Whenever God does something extraordinary, someone will always try to explain it away. The Holy Spirit had just been poured out with wind, fire resting on people’s heads without harming anyone, and different languages that let everyone in the crowd understand.
Still, an unbelieving person foolishly said, “They must all be drunk.” Peter had a response.
“But Peter, standing with the eleven, raised his voice and addressed them, ‘Fellow Jews and all who live in Jerusalem, let this be known to you, and listen to what I say. Indeed, these are not drunk, as you suppose, for it is only nine o’clock in the morning.'” (Acts 2:14-15)
Peter explained to the crowd that God’s promise through Joel was being fulfilled in their midst.
“No, this is what was spoken through the prophet Joel:
‘In the last days it will be, God declares,
that I will pour out 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.
Even upon my slaves, both men and women,
in those days I will pour out my Spirit,
and they shall prophesy.'” (Acts 2:16-18)
We can trace the Holy Spirit’s work from the beginning of creation, when the Spirit hovered over the chaotic waters. Later, the Spirit came upon people like Moses, David, and Daniel.
But the Holy Spirit was never available to everyone. Joel promised that this would change, and it did on the Day of Pentecost.
Acts 3 records the healing of a man who had been lame from birth and was begging by the Beautiful Gate. After he was healed, Peter spoke. Notice what he says about the role of people and the work of God’s Spirit.
“Why do you stare at us, as though by our own power or piety we had made him walk?” (Acts 3:12)
Joel’s prophecy said the Spirit would be available to men and women, young and old, and even slaves. All people would receive the gift of the Spirit.
When we work through the Spirit’s power, we cannot take the credit. As Peter said, it was not human power or human righteousness at work. It was a person yielded to the Holy Spirit, who then worked through him.
This is an important truth for us to understand. We should never give people credit when the Holy Spirit deserves it. We also should not take credit for what God’s Spirit does through us. This helps prevent people from praising one another too much or becoming proud when God uses them.
Since ministry has been my calling in life, this message is especially important for me. I tend to want to please people and enjoy receiving recognition. But the truth is, when something goes well, the Holy Spirit is the only one who deserves the credit.
On the other hand, some people feel they have nothing to offer. That is not true. If you surrender to the Holy Spirit, He can do anything through you that He wants to do.
Signs and Salvation
Before Jesus ascended to heaven, He told His disciples that they were not meant to know the times or seasons the Father had set by His own authority. That does not change the fact that Jesus will return. When He does, it will be a powerful display of God’s glory.
“And I will show portents in the heaven above
and signs on the earth below,
blood, and fire, and smoky mist.
The sun shall be turned to darkness
and the moon to blood,
before the coming of the Lord’s great and glorious day.
Then everyone who calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.” (Acts 2:19-21)
In Peter’s message, he said the Holy Spirit came upon all of God’s people so they could prophesy. To prophesy simply means sharing the message God has given us. We are called to tell others what Jesus has done.
One of the best ways to do this is by sharing what your life was like before you met Jesus, how you met Him, and how your life has changed since then. The goal is for people to call on the name of the Lord and meet Him personally. When that happens, they are saved.
A clear picture of salvation is someone leaving slavery to the world and sin and entering obedience to God’s rule. God’s power and love reach them, and they become new creations.
This is good for us now, and it will be good for us when it is time to go to heaven or when Jesus Christ returns. The church’s goal is to proclaim this message effectively through the power of the Holy Spirit. Once again, the Holy Spirit is the only one who can make this happen.
YouTube Discussion
Rudy Ross, Bruce Kirby, and I discussed Acts 2:14-21 on YouTube today.
Real Voices 