LIFE SCRIPTS

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. These people are not drunk, as you suppose. It’s only nine in the morning! No, this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel: “ ‘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. Even on my servants, both men and women, I will pour out my Spirit in those days, and they will prophesy. I will show wonders in the heavens above and signs on the earth below, blood and fire and billows of smoke. The sun will be turned to darkness and the moon to blood before the coming of the great and glorious day of the Lord. And everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.’ “Fellow Israelites, listen to this: Jesus of Nazareth was a man accredited by God to you by miracles, wonders and signs, which God did among you through him, as you yourselves know. This man was handed over to you by God’s deliberate plan and foreknowledge; and you, with the help of wicked men, put him to death by nailing him to the cross. But God raised him from the dead, freeing him from the agony of death, because it was impossible for death to keep its hold on him. David said about him: “ ‘I saw the Lord always before me. Because he is at my right hand, I will not be shaken. Therefore my heart is glad and my tongue rejoices; my body also will rest in hope, because you will not abandon me to the realm of the dead, you will not let your holy one see decay. You have made known to me the paths of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence.’ “Fellow Israelites, I can tell you confidently that the patriarch David died and was buried, and his tomb is here to this day. But he was a prophet and knew that God had promised him on oath that he would place one of his descendants on his throne. Seeing what was to come, he spoke of the resurrection of the Messiah, that he was not abandoned to the realm of the dead, nor did his body see decay. God has raised this Jesus to life, and we are all witnesses of it. Exalted to the right hand of God, he has received from the Father the promised Holy Spirit and has poured out what you now see and hear. For David did not ascend to heaven, and yet he said, “ ‘The Lord said to my Lord: “Sit at my right hand until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet.” ’ “Therefore let all Israel be assured of this: God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Messiah.” When the people heard this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and the other apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?” Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off—for all whom the Lord our God will call.” With many other words he warned them; and he pleaded with them, “Save yourselves from this corrupt generation.” Those who accepted his message were baptized, and about three thousand were added to their number that day.
Acts 2:14‭-‬41 NIV
https://bible.com/bible/111/act.2.14-41.NIV

Three thousand people were baptized into faith through Christ. This was the birthplace of the church as we know it. But ages ago when Moses descended with the tablets of the law in his hand, three thousand perished because of rebellion. While the law breeds death, faith in Christ brings to us life. Again in this crowd, people spoke the wonders of God in foreign languages which they were not accustomed to. Ages ago, when people spoke one language, God confused them leading to the emergence of different languages. The Spirit of God unites us together in fellowship. He points us to the man Jesus. This movement seemed revolutionary. Imagine a group of people who’ve been discipled and taught by a Teacher teaching a doctrine different from the ‘conventional’ one. After His resurrection, His followers congregate to fellowship attracting many who convert to this new faith. Peter not only stood and made a speech. He had just received the Holy Spirit and was under His influence as he said these things. He didn’t color his language but instead quoted Prophets of old like Joel and David… People who had given an indication of this particular day. He didn’t uplift himself and others who had walked with Christ all along but lifted Christ so that the people could look up to Him and believe in Him. Peter’s words were not his but the Spirit’s. That’s why they attracted a huge crowd…that’s why they cut through their hearts and convicted them. The Holy Spirit ushered people into the knowledge of Christ. And here we see this as His first act after the infilling. God sends His Spirit to us so that we may draw others to Himself through Christ.