Peter’s speech on Pentecost day (Acts 2):
- At Pentecost, the disciples were filled .with the Holy Spirit
and spoke in tongue - The crowd around was surprised at what they saw and
heard while others allege that the disciples were drunk, - Peter addressed
the crowd that it was too early to get drunk, - It was rather the
fulfillment of Joel’s prophecy that in the last days God would his spirit upon
all flesh, - Then their sons and daughters would prophesy, men would have
visions and old men dream dreams, - And those who would call upon the name
of the Lord would be saved, - He said Jesus was crucified by lawless men
according to the plan and foreknowledge of God. - But God raised Christ
from the dead, loosening Him from the pangs of death, - For the scripture
(Psalm of David) maintained that the Holy one’s soul would not be abandoned in
Hades, nor see corruption, - He said that when David died and was buried, his
tomb was still there. - Asa prophet, David spoke about the resurrection of
Jesus, - According to Peter, God raised up Jesus and exalted him at His
right hand, - Further, Jesus received from the Father the promise of the
Holy Spirit and poured it on the disciples, - Peter further declared that
God had made Jesus both Lord and Christ, - The crowd was cut to the heart,
asking Peter, “Brethren what shall we do? - Peter asked them to repent
and be baptized in the name of Jesus for the forgiveness of their sins, - And that the gift of the Holy Spirit was promised to them and later
generations, - Hence, they should save themselves from this crooked
generation, - The crowd responded favourably such that three
thousand people were baptized.
Changes in the life of the disciples:
- The disciples spoke in tongues as an empowerment of the Holy Spirit,
- They no more feared the religious leaders but became bold and
courageous, - They boldly talked about Jesus as the expected Messiah v,ho
had resurrected preached freely, - They started winning/converting souls
into Christianity, - Most of them began to prophesy,
- They performed
signs and wonders- healing, exorcising etc. - They became more humane, affable, generous
and caring for the poor and the aged, - They lived a communal life.
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