#1548 Acts 2 Part 4 Peter Preaching Christ

 

22 “Men of Israel, listen to these words: Jesus the Nazarene, a man attested to you by God with miracles and wonders and signs which God did through Him in your midst, just as you yourselves know— 23 this Man, delivered over by the predetermined plan and foreknowledge of God, you nailed to a cross by the hands of lawless men and put Him to death. 24 But God raised Him up again, putting an end to the agony of death, since it was impossible for Him to be held in its power. 25 For David says of Him,

‘I saw the Lord continually before me;

Because He is at my right hand, so that I will not be shaken.

26 Therefore my heart was glad and my tongue exulted;

Moreover my flesh also will live in hope;

27 Because You will not forsake my soul to Hades,

Nor give Your Holy One over to see corruption.

28 You have made known to me the ways of life;

You will make me full of gladness with Your presence.’

29 “Men, brothers, I may confidently say to you regarding the patriarch David that he both died and was buried, and his tomb is with us to this day. 30 And so, because he was a prophet and knew that God had sworn to him with an oath to set one of the fruit of his body on his throne, 31 he looked ahead and spoke of the resurrection of the Christ, that He was neither forsaken to Hades, nor did His flesh see corruption. 32 This Jesus God raised up again, to which we are all witnesses. 33 Therefore having been exalted to the right hand of God, and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, He has poured out this which you both see and hear. 34 For David did not ascend into the heavens, but he himself says:

‘The Lord said to my Lord,

“Sit at My right hand,

35 Until I put Your enemies as a footstool for Your feet.”’

36 Therefore let all the house of Israel know for certain that God has made Him both Lord and Christ—this Jesus whom you crucified.” Acts 2: 22-36 LSB

Acts 2: 22-36 Peter's argument for Jesus

We just left off with the first part of Peter's message where he explains what the crowd was witnessing, as according to and fulfilling the prophecy of Joel. Joel was writing about the last days and the pouring out of the Spirit. If you saw this, if you were a witness to it, to them speaking about Jesus, in tongues that the speakers didn't previously know, well then you were a witness to the fact that the last days had begun, officially with the coming of Jesus. Now he is going to explain Who Jesus is, what they missed. 

V. 22 Jesus the Nazarene, a man attested to you by God with miracles and wonders and signs - Peter makes his appeal to what they had seen and known to be true of Jesus' ministry. They witnessed miracles like the healing of the blind, the raising of the dead, the healing of the lame. They witnessed wonders, like his power over the elements in taking a small amount of food, enough for one boy, and then feeding the multitudes. They had the Old Testament, so they could see what the prophets had to say about Him, especially in recent months, the events leading up to, and even His crucifixion, just read Isaiah 52:13 through 53:12. 

More on Isaiah 53

Some More on Seeing Red

…2Meanwhile John heard in prison about the works of Christ, and he sent his disciples 3to ask Him, “Are You the One who was to come, or should we look for someone else?” 4Jesus replied, “Go back and report to John what you hear and see:…

…5The blind receive sight, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is preached to the poor. 6 Blessed is the one who does not fall away on account of Me.” 7As John’s disciples were leaving, Jesus began to speak to the crowds about John: “What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed swaying in the wind?… Matthew 11: 2-7

…16At first His disciples did not understand these things, but after Jesus was glorified they remembered what had been done to Him, and they realized that these very things had also been written about Him. 17Meanwhile, many people continued to testify that they had been with Jesus when He called Lazarus from the tomb and raised him from the dead. 18That is also why the crowd went out to meet Him, because they heard that He had performed this sign.… John 12: 16-18

V. 23 Delivered over by the predetermined plan and foreknowledge of God - This was foretold in Scripture, and foreordained by God from eternity. Satan even tried to counteract the prophecies about Christ, attempting to wipe out His line by way of Athaliah and later by the decree of Herod. Many struggle with the idea of God's sovereignty, but knowing about something doesn't make it happen, yet when God speaks, whatever He says is bound by His decree. He didn't just foresee that the earth would be created, no, He spoke it into being. We can observe this in that everything is wrapped up in language, even we consists of His words, just look at DNA.

The words the predetermined plan and foreknowledge of God are a Greek construction governed by the Granville-Sharp rule. This grammatical rule simply states that when two nouns are joined by the word “and” (Greek kai) and the first noun has the definite article (article = "the") in front of it and the second does not, both nouns refer to the same thing. In Acts 2:23, this rule shows that the word foreknowledge refers to the same act as does the phrase predetermined plan and is an additional description. Predetermined is in the perfect tense (past completed act with ongoing effect) which refers to the past act of God "putting limits upon something" (so to speak) with the present result that that certain thing (in this case the crucifixion of His Son) has been appointed or decreed. God did not just foreknow, but He actually foreordained the crucifixion. The predetermined plan and foreknowledge of God describes this consultation as one that had as its purpose the fixing of limits upon, thus determining the destiny of God's Son. In other words, in eternity past (2Ti 1:9+; Re 13:8+), the Trinity, determined that the Lord Jesus Christ should be given over into the hands of godless men to be crucified. The word foreknowledge (see below) refers to the same act, and therefore includes in it the truth indicated by the predetermined plan. Foreknowledge, however, adds the idea of the foreordination or appointment in advance of the Person whose destiny was decided upon in the plan referred to. Stated succinctly the Granville Sharp rule in Acts 2:23 equates foreknowledge to a predetermined plan. According to Peter, God's foreknowledge is a deliberate choice. God foreknew not by prior observation, but by bringing into reality His predetermined plan. - Precept Austin

As J I Packer put it God "knows and foreknows, all things, and His foreknowledge is foreordination; He, therefore, will have the last word, both in world history and in the destiny of every man."  - PA

Foreknowledge (4268)(prognosis from verb proginosko from pro = before + ginosko = to know) literally means to know beforehand. God's foreknowledge means not only that He knew beforehand but that He also planned beforehand (cf. similar idea in Ex 33:17; Jer 1:5; Amos 3:2; Matthew 7:22; 7:23 [note]). As used of God, the word prognosis means foreknowledge with a purpose that can never be frustrated.

John MacArthur on prognosis - Significantly, the word appears here in the instrumental dative case. That shows that it was the means by which Christ's deliverance to His enemies took place. Yet, mere knowledge cannot perform such an act. Foreordination can act, however, and that is the New Testament meaning of prognōsis. (MacArthur NT Commentary - Acts)

The natural human tendency is to believe that God's foreknowledge simply refers to His foresight, the idea that He knew beforehand. In a discussion of God's foreknowledge regarding election, Dr MacArthur explains why men equate foreknowledge with foresight. Click here (select Chosen by God - Part 2 - Scroll down to heading entitled "Man's Decline"). - Precept Austin

V. 23b You nailed to a cross by the hands of lawless men - Though it was the predetermined plan of God, yet your hearts acted against God's law and His Servant. God has overruled your evil and brought forth good, but that was not your intent. This is not a foreign concept to the Jews that Peter is preaching to.

…6I will send him against a godless nation; I will dispatch him against a people destined for My rage, to take spoils and seize plunder, and to trample them down like clay in the streets. 7But this is not his intention; this is not his plan. For it is in his heart to destroy and cut off many nations. 8“Are not all my commanders kings?” he says.… Isaiah 10: 6-8

…19But Joseph replied, “Do not be afraid. Am I in the place of God? 20As for you, what you intended against me for evil, God intended for good, in order to accomplish a day like this— to preserve the lives of many people. 21Therefore do not be afraid. I will provide for you and your little ones.” So Joseph reassured his brothers and spoke kindly to them.… Genesis 50: 19-21

27And He who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God. 28And we know that God works all things together for the good of those who love Him, who are called according to His purpose. 29For those God foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brothers.… Romans 8: 27-29

V. 24 It was impossible for Him to be held by its power - Death is owed to those that sin, but Christ did not sin, He was the spotless Lamb, the guiltless for the guilty. 

…22But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves to God, the fruit you reap leads to holiness, and the outcome is eternal life. 23For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 6: 22-23

…19that God was reconciling the world to Himself in Christ, not counting men’s trespasses against them. And He has committed to us the message of reconciliation. 20Therefore we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were making His appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ: Be reconciled to God. 21God made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God.… 2 Corinthians 5: 19-21

Vs. 25-28 For David says of Him - Now Peter moves back to the OT that he had grown up with at synagogue and what he had been taught by Christ. He is making the case that the One Whom they saw perform the miracles and signs they witnessed, is the Messiah prophesied in the OT. David was a forerunner of Christ, an earthly parent in the human line that Jesus would enter through one from David's tribe, Mary, of the line of Judah. David rejoiced in seeing God before him, knowing his presence, but even more so, the Son of God, ALWAYS, for He was present with the Father from eternity. We also know that He did not see decay, though David did, for his body remained in the tomb, awaiting his new resurrected body, yet Jesus rose from the dead on the third day.

More on Psalm 16

…7Because the Lord GOD helps Me, I have not been disgraced; therefore I have set My face like flint, and I know that I will not be put to shame. 8The One who vindicates Me is near. Who will dare to contend with Me? Let us confront each other! Who has a case against Me? Let him approach Me! 9Surely the Lord GOD helps Me. Who is there to condemn Me? See, they will all wear out like a garment; the moths will devour them.… Isaiah 50: 7-9

I saw the Lord always in My presence - Peter is quoting from the Septuagint which is why the words are not quite the same as in David's words above, which are the translation of the Hebrew text (rather than the Septuagint). As we have discussed above, while these words applied to David in his day, they had a greater application to the Son of David, the Messiah. And with that thought in mind we can interpret the Lord as a reference to God the Father and the possessive pronoun My as referring to the the Son, Who saw sees Himself as always in the presence of His Father. The idea is that Jesus always practiced and was always conscious of the presence of God, right before His eyes. - PA

Recalling that the heart (kardia) refers to the center of one's being, the center of the personality, Lenski writes that Messiah's heart "was filled with gladness, the same verb that is used for making merry at a celebration in Luke 15:32+; and His tongue jubilated, exulted in songs and expressions of praise....From the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh; heart and tongue go together." (HOW'S YOUR TONGUE BEEN TODAY? IT'S AN EXCELLENT BAROMETER OF YOUR HEART! AN EXCELLENT BAROMETER OF WHO IS IN CONTROL -- SELF OR SPIRIT!) (Borrow the interpretation of the acts of the apostles) - PA

…34“How can this be,” Mary asked the angel, “since I am a virgin?” 35The angel replied, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the Holy One to be born will be called the Son of God. 36Look, even Elizabeth your relative has conceived a son in her old age, and she who was called barren is in her sixth month.… Luke 1: 34-36

V. 29 His tomb is with us to this day - David's body saw decomposition, they even knew where he was buried. 

Vs 30-32 One of the fruit of his body on his throne - This points to a Millennial Kingdom, spoken of much by the same prophets who foretold Jesus first coming as the atoning Lamb.  

…43As you saw the iron mixed with clay, so the peoples will mix with one another, but will not hold together any more than iron mixes with clay. 44In the days of those kings, the God of heaven will set up a kingdom that will never be destroyed, nor will it be left to another people. It will shatter all these kingdoms and bring them to an end, but will itself stand forever. 45And just as you saw a stone being cut out of the mountain without human hands, and it shattered the iron, bronze, clay, silver, and gold, so the great God has told the king what will happen in the future. The dream is true, and its interpretation is trustworthy.”… Daniel 2: 43-45

…27“Look,” Peter replied, “we have left everything to follow You. What then will there be for us?” 28 Jesus said to them, “Truly I tell you, in the renewal of all things, when the Son of Man sits on His glorious throne, you who have followed Me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. 29And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or fields for the sake of My name will receive a hundredfold and will inherit eternal life.… Matthew 19: 27-29

…24Even before they call, I will answer, and while they are still speaking, I will hear. 25The wolf and the lamb will feed together, and the lion will eat straw like the ox, but the food of the serpent will be dust. They will neither harm nor destroy on all My holy mountain,” says the LORD. Isaiah 65: 24-25

16 Then all the survivors from the nations that came against Jerusalem will go up year after year to worship the King, the LORD of Hosts, and to celebrate the Feast of Tabernacles. 17And should any of the families of the earth not go up to Jerusalem to worship the King, the LORD of Hosts, then the rain will not fall on them.… Zechariah 14: 16-17

14Behold, the days are coming, declares the LORD, when I will fulfill the gracious promise that I have spoken to the house of Israel and the house of Judah. 15In those days and at that time I will cause to sprout for David a righteous Branch, and He will administer justice and righteousness in the land. 16In those days Judah will be saved, and Jerusalem will dwell securely, and this is the name by which it will be called: The LORD Our Righteousness.… Jeremiah 33: 14-16

Vs. 33-34 Therefor having been exalted to the right hand of God - This is what He promised them.

18they will pick up snakes with their hands, and if they drink any deadly poison, it will not harm them; they will lay their hands on the sick, and they will be made well.” 19 After the Lord Jesus had spoken to them, He was taken up into heaven and sat down at the right hand of God. 20And they went out and preached everywhere, and the Lord worked through them, confirming His word by the signs that accompanied it.… Mark 16: 18-20

…48You are witnesses of these things. 49And behold, I am sending the promise of My Father upon you. But remain in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high.” 50When Jesus had led them out as far as Bethany, He lifted up His hands and blessed them.… Luke 24: 48-50

Vs. 34b-36 The Lord said to my Lord - Yahweh says to Adonai. Peter explains that this falls in line with David referring to Jesus as Lord, though He is also David's Son, yet the LORD, Yahweh says to David's Lord, Adonai, come sit at my right hand. This first part has been accomplished. He then indicts the crowd for Jesus' murder, "this Jesus whom you crucified". Yes, they had Rome carry it out, those soldiers held the whip and drove the nails, but they are every bit as guilty of the blood of Christ as David was for that of Uriah.

More on Psalm 110

#1547 Acts 2 Part 3 Peter's Sermon at Pentecost Part 1

 

14 But Peter, taking his stand with the eleven, raised his voice and declared to them: “Men of Judea and all you who live in Jerusalem, let this be known to you and give heed to my words. 15 For these men are not drunk, as you suppose, for it is the third hour of the day; 16 but this is what was spoken through the prophet Joel:

17 ‘And it shall be in the last days,’ God says,

‘That I will pour out My Spirit on all mankind;

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 slaves and female slaves,

I will in those days pour out My Spirit

And they shall prophesy.

19 And I will put wonders in the sky above

And signs on the earth below,

Blood, and fire, and vapor of smoke.

20 The sun will be turned into darkness

And the moon into blood,

Before the great and awesome day of the Lord comes.

21 And it will be that everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.’

Acts 2: 14-21

Acts 2: 14-21

Vs. 14-16 For it is the third hour of the day - The Jewish day started close to sunrise, around 6am, so this was about 9am on the dial, and a little early to be sloshed. Besides, I have never had any alcohol that enabled me to be more coherent, much less speak fluently in a tongue previously unknown to me. I have been trying to learn Spanish on Duo and it's hard, not something you can easily fake or drink your way to. We already saw that this was caused by the promised Holy Spirit, which is opposite of being drunk, because one of the fruits of the Spirit is self control, which is diametrically opposed to the reckless indiscretion, the stumbling block that is drunkeness. Peter is removing their arguments, saying, "look, you know it ain't that, you need to do better than this." 

…18Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to reckless indiscretion. Instead, be filled with the Spirit. 19Speak to one another with psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs. Sing and make music in your hearts to the Lord, 20always giving thanks to God the Father for everything in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.… Ephesians 5: 18-20

V. 17 And it shall be in the last days - Peter is relating this pouring out of the Holy Spirit to a prophecy of Joel. He is also stating then that this is the beginning of the last days, which is a prophetic theme throughout the OT prophets. The Last Days start with Christ's first coming as the Lamb, and end with His return as the Lion. Don't confuse Last Days with the Tribulation because that is a 7 year period at the end of the Last Days. Christ second coming will mark the end of this history and begin the Millennial reign. 

28And afterward, I will pour out My Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your old men will dream dreams, your young men will see visions. 29Even on My menservants and maidservants, I will pour out My Spirit in those days.… Joel 2: 28-29

And it shall be in the last days God says that I will pour forth of My Spirit on all mankind - Peter is telling the Jewish crowd that what they are observing is God's pouring forth of the Holy Spirit on all of mankind, which in context does not mean every person on the planet, but all of God's people, all who believe in His Son. In that sense, this prophecy would seem to represent a "partial fulfillment." Why do I say "partial?" First, not all mankind (which by the way opens the door of salvation to both Jews and Gentiles) was saved at this time. But this is a day coming when all will be saved at the inception of the Millennium. In other words all who enter into the Millennial Kingdom, both Jews and Gentiles, are those who have received the Holy Spirit because they are born again. Some would dispute this interpretation, but it seems the best way to understand the all inclusive statement of "on all mankind." As an aside, in the Old Testament on whom was the Spirit active? His ministry was selective and He predominantly came upon prophets, priests and kings. But Peter says that now a new age has arrived and hereafter the Spirit would be poured out on all mankind who believe and all those who enter the Millennial Kingdom. Unfortunately, children will be born during the Millennium who will not exercise personal faith in the Messiah and assemble with Satan for one last rebellion against the Messiah (Rev 20:7-10+). - Precept Austin

1This is the message that was revealed to Isaiah son of Amoz concerning Judah and Jerusalem: 2In the last days the mountain of the house of the LORD will be established as the chief of the mountains; it will be raised above the hills, and all nations will stream to it. 3And many peoples will come and say: “Come, let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the house of the God of Jacob. He will teach us His ways so that we may walk in His paths.” For the law will go forth from Zion, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem.… Isaiah 2: 1-3

…13However, the prince of the kingdom of Persia opposed me for twenty-one days. Then Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me, for I had been left there with the kings of Persia. 14Now I have come to explain to you what will happen to your people in the latter days, for the vision concerns those days.” 15While he was speaking these words to me, I set my face toward the ground and became speechless.… Daniel 10: 13-15

…4For the Israelites must live many days without king or prince, without sacrifice or sacred pillar, and without ephod or idol. 5Afterward, the people of Israel will return and seek the LORD their God and David their king. They will come trembling to the LORD and to His goodness in the last days. Hosea 3: 4-5

1In the last days the mountain of the house of the LORD will be established as the chief of the mountains; it will be raised above the hills, and the peoples will stream to it. 2And many nations will come and say: “Come, let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the house of the God of Jacob. He will teach us His ways, so that we may walk in His paths.” For the law will go forth from Zion and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem. 3Then He will judge between many peoples and arbitrate for strong nations far and wide. Then they will beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks. Nation will no longer take up the sword against nation, nor will they train anymore for war.… Micah 4: 1-3

More on Joel 2

V. 17b-18 And your sons and your daughters shall prophesy - The inauguration of the Church was attested to with great signs, the likes of which we have not seen in days since. We are still in the age of Pentecost, the church age, the Spirit is ever being poured out upon those who believe, but the Scriptures have been completed, the Book sealed till the very end of this age. The history of the Church has followed and complimented well the OT age. Prophets came at various times to deliver God's message, there were periods of darkness, like the time of the Judges, the intertestamental period, and so dark ages in the Church as well. God, through all this, and by the time of the tapering down of miracles, finished the NT teachings, the gospels and epistles. You ask, why do we not see real prophets that predict future events today? Well, we have the Word of God which is all sufficient, and it tells us all we ever need to know about what's coming. We still have those who profess, who evangelize, who hold up high that very Word which God holds up with His name. We see the Spirit of God poured out upon both genders, upon young and old alike, and the Church exploded. 

…27In those days some prophets came down from Jerusalem to Antioch. 28 One of them named Agabus stood up and predicted through the Spirit that a great famine would sweep across the whole world. (This happened under Claudius.) 29So the disciples, each according to his ability, decided to send relief to the brothers living in Judea.… Acts 11: 27-29

8Leaving the next day, we went on to Caesarea and stayed at the home of Philip the evangelist, who was one of the Seven. 9 He had four unmarried daughters who prophesied. 10After we had been there several days, a prophet named Agabus came down from Judea.… Acts 21: 8-10

G Campbell Morgan wrote " In Joel's prophecy then we have a description of the whole dispensation of the Spirit; its commencement­ " I will pour out My Spirit upon all flesh;" its char­acteristics" - Your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions, and also upon the servants and upon the handmaids in those days will I pour out My Spirit"; its consummation-before the great day of the Lord come-" I will shew wonders in the heavens...The day of Pentecost dispensationally, is that whole period following, during which the true characteristics are those of prophecy, and of dreams and visions. The Day of Pentecost finally, is that period when, before the final acts begin, supernatural signs will indicate the end of the period, and the approach of God's new and last method with the world. Where then are we placed now? The dawn has passed away. The day is proceeding. The darkness has not yet come. Dawn: " I will pour forth of My Spirit upon all flesh." Day: " Your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions and your old men shall dream dreams, yea, and on My serv­ants and on My handmaidens in those days will I pour forth of My Spirit; and they shall prophesy." Darkness: "The great and notable day...the sun turned into darkness, and the moon into blood." That has not yet come. This prophetic teaching should make us cease speaking of the day of Pentecost as though it were passed. This is the day of Pentecost. The dawn has passed, but who regrets the dawn when the sun has climbed to, the heavens? Sometimes we think that it is westering; that the shadows are already about us. It would seem that we are approaching the end of this dispensation of grace; but there is no sorrow in our heart, there is no regret. We do not believe that this dispensation is the last ac­ tivity of God for the world. Our hope is also in the movements that lie beyond it; in the fact that He will gather Judah to Jerusalem, and Israel to Himself (ED: "ALL ISRAEL WILL BE SAVED" Ro 11:26+), and in other ways proceed to the accomplishment of His purpose. The whole subject is not for consideration now, but what it is important to remember is that this very age in which we live and serve, is part of God's plan, but not the whole of it. It is an integral part of the whole. God has never been trying experiments with humanity. He has been moving surely, certainly on, and this age in which we live and serve is part of a larger whole. We need not sigh for the dawn; we thank God for it, and the story of its breaking always fascinates us. We need not waste time looking for the ending of the age; for ere it come there will be supernatural signs that herald its approach. (Acts Commentary 2:14-21) - Precept Austin

From Spurgeon

MANY visions have led to the most disastrous results. When Napoleon had a vision of a universal monarchy over which he should preside, with the French eagle for his ensign, he drenched the lands in blood. Many visions have been wretchedly delusive. Men have dreamed of finding the fairy pleasure in the dark forest of sin; carnal joys have danced before their eyes as temptingly as the mirage in the desert, and they have pursued the phantom forms to their misery in this world, and to their eternal ruin in the next. Mistaking license for liberty, and madness for mirth, they have dreamed themselves into hell! Many dreams have sucked the life-blood out of men as vampires do; men have passed from stern reality into dreamland, and while seemingly awake have continued like sleepwalkers to do all things in their sleep. Many pass all their days in one perpetual daydream—speculating, building castles in the air, thinking of what they would do, and vowing how they would behave themselves. With fine capacities they have driveled away existence, as their theory of life was born of smoke, so the result of their lives has been a cloud. The luxurious indolence of mere resolve, the useless tossing of regrets—these have been all their sluggard life. For all this, good and grand visions are not unknown; visions which came from the excellent glory; visions which, when young or old men have seen them, have filled them with wisdom, divine grace, and holiness; visions which have worked with such effect upon their minds that they have been lifted up above the level of the sons of men, and made sons of God, co-workers with the eternal! Such visions are given to men whose eyes have been illumined by the Holy Spirit—visions which have come of that eyesalve which only the Holy Spirit can apply; visions which are not bestowed on carnal men nor unveiled to the impure in heart; visions reserved for the men and women elect of God who are sanctified by the Holy Spirit, and made meet to be partakers of the witness of God, and the testimony of His Son.....How much of good in this world would have been lost if good men had quenched the first halffashioned thoughts which have flitted before them! I mean, for instance, had Martin Luther taken the advice of his teacher when he said to him, “Go your way, silly monk! Go to your cell and pray God, and if it is His will, He will reform the abuses of this church, but what have you to do with it?” Supposing the agitated monk had administered an opiate to his soul, what then? Doubtless the gospel to Luther at the first was dim enough; and the idea of reform most vague and indistinct; but had he closed his heart to his vision, how long might not the Romish darkness have brooded over the multitudes of Europe?....

O young men, if you have received a thought which dashes ahead of your times, hold to it, and work at it till it comes to something! If you have dreamed a dream from the Lord, turn it over and over again till you are quite sure it is not steam from a heated brain, or smoke from hell—and when it is clear to your own heart that it is fire from off God’s altar, then work and pray and wait your time. Perhaps it may take 50 years to work that thought out, or what is worse, you may never live to see it realized, but what of that? You may have to leave that thought sown in the dust, but the thought will not die; it may produce a harvest when you are with the angels! Do not, I pray you, because the thing happens to seem new, or too enthusiastic, or too far ahead, be snubbed into putting it into a corner, but take care of it, and nurture it; and if it is not of God, a little experience will disabuse you of it, let us hope. But if it is of the Lord, you will grow in your attachment to it, and by-and-by God will find an opportunity for you to make it practical. The great Father of Spirits does, in fact, say to you when He puts a great design into your keeping, as Pharaoh’s daughter said to Jochebed, “Take this child away, and nurse it for me, and I will give you your wages.” And though the Moses that you nurse may not deliver Israel in your lifetime, yet shall you have your wages if you nurse the thought for God!....

With this rather too long preface about dreaming, I will now confess that, after my own fashion, I too have seen a vision. And though you should say of me in days to come, “Behold, this dreamer comes,” yet, as he that has a dream is bid to tell his dream, so I tell mine. My dream is this—I have seen in vision, missionary spirit in England, now so given to slumber, marvelously quickened, awakened, and revived! I have seen—the wish was father to the sight, I have seen the ardor of our first missionary days return to us! I have seen young men eager for the mission field, and old men and fathers sitting in united council to correct mistakes, to devise new methods, or to strengthen the old ones, so that by any means the great chariot of Christ might roll onwards, and that His victories might be more rapid. (For full text see A Young Man's Vision) - C. H. Spurgeon quoted by PA

Vs. 19-20 And I will put wonders in the sky above - These next signs have not yet occurred, and so I believe them to be reserved for the end of the age, the sun came up and the sun will set.

V. 21 And it will be that everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved - Who is saved? Everyone who calls upon the name of the Lord. Who will truly call? Those the Father draws to the Son.

MacArthur - The complete fulfillment of Joel's prophecy awaits the coming of the millennial kingdom. On the Day of Pentecost, and indeed throughout the church age, God has given both a preview and a sample of the power the Spirit will release in the kingdom. Believers in the present age have a foretaste of kingdom life. In the millennial kingdom, God will pour forth of [His] Spirit upon all mankind, since all who enter the kingdom will be redeemed. (See Mt. 24:29-25:46 for the evidence that only redeemed people will enter the Millennium.) During the church age, God pours His Spirit into believers (cf. Ro 5:5+ Titus 3:5-6+ = " the Holy Spirit, whom He poured out upon us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior,"). In the kingdom there will be perfect peace (Isa. 9:7); peace rules now in the hearts of believers. In the kingdom, Christ will reign (Luke 1:33); He reigns now in the hearts of His people. In the kingdom, Christ will judge all men (Acts 17:31; 2 Tim. 4:1); now He judges His people through the Spirit's convicting ministry in their lives. What will ultimately come to full fruition in the kingdom began to be seen at Pentecost. (MacArthur New Testament Commentary – Acts) - PA

…4Bring joy to Your servant, for to You, O Lord, I lift up my soul. 5For You, O Lord, are kind and forgiving, rich in loving devotion to all who call on You. 6Hear my prayer, O LORD, and attend to my plea for mercy.… Psalm 86: 4-6

1Paul, called to be an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and our brother Sosthenes, 2To the church of God in Corinth, to those sanctified in Christ Jesus and called to be holy, together with all those everywhere who call on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, their Lord and ours: 3Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.… 1 Corinthians 1: 1-3

H A Ironside - And so the Spirit of God has come, the Comforter is here and the saints of God have received the Spirit and have thus been baptized into one Body and in the power of the Spirit are called upon to go forth and proclaim the gospel message to the ends of the earth. Have you called on the name of the Lord? Have you trusted Christ as your own Saviour? (Acts 2 Commentary)

Spurgeon - “Then everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved, for there will be an escape for those on Mount Zion and in Jerusalem, as the Lord promised, among the survivors the Lord calls.” In the worst times that can ever happen, there is still salvation for people. When day turns to night and life becomes death, when the staff of life is broken and the hope of all has fled, there still remains in God, in the person of his dear Son, deliverance to all those who will call on the name of the Lord. We must call on the true God, not on an idol or an image or an impression of our minds. We must call on the living God—call on him who reveals himself in the Bible—call on him who reveals himself in the person of his dear Son. For whosoever will call on this God will be saved. This way of salvation—calling on the name of the Lord—glorifies God. He asks nothing of us but that we ask everything of him. We are the beggars and he is the benefactor. We are in trouble and he is our deliverer. All we have to do is trust him and beg of him. This is easy enough. This puts the matter into the hands of the Lord and takes it out of our hands. - Precept Austin

#1546 Acts 2 Part 2 Dunked and Filled

 

4 And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit was giving them utterance.

5 Now there were Jews living in Jerusalem, devout men from every nation under heaven. 6 And when this sound occurred, the multitude came together, and were bewildered because each one of them was hearing them speak in his own language. 7 So they were astounded and marveling, saying, “Behold, are not all these who are speaking Galileans? 8 And how is it that we each hear them in our own language in which we were born? 9 Parthians and Medes and Elamites, and residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, 10 Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the district of Libya around Cyrene, and visitors from Rome, both Jews and proselytes, 11 Cretans and Arabs—we hear them in our own tongues speaking of the mighty deeds of God.” 12 And they all continued in astonishment and great perplexity, saying to one another, “What does this mean?” 13 But others, mocking, were saying, “They are full of new wine.” Acts 2: 4-13 LSB

Acts 2: 4-13 

V. 4 And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit - Everyone in the room, the 120 who had believed in Christ, were being immersed in the Spirit, baptized, and as we discussed this was accompanied with noise like a rushing wind that filled the whole house. Then there is an AND they were all filled, one baptism received by who? Those who believed that Christ died for their sins and rose from the grave on the third day. These were those whom He had promised the gift of the Holy Spirit, and now they are not only baptized, indwelt by the Spirit, but also filled for service, given power to obedience in ministry as Christ's witnesses. Some churches make the mistake that it should look like this, that this filling continues in the same way, even mistaking these outward signs for that of the Baptism of the Holy Spirit, regeneration, the washing and granting of repentance. Others mistakenly rely solely upon their intellect, their programs, and or churches that are business models. Some mistake their feelings and even call it the presence of God, "you can feel the Holy Spirit in this place", and will do things like pagans to summon Him, as if. Other churches err to the side of their great argument, their pizza parties, lights, fx, music, laughter, but the wind blows where it wishes. You hear it's sound, but do not know where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit.

…25All this I have spoken to you while I am still with you. 26But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have told you. 27Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled; do not be afraid.… John 14: 25-27

4And while they were gathered together, He commanded them: “Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift the Father promised, which you have heard Me discuss. 5For John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.” 6So when they came together, they asked Him, “Lord, will You at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?”… Acts 1: 4-6

James Montgomery Boice - People talk about the baptism of the Holy Spirit as if that is what Pentecost was about. Usually they mean that Pentecost “baptism” is a special experience that involves the gift of being able to speak in tongues. They would say that the ability to speak in tongues is the only sure evidence that a person has been baptized with the Spirit—or even, perhaps, is a Christian. The Bible does talk about a baptism of the Holy Spirit, of course, but not in those terms. The baptism of the Holy Spirit has to do with regeneration or being born again. It results in the regenerated person being identified with Jesus Christ, spiritually in the sight of God and publicly before other men and women. Significantly, that is what the sacrament of water baptism also signifies. It does not have anything to do with imparting some kind of special blessing. It is an identification of the baptized individual with Christ. It is done once, because a person is only saved once. To be baptized by the Holy Spirit is to be a Christian. John R. W. Stott wrote correctly, “Water-baptism is the initiatory Christian rite, because Spirit-baptism is the initiatory Christian experience.” To be filled with the Holy Spirit is different, and it is this that is being talked about here. The early believers did not become Christians at Pentecost. They already were believers. They believed in Jesus. They were meeting together. They were praying. They were studying the Bible. But now the Holy Spirit came upon them in a special way to empower them for their task. The word used to describe the experience is “filled.” (Ibid)

John Stott - Before Christ sent the church into the world, he sent the Spirit into the church. The same order must be observed today. (Borrow The message of Acts : the Spirit, the church & the world) - PA

Wiersbe adds that "The filling of the Spirit has to do with power for witness and service (Acts 1:8+). We are not exhorted (OR COMMANDED) to be baptized with the Spirit, for this is something God does once and for all when we trust His Son. But we are commanded to be filled with the Spirit (Eph. 5:18+), for we need His power constantly if we are to serve God effectively (ED: cf John 15:5!). At Pentecost, the Christians were filled with the Spirit AND experienced the baptism of the Spirit; but after that, they experienced many fillings (Acts 4:8, 31; 9:17; 13:9) but no more baptisms. (Bible Exposition Commentary )

Spirit and power are frequently associated = Luke 4:14+; Acts 1:8+; Acts 10:38; Ro 15:13; Ro 15:19, 1 Cor. 2:4; Eph. 3:16; 1 Th. 1:5; 2 Ti 1:7). The upshot is that the Holy Spirit imparts power for ministry. Does this describe your ministry? Is it "your" ministry or the Spirit of Jesus' ministry THROUGH you? The former is fueled by natural power, the latter by supernatural power. The former is fruitless, the latter is fruitful. The former gives you glory, the latter gives Jesus glory. Which describes your ministry? Remember that…

Bethlehem was God with us.

Calvary was God for us.

Pentecost is God in us. - Precept Austin

We see other fillings of the Spirit with John the Baptist and Peter, being enabled to minister in various ways, including speaking in languages they didn't know and healing, all to the glory of God and the furtherance of His gracious gospel.

…7They had Peter and John brought in and began to question them: “By what power or what name did you do this?” 8Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them, “Rulers and elders of the people! 9If we are being examined today about a kind service to a man who was lame, to determine how he was healed,…,

…10then let this be known to all of you and to all the people of Israel: It is by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified but whom God raised from the dead, that this man stands before you healed. 11This Jesus is ‘the stone you builders rejected, which has become the cornerstone.’ 12Salvation exists in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved.”… Acts 4: 7-12

…29And now, Lord, consider their threats, and enable Your servants to speak Your word with complete boldness, 30as You stretch out Your hand to heal and perform signs and wonders through the name of Your holy servant Jesus.” 31After they had prayed, their meeting place was shaken, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God boldly.… Acts 4: 29-31

…14He will be a joy and delight to you, and many will rejoice at his birth, 15for he will be great in the sight of the Lord. He shall never take wine or strong drink, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit even from his mother’s womb. 16Many of the sons of Israel he will turn back to the Lord their God.… Luke 1: 14-16

…40where she entered the home of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth. 41 When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. 42In a loud voice she exclaimed, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb!… Luke 1: 40-42

V. 4b And began to speak with other tongues as the Spirit was giving them utterance - These were languages as the text makes clear, since they were understandable to the Jews who had come from other lands. This is also the clearest example of what qualifies as tongues in the Scripture. Peter makes reference back to this in Acts 10 as they start to realize that the gospel is being given and receive by gentiles as well. It is a sign to the early church fathers for this broadened ministry, and to the Jews from other lands.

And began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit was giving them utterance - Tongues is better translated languages, as what they spoke was clearly recognized as other (heteros = different - not the expected Hebrew or Aramaic) languages (Acts 2:6) by the unbelieving (for the moment) Jews. The ability to speak in foreign languages is here clearly associated with the Holy Spirit Who was giving (imperfect tense - again and again) them utterance. While some say that other tongues is a third sign of baptism with the Spirit, the other tongues is most closely associated with the fact that they were all filled with the Holy Spirit. (see the previous association of filling with the Spirit and speaking enabled by the Spirit). Although it may be semantics, another way to view wind, fire and tongues is to interpret the first two as signs of the Spirit's arrival (baptism) and the third as the effect of the Spirit's filling. However since it was foreign languages the speakers did not know it clearly was also a supernatural sign pointing to a supernatural source, the Holy Spirit, promised by Jesus.

A T Robertson on speak with other tongues - Other than their native tongues. Each one began to speak in a language that he had not acquired and yet it was a real language and understood by those from various lands familiar with them. It was not jargon, but intelligible language. Jesus had said that the gospel was to go to all the nations and here the various tongues of earth were spoken. One might conclude that this was the way in which the message was to be carried to the nations, but future developments disprove it. (Word Pictures in the New Testament - Acts 2) - PA

43All the prophets testify about Him that everyone who believes in Him receives forgiveness of sins through His name.” 44 While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit fell upon all who heard his message. 45All the circumcised believers who had accompanied Peter were astounded that the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out even on the Gentiles.…

…46For they heard them speaking in tongues and exalting God. Then Peter said, 47“Can anyone withhold the water to baptize these people? They have received the Holy Spirit just as we have!” 48So he ordered that they be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. Then they asked him to stay for a few days.… Acts 10: 43-48

Vs. 5-11 Each of them was hearing them speak in his own language - This was strange to them, for the gospel was clear, and the men preaching it were not only emboldened by the Spirit, but were also given a supernatural ability to preach in the languages of men from far away countries. The OT had mostly been available to them in Hebrew, and to hear the Emmaus Road in your native tongue, from the lips of unlearned men, was a bit shocking. For some, well, they probably thought it, Hebrew, was God's language, or things reserved only for those who knew Hebrew, like the Catholic priests in not allowing the Bible to be printed in the language of the people, but wanting it to remain in Latin. God's word was flowing out in every tongue there, and out of the mouths of men who went to synagogue, could read, but they were not Harvard graduates, most were like Oakhill fishermen, one was a tax collector, so he could read and count, but tax collectors were considered scoundrels. Luke came along, and historians say you can see the difference in his Greek, that it is more refined, but he was a doctor. Well, many respect certain schools, certain intellectual circles, titles and degrees, but guess what, none of those things will make anything you are saying true. It has to be true on it's own, before you say it. 

Vs. 12-13 They are full of new wine - What a lazy response, but one can see why salvation is of the Lord. If they didn't understand any of the languages, as some suggest, well that would be judgment, but there were plenty there who could explain what was occurring. Men saw Jesus perform miracles and then attributed those works of the Spirit to Beelzebub. I think these are of the same sort. I was that way as an unbeliever, and I acted like I had seen no convincing evidence for God, or for the need of Christ, yet I was never really looking too hard for anything that would go against what I wanted to believe. I didn't want God, and so God would even have to grace me with the desire to want Him. You can see the great work of the Holy Spirit here in the story of Pentecost. 

Longnecker makes an important observation that "The miraculous is not self-authenticating, nor does it inevitably and uniformly convince. There must also be the preparation of the heart and the proclamation of the message if miracles are to accomplish their full purpose." (Ibid)

Mark it down - Miracles do not convert! - PA

Warren Wiersbe on full of sweet wine - It is interesting that the mockers should accuse the believers of being drunk, for wine is associated with the Holy Spirit (Eph. 5:18). Paul relates the two in contrast, for when a man is filled with strong drink, he loses control of himself and ends up being ashamed; but when a person is filled with the Spirit, he has self-control and glorifies God. Strong drink can bring a temporary exhilaration, but the Spirit gives a deep satisfaction and a lasting joy. (Bible Exposition Commentary ). - PA

I will include some links below from a cessationist view I defended in discussion with my Pentecostal friend. This goes further into the issue of tongues that we hear about today and other gifts. Anchored in 1 Cor. 14:

Tongues Part 1

Gifts 2

Gifts 3

Gifts 4

Gifts 5