Today, Rikk Watts takes us through Peter's second sermon, following the healing of the man lame from birth. Even though weve heard of the apostles doing many signs and wonders, theres something about this one that greatly rouses the city.

Ancient historiographies characteristically use speeches of the main participants to explain key transitions. How in the world did we get from this wonderfully affirming beginning in Acts 2, to a movement that causes trouble wherever it goes? Its Peters Spirit-filled refusal to let his hearers off that hook that initiates the first official fracture in this second speech. Those early happy days simply could not last.

As weve been learning, Acts is the second volume from an ancient, historical writer named Luke. In his first volume, Luke wrote a biography of Jesus (or what we now call a Gospel), and after putting Jesus' life on paper, Luke continued to record the narrative.

Acts begins with Luke telling us that his first volume was about "all that Jesus began to do and teach." The word "began" is very important in that sentence, as Luke's second volume records what Jesus' continued to do, only now through his Holy Spirit in the lives of his first followers.

After Jesus' death, resurrection and ascension, it was important for the author to stress that Jesus was no less present in the world, but had flooded his first followers with his Spirit so that they might be his hands and feet, sharing the truth about who Jesus was and what hed done with everyone. Do we know the value of whats in our possession? That's one of the questions emerging from our text today.

As we read these first two chapters in Acts, all eyes are on God. God was with them, moving, creating, changing things. Things were happening to people and among the people, and only God could do this. Not of human effort, but by human transformation through the Spirit.

So, in saying all this, we must appreciate how our text in Acts 2:4247 is not a "channel change" this passage is a continuation of looking for and reading about what God was doing. This community was forming and learning what dependence on the spirit was all about. What is obvious is that these disciples were following instructions and had opened their minds and hearts very wide, allowing the Holy Spirit to change them.

Last week, Kirsten Anonby gave a wonderful overview of Peters Jerusalem sermon in Acts 2. Today, Rikk Watts builds on that by going a bit deeper well begin with how some odd things in Acts 1 already critically anticipate the importance and meaning of Acts 2; then, well look in more detail at the sermon, at what Peters saying and why, and how its particular emphases set the agenda for what follows.

When did you realize who Jesus was? When was the veil torn for you, so that you could actually see that Jesus was not just a person in history, or a moral teacher but God himself, come down to be among us? Still with us through His Spirit?

For some of us, the lines might be blurry. We may have grown up in the faith, and it may have gradually become our own. For others of us, the memory of when we really believed is crisp, sharp, and indelibly fixed in our minds. And some of us might still be considering curious, but uncertain.

Today, we are continuing in Acts 2, looking at the coming of the Spirit on the day of Pentecost.

As weve been learning, Acts is a record of the movement Jesus began in the gospels, the spread of his good news of great joy for all people. After his death and resurrection, Jesus gathered his disciples and told them to wait for the arrival of the Holy Spirit, who would give them the power to share about him.

They couldn't move until God moved, and so recently we've seen the disciples waiting. Then, as they waited, dramatically the sound of a violent wind filled the space they were gathered and something like flames of fire settled on each of their heads. Luke tells us that everyone present was filled with the Holy Spirt, just as Jesus had promised, and they began to speak in languages they couldn't speak previously.

Last week, we heard about two of the signs which accompanied the arrival of the Holy Spirit on the first believers: wind and fire. We traced the origins of those signs deep into the Old Testament.

By the simple way that God moved upon Luke to structure and narrate this history (the book of Acts), it seems probable we are to view this book as a triumphant, joyful, forward-moving expansion of the gospel into the Gentile world, empowered by the Holy Spirit and resulting in changed lives and local communities as is Gods intent for the continuing church. Nothing can hinder it, neither Sanhedrin, nor synagogue, dissension, not narrow-mindedness, prison or plot. Gordon Fee

Acts 1:1226 gives us a window into the brief ten-day interlude between Jesus ascension and the coming of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost. This interlude gives us a chance to see the kind of community that Jesus has built: a community of obedient followers who love one another and understand that they are the beginning of a new Israel the church.

On September 28, we heard an introduction to Acts from Rikk Watts (listen online if you missed it). This week, we cover the prologue, which serves to orient the listener, but also directs us to what to expect next in the narrative. Acts was written by Luke, who also wrote The Gospel of Luke.

Acts is a sequel, though not a biography like the Gospels are. Acts is a selective and limited curation of events following the gospels spread in Jerusalem and then to the ends of the earth. Jesus is no less present in Acts, but remains the same character active more than ever by the presence of his Holy Spirit.

Welcome to the start of our series on Acts. Why Acts? It follows perfectly from our extended study of Lukes biography of Jesus, especially the transforming power of Gods Spirit in him, and what it means to be his disciples. Similarly, the snippet of Galatians, on the kinds of people we will find ourselves becoming, through that same indwelling Spirit.

It especially picks up from the Lords Prayer in Matthew 6: let it come, your kingdom; let the will of you come into being as it already is in the heavens also on earth. Thats the language of growth (just like Galatians fruit), and it's all about Gods action.

Acts, then, is exactly how this prayer gets answered its all about Gods prior action in seeing his will being done among all people.