Acts 2:14

Verse fourteen adds, But Peter, standing up with the eleven, lifted up his voice, and said unto them, Ye men of Judaea, and all ye that dwell at Jerusalem, be this known unto you, and hearken to my words:  Peter called on everyone to listen to his words, just as we should call on everyone to listen to the gospel today.  Verse fifteen continues, For these are not drunken, as ye suppose, seeing it is but the third hour of the day. Peter began to defend the disciples against the charge that they were drunk.  Peter said it was too early for them to be drunk. Sometimes the easiest way to defend the Gospel is by stating the obvious truth of worldly facts.  If events cannot be explained by physical facts or laws, then something supernatural must be occurring.  Verse sixteen states, But this is that which was spoken by the prophet Joel;  Peter told those gathered there at Pentecost that it was the Spirit of God poured out on them, as God had foretold would happen.  It was up to them to either believe or reject the salvation that Jesus made available.  Peter told them what would happen when people accepted Christ as their personal Savior and Lord.  Verse seventeen adds, And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams:  Peter spoke of it being the last days. Some people of all generations have felt that it was the last days.  Many make that claim today. One thing said was that their sons and daughters would prophesy.  So, if we say women cannot proclaim God’s word, does that mean that the Bible is wrong?  These were all relating to those who were their family or peers, but that wasn’t all that was said.  Verse eighteen continues, And on my servants and on my handmaidens I will pour out in those days of my Spirit; and they shall prophesy’  He said their servants and handmaidens would prophesy as well, which I understand to mean share the Gospel and what effect it had on them.  Peter also said there was no age limit on following Christ.  I once related to young men having visions, but now I relate to old men having dreams.  We will never outgrow our usefulness to God, nor can our earthly status keep us from doing God’s work unless we allow it to. Verse nineteen says, And I will shew wonders in heaven above, and signs in the earth beneath; blood, and fire, and vapour of smoke:  Peter said the heavens and earth itself would show His wonder and power. Verse twenty adds, The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and notable day of the Lord come:  Then. Peter continued by speaking of some signs that would occur before Christ returns, and we are still waiting.  Verse twenty-one continues, And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved.  Any one who will always could and always will be saved if they accept Jesus Christ as their personal Savior and Lord. We have been in the last days since Christ came into the world, so it is time for all of God's people, young or old, rich or poor, male or female, to begin to look not to the state of the world, but to the power of God.  It is our choice to either live with the hope that God gives or in despair that the world brings.  Before moving into the next section of Acts, I feel I should review some of the beliefs I have shared so far. I do not believe that everything in life is predetermined by God. Again, if we have no free will, then we have no responsibility.  We become but puppets with Someone else pulling the strings.  Now, all these beliefs come from my understanding of the Bible.  I believe that the Holy Spirit indwells every Christian from the second they accept Jesus Christ as their Savior.  I believe God empowers us to do what He calls us to do, and that He calls everyone for a purpose.  I believe we are to be doing everything we are called to do to advance God's Kingdom out of love and compassion.  As we just discussed, I believe in the last days, and we have been in the last days since Jesus ascended, God will use every Christian, male and female, young and old, to spread the Gospel.  Though I'm sure not all will agree with every point, hopefully the things explored in future post will help people become closer followers of Christ.  We will now move on.  

We hear a lot today about it being the last days, as I have mentioned before.  We find in Acts 2, verses 14-21, that as Peter began to defend the disciples against the charge that they were drunk, he spoke of it being the last days.  First, though, he said it was too early for them to be drunk.  Sometimes the easiest way to defend the Gospel is by stating the obvious truth of worldly facts.  If events cannot be explained by physical facts or laws, then something supernatural must be occurring.  Peter told those gathered there at Pentecost that it was the Spirit of God poured out on them, as God had foretold would happen.  It was up to them to either believe or reject the salvation that Jesus made available.  Then, Peter told them what would happen when people accepted Christ.  He said their sons and daughters, their servants and handmaidens would prophesy, which I understand to mean share the Gospel and what effect it had on them.  Peter also said there was no age limit on following Christ.  I once related to young men having visions, but now I relate to old men having dreams.  We will never outgrown our usefulness to God.  We have been in the last days since Christ came into the world, so it is time for all of God's people,  young or old, rich or poor, male or female, to begin to look not to the state of the world, but to the power of God.  It is our choice to either live with the hope that God gives or in despair that the world brings.