Introduction:

1. We recently saw the long-awaited kingdom of God had come near.

2. Jesus promised to build His church and open the kingdom (Matthew 16:18-19), and today we see these promises come to fruition.

Discussion:

I. The Spirit Poured Out

A. In Luke 24:44-49, Jesus prepared His apostles for the kingdom.

1. All the misdeeds against Him fulfilled the whole of the OT.

2. Repentance and remission of sins would be granted to all.

3. They were to await the promise of the Father in Jerusalem (cf. John 14:16-17; 15:26; 16:12-15; Joel 2:28-32).

B. In Acts 2:1-13, the Holy Spirit came upon them, and the events elicited a mixed response from the crowd.

C. In Acts 2:14-21, Peter argued that Joel’s prophecy was being fulfilled in their presence.

D. The result of this outpouring was that God’s salvation would now be open to all who embraced His name/authority (Acts 2:21; 22:16).

II. Jesus Is Lord and Christ

A. Peter used these events to prove Jesus was the Christ they awaited.

1. God had confirmed Jesus’ divine origin with signs which they could not deny (Acts 2:22; cf. John 3:2; 5:36-37; 11:45-48).

2. The greatest proof was His resurrection, a fact which David foretold long before (Acts 2:23-35; Romans 1:4; Psalms 16:8-11).

3. For this Peter declared that Jesus is Lord and Christ (2:36).

B. Realizing they had killed God’s anointed, their broken hearts sought redemption and reconciliation (Acts 2:37).

C. Put another way, they called on the name (authority) of the Lord.

III. The Kingdom’s Gates Opened

A. In response to their query, Peter gave the terms of entry into the newly established kingdom of God (Acts 2:38).

B. Those who received (accepted) his words were baptized and added to the church (Acts 2:40-41, 47).

C. Those so added began a new life in keeping with the teachings and practices of the Lord’s apostles (Acts 2:42-47; cf. Romans 6:4)

D. The Lord gave proof that the apostles were His ambassadors through the signs they did (Acts 1:8; 2:43; Mark 16:17-20; Hebrews 2:1-4).

E. All who obey the gospel are delivered from the power of darkness and placed in the kingdom of Christ (Colossians 1:13).

1. Our premillennial neighbors made a grave miscalculation in claiming Christ could not establish His kingdom because the Jews rejected Him.

2. The kingdom came, and its current manifestation on earth is the church.

3. Next time we will consider some rich terms used to describe His church.