Acts 2 - Stand Up
Acts 2 - Stand Up
We closed out Acts 1, talking about Purpose in the waiting. As they were waiting, the angels appeared and basically said move along, you can wait but no need to just stare off into the sky. So the apostles set out to replace Judas. In the list of the apostles present, we see Peter was listed first...then a few verses later we read Peter stood up a month the believers.
“In those days Peter stood up among the believers (a group numbering about a hundred and twenty)” - Acts 1:15 NIV
This stood out to me yesterday, but I didn’t comment on it. But today, we see it again.
So, diving into chapter 2, this opening is just absolutely amazing. I am sitting in my reading chair this morning, it’s dark outside, and a storm blew through the city late last night. I left the back sliding door open because it’s chilly out, and there are howling winds blowing through the house. As I started reading Acts 2, it just adds more color and dimension to the text having this breeze and sounds rolling through my quiet, dark house.
“When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting.” - Acts 2:1-2 NIV
We don’t know the time between chapter 1 and chapter 2, we just read here when the day came. The waiting was over for them, and what we read next is stunning.
“They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them.” - Acts 2:3-4 NIV
The miracles were visual, physical, and audible...they saw, heard, and felt the Holy Spirit. This disruption drew a lot of attention, as you could imagine. Check this out:
“When they heard this sound, a crowd came together in bewilderment, because each one heard their own language being spoken. Utterly amazed, they asked: “Aren’t all these who are speaking Galileans? Then how is it that each of us hears them in our native language? Amazed and perplexed, they asked one another, “What does this mean?” Some, however, made fun of them and said, “They have had too much wine.”” - Acts 2:6-8, 12-13 NIV
Can you imagine this scene? In Jerusalem, all these different languages were being spoken, it was common just walking around hearing different languages and not being able to understand what is being said. But this was different, as this crowd gathered and came together, everyone listened to their language being spoken. I loved what I read from a commentary that this was the reversal of the Tower of Babel. We read that some were amazed and perplexed, and others thought they were drunk.
So, let me take you back to where I started. Peter. Peter stood up and led the apostles when there seemed to be a bit of a void in what direction they needed to go. For some reason, Luke, as he wrote all this, he opted to list Peter first as he recounted who all was there at the time. And now, after this stunning and the miracle of Pentecost came through and caused a bit of a stir and some chaos, look what happens next.
“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!” - Acts 2:14-15 NIV
PETER STOOD UP! He was surrounded by the other eleven, and Peter took charge. There was uncertainty, a bit of chaos, and plenty of people just making fun of it all, and for the sake of the gospel, someone needed to stand up.
Someone needed to stand up. Let me repeat it; someone needed to stand up. Yes, there was uncertainty, chaos and I have to imagine Peter wasn't totally sure of himself, but watch what Peter did. After he stood up, got everyone’s attention, as well as correcting them about being drunk, Peter took them to Scripture.
“No, this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel:” - Acts 2:16 NIV
Peter took them back to scripture, the scripture that prophesied this very day. Peter stood up and delivered a powerful sermon that was not prepared, was not written out was not a part of the plan. Peter stood up, was filled with the Holy Spirit, and he went for it. Don’t miss this, Peter was not preparing for this specifically, he didn’t have it on his calendar that he needed to have a sermon prepared, or a talk ready for this time. But, Peter was prepared by what is daily walk looked like, Peter knew Gods word, he was living out what Jesus had modeled so Peter was ready, he was prepared, and all Peter needed to do was STAND UP.
If you fast forward through the text you come to this;
“Those who accepted his message were baptized, and about three thousand were added to their number that day.” - Acts 2:41 NIV
Mind blown. What started with 120 was now over 3,000 in a single moment. The Jesus movement was started this day because Peter stood up. God had been working in him, equipping him and preparing him for this day, but Peter had to choose to stand up. Because of his faith, courage, and audacity, over 3,000 people gave their lives to Jesus and started the most significant movement of all time.
How about you? Where do you need to stand up, what have you been thinking about for far too long, and now its time to act? Stand up! The change that you have desired that just hasn’t come to fruition yet...is it because you need to stand up?
Mahatma Gandhi famously said, "You must be the change you want to see in the world."
Peter stood up, and the Holy Spirit through him did work as we had never seen. It’s my prayer for us all that we become the change we want to see in the world. I pray that we stand up and inspired and fueled by the Holy Spirit; we start the movement that God has set out for us.