"ACTS OF THE APOSTLES"
Chapter Two
OBJECTIVES IN STUDYING THIS CHAPTER
1) To carefully consider the events surrounding the outpouring of the
Spirit on the day of Pentecost
2) To examine Peter's first gospel sermon, and the evidence presented in
it for the resurrection of Jesus Christ
3) To observe the response to the sermon, and what people were told to
do in order to be saved
4) To note the establishment and characteristics of the church in
Jerusalem
SUMMARY
Ten days after Jesus ascended to heaven, on the Jewish feast day of
Pentecost, the Holy Spirit is poured out as promised. With the sound of
a rushing mighty wind, and with tongues of fire appearing above their
heads, those filled with the Holy Spirit begin to speak in other tongues
(1-4). Devout Jews visiting from other countries are attracted and
amazed as they hear wonderful works of God proclaimed in their own
languages (5-13).
Peter, standing with the rest of the apostles, explains that what has
happened is a fulfillment of Joel's prophecy (Joel 2:28-32), who
foretold that God would pour out His Spirit in the last days (14-21).
He then preaches Jesus of Nazareth to the crowd, reminding them of His
miracles, their involvement in His death, and proclaiming that God
raised Him from the dead. As proof for the resurrection, Peter offers
three lines of evidence: 1) the prophecy by David, who foretold of the
resurrection (Ps 16:8-11); 2) the twelve apostles as witnesses; 3)
the Spirit's outpouring itself , indicative of Christ's exaltation and
reception of the promise of the Spirit from the Father. In conclusion,
Peter pronounces that God has made Jesus, whom they crucified, both Lord
and Christ (22-36).
Cut to the heart, the people ask the apostles what they should do.
Peter commands them to repent and be baptized for the remission of sins
and gift of the Holy Spirit. With many other words he exhorts them to
be saved, and about 3000 souls gladly receive his word and are baptized
(37-41).
Thus begins the church in Jerusalem, which continues steadfastly in the
apostles' doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of bread and prayers.
Signs and wonders are done by the apostles, while the believers display
their love and devotion through acts of benevolence and frequent
worship. They enjoy the favor of the people, and the Lord adds to the
church daily those being saved (42-47).
OUTLINE
I. THE OUTPOURING OF THE SPIRIT (1-4)
A. ON THE DAY OF PENTECOST (1)
1. A Jewish holiday, also known as the Feast of Weeks and Feast of
Harvest, one of three great annual festivals (cf. Lev 23:15-22;
Exo 23:14-18; 34:22)
2. Fifty days after the Passover Sabbath, i.e., Sunday
3. They, most likely the apostles (cf. Ac 1:11,26; 2:7,14), were
gathered in one place
B. WITH AUDIBLE AND VISUAL SIGNS (2-3)
1. A sound from heaven
a. As of a rushing mighty wind
b. Filling the house where they were sitting
2. Divided tongues
a. As of fire
b. One upon each one of them
C. FILLED WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT (4)
1. Speaking with other tongues (known languages, cf. Ac 2:8,11)
2. As the Spirit gave them utterance
II. THE REACTION OF THE CROWD (5-13)
A. CONFUSED AND AMAZED (5-11)
1. The crowd made up of devout Jews visiting from other nations
2. The effect of what they heard
a. Drew the multitude together
b. Confused them, for everyone heard them speaking in their own
language
c. Amazed and marveled them, for those speaking were Galileans
d. Yet were hearing languages of the countries of their birth
1) Parthians, Medes, Elamites, dwellers in Mesopotamia
2) Judea, Cappadocia, Pontus, Asia, Phrygia, Pamphylia
3) Egypt, Libya, Cyrene, Rome
4) Both Jews and proselytes, Cretans and Arabs
3. Hearing in their languages the wonderful works of God
B. TWO RESPONSES (12-13)
1. One of serious questioning: "Whatever could this mean?"
2. One of mockery: "They are full of new wine."
III. THE EXPLANATION BY PETER (14-21)
A. THEY WERE NOT DRUNK (14-15)
1. Standing up with the eleven, Peter addresses the crowd
2. It was too early in the day ("third hour", i.e., 9 a.m.) for
them to be drunk
B. THE FULFILLMENT OF JOEL'S PROPHECY (16-21)
1. The events were those prophesied by Joel (cf. Joel 2:28-32)
2. Which foretold of the outpouring of the Spirit
a. In the last days on all flesh
b. Leading sons and daughters to prophesy, young men to see
visions, and old men to dream dreams
c. With signs and wonders in heaven above and earth beneath
before the coming of the great and awesome day of the Lord
d. With salvation to those who call upon the name of the Lord
IV. THE SERMON BY PETER (22-36)
A. PROPOSITION: GOD RAISED JESUS FROM THE DEAD (22-24)
1. Jesus, a man attested to by miracles, signs and wonders
a. Done by God in their midst
b. Which they themselves knew
2. Jesus, crucified and put to death
a. According to the determined purpose and foreknowledge of God
b. Which they did by lawless hands (via the Romans)
3. Jesus, whom God raised from the dead
a. Having loosed the pains of death
b. For it was not possible that He should be held by it
B. EVIDENCE: THREEFOLD TESTIMONY (25-35)
1. The testimony of David
a. For David prophesied of Jesus (cf. Ps 16:8-11)
b. David could not be speaking of himself
1) For he was dead and buried
2) With his tomb for all to see
c. But spoke as a prophet
1) He knew that God had sworn with an oath that one of his
descendants would be raised to sit on his throne
2) He therefore spoke of the resurrection of Christ, whose
soul was not left in Hades nor did His flesh see
corruption
2. The testimony of the apostles
a. They were witnesses
b. That God raised Jesus
3. The testimony of the Spirit's outpouring
a. Jesus poured forth what they saw and heard
1) Having been exalted to the right hand of God
2) Having received from the Father the promise of the Holy
Spirit
b. For David did not ascend into the heavens, but prophesied of
the Lord (Ps 110:1)
1) Who would sit at God's right hand
2) Until His enemies became His footstool (cf. 1Co 15:
25-26)
C. CONCLUSION: JESUS IS LORD AND CHRIST (36)
1. All the house of Israel were to "know assuredly" (i.e., believe
with all their hearts)
2. That God made Jesus, whom they crucified, both Lord and Christ
V. THE CONVERSION OF 3000 SOULS (37-41)
A. THE RESPONSE OF THE LISTENERS (37)
1. They were cut to the heart
2. They said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, "Men and
brethren, what shall we do?"
B. THE REPLY BY PETER (38-39)
1. Two commands
a. Repent
b. Let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ
2. Two promises
a. For the remissions of sins
b. You shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit
3. The extent of the promise
a. To them and their children
b. To all who afar off, as many as the Lord will call
C. THE RESULTS RECORDED BY LUKE (40-41)
1. After Peter with many other words testified and exhorted them:
"Be saved from this perverse generation"
2. Those who gladly receive his word were baptized
3. That day about 3000 were added (cf. Ac 2:47)
VI. THE BEGINNING OF THE CHURCH (42-47)
A. THEIR STEADFASTNESS AND REVERENCE (42-43)
1. They continued steadfastly in:
a. The apostles' doctrine and fellowship
b. The breaking of bread and prayers
2. Fear came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were done
through the apostles
B. THEIR CHARITY AND GROWTH (44-47)
1. Those who believed were together and had all things in common
a. Those with possessions and goods sold them
b. Dividing them among all according to their need
2. They continued daily with one accord in the temple
3. Breaking bread from house to house, eating with gladness and
simplicity of heart
4. Praising God and having favor with all the people
5. The Lord added to the church daily those who were being saved
REVIEW QUESTIONS FOR THE CHAPTER
1) What are the main points of this chapter?
- The outpouring of the Spirit (1-4)
- The reaction of the crowd (5-13)
- The explanation by Peter (14-21)
- The sermon by Peter (22-36)
- The conversion of 3000 souls (37-41)
- The beginning of the church (42-47)
2) What day had arrived? Who was gathered in one place? (1)
- The Day of Pentecost; "they" (most likely the apostles, cf. Ac
1:26; 2:7,14)
3) What audible and visible signs were evidence of the Spirit's
outpouring? (2-3)
- The sound of a mighty rushing wind filling the house where they
were sitting
- Divided tongues, as of fire, one sitting upon each of them
4) What did those filled with Spirit begin to do? (4)
- To speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance
5) Who was present in Jerusalem at that time? (5)
- Devout Jews from every nation
6) What indicates that the "tongues" were known languages of men? (6,11)
- Everyone heard them speak in his own language
- The people said, "We hear them speaking in our own tongues..."
7) What evidence is that those speaking were only the apostles? (7)
- Those speaking were Galileans (which was true of the apostles,
whereas many disciples were from other regions besides Galilee)
8) What was the reaction of those who heard? (7,12-13)
- They were amazed and marveled, they were perplexed, some even
mocked
9) How did Peter and the eleven discount the charge that they were
drunk? (14-15)
- It was only the third hour of the day (9 a.m.)
10) To what does Peter attribute the events of that day? (16)
- That which was spoken by the prophet Joel
11) When would the events described by Joel occur? (17)
- In the last days
12) Upon whom would the Spirit be poured out? (17,18)
- All flesh
- God's menservants and maidservants
13) What did Joel prophesy would be some of the effects of the Spirit's
outpouring? (17-18)
- Sons and daughters shall prophesy (cf. Ac 21:8-9)
- Young men shall see visions and old men shall dream dreams
- God's menservants and maidservants shall prophesy (cf. 1Co 11:5)
14) What other events were foretold by Joel? When would they occur?
(19-20)
- Wonders in heaven and signs in the earth
- The sun turned into darkness, and the moon into blood
- Before the coming of the great and awesome day of the Lord
15) What reassuring promise was made by Joel? (21)
- Whoever calls upon the name of the LORD shall be saved
16) How was Jesus attested to by God? (22)
- By miracles, wonders, and signs which He did through Him
17) Could the audience deny that Jesus did these signs? (22)
- No, for they were done in their midst and they were aware of them
18) Though crucified by lawless hands, according to what was Jesus'
death? (23)
- God's predetermined purpose and foreknowledge
19) What is the main proposition of Peter's sermon? (24)
- God raised Jesus from the dead
20) What first line of evidence did Peter present to prove his
proposition? (25-31)
- The prophecy of David concerning the resurrection of the Christ
21) How was Peter able to prove that David did not speak of himself?
(29,34)
- David was dead and buried, the tomb was still there
- David did not ascend into the heavens
22) What two prophecies of David did Peter reference? (25-29,34-35)
- Psalms 16:8-11; 110:1
23) What second line of evidence did Peter present to prove his
proposition? (32)
- The apostles were witnesses of the resurrection
24) What third line of evidence did Peter present to prove his
proposition? (33-33)
- The outpouring of the Spirit, indicative of being exalted to the
right hand of God and having received from the Father the promise
of the Holy Spirit
25) What did Peter want his audience to know assuredly? (36)
- That God has made Jesus, whom they crucified, both Lord and Christ
26) How did this impact the audience? What did they ask? (37)
- They were cut to the heart; "Men and brethren, what shall we do?"
27) What two commands did Peter give them? (38)
- Repent and be baptized
28) What two promises did Peter offer them? (38)
- Remission of sins and the gift of the Holy Spirit
29) To whom was the promise offered? (39)
- To them and their children, and to all who are afar off, as many as
God would call
30) What else did Peter say? (40)
- With many words he testified, and exhorted them, "Be saved from
this perverse generation"
31) What did those who gladly received his word do? How many? (41)
- They were baptized; about 3000
32) What did those who were baptized then do? (42)
- Continued steadfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, in
the breaking of bread and in prayers
33) Who were doing many wonders and signs? (43)
- The apostles
34) What did those who believe do with their possessions? (44-45)
- Sold them and shared with one another as anyone had need
35) What did the disciples do during those first days of the early
church in Jerusalem? (46-47)
- Continued daily in the temple with one accord
- Breaking bread from house to house, eating with gladness and
simplicity of heart
- Praising God and having favor with all the people
36) What did the Lord do during those days? (47)
- Added to the church daily those who were being saved
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Executable Outlines, Copyright © Mark A. Copeland, 2009
