"Acts 2"

Acts 2 continues where Acts 1 left off, and in this chapter Luke records day of Pentecost, Peter's first sermon, and fellowship of the believers. This chapter put Jesus' plan to build the church into action, and it fulfills Jesus' promise to Peter in that he will be the one that Jesus builds the church on him. The way the church was launched in this chapter was the way Christ instructed them to build the church, and somewhere along the way it got lost.

Prior to the day of pentecost Christ instructed his disciples to wait into Jerusalem for the promise of the Holy Spirit that He told them the Holy Spirit will be the comforter that will testify through them about Christ. It will also do other things like remain with them, reprove the world of sin and righteousness, and it will reveal new truth that they could not understand until day of Pentecost when they receive power of the Holy Ghost that Christ promise they will receive when He gave them the command of the Great Commission( John 15:26-27, John 16:7-15, Acts 1:8)

Pentecost ( being filled with the Holy Spirit, verse 1-3)
Luke records in verse 1 of Acts that they ( 120-Acts 1:15) were in 1 accord like they were in Acts 1:14, and in 1 place. At that place they were waiting for the Holy Spirit that Christ promised them they will receive when He gave them the Great Commission while ascending into heaven.
In verses 2 through 4 a 120 of them received the power of the Holy Ghost, and Luke describes it throughout those verses. In that room with 120 of them there suddenly was a sound from heaven like a mighty wind that filled the house ( verse 2), and in verse 3 it described a visual that was seen to where everyone of them had a cloven tongues like a fire that appeared above them. In verse 4 is where we read that the Holy Ghost began to speak with other tongues like, as the Spirit gave them utterance.

Every Nation under Heaven Heard Them In there own tongues ) verses 5-13
Luke records in verse 5 through eye witnesses that in Jerusalem it had along with Jews every devout men out of every nation under heaven was there, and every man there heard men of Galilee speaking to them in there own language. They were impressed to hear that, and in verse 12 Luke states they all were amazed, and in doubt to what they were saying meant. Also they were mocking them for being drunk in verse 13, but before that in verses 9 through 11 Luke lists all the nations that were there.
They were the: Parthians, and Medes, and Elamites, and the dwellers in Mesopotamia, and in Judaea, and Cappadocia, in Pontus, and Asia, Phrygia, and Pamphylia, in Egypt, and in the parts of Libya about Cyrene, and strangers of Rome, Jews and proselytes, Cretes and Arabians.


Peter's first sermon ( verses 14 through 41)
After the nations under the earth accuse the 120 for being drunk, than Peter standing up with the eleven lifted up his voice to begin preaching, and he told them that it is impossible to be drunk in third hour of the day. Peter's first sermon is broke down into 5 parts. They are the introduction that refers to Joel's prophecy, works of Jesus that proves He is Lord, David foretold the Messiah's kingdom, Christ's resurrection that proves He is Lord, and what Israel must do. Peter's message composed the 4 elements from the Great Commission that became the 4 cylinder engine that grew the 1 church in Jerusalem that was surrounded by wolves. Those 4 elements are salvation, baptism, promise of the Holy Spirit, and discipleship. 

Peter's introduction ( verses 15-21)
After Peter told the crowd they were not drunk he quoted scripture from book of Joel, so this part along with quoting David's prophecy of the Messiah showed that Peter was speaking directly to the Jews. Peter told them that this day was to come when Joel states that in the last days God will pour out His Spirit upon all flesh, and it will give them the power to preach the Gospel, so others can call upon the name of the Lord to be saved. The prophet Joel states that it is through the Spirit that God's people will receive Salvation, and that prophecy gave relevance in what Peter was saying to them. So this gets the Jews attention, and also others  through speaking of tongues.

Jesus works prove that He was the messiah ( verses 22-24)
After Peter tells them that who calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved he than talks about the source of that in Jesus by telling them He was an innocent man approved by God who lived among them that did miracles, signs, and wonders that God did through Him. Yet still it was the Sandhedrin counsel that arrested Jesus to be handed over by the Gentiles to be put to death. After that Jesus rose from the grave three days later to defeat death that could not hold Him down.
Peter tells them that Christ was the source of Salvation, and Him defeating death proved that He was God in the flesh. This message not only reach across to the Jews, but to other nations. They all desired eternal life, and to prove that Jesus was the one Peter told them about what God did through His Son on earth, and how He was able to defeat death. Other nations desired immortality that they heard through false teachings, and the Jews knew that they were promise the Messiah.

David foretold the Messiah ( verses 25 through 31)
The Spirit transition's Peter's sermon from telling who Christ was, and did to talking about David foretelling Christ' kingship after His resurrection. King David was a prominent figure in Jewish history, and him having a descendent to establish Israel as a world power was a promise that all Jews know. Peter talking about David foretelling the Messianic resurrection, and His kingdom after that was showing the Spirit reaching out to the Jews to fulfill the promise that Salvation was first for the Jews.

Resurrection proving that Christ is Lord ( verses 32 through 36)
 Peter tells them that Jesus resurrected from the dead, and they were all witnesses. All 120 of them witness Jesus resurrection, and having eyewitnesses is important to determine rather something happen or not. Peter tells them that Jesus is alive, and sits at the right hand of the Father. Peter tells the house of Israel that it was the same Jesus that they crucified. When Peter stated this it gave them a guilt, and now they are ready to receive salvation.
Peter's first three sections of his sermon was to give the Jews, and others a reason to want Salvation. They must realize that it was there sins that put Christ to death, and He took their place as the sacrificial lamb to die for the sins.
What Israel must do? (verses 37 through 41)
After the Holy Spirit through Peter convicted them of their sin they were ready to receive Salvation. Conviction of sin brings people to receive salvation. In verse 37 Luke states they were convicted in their hearts when they heard Jesus died for the sins. They asked Peter, and rest of the apostles in what shall they do?
IN VERSE 38 Peter tells them what they must do to receive salvation, but it is more than that. It shows all the elements of the Great Commission together, and here is how it does that. Peter tells them to REPENT  and BE BAPTIZED in the name of Jesus. In the Great Commission in Matthew 28:19a Christ states "go ye therefore, and teach all nations." In Mark 16:15b, also the Great Commission, states "go PREACH the Gospel"( which what Peter did when he told what Christ did), and in Luke 25:46, also the Great Commission, Christ says, "And that the REPENTANCE and REMISSION OF sins should be preached.  Peter did that when the Spirit through him convicted the crowd of their sins, and repentance of Sins is the first step towards Salvation. After that they were BAPTIZED,also part of the Great Commission recorded into Matthew 28:19-20. At end of verse 38 Peters tells them after they repented of their sins, and baptized, than they can receive the GIFT OF THE HOLY GHOST. In Matthew 28:18-20, Mark 16:15-18, John 20:21-23, Acts 1:8 all tell about receiving the gift of the Holy Spirit. Once they repent of their sins to receive salvation, baptized, received the Holy Ghost, than they were the disciple of Christ. Peter incorporated all 4 elements, and that was the 4 cylinders that grew the one church in Jerusalem that was surrounded by wolves.
In verse 41 it stated they believed, were baptized, and after they did that they received power of the Holy Spirit like the Great Commission promised. That church in Jerusalem went from 120 to 3,000, because Peter made sure the Great Commission included all 4 elements of salvation, baptism, the holy spirit being received, and making disciples.

The first church ( verses 42-47)
In these last verses of chapter 2 we read about how the early church was discipled being in 1 accord, and in prayer in one doctrine. They fellowship with one another through sharing their possessions, breaking bread, praising God, worshiping at the temple in 1 accord, being singleness in heart, and praising God. God continue to add to their church daily through Salvation that starts with conviction of sin that leads to repentance that leads to receiving salvation that leads to baptism that leads to receiving the Holy Spirit, that makes of disciple of Christ with everything from receive forgiveness of sins to receiving the Holy Spirit.

Recap of Acts 2 
In verse 1 it starts with 120 disciples in 1 accord at 1 place, and verse 47 ends chapter 2 with the first church having 3,000 plus added. Between verse 1 to verse 47 we read 120 of Jesus' disciple receiving the Holy Sprit, Peter turning the keys to launch his sermon that the Holy spirit spoke through him, Jesus disciples using all 4 elements in the Great Commission in a single day, and saw results of it with Jesus disciples starting at 120 to end up having 3,000 get saved to be disciples of Christ.