Thoughts From Acts 2 - Part 2

 Some, however, made fun of them and said, “They have had too much wine.”14 Then Peter stood up with the Eleven, raised his voice and addressed the crowd: “Fellow Jews and all of you who live in Jerusalem, let me explain this to you; listen carefully to what I say. 15 These people are not drunk, as you suppose. It’s only nine in the morning! 16 No, this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel:

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.
19 I will show wonders in the heavens above
    and signs on the earth below,
    blood and fire and billows of smoke.
20 The sun will be turned to darkness
    and the moon to blood
    before the coming of the great and glorious day of the Lord.
21 And everyone who calls
    on the name of the Lord will be saved.’ Acts 2:13-21

Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. 1Peter 3:15

For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.  Heb. 4:12

I included the above two verses here because they are pertinent to the passage. As seen in the previous verses, the crowds heard the sound of rushing wind as the Holy Spirit descended like tongues of fire on top of heads in the upper room. Maybe, as people were out and around at 9AM getting their morning breakfast or shopping or maybe even offering sacrifices at the temple, they heard a noise, saw where it was coming from, saw a mysterious glow coming out of the window and then saw a group coming out of the house excitedly speaking in all different languages. Crowds gathered around and Peter started speaking. I'm sure the Holy Spirit gave him the words to speak but yet I also think that during those times waiting in the upper room they had discussed the scriptures and how they had foretold what Christ had done. They probably had set the groundwork of how they would, as Jesus had commanded them in Acts 1:8 and the great commission, take the message to the people.

Now Peter, given a chance, first uses an ice breaker -"We're not drunk, it's 9AM", and then quotes Joel where he prophecies that a time is coming and has now come where the Holy Spirit will come on anyone who calls on the name of the Lord and they will be saved. He won't come and go and just come to Jewish prophets, priests or kings but will be for young and old, men and women, slaves free, Jews or gentiles - everyone who cries out to Jesus, "Save me from my sins." We tend to make it more complicated than this. As Third Day once sang, "Cry Out to Jesus".

We will see in the upcoming verses also the use of scripture in evangelism, and we see it here, too. As Hebrews 4 says, there's a power in God's word that pierces into the soul of man. Our words and reasoning go into the ears and into the brain to cogitate, but when you read the Bible it has power to go from the brain to the heart of a person which is hardened supernaturally by the Devil. This all sounds mystical and magical but it's true. Why do you think your Bible says "Holy Bible" on the cover? "Bible" means "book". "Holy" means "other". It's a book like none other because it's alive with Holy Spirit power. Evangelism without scripture can work but so can an unplugged electric knife.

 Memorize the Roman's Road of Bible verses or key passages for evangelism. Be prepared and ready so you know what to say when given the chance.