord.
• The Day of Pentecost had fully come when fifty days had been counted from the day of Christ (the firstfruit) resurrection, which occurred the day after Sabbath, the first day of the week.

Receiving of the Holy Spirit

Acts 2:2-4 And suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting.  Then there appeared to them divided tongues, as of fire, and one sat upon each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance. 

• The use of “like” or “as of” must not be overlooked.  The coming of the Holy Spirit was not the wind, but the sound of His coming was like the wind.  The divided tongues were not fire, but “as of” or “like” fire.  
• In Scripture, “fire” often refers to God’s judgment, which the apostles were not given the authority to judge, but were given the Spirit of Truth.
  • John 16:8, Jesus told the apostles, “And when He has come, He will convict the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment: of sin, because they do not believe in Me; of righteousness, because I go to My Father and you see Me no more; of judgment, because the ruler of this world is judged.”  
  • The Holy Spirit convicts the world through those who have received Him.
    • Matthew 10:19-20 But when they deliver you up, do not worry about how or what you should speak. For it will be given to you in that hour what you should speak; for it is not you who speak, but the Spirit of your Father who speaks in you. 

The Diverse Crowd in Jerusalem

Acts 2:5  And there were dwelling in Jerusalem Jews, devout men, from every nation under heaven. 

• “Every nation” does not literally mean every nation on earth, but rather the nations of people that were known to Luke at that time.
• By the time of the New Testament, Jerusalem was under the authority of Rome, with Pontius Pilate being the governor of Judea.
• New Testament scripture does show that Gentiles would often visit Jerusalem, and even had access to the temple.
  • In Matthew 2:1-12, the wise men who came to Jerusalem at the time of Jesus’ birth were Gentiles who came from the east.
  • In John 12:20-22, John spoke of when Greeks tried to see Jesus during the Feast of Passover celebration in His final week.

Acts 2:6-8 And when this sound occurred, the multitude came together, and were confused, because everyone heard them speak in his own language.   Then they were all amazed and marveled, saying to one another, “Look, are not all these who speak Galileans? And how is it that we hear, each in our own language in which we were born? 

• The Holy Spirit was speaking through the apostles to all people, as there is no such thing as a language barrier for the Holy Spirit.  The Holy Spirit is God, and God is omniscient, which means that He is all-knowing.

Acts 2:9-12 Parthians and Medes and Elamites, those dwelling in Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya adjoining Cyrene, visitors from Rome, both Jews and proselytes, Cretans and Arabs—we hear them speaking in our own tongues the wonderful works of God.” So they were all amazed and perplexed, saying to one another, “Whatever could this mean?” 

• The Mesopotamia region (modern-day Iraq, Turkey, Syria, and Iran) was where the Assyrians had come from.
• The Medes and Persians worked together to defeat the Assyrians.  The Persian ruler, Cyrus the Great, was responsible for freeing the Jews from their Babylonian exile.
• The history of Israel and Egypt is quite well known.  Even after the exodus, Egypt and Israel remained quite connected.  When Babylon conquered Jerusalem, many Jews fled to Egypt for protection.
• Arabs, traditionally, are said to be the descendants of Ishmael, Abraham’s oldest son through Hagar, and Abraham’s later sons through Keturah.  Essentially, Arabs are the cousins of Israel.
• With the history Israel shared with many of these people, let us note how special it is that these people were present to hear the Holy Spirit speaking through the apostles.  The Holy Spirit’s message is meant for all people.

Peter’s First Sermon

Acts 2:13-15 Others mocking said, “They are full of new wine.” But Peter, standing up with the eleven, raised his voice and said to them, “Men of Judea and all who dwell in Jerusalem, let this be known to you, and heed my words. For these are not drunk, as you suppose, since it is only the third hour of the day. 

• While the people could hear the words the apostles spoke, they lacked understanding because they had not received the Holy Spirit, and the Holy Spirit was speaking through them. 
• To understand that which is of the Spirit, one must receive  the Holy Spirit; otherwise, His words will sound foolish:
  • In John 16:12-13, Jesus said to the apostles, “I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come. 
  • In 1 Corinthians 2:14, Paul wrote, “The natural man (one without the Holy Spirit) does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.”

Acts 2:16-18 But this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel: ‘And it shall come to pass in the last days, says God, that I will pour out of My Spirit on all flesh; Your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your young men shall see visions, your old men shall dream dreams.  And on My menservants and on My maidservants I will pour out My Spirit in those days; And they shall prophesy. 

• This prophecy is found in Joel 2:16-21, and this portion about the pouring out of the Holy Spirit began to be fulfilled on the Day of Pentecost.
• The Holy Spirit is received by all who believe in Christ, regardless of race, nationality, or gender. 

Acts 2:19-21 I will show wonders in heaven above and signs in the earth beneath: Blood and fire and vapor of smoke.  The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the coming of the great and awesome day of the Lord. And it shall come to pass that whoever calls on the name of the Lord. Shall be saved.’ 

• This portion of Joel’s prophecy will not be fulfilled until the day of the Lord.
• The Day of the Lord is prophesied in Amos 5:16-27; it is the day of God’s judgment against the sinner.

Acts 2:22-24  “Men of Israel, hear these words: Jesus of Nazareth, a Man attested by God to you by miracles, wonders, and signs which God did through Him in your midst, as you yourselves also know— Him, being delivered by the determined purpose and foreknowledge of God, you have taken by lawless hands, have crucified, and put to death;  whom God raised up, having loosed the pains of death, because it was not possible that He should be held by it. 

• While the Jerusalem crowd was diverse, the sermon is directed to all of Israel, not simply the Jews.
  • The Jews, or the old southern kingdom (Judah), were made up of the tribes of Judah, Benjamin, and Levi.  
  • The Samaritans were a people who were the offspring of the tribes of the old northern kingdom (Israel), but the Samaritans were not listed amongst those in Jerusalem, as they did not go to Jerusalem because of the turmoil between the Jews and the Samaritans (John 4:7-24).  The Samaritans would later be preached to by Philip.
• The Holy Spirit preaches what we call the gospel message of salvation by preaching Christ’s death and resurrection.  
• The gospel message is what makes for sound doctrine, and is the message all preachers should focus on preaching, as it is the message that saves
  • In 2 Timothy 4:1-5, Paul charged Timothy to preach the word and be ready to do so at all times because the time will come when people will desire a doctrine according to their own desires.
  • In Titus 2:1-10, Paul charged Titus to speak the things which are proper for sound doctrine so that people could be sound in faith and be reverent in behavior.

Acts 2:25-28 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. Therefore my heart rejoiced, and my tongue was glad; Moreover my flesh also will rest in hope.  For You will not leave my soul in Hades, nor will You allow Your Holy One to see corruption.  You have made known to me the ways of life; You will make me full of joy in Your presence.’ 

Acts 2:29-31 “Men and brethren, let me speak freely to you of the patriarch David, that he is both dead and buried, and his tomb is with us to this day.  Therefore, being a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him that of the fruit of his body, according to the flesh, He would raise up the Christ to sit on his throne, he, foreseeing this, spoke concerning the resurrection of the Christ, that His soul was not left in Hades, nor did His flesh see corruption. 

• After Old Testament saints died, their souls dwelt in a part of Hades known as Abraham’s bosom, as Jesus shared in the Parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus (Luke 16:19-31).
• After Christ’s death and resurrection, Old Testament saints like David were lifted from Hades, as He is the Redeemer of all who believe in Him.
  • Matthew 27:51-53 Then, behold, the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom; and the earth quaked, and the rocks were split, and the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised; and coming out of the graves after His resurrection, they went into the holy city and appeared to many. 

Acts 2:32-35 This Jesus God has raised up, of which we are all witnesses. Therefore being exalted to the right hand of God, and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, He poured out this which you now see and hear.  “For David did not ascend into the heavens, but he says himself: ‘The Lord said to my Lord, “Sit at My right hand, Till I make Your enemies Your footstool.” ’ 

Acts 2:36 “Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly that God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ.” 

• King David was highly revered in Israel, as no one ever denied or rejected him.  Jesus, on the other hand, was rejected by many.
• The sermon isn’t necessarily a message to point out who is greater, Christ or David, but rather, the Holy Spirit uses David as the example of a great man who gave honor to the one who is greater than him, rather than rejecting Him, as the Jews had done.

Acts 2:37-38  Now when they heard this, they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “Men and brethren, what shall we do?” Then Peter said to them, “Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. 

• What was the goal of this sermon?
  • The sermon serves as a rebuke, showing the Jews the error they had made in their judgment of Christ, so that they would make a correction.
  • God’s desire was for the Jews to repent, just as Jesus had preached throughout His ministry.
• What should the preacher’s message be about today?
  • The saving grace of the Lord.
  • The preacher should preach whatever the Holy Spirit leads the preacher to preach, which will ultimately be a message that leads back to Christ and one’s need for Him.
• The Holy Spirit’s message will often cut to the heart because it is the truth.  In Hebrews 4:12, the writer spoke of how the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword; it will pierce to the division of soul and spirit and is a discerner of the thoughts and the intents of the heart.

Acts 2:39 For the promise is to you and to your children, and to all who are afar off, as many as the Lord our God will call.” 

• The gospel was first preached to the Jews in Jerusalem, as the Jews became the first believers in the church body.  
• However, “all who are afar off” makes it clear that the gospel message isn’t only for the Jews and that salvation is for all.
• What is the promise?
  • John 3:16 – For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.
    • “Whoever believes in Him” means that anybody of any race, nationality, or gender can believe in Christ and be saved.

The Holy Spirit Has Come to Lead All People

The desire of the Holy Spirit ought to be quite clear, but if it is not clear to you, let me paint a clear picture.  The Holy Spirit’s desire is the same as the Father’s and the Son’s.  Let’s keep in mind that God is the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, and while they are three different persons with three unique roles, they all work together to fulfill one will.  God’s will is for souls to be raised with Christ at the last day, as He desires to dwell with mankind for everlasting life (John 6:38-40).  

If there is a verse from what we have studied today that I would like to highlight, it would be Acts 2:38.  After the people had listened to Peter’s sermon, they asked him what they should do, and Peter offered them the kingdom through repentance.  

Salvation is offered to all people, regardless of what they have done, except for the sin of blasphemy against the Spirit (Matt. 12:31).  None of you should ever think that God has shut the gates to His kingdom to you because that is not the case.  No, the doors to the kingdom are open today, and for you to enter in and inherit the kingdom, all you have to do is repent of your sin.