Daily Devotional Friday 14th February 2020
by William MoodyActs 2:14–22
Peter’s Sermon at Pentecost
14 But Peter, standing with the eleven, lifted up his voice and addressed them: “Men of Judea and all who dwell in Jerusalem, let this be known to you, and give ear to my words. 15 For these people are not drunk, as you suppose, since it is only the third hour of the day.1 16 But this is what was uttered through the prophet Joel:
17 “‘And in the last days it shall be, God declares,
that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh,
and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy,
and your young men shall see visions,
and your old men shall dream dreams;
18 even on my male servants and female servants
in those days I will pour out my Spirit, and they shall prophesy.
19 And I will show wonders in the heavens above
and signs on the earth below,
blood, and fire, and vapor of smoke;
20 the sun shall be turned to darkness
and the moon to blood,
before the day of the Lord comes, the great and magnificent day.
21 And it shall come to pass that everyone who calls upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.’
22 “Men of Israel, hear these words: Jesus of Nazareth, a man attested to you by God with mighty works and wonders and signs that God did through him in your midst, as you yourselves know—
Footnotes
[1] 2:15
That is, 9 a.m. (ESV)
Peter responds to perplexed God-fearers and scorners to explain what is happening (v14-15). In understanding what is going on in this world and particularly to explain religious experience, we must turn to God’s Word.
Peter quotes from Joel 2 v28-32 and how what they are witnessing is the pouring out of God’s Spirit (v16-21). There is no hiding what Peter is seeking to do here, to direct people to the way of salvation (v21). Peter’s focus therefore doesn’t remain on the Spirit but moves immediately to Jesus (v22f).
We know the Spirit is moving in our church and in our own personal lives when our thinking is becoming more and more filled with Jesus.
Peter first speaks of how it was clear that Jesus was from God through the miracles He did (v22). Peter speaks of how these people knew Jesus did these miracles, it was something undeniable.
Christianity is all about Jesus, who He is, what He has done and how we can know Him and His forgiveness. People are saved through trusting in Jesus (Acts 16 v31) and the Christian life is lived by continuing to focus on Jesus in faith (see Hebrews 12 v2-3). Don’t be distracted, keep looking to Jesus.
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