Journey Through Acts

Lesson 8

Acts 2:14-21

The Last Days

1. Preaching
   1. It is central to the mission of the church.
      1. There are some many different activities a church can get involved in.
      2. The list is endless.
      3. But when come to the early church preaching was the central mission of the church.
      4. I’m not against any of those activities unless they interfere with preaching.
      5. That hour is sacred.
   2. We see this with Peter and this new church.
      1. Acts 2:14 (NIV) — 14 Then Peter stood up with the Eleven, raised his voice and addressed the crowd: “Fellow Jews and all of you who live in Jerusalem, let me explain this to you; listen carefully to what I say.
      2. This is a “Thus says the Lord”
      3. Acts 4:2 (NIV) — 2 They were greatly disturbed because the apostles were teaching the people, proclaiming in Jesus the resurrection of the dead.
      4. Acts 4:2 (NKJV) — 2 being greatly disturbed that they taught the people and preached in Jesus the resurrection from the dead.
      5. Acts 5:42 (NIV) — 42 Day after day, in the temple courts and from house to house, they never stopped teaching and proclaiming the good news that Jesus is the Messiah.
   3. Here are the fruits of preaching.
      1. Acts 2:41 (NASB95) — 41 So then, those who had received his word were baptized; and that day there were added about three thousand souls.
      2. Acts 2:47 (NIV) — 47 praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.
      3. The power is preaching can move mountains.
      4. This we need to pray before you enter the building.
2. Point one
   1. The Prophet Joel
      1. Acts 2:16 (NLT) — 16 No, what you see was predicted long ago by the prophet Joel:
      2. See supplement
   2. The Last Days.
      1. Acts 2:17 (NIV) — 17 “ ‘In the last days, God says, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your young men will see visions, your old men will dream dreams.
      2. The struggle with this verse and passage is when did this or will this happen.
      3. The term the last days is a common Old Testament expression (cf. Isa. 2:2; Jer. 23:20; 49:39; Ezek. 38:16; Hos. 3:5; Micah 4:1).
      4. It denotes the time when Messiah would come to set up His kingdom.
      5. That there would be two comings of Messiah, separated by a long intervening period, was not clearly understood in the Old Testament.
      6. The two comings, however, can be inferred from the two purposes for Messiah’s coming set forth in the Old Testament.
      7. On the one hand, the Old Testament teaches that Messiah would come as the Suffering Servant, to die for the sins of the world (Isa. 53).
      8. On the other hand, it also teaches that Messiah would come in glory to set up His kingdom (Isa. 9:6).
3. The First Coming of Christ
   1. The first coming of Christ ushered in the last days.
      1. 1 John 2:18 (NLT) — 18 Dear children, the last hour is here.
      2. 1 Peter 1:20 (NLT) — 20 God chose him as your ransom long before the world began, but now in these last days he has been revealed for your sake.
      3. Hebrews 1:1–2 (ESV) — 1 Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, 2 but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world.
         1. This is why tongues are no longer used.
         2. We have all the revelation from God we are going to get.
         3. Only the apostles had the authority to write scripture.
      4. The last days have thus lasted nearly two thousand years.
      5. During that time, God has graciously called Gentiles to salvation and chastened Israel for her unbelief.
4. The Millennial Kingdom.
   1. Joels Prophecy
      1. The complete fulfillment of Joel’s prophecy awaits the coming of the millennial kingdom.
      2. The Day of Pentecost was a sampling of the that kingdom.
      3. Through out the churches history God has given samples of the power of the Spirit that will manifest itself in the millennial kingdom.
      4. In the millennial kingdom, God will pour forth of [His] Spirit upon all mankind, since all who enter the kingdom will be redeemed.
      5. See Matt. 24:29–25:46
   2. Pouring of the Spirit
      1. Sons and daughters will prophesy, dreams, visions. v:17-18
   3. Wonders in heaven.
      1. The tribulation period. V:19-20
   4. What’s our only hope.
      1. Acts 2:21 (NIV) — 21 And everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.’
      2. The gospel.