In this very first gospel sermon preached to the Jews on Pentecost, Peter spelled out the terms of salvation. Sinners were to repent and be baptized for the forgiveness of their sins. You can’t get any clearer than that.

A preacher and a bus driver went to heaven. The bus driver got a big beautiful mansion with large rooms. The preacher got only a one-room bungalow, so he went to St. Peter and said, "How come I got a very small place and the bus driver got that beautiful house? I’ve preached the Good News all my life!" St. Peter replied, "It’s a matter of results. When you preached, people fell asleep. When the bus driver drove his bus, people prayed."

A lawyer died and went to heaven. At the pearly gate he complained to Saint Peter "There must be some mistake, I am only 35, I am too young to die!" Saint Peter said he would check the records. He checked the records and announced, "According to the hourly work reports you’ve been turning in you are 97!"

Two doctors and an HMO manager died and lined up at the pearly gates for admission to heaven. St. Peter asked them to identify themselves. One doctor stepped forward and said, "I was a pediatric spine surgeon and helped kids overcome their deformities." St. Peter said, "You can enter." The second doctor said, "I was a psychiatrist. I helped people rehabilitate themselves." St. Peter also invited him in. The third applicant stepped forward and said, "I was an HMO manager. I helped people get cost-effective health care." St. Peter said, "You can come in, too." But as the HMO manager walked by, St. Peter added, "You can stay three days. After that, you’re out on your ear!"

As much as I like St. Peter jokes, I have to tell you that every one of them is founded on a false concept. St. Peter isn’t at the pearly gate of heaven. He never was. He never will be.

The idea that Peter stands at the gate of heaven letting people in is based on a misunderstanding of Matthew 16:18-19 where Jesus told Peter that he would give him the keys of the kingdom of heaven. But if you examine that passage carefully you’ll notice that Jesus was speaking of the church, not heaven. The idea is one of possession, not location. The "kingdom of heaven" is that kingdom that belongs to heaven. In verse 28 of that same chapter, Jesus told Peter that this kingdom He was talking about would come during their lifetimes.(1) The church, not heaven, came during their lifetimes.

Because of his confession of faith in Christ, Peter was given the high privilege of being the first person to preach the gospel after the establishment of the New Covenant. When he preached he ushered the first converts into the kingdom that belongs to heaven, the church. In that sense he was at the "gate," he had the "keys," and he opened the door. That door to the church was opened on the Day of Pentecost in 33 A.D as described in Acts chapter 2. On that day there were 3000 Jews who became Christians. It is interesting also to note that Peter was the preacher when the first Gentile converts came into the church as described in Acts chapter 10.

No, "Saint Peter" isn’t standing at the pearly gate of heaven. While his words recorded in the New Testament as an apostle of Christ are some of those that will judge us in the last day, Peter has absolutely no say in whether or not any of us go there. That will be determined by the presence or absence of only one person in your life: Jesus Christ!

This morning we continue our study from Acts of the Apostles. This is message number 6. I’ve called it simply, The First Gospel Sermon. We’re going to take a look at that first sermon Peter preached on Pentecost in Acts 2. Our text for today is Acts 2:14-41. We’ll begin with:

Luke’s "first account," the book of Luke, ends with Christ’s ascension into heaven. Just prior to His leaving He told His eleven apostles to stay in the city of Jerusalem until they were clothed with power from on high. In his "second account," the book of Acts, which we’ve been studying, he picks up where he left off in the first account. Jesus told the eleven to wait in Jerusalem for the promise of the Father, that is the coming of the Holy Spirit. After watching Him ascend into heaven they returned to the city and waited ten days. During this waiting time they replaced the traitor Judas with Matthias. Then on the day of Pentecost they were gathered together at a place in the Temple. Suddenly the sound of a violent, rushing wind filled the area. Tongues or columns of fire descended upon each of the twelve apostles. They began to speak the mighty deeds of God in languages they had never learned. The sound attracted a multitude of worshipers in the vicinity of the Temple. As they rushed together and heard these uneducated Galileans speaking in their own languages, they were amazed. This provided the opportunity to preach the gospel and the terms of salvation for the very first time.

While all twelve apostles preached that day the spotlight of Scripture fell upon Peter as he rattled those keys in the gate and preached the first gospel sermon. Just prior to the sermon, some who were present in the crowd, probably hearing from a distance a confusing combination of the many languages represented, were mocking the apostles and saying, as Luke reports in verse 13, "They are full of sweet wine." Peter responded to this false assessment in verse 14. We’ll start reading there.

The confusion of so many languages was not because the apostles were drunk, said Peter. On the contrary, this was happening according to the prediction of the Old Testament prophet Joel. Something marvelous was happening in the last days. Before we jump to the conclusion that the "last days" mentioned by Joel referred to some time in our future, let me remind you that Joel wrote hundreds of years before Christ to the Jews. Peter was quoting Joel at the beginning of the first century to a Jewish audience. This is significant. In about 40 years the Temple in Jerusalem, which had been the center of Jewish worship since the days of King David, would be destroyed. The Jewish nation would be scattered to the four winds. The remnants of the religion they had known based on the Law of Moses would become obsolete and disappear.(2) Peter and his contemporaries lived in the literal "last days" of the Jewish nation. During those final days, Joel predicted, God would pour forth of His Spirit upon "all mankind."(3) Surely that doesn’t mean upon every person in the world. While the working of God’s Spirit prior to this point had been mainly among the obedient Jews, during those last days of the Jewish nation God would work with the Gentiles who accepted Him as well. You might recall that Jesus told His apostles in Matthew 28:19 to go and make disciples of "all nations," according to Matthew 28:19. Moving beyond the Jews then, during this "last days" of the Jewish nation period, God would pour forth His Spirit on both Jews and Gentiles. Starting with the coming of the Holy Spirit on Pentecost, during the "last days" period designated, their sons and daughters would prophesy.(4) Their young men would see miraculous visions.(5) Their old men would dream miraculous dreams. Men and women who accepted the rule of Christ in their lives, called "My bondslaves," in verse 18, would receive miraculous measures of the Holy Spirit and would prophesy. During those last days of the Jewish nation God would grant signs and wonders in the earth and sky according to verse 19. To me, the terminology that Joel uses in verses 19 and 20 about blood and fire and vapor and smoke, sounds very much like Jesus’ prediction of the destruction of Jerusalem which took place in the ultimate "last days" of the Jewish nation. In fact in Matthew 24, where Jesus predicted that event, the terminology is strikingly similar. Matthew 24:29 says, "But immediately after the tribulation of those days(6) THE SUN WILL BE DARKENED AND THE MOON WILL NOT GIVE ITS LIGHT, AND THE STARS WILL FALL FROM THE SKY, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken." Both Joel’s and Matthew’s words sound to me like the terminology of war in those days and the upheaval of powers that it brought. These events, whatever their specific meaning, would take place before God came in judgment upon the Jewish nation for their rebellion and rejection of Him.(7) During that time, says Joel, it would be not only Jews who would call on the name of the Lord, but "everyone" who called in the name of the Lord would be saved.

If I were to take a step back from this passage and explain its overall significance, I would put it this way: During the last 40 years or so of ancient Israel’s history God would grant a period of great attesting signs and miracles. The gospel would go forth to all parts of the civilized world.(8) Everyone who called upon the name of the Lord by complying with the terms of the New Covenant, as taught by the apostles, would be saved.(9)

Inspired by the Holy Spirit, tailoring his message to the Jews who had only recently witnessed or heard of the crucifixion of Christ, Peter preached to the assembled Jews. He spoke of their sin. He spoke of the Savior. And he offered them salvation.

Note there that though Peter clarifies to them that they were guilty of crucifying the Messiah, it had happened according to the "predetermined plan and foreknowledge of God." Though they had done wrong it had not upset God’s plan. With that accusation of guilt hanging in the air, Peter laid out his case for Jesus as the Savior they needed. He started by giving them some Scriptural proof from the Old Testament.

Peter’s reasoning here was that King David foretold the resurrection of Christ since his words could not have applied to himself. Though like all men Jesus descended into Hades,(10) God did not abandon him there.

29 "Brethren, I may confidently say to you regarding the patriarch David that he both died and was buried, and his tomb is with us to this day. 30 "And so, because he was a prophet, and knew that God had sworn to him with an oath to seat one of his descendants upon his throne, 31 he looked ahead and spoke of the resurrection of the Christ, that He was neither abandoned to Hades, nor did His flesh suffer decay. 32 "This Jesus God raised up again, to which we are all witnesses. 33 "Therefore having been exalted to the right hand of God, and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, He has poured forth this which you both see and hear. 34 "For it was not David who ascended into heaven, but he himself says:
‘THE LORD SAID TO MY LORD,
"SIT AT MY RIGHT HAND,
35 UNTIL I MAKE THINE ENEMIES A FOOTSTOOL FOR THY FEET. "‘
36 "Therefore let all the house of Israel know for certain that God has made Him both Lord and Christ — this Jesus whom you crucified."

Like the response of an over ripe apple that falls into the hands of one who slightly shakes the tree, Peter’s words loosened the remaining connection these people had to their rebellion against God. Realizing their dire predicament, the admission of their guilt could not be contained. Luke reports:

These people suddenly realized their greatest mistake which helped them to see their greatest need. They had committed a grave sin against God. They had crucified their Messiah! What could they do? What does one do who realizes he has sinned against God Almighty and needs to be forgiven?

Remember now, this is Peter using the keys of the kingdom to open up the door to salvation for the very first time. The answer he gives is critical. The terms he prescribes would be the ones that would usher in all those who "called upon the name of the Lord."(11) Those wishing to be saved who would follow after the day of Pentecost would come through the same door. Listen carefully to Peter’s words as he speaks of:

In this very first gospel sermon preached to the Jews on Pentecost, Peter spelled out the terms of salvation. Sinners were to repent and be baptized for the forgiveness of their sins. You can’t get any clearer than that. The word "repent" signifies a turnaround of attitude or change of mind. Like all men, they needed to turn away from their wicked ways and turn to God. Baptism is immersion in water, done in the name of Jesus Christ, for the forgiveness of sins. These things, according to verse 40, were what they needed to do to "be saved from this perverse generation."

Significant to us today who must enter by the same gate of salvation which Peter opened is what they were not told to do. They were not told to bow their heads and say a "sinners prayer." They were not told to "only believe." They were not told to "pray through." They were not told to "walk the aisle." They were not told to raise their hands. They were not told to sign a card. They were not told to join the church of their choice. They were not told to speak in tongues. They were not told to repeat "Hail Marys" or "Our Fathers." They were told to repent and be baptized for the forgiveness of their sins.

Some have wondered why Peter did not call upon them to "believe on the Lord Jesus" as Paul did with the Philippian jailer in Acts 16:31.(12) Yet isn’t it clear that they did believe? To tell them to do so would be redundant. After all, when they realized their guilt from Peter’s sermon, they interrupted him and asked what they must do. Surely they believed his message about Jesus, or their response would have made no sense.

I have a question for you. If someone wishes to be saved today, what should we tell them to do? Would it not be reasonable (and wise) to tell them the same thing that Peter told the Jews on Pentecost – that is, "Repent, and let each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit"?

"But," someone says, "You don’t understand. This instruction to repent and be baptized for the forgiveness of sin was only intended for the Jews back then - not the Gentiles or us living in modern times." I have heard people raise that objection, so to such persons let me suggest the re-reading of verse 39:

"For the promise is for you...." That would be the Jews present on the day of Pentecost.

"... And your children...." That would be Jews who came after their generation.

"... And for all who are far off...." Interestingly, the Greek word translated "far off" is the same word used elsewhere in the New Testament to refer to the Gentiles.(13) But if that isn’t enough to convince you that these terms of salvation given by Peter were for everyone and not just the Jews, look at the next phrase of what Peter said…

"... As many as the Lord our God shall call to Himself." Would the terms of salvation prescribed by Peter apply only to Jews? Well, was the Lord only going to call Jews? No! The gospel would go forth to "all mankind" and into "all nations." As it did, the message would be the same. People who came to believe that Jesus is who He says He is - the Son of God – needed to repent as Peter said, that is, turn away from their sins, and be baptized, that is be immersed in water for the remission of their sins. When they did this, according to Peter, they would "receive the gift of the Holy Spirit." I understand that to mean that once a person is forgiven, God’s Holy Spirit will come and live in them. Romans 8:9 says of Christians, "You are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. But if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Him." 1Corinthians 6:19, written to Christians, says, "Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and that you are not your own?"

I will have more to say about this matter of the indwelling Holy Spirit later in our study of Acts. For now let me just say that Peter speaks here of receiving the gift of the Holy Spirit. He is not speaking of possessing the miraculous gifts(14) of the Holy Spirit. Not all the early Christians possessed miraculous gifts.(15) However, according to these words of Paul, all true Christians have the gift of the Holy Spirit from God dwelling in them. If they don’t they don’t belong to Him.

I realized there are more things we could say about this issue. But our time is gone for this message. I hope you will remember Peter’s words as we progress through the book of Acts. We will compare them with what others – both Jews and Gentiles - were told when they needed to be saved. As we do you will see that the message was the same everywhere in the New Testament and that it should be the same today.

What does all of this mean to us? We see here the terms of salvation clearly laid out. If you have not already done so you need to decide whether you will comply with them. So I would be remiss if I did not ask you the following question: Have you repented of your sins and been baptized for the forgiveness of your sins? If not, then you need to do it right away. Salvation must be on God’s terms, not ours.

Footnotes: Please use your back button to return to your place.

1. Matthew 16:28; Mark 9:1
2. Hebrews 8:13
3. Literally, "all flesh"
4. Acts 21:9
5. Acts 16:9; 18:9
6. See Matthew 23:36 and 24:34 where Jesus said that these events would happen during the generation alive when He walked the earth.
7. See Matthew 23:35.
8. See Mark 16:15; Colossians 1:6.
9. Mark, probably writing 30-35 years after Pentecost, mentioned this special period of miracles in Mark 16:20, "And they went out and preached everywhere, while the Lord worked with them, and confirmed the word by the signs that followed."
10. Not "hell" as rendered by the King James Version. For more information from Peter about what Jesus did during the time he was dead in the grave, see 1 Peter 3:18-20. See also Paul’s words in Ephesians 4:7-10.
11. See Acts 2:21.
12. Some fail to note that though the jailer was told to believe in the Lord Jesus, Paul spoke more to him after this and he was baptized just as those on Pentecost. See Acts 16:32-33.
13. See Ephesians 2:13: 17.
14. 1 Corinthians 12:4
15. Paul speaks of some in the church as "ungifted." See First Corinthians 14:16;23;24. See also First Corinthians 12:29-30. The "gift of the Holy Spirit" is was promised to "as many as the Lord our God shall call to himself." Thus I say that Peter’s promise here pertains to the "gift of the Holy Spirit" and not the miraculous "gifts of the Holy Spirit."

Dave Redick is Minister of the Hwy 20 Church of Christ in Sweet Home, Oregon and Editor of The Preacher's Study. He may be reached at pstudysupport@comcast.net.

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All Scripture quotations and references are from the New American Standard Version unless otherwise stated.

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