The Lord overcame obstacles to establish His church.

He had been killed.

“I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My

church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it” (Matt

16:18).

The Apostles did not believe.

“When they saw Him, they worshiped Him; but some doubted” (Matt

28:17).

Pentecost was the beginning.

“As I began to speak, the Holy Spirit fell upon them, as upon us

at the beginning” (Acts 11:15).

What began at Pentecost?

Pentecost was the Beginning of the Age of

the Holy Spirit

That’s what Peter means in Acts 11.

“I remembered the word of the Lord, how He said, ‘John indeed

baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy

Spirit’” (Acts 11:16).

Jesus promised the Apostles that they would receive the Holy

Spirit.

“Behold, I send the Promise of My Father upon you; but tarry in the

city of Jerusalem until you are endued with power from on high”

(Luke 24:49).

“John truly baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the

Holy Spirit not many days from now” (Acts 1:5).

The Spirit is important in Acts 2.

Acts 2:1-4.

Peter’s message discusses the Holy Spirit at the beginning,

middle, and end.

“And it shall come to pass in the last days, says God, That I will

pour out of My Spirit on all flesh” (v 17).

“Being exalted to the right hand of God, and having received from

the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, He poured out this which

you now see and hear” (v 33).

“Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus

Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the

Holy Spirit” (v 38).

Pentecost was the Beginning of the

Proclamation of Jesus as the Christ

In the Gospels, Jesus told people not to tell that He is the

Christ.

An evil spirit: “I know who You are--the Holy One of God!” (Mk

1:24).

“He commanded them strictly that no one should know it” (Mk

5:43).

“He commanded them that they should tell no one” (Mk 7:36).

“He commanded them that they should tell no one the things

they had seen, till the Son of Man had risen from the dead” (Mk

9:9).

It’s called the “Messianic Secret,” but why would Jesus do

this?

Many suggestions.

People misunderstood what a Messiah was.

James & John wanting places of authority (Mk 10:37).

Peter.

“You are the Christ, the Son of the living God” (Matt 16:16).

“Then He commanded His disciples that they should tell no one that He

was Jesus the Christ” (Matt 16:20).

Jesus began to explain that the Messiah would suffer, die, and be

raised (v 20).

“Peter took Him aside and began to rebuke Him, saying, ‘Far be it from

You, Lord; this shall not happen to You!’” (Matt 16:22).

Jesus commissioned His Apostles to proclaim the Christ as

One who had suffered, died, and been raised.

Lk 24:46-48.

In Acts 2, the Apostles become witnesses of the Messiah’s

suffering, death, and resurrection.

“This Jesus God has raised up, of which we are all witnesses” (Acts

2:32).

“Let all the house of Israel know assuredly that God has made this

Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ” (Acts 2:36).

Pentecost was the Beginning of the

Preaching of the Gospel

“The Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles

by faith, preached the gospel to Abraham beforehand, saying,

‘In you all the nations shall be blessed’” (Gal 3:8).

Jesus had also preached the gospel of the kingdom in

preparation of the church’s establishment (Mk 1:14-15).

Now, at Pentecost, the gospel is preached in its fullness as an

accomplished fact.

Paul outlined the central facts of the gospel as Jesus’ death,

burial, resurrection, and post-resurrection appearances (1 Cor

15:1-5).

That is the message of Peter at Pentecost--he declares how

Jesus died, was buried, was raised, and appeared to him and

the other apostles.

Pentecost was the Beginning of the Offer of

Forgiveness in Jesus’ Name

Forgiveness did come before Pentecost.

“He, being full of compassion, forgave their iniquity, And did not

destroy them. Yes, many a time He turned His anger away, And

did not stir up all His wrath” (Ps 78:38).

Jesus had the power to forgive sins (Mk 1:1-12).

Clear connection between reception of the Holy Spirit by the

Apostles and the forgiveness of sins (Jn 20:21-23).

Pentecost saw the offer of forgiveness in Jesus’ name.

“Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of

Jesus Christ for the remission of sins” (Acts 2:38).

Pentecost was the Beginning of the New

Covenant

The new covenant began at the cross.

Eph 2:14-15.

Col 1:13-14.

Heb 9:16-17.

The terms of the covenant were not announced until

Pentecost.

Pentecost was the Beginning of a Gathered

Church

“Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing

them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy

Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have

commanded you” (Matt 28:19-20).

Same sequence in Acts 2:

“Those who gladly received his word were baptized; and that

day about three thousand souls were added to them” (Acts

2:41).

“They continued steadfastly in the apostles' doctrine and

fellowship” (Acts 2:42).

“Now all who believed were together, and had all things in

common” (Acts 2:44).

“It was that for a whole year they assembled with the church

and taught a great many people. And the disciples were first

called Christians in Antioch” (Acts 11:26).

Pentecost was the Beginning of Corporate

Worship

After Pentecost, the church began to worship together.

“They continued steadfastly in the apostles' doctrine and

fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayers” (Acts 2:42).

Acts 2:46-47.

www.preachinghelps.com