The Day Pentecost had Fully Come

Well, here we are on this great day of Pentecost as we turn our focus on to the fullness of it. The title of our message today is, When Pentecost Had Fully Come.

When Pentecost Had Fully Come. And we're going to turn once again to Acts chapter two to begin reading to set our foundation today. We're going to begin by reading verses 1 through 16. We had a great transitional sermon yesterday that transitions very well in today's message. Acts 2, we're gonna read verses 1 through 6, excuse me, 1 through 16. This will set the foundation for us. Luke's recording of the moment in which God would pour out his Spirit onto those who had gathered for the first Pentecost after Christ's resurrection. Christ was crucified and resurrected, returned back to earth to teach his disciples for some 40 days, 40 additional days. He had now ascended back to his father, which would then usher in this day where the Spirit would be poured out to those individuals in strengthening them, empowering them, giving them purpose, and even ushering in a sermon on this great day that we're gonna look at today. A sermon given by Peter. And we're gonna notice today that this great day begins with the Holy Spirit, and it ends with the Holy Spirit at the conclusion of Peter's sermon.

Quite remarkable. Here it is. Acts 2 beginning in verse 1, When the day of Pentecost had fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. Suddenly there came a sound from heaven as a rushing mighty wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. Then there appeared to them divided tongues as a fire, and one sat on each of them, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, other languages, as the Spirit gave them utterance. Verse 5, And there were dwelling in Jerusalem, Jews, devout men, from every nation under heaven. And when this sound occurred, the multitude came together, and they were confused, because everyone heard them speak in his own language. Then they were all amazed and marveled, saying to one, Look! Are not all these who speak Galileans? How is it that we hear each in our own language, in which we were born? Parthians, Medes, Elamites, those dwelling in Mesopotamia, Judea, Cappadocia, Pontius, and Asia, Phrygia, Pomphilia, Egypt, and parts of Libya, joined with Cyrene, visitors from Rome, both Jews and Proselytes, Cretans and Arabs. We hear them speaking in our own tongues the wonderful works of God.

So they were all amazed and perplexed, saying to one another, What ever could this mean? Others mocking, saying, Well, they were just full of new wine. But, verse 14, Peter, standing up with the eleven, raised his voice and said to them, Men of Judea, and all who dwell in Jerusalem, let this be known to you and heed my words. These are not drunk, as you suppose. It's only the third hour of the day, but this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel. Let's stop there. I'm sure Peter had a robust voice to be able to speak to such a crowd, being a fisherman, speaking boldly here, standing up with the eleven, it says, now delivering this incredible Pentecost sermon, if you will, which begins right at this point where we stopped. This incredible event. And again, our purpose today is simple. It's to allow this event, to allow the preceding sermon from Peter, to encourage us to stand, encourage us to stand up for Jesus Christ, just as Peter stood, just as the eleven stood. And we're gonna see that all of this that we're gonna delve into today, it all is dependent upon the remarkable and essential Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit powers it all, makes it all possible. It made it all possible then, it makes it all possible today. We're gonna see that the Holy Spirit gave them understanding, it gave them clarity, it gave them courage, even gave them the techniques to use as they went out to preach the Good News. Again, all of this dependent upon the Holy Spirit, which was made available to them. Let's get started here. Now, there's several places we could start, but perhaps the most immediate aspect to recognize is this standing and this subsequent sermon to see that it is coming from, in a remarkable way, Peter. Peter, who just a few weeks earlier actually stood in denial of any knowledge of Jesus Christ himself. So while he's standing strong and affirming here in this moment, we know Peter also stands in the course of human history as the classic denier of Jesus Christ. A denier of Jesus at a time of most essential need. So right here at the get-go, we acknowledge that this one who is standing in this moment. And we can't be too hard on Peter.

You know, the Gospel writer tells us that while he is perhaps the most notorious denier, you know, denying Christ and the rooster crows and remarkable scene, we also know, and the Gospel writers tell us, that the other 11 deny Jesus as well.

They didn't stand up for Jesus at all. They all fled after his crucifixion. So again, in giving ourselves to this moment, right here at the outset, we acknowledge that one of the greatest aspects to note as we come to this moment and this sermon when Peter stands with the 11 is to acknowledge they are now standing in one accord, but it only is as a result of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit makes this possible. We shouldn't think that somehow or another we get the order mixed up, where we have Peter and the 11 themselves getting themselves together, you know, getting the right kind of thinking, standing, giving this sermon, and then God gives them the Holy Spirit.

No, no, that would be getting it in and out of order, right? But again, in actual fact, it is the pouring out of the gift of the Holy Spirit. It is that gift which would bring forth this standing here and clarity here. It's the gift of the Holy Spirit which would give them the ability to accomplish all they needed to accomplish. That's how remarkable the Spirit is today. I hope you come away from this study today just having a greater love for the power that God makes available to us. But the order was first the Spirit and that given the enabling here, because we can actually, in just very short order, read about what was occurring prior to the Holy Spirit being made available to them.

Keep your marker here. Just turn back one chapter to Acts 1 verse 3. Very quickly, it's not hidden. We can see where Peter and the disciples were in their thinking. Acts 1 verse 3, we see that again Jesus presented himself alive after many sufferings by many infallible proofs. Acts 1 verse 3, seen by them for 40 days, speaking of things of the kingdom of God here. But we know that they still haven't put it together. Even after these 40 days.

Allow your eyes to go down to verse 6. We see just prior to the Pentecost event in chapter 2 that chapter 1 verse 6, when these same guys came together, this same group, they asked the Lord, verse 6, Lord, will you at this time restore the kingdom to Israel? You see? So confusion, lack of understanding in the moment's right leading up to that remarkable Pentecost event.

So again, greater appreciation for the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit makes possible all the in all of our understanding, all of our clarity. It gives us our purpose. And we're gonna see today, it even gives us our technique, our technique in accomplishing what we need to accomplish. Because in verse 7 and 8, Jesus Christ explains this very thing, that the Holy Spirit will make this possible. Look at verse 7 here in staying in chapter 1. He said, it's not for you to know the times and seasons for which the Father has put into his own authority. And then here it is, verse 8, but you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you.

And then, we could add, then you shall be witnesses to me in Jerusalem and in all of Judea and Samaria and to the end of the earth. Let's stop there. So, very clear, Jesus explains, all this that you're gonna go forward and do, it's only gonna be made possible by the empowering of the Holy Spirit. That's what's gonna make it possible. He is saying the kingdom is going to come. You're wondering when all this is gonna get wrapped up. Well, the kingdom is gonna come by those who will witness of Christ. And in case there's no misunderstanding, that witnessing will be powered by the Holy Spirit.

That's how the kingdom is going to be ushered in. Gentlemen, he says to them. So, all of the lack of clarity in their minds, along with their purpose to be a witness to the ends of the earth, is resolved and accomplished by the Holy Spirit, which comes to them on the day of Pentecost.

And also, the Spirit also accomplishes strengthening their shaky knees. The Spirit removed all fear from them, allowed them to stand on that day of Pentecost. And it gives us the additional help that they needed. So be applying this to yourself today. What does this mean to you and I today? Likewise, likewise, it is the pouring out of God's Spirit which gives you and I today more understanding, more clarity, being able to put the pieces together, more strength, less fear, and even establishes our purpose to be witnesses to the ends of the earth until the kingdom comes.

That's what it's all about. The Spirit does that. So, when's the last time you and I prayed, God, renewing me this Spirit, give me an extra measure so I can accomplish and I can understand better and I can have my purpose before me.

This all came. This all came. And Peter was really the one where this dramatic impact was just coming together for him, this fisherman who just a few moments, weeks earlier, was denying Jesus out of fear, is now standing up and giving this Pentecost sermon with full clarity and authority here.

This is the impact. And this is our purpose. So it's no surprise that the first dramatic impact of the pouring out of the Spirit is the standing up and the preaching of the Good News of the coming kingdom of God by Peter.

And I said, you know, in passing, the Spirit also gives us techniques, helps us to be effective in our being a witness of these things. And, wow, do you see the effective skill that the Spirit gave Peter in this sermon. Turn back to Acts 2, if you will. What is remarkable is that Peter stands and he just doesn't give just any words. He's very skillful and he gives what is essentially a biblical exposition here.

And he's able to tell them what has occurred and he's able to tell them how they should respond. Incredible skills here that the Spirit gave him. And in case I failed to say it later, this is what teaches us. This is going to give us our skills and what we should be looking to hone with God's Spirit in us.

It's an incredible sermon here. And what is very clear when he begins to give this sermon is the technique of giving the Bible. Giving the Bible. And that should be our technique as well. If you ever wonder, what do I say in those moments when I have an opportunity to give the hope that lies within me? Give them the Bible. Give them the Bible. What do you mean by that? Well, you'll notice that Peter stands up, he addresses the drunkenness, I think, in a humorous way there. Verse 15. But then you'll notice immediately in verse 16, he turns them to their Bibles. And he says, but this, what you're seeing, this is what was spoken about by the prophet Joel. Let's stop there. This is what was spoken about by the prophet Joel. This is his technique. He refers them to their Bibles, if you will, to scripture that they knew, their Bibles at the time, you know. And he's about, and then later on he's gonna refer them to the Psalms and the writings of David. This is the witness technique that comes forward immediately by the power of the Holy Spirit, so we need to put this into our skill set as well. And he's able to use a very effective phrase here. He says, this is that which was spoken about by the prophet Joel. This, which you're seeing, is that. Very helpful phrase there. This is that. And he begins to explain that the present events on the Pentecost of that day is actually was spoken about by the Old Testament prophets, who no doubt probably only understood partially. You know, I always wonder if the prophets in writing in the Old just had to pause and ask themselves, I wonder who's this, who is this gonna be? Who's gonna come on to the scene and fulfill all that God's inspiring me to write down? They must have been wondering that. Well, there's no longer a need for search to continue. Joel says, this is Jesus to whom they spoke and the time is now. Again, verse 16, this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel. Verse 17, and it shall come to pass in the last days that God said he would pour out his spirit on all flesh. So again, Peter says this is actually the fulfillment of what Joel wrote about way back then. And they knew their Bibles. They knew the Scriptures, the Old Testament Scriptures. So this is, we should receive this kind of technique here. It's very effective when we're being a witness here to have the ability to connect current events with the Bible, with the Old Testament, with the New Testament. And we can actually say this phrase, well, you know what you're seeing today out on the world scene? It was actually spoken about in your Bibles. You know, very effective technique here. And in the last days, this really just refers to now this moment that's taking place to the time in which Jesus Christ will return and will usher in these things from the Pentecost event to the time we look forward to Christ's return.

And in this period of time, it has been said that God will pour out his spirit on all flesh. So this is what Joel spoke about. We're in that period of time now, and he was saying to them, Peter was saying to them, it's now beginning. This is the time in which God's gonna do that. Pour out his flesh, pour out his spirit on all flesh. Okay, what does that mean? We could ask. Most interpretations in the mainstream Christian circles would say, yes, all flesh. God's making his spirit available to all flesh, all people. But does it mean that? Does it mean that? Does it mean that what's being fulfilled here is that God is now going to pour out his spirit onto everyone, irrespective of their calling or readiness to receive this gift? Is that... is God just indiscriminately pouring out his spirit onto everyone? Well, no, no. Doesn't mean that. It surely could not mean that God is indiscriminately pouring out his spirit on everyone, irrespective of any call or any inward readiness. Rather, the truth is, this means all people, everyone, irrespective of their outward status. Okay?

I'm gonna pour out my spirit. Joel was prophesying. Peter's repeating. I'm gonna pour out my spirit onto all people. Not all people, everyone, but all kinds of people. Jews, Gentiles, young, old, servants, masters. That's the significance of what's taking place here. And this is a dramatic shift from all that's gone before. Look at continuing here. Second part of verse 17 into 18. 17 into 18. Your sons and your daughters shall prophesy. Your young men shall see visions. Your old men shall dream dreams. And on my men's servants and on my maidservants, I will pour out my spirit in those days. And they shall prophesy, says. Stop there. So, as a result of the fulfillment of this prophecy of Joel, all of the sons and daughters of God will have access to God, and their minds will be opened to understanding of what God is doing.

And that'll be made possible by the Spirit. You know, if you go back to the Old Testament, we know that by and large, God only worked with certain individuals, right? To whom he entrusted to give visions, to give special dreams. You might think of Daniel and such.

Well, now Peter's saying that which was only unique to certain individuals in the Old Testament, whereby they could, certain individuals could have that personal relationship and understanding with God, that knowledge, that's no longer going to be the unique experience of some.

Rather, on this tremendous Pentecost event, the awareness now of God is going to be made available on a wider scale. That's what's occurring here. And I'm going to grant all my people a full knowledge of me, and I'm going to do so by the outpouring of my spirit. And it's going to bring the Word of God to their hearts, and I'm going to bring the truth home to the Lord.

To my people, so that they can have a personal relationship with me.

And they're going to prophesy, he says. You know, in a sense, we all have the ability to prophesy.

Is that a true statement? With the ability of the Holy Spirit, could we say that we all have the ability to prophesy? Yes, in a sense. Let me explain. You know, we all have the ability, empowered by the Holy Spirit, to read and to interpret and to communicate the prophecies of the Bible. And in that way, if we are taking the prophetic word from the Bible, and with the Holy Spirit we're able to interpret it, and able to verbalize it, and then put it forth in being a witness, we could say that we all have that ability.

Right? We all have that ability in that way to prophesy. So prophesying doesn't always refer to God revealing new spiritual knowledge of future events. Prophesying can also be empowered by the Holy Spirit to be able to understand prophetic books of the Bible, and be able to explain it, and to communicate it to others. So as you are being your witness to the end of the earth, empowered by the Holy Spirit, what are you going to do? You are going to say, this is that. And empowered by the Holy Spirit, you're going to be able to reach back, grab on to those prophecies—Daniel, Revelation, you name it—and you're going to be able to bring a proper interpretation of those prophecies today, and put it forth so that they can apply it to their lives today. And in that way, we will all be able to give prophecy. We'll all be prophesying in that way. You see, quite a privilege. And I think I can communicate on behalf of all of us, not possible without the Holy Spirit. And that's the point that I want to keep coming back to.

All this is made possible by God. It's not of our own doing. It's an incredible gift by the Holy Spirit to give us this technique, to give us understanding here. Amazing.

Now, in verse 19 and 20, as we proceed here in Peter's—in this recording here of Acts, Acts 20, verse 19 and 20, it speaks of signs and blood and fire and sun and the moon and so on.

I will show you verse 19, in heaven above, signs in the earth beneath, blood and fire and vapor of smoke. Verse 20, the sun shall be turned to darkness, the moon into blood, before the coming of the great and awesome day of the Lord. So, let's stop there. So, we lean on the Holy Spirit for understanding this apocalyptic language, right? Describing the cataclysmic events before the day of the Lord here. I don't know how many would have understood, you know, full knowledge of this is pointing to the events before the day of the Lord. Perhaps the Spirit did give them some understanding at this time, but they would have actually had some connection with these words, because you'll remember some seven weeks earlier, they had witnessed some of these things. When Christ was crucified, what happened? Well, the sun turned to darkness, the earth quaked, and so forth.

So, they would have been able to connect in some way. Yeah, well, we know we have a measure now of experience of what that will be like prior to the day of the Lord.

Those supernatural events. It's interesting to think about the context and how they would have interpreted these things here, but I think Peter is really getting to the main point of his sermon when he comes to verse 21. Here it is, verse 21. And it shall come to pass that whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved. Shall be saved. Those are beautiful words there, right?

Whoever calls upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. We all want to be saved, right? So, we all want to call upon the Lord, as it says here. Now, keep in mind, as we read verse 21, most people at this time were still thinking in nationalistic terms. They were still thinking in Jewish terms, if you will. Remember, we're just days from when they were asking about restoring the kingdom, right, to Israel, from asking, when will you restore the kingdom of God to Israel? So, this was still a mind-stretching notion that it was going to mean that this was going to be available to all peoples, all kinds of peoples. This was going to be open to.

This is the promise of salvation, regardless of nationality. So, their mind is being brought to the awesomeness of what this pouring out of the Spirit meant. Whoever calls upon the Lord shall be saved. Simply stated, God makes a promise to the individuals that if they will respond individually to God's call—it doesn't matter their nationality—if they respond to God's call, they can experience this saving relationship. The Savior can be known to them, and they can enter into this saving relationship in this way. Again, regardless of nationality, God reaches out to individuals. The individuals respond, and they commit themselves to Christ.

And then salvation is opened to them, and that saving relationship, which will be ushered in in its fullness at Christ's return, when all these apocalyptic events happen before the day of the Lord, and Christ returns. Now, let me just say, in passing, many well-meaning—well-meaning—mainstream Christian ministers will really make a mockery out of this verse in this teaching. They take this verse, and they incorrectly interpret it to mean, if you just raise your hand, if you call upon the Lord—some of them, you know, have that alter call or whatever it is that they do when they come to the stage, you know, whatever it may be—they say incorrectly, erroneously, if you just simply and solely call upon the Lord, accept Him as your personal Savior, that's it, they will say. But we, empowered by the Holy Spirit to be able to discern and know truth, we know that it is God who does the calling, and is God who reaches out for this relationship to a first fruit harvest of men and women. God does that. And when God calls, He draws the man or woman, pricks their hearts, and begins to work with them with the Holy Spirit.

And then, anyone who calls and responds to that call, they will begin the process of working out their salvation. But God, the Lord, initiates this. In fact, Peter addresses this just a little bit further down in his sermon. If you just allow your eyes to go down for a moment to verse 39.

Verse 39, here in chapter 2, verse 39, this promise of the Holy Spirit is to you, he writes, and to your children this calling, and to all who are far off, as many as the Lord our God will call.

There's the truth. So we see who's doing the initiating here, who's doing the call.

And again, it shall come to pass. Verse 21, then, in its proper context, whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved. So those who respond to the Lord's call dedicate their life. Peter's going to, in just a moment away, or too away, to expound on this, to say there's action needed. In that response, you're going to have to repent. You're going to have to turn. You're going to have to be baptized and receive what? The Spirit which makes all this possible. We already established that, you see. So we're just a moment or two away from Peter bringing those who were receiving the Spirit on that day deeper understanding of what it means to call upon the Lord, which will eventually lead to saving, leading them to a Savior.

Now, in leading to that understanding, Peter wants to first and foremost bring them to the one who is their Savior. Look at verse 22 through 24. Verse 22 through 24.

Men of Israel. This is an incredible sermon here. Hear these words, he says, Peter. Jesus, he begins there. He's our Savior. He makes it possible for us to receive the Holy Spirit.

Jesus attested by God to you by miracles, wonders, signs which God has done through him in your midst, as you yourself also know, him being delivered by the determined purpose and foreknowledge of God. He you have taken by lawless hands. You have crucified and put him to death, whom God raised up, having been loosed to the pains of death, because it was not possible that he should be held by it. Let's stop there. Incredible technique here. Don't ever fail to, at some point, if the Spirit leads you to bring Jesus Christ into the conversation.

He is the Savior. We have to bring men and women to whom God is calling to their Savior.

That's our purpose. This is what Peter's doing here. And he's the one through lawless hands, he says, lawless hands. So he's bringing the law into their teaching, into their knowledge here.

He is the one, yes, he was a wonderful individual, but through miracles, wonders, and signs.

But that's not what's most important. He is also the one to whom was with God and the foreknowledge of God, who was with God, who was raised by God, and now sits at the right hand of God.

He is the one to whom you crucified, he says.

And this was all by the foreknowledge of God here. But that foreknowledge doesn't release them from the responsibility, right? For ordination, foreknowledge of Christ's death, doesn't lessen the guilt of the responsible. We're still culpable for his death. We all have our part in our lawlessness.

So Peter is not pulling any punches here. Again, empowered by the Spirit. I encourage you after this study to go back and take a look. How can I bring this into my vocabulary? What prophecies do I need to know better so I can bring them into the current? This is that. How can I verbalize two men and women when I have an opportunity? Jesus Christ, and he is their Savior, and they have their part through their lawless hands. Lawlessness. How can I bring this sermon into my life and to be able to express it to others? And he gives the story of the crucifixion.

We may be tempted to skip this part. I've got to tell you, most mainstream Christians have skipped this part. They get to the smooth things that are smoother through their ears.

We preach Christ crucified. How else will they know they need a Savior unless they know they need to be saved? Right? They're dead in their trespasses and their lawlessness.

So, we do want to bring the offensive part of the gospel to men and women. This offensive part, the crucifixion of Christ, so that they can see the amazing love and grace of God.

It's a wonderful sermon by Peter here. I hope you glean from this, and we can study it more and more here. Now, Peter once again makes use of the Bible, the known Bible to them at that time. Verses 25 through 29, for your notes, Peter is quoting from Psalm 16. So, verses 25 through 29, Peter's quoting from Psalm 16, and he says, for David says concerning Jesus, verse 25, I foresaw the Lord always before my face, for he is at my right hand, that I may not be shaken. Therefore, my heart rejoiced and my tongue was glad. Moreover, my flesh also will rest in hope, and you will not leave my soul in the grave in Hades. Nor will you allow your holy one to see corruption. You have made known to me the ways of life. You will make me full of joy in your presence. Verse 29, men and brethren, let me speak freely to you, Peter says, of the patriarch David, that he is both dead and buried, and his tomb is with us to this day. Let's stop there. So again, this is the technique, this is that. He's referring to that technique there. And so, we do want to speak about the fact that God did not leave Jesus Christ in the grave. He raised him up, resurrected him. There are so many, even in Christian circles, that doubt the fact that Jesus Christ was resurrected from the grave, from death. It's amazing the, quote, spirituality that we're combating out there. So we got to get our facts straight. Jesus Christ was raised from the dead. And in fact, he's at the right hand here.

This is that.

So, referring back to the Psalms. So we need to have a command of the Psalms here.

Now, Peter tells him that David was a prophet that knew God had promised him the one, that one of his descendants would be on God's throne. That's revealed to us in verse 30 through 36. Peter continues speaking about David. Therefore, being a prophet and knowing God has sworn with an oath to him that the fruit, that of the fruit of his body, his descendants, according to the flesh, that he would raise up Christ to sit on the throne. And foreseeing this spoke concerning the resurrection of Christ, that his soul was not left in Hades, nor did his flesh see corruption.

This Jesus, God has raised up, of which we are all witnesses. Therefore, being exalted to the right hand of God, having received from their Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, he has poured out this, which you now see and hear. Amazing! This is from Psalm 110 for your notes. This section here is referring to Psalm 110 there. Just amazing! Again, he's explaining this. What you see is that which David spoke of in the Psalms there. Again, remarkable sermon by Peter here. So many things to glean here in our becoming a witness for God. We have access to the same promised Holy Spirit, which raised Jesus Christ from the dead. It's a remarkable power.

Well, as we now near the end of Peter's sermon, perhaps we'll notice one final aspect here.

Perhaps most essential, the essential aspect of this whole chapter here is found in verse 37.

This is toward the end of Peter's sermon, empowered by the Spirit. Verse 37, he concludes with this great dramatic moment, standing, the sermon, giving the sermon. Verse 37, now when they heard this, they were cut to the heart, and they said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, men and brethren, what shall we do? Let's stop there for a moment. You'll know you're being an effective disciple for God the Father and Jesus Christ if you get this kind of response from the men and women to whom you have influence with and correspond with.

You'll notice so often we might try to put forth the appeal, this is what you should do.

Maybe hold back a little bit. Maybe the technique is to draw out this appeal from them.

You will know you're being an effective servant of God and an effective witness is when you get this response, well, what shall I do? What shall we do? Tell me, what can I do?

This is what we have. So add that to your technique. Don't just manipulate or force the response. Let it come from their heart as the Holy Spirit perhaps is working with them.

Awesome. What shall we do?

So we should pray for this kind of response within those that we have influence with and to whom God's calling.

What shall we do? What am I supposed to do? And here's the answer. Have this ready. Ask God to allow you to put it in a way that can be easy to understand to the person to whom you're speaking.

Peter says, verse 38, repent, turn, 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.

For the promise is to you and your children and to all those who are far off as many as the Lord our God will call. So this is what we tell them. This is the response to what shall we do.

Turn around. Change of heart. You have to flip your life around. You have to change.

You have to turn from self and turn to God. That means you're going to have to find out about who He is. Find out about the relationship guidelines. Find out of how you can love Him so that you can turn to those ways. Oh, and essential in this process is to be baptized. Follow that example of Jesus Christ and the others in the Bible so that you may receive the Holy Spirit. And that'll be the beginning of being able to accomplish all that you need to accomplish as we are here in the last days.

This is the time. If not now, when? We're already in the last days. We're told that.

This is the wonderful story that we have to tell here. And boy, was it powerful. And boy, did it make an impact. As you go on through the books of Acts, you see thousands upon thousands were called and brought into the church. God's fold, His people. So this is the dramatic effect that Peter had, and it's the dramatic effect that you and I can have today. So, in conclusion, in conclusion, as Peter has concluded here, this powerful sermon, may we take these words from this Pentecost event and this Spirit-inspired sermon to have a renewed understanding, a renewed energy, a renewed purpose, to what caused us to stand like Peter in the 11th, to bear witness to Jesus Christ. For this is the day Pentecost had fully come.