Remember back in Chapter 1 when we read Hebrews 2:3? I think it is important to bring that verse of Scripture back up now… as next, we are about to see this verse in action and use it to examine exactly how it is that we receive salvation.

“how shall we escape if we neglect so great a salvation, which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed to us by those who heard Him” (Hebrews 2:3).

At this point together in our journey of meeting Jesus, we have encountered His presence, heard His gospel, and the salvation that it brings. But now, we will begin to add another layer to the journey… as we observe together how we respond to and freely receive the salvation that Jesus’ gospel provides.

Let’s take a moment to have another quick Bible study, examining a few of the key things that Jesus said about salvation in the Gospels. We want to pay close attention to what He says, as soon we will examine in the Book of Acts how the disciples of Jesus confirmed what Jesus taught with great accuracy.

Salvation is a New Birth

“Jesus answered and said to him, ‘Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.’ Nicodemus said to Him, ‘How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born?’ Jesus answered, ‘Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’” (John 3:3–7).

Here, Jesus is secretly meeting with a Pharisee named Nicodemus. Being a Pharisee, Nicodemus was supposed to be in opposition to Jesus, and it would not have been a good look for Nicodemus to be seen spending time with Jesus. In this secret meeting, Jesus tells Nicodemus that in order to see and even enter into the kingdom of God, he must be “born again.”

Nicodemus is confused, wondering how in the world he was supposed to, as an adult, re-experience birth. But Jesus clarifies to Nicodemus that this new birth that He is talking about is not simply a do-over of a natural birth, but a new spiritual re-birthing for the soul of man. He then goes on to tell Nicodemus that this new birth includes the birthing of water and spirit. And in the event that Nicodemus was at all unsure about whether or not this new birth was something important or essential, Jesus caps off His comments with a lock-tight statement, saying, “You must be born again.”

Salvation Would Include Repentance & Forgiveness of Sins in His Name

“And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in His name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem” (Luke 24:47).

As we have already covered, just prior to His ascension, Jesus tells His disciples that when He pours out His Spirit, there would be the accompanied preaching of repentance, along with the proclaiming of an experience that would provide forgiveness of sins “in His name.” Of this name, Acts 4:12 says, it is the _“only name under heaven, given among men, whereby we must be saved.” _ Belief & Baptism

“And He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned” (Mark 16:15–16).

Here, within the context of Jesus commissioning His disciples to go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature (living person), Jesus identifies that there was going to be a necessary response to the preaching of His gospel. The gospel was more than just something to simply hear, but something that must be responded to in faith. And we know that faith requires action to prove that it is real and alive (James 2:14–26).

In detailing the type of response that would be necessary upon hearing the gospel, Jesus does not point to mere mental assent or the act of verbal confession alone as a proper response to His gospel. Instead, He points to true belief, evidenced in the immediate response of water baptism in His name, which is to be born of the water (John 3:5).

Mark 16 then goes on to detail the following words of Jesus on the back half of verse 16: that those in turn who do not believe would be condemned, meaning to be judged. Notice that Jesus does not include baptism in the inverted negative repetition of His first comment. For example, He did not say, “he that believes not and is baptized not will be condemned.”

Why?

Because baptism is the proper response to true belief.

Simply put, those who do not believe have no need of being baptized; therefore, in the negative repetition of Jesus’ statement, it is necessarily omitted.

The Baptism of the Holy Spirit & Power

“…wait for the Promise of the Father, “which,” He said, “you have heard from Me; for John truly baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.” “But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you” (Acts 1:4–5; 8).

“On the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried out, saying, ‘If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink. He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.’ But this He spoke concerning the Spirit, whom those believing in Him would receive; for the Holy Spirit was not yet given, because Jesus was not yet glorified” (John 7:37–39).

In the above two passages, Jesus shines a light on what He refers to as the “baptism of the Holy Spirit.”

They Will Speak With New Tongues

“And these signs will follow those who believe: In My name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues” (Mark 16:17).

Immediately following Jesus’ instructions that those who believe must be baptized, He begins to list a set of signs that would follow those who believe. In this list of signs, Jesus tells us that all who believe “will speak with new tongues.”

Now that we have spent a moment reviewing a considerable amount of what Jesus has said about salvation and the experience that it provides, let’s turn our attention to those who heard Him and walked with Him—His disciples—and see how they confirmed to us what Jesus said.

Now that Jesus has ascended into Heaven, the disciples have returned to Jerusalem, just as Jesus instructed them, and are now awaiting the promise of the Father to be poured out upon them: to be born of the Spirit into the kingdom of God.

Uniquely, at this particular moment in which all of this is transpiring, there is a particular festival going on in Jerusalem, called the “Feast of Pentecost.” On Pentecost, Jews from all over the world, from all nations scattered abroad, would return home to Jerusalem fifty days after the Passover to commemorate the moment when God made His covenant with Israel.

However, none of them had any idea what monumental moment was about to take place during the time of this year’s Pentecost feast. On this year’s Pentecost celebration, as they were to be celebrating God’s covenant with them, Jesus was going to make good on His covenant, but this time, by bringing a new covenant to them… but not only to them. This new covenant would stretch “to all who are afar off, as many as the Lord our God will call” (Acts 2:39).

This special day of Jesus pouring out His Spirit on humanity during the Feast of Pentecost would become the birth date of the new covenant and the launch of the New Testament Church of the Lord Jesus Christ. This is exactly what happens.

Let’s tune into what Luke records in Acts 2 to see firsthand how all of this unfolds. I know we have already read this passage, but let’s read it together again.

“When the Day of Pentecost had fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. And suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. Then there appeared to them divided tongues, as of fire, and one sat upon each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance” (Acts 2:1–4).

This was not just some passing casual moment or phenomenon, but this was a monumental moment in history for all of humanity. From this moment forward, everything would change for all people everywhere who would hear His gospel and choose to believe.

The Holy Spirit has been poured out just as Jesus said. The Helper. The Spirit of Truth. The baptism of the Holy Spirit. Through the Spirit, Jesus has now come back to His people and fulfilled what He told them that He would do. He would not leave them as orphans but would send the Holy Spirit. He would come to them and not just be with them but be within them.

This is the baptism of the Holy Spirit that Jesus told them they would receive “not many days from now,” as they have indeed experienced the infilling of the power from on high, and the rivers of living water that Jesus spoke of are now flowing out of their innermost beings (John 7:37–39).

This moment on the Day of Pentecost, as Jesus pours out His Spirit, was the fulfillment of His promise to come to them in John 14:18 when He told them that He would once again come to them. This Pentecost moment was the answer to the longing of Jesus’ disciples to be reunited with Him, their God, face-to-face, through the Spirit.

Can you imagine? You have been walking with Jesus for three years, you have learned that He is God, and then all of a sudden He tells you that He is going to leave? The heartbreak of the disciples must have been palpable. But the heartbreak didn’t last long, quickly turning into joy when they learned that not only would He one day return for them and gather them to Himself to dwell together forever in Heaven; but that if they would just go wait in Jerusalem, He would come be with them once again, but this time within them.

I want to make note here before we progress that this is what Pentecost is: the full expression of Jesus among us.

What did it look like for Jesus to reunite with His disciples through His Spirit? What did it look like for them to meet Jesus once again, and for all who had not yet known Him to meet Him for the first time? It looked like what happened on Pentecost. On the Day of Pentecost, Jesus both made good on His promise and responded to the longing of His for reunification with their God by pouring out His Spirit.

I want to make a clear statement here that will be like a line drawn in the sand for those who desire to defend their present experience with God as all that there is to be experienced of God, while for others who long to take another step deeper and further into the water, it will be an exciting and hopeful invitation.

Okay, here it goes.

If we do not have this same experience among us that the disciples of Jesus had on the Day of Pentecost, we do not have His full expression in operation among us. And Peter backs me up.

“For the promise is to you and to your children, and to all who are afar off, as many as the Lord our God will call” (Acts 2:39).

This is not something that is “for the Pentecostal denomination.” This is for everyone. And if this is what Jesus said I should experience, and what the disciples of Jesus experienced in the Bible, then I must experience it too, for myself. You too.

Everything that Jesus said would happen did. And it did so just like He said it would. But this is not the end of the story. The story is just getting started. What has just happened in Jesus pouring out the Holy Spirit on His disciples is just the beginning of what was to unfold on this momentous day called Pentecost.

There was more that Jesus had spoken that was yet to be fulfilled and confirmed by His disciples.

Because of the Feast of Pentecost currently taking place in Jerusalem, “there were dwelling in Jerusalem Jews, devout men, from every nation under heaven” (Acts 2:5). And when these people heard of the ruckus that was going on down the road, they went to see what was transpiring among them.

I mean, wouldn’t you?

When they arrived, they “were confused,” because when they strolled onto the scene they began hearing people speaking in the native languages of their lands from which they had just journeyed to get to Jerusalem for the Feast of Pentecost.

Some were “amazed and marveled,” while others were “perplexed, saying to one another, ‘Whatever could this mean?’” (Acts 2:6–7; 12).

Alongside the interested were “others mocking,” as not all were impressed by what was taking place, saying that those who were experiencing this power of God from on high were "full of new wine” (Acts 2:13). Basically, they were accusing those who were being filled with the Holy Spirit of being drunk.

But of course, Peter—who had received from Jesus the keys to the kingdom of Heaven in Matthew 16:18–19—was not going to let this slide without bringing clarity as to what was taking place in their midst, and using it as an opportunity to proclaim Jesus’ good news to all who would listen and hopefully believe.

So Peter immediately stands up, bold and full of the Holy Spirit, and begins to declare to all of the people that what they were observing was not the drunkenness of men, but instead was the fulfillment of what the prophet Joel had written many years ago in the Book of Joel chapter 2, saying, “It shall come to pass in the last days, says God, that I will pour out of My Spirit on all flesh;” and that “whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved” (Acts 2:17, 21).

Devout Jews, who likely knew this prophecy from Joel very well, perked up their ears and leaned in to hear what else it was that Peter had to say about this unusual spiritual occurrence that was transpiring around them.

As soon as Peter had their interest, he preached the gospel of Jesus Christ to them for the very first time after Jesus had ascended into Heaven.

He tells them that this Jesus they had both seen and heard had been crucified and died. Now this part many of the hearers were aware of, but what Peter was to say next came as news to them all… as he continued to preach to them that this death that Jesus experienced was not the end of His life… because God had raised Him up from the dead. And now, what they are witnessing, which some of them had considered to be drunkenness, seeing and hearing people speaking in other languages that they had never learned before on their own accord, was the very promise of the Father that Jesus had now poured out upon all who would believe.

As soon as Peter preached this message of the gospel to them—Jesus’ death, burial, and resurrection—the Bible explains that “when they heard this, they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, ‘Men and brethren, what shall we do?’” (Acts 2:37).

When they heard what Peter had to say about the gospel of Jesus, they were convicted. Have you ever felt this before? Maybe you can identify with what is going on in those who are hearing Peter preach.

Maybe right now, your own heart is feeling a tug toward God, a deep sense within you that is compelling you to take a step in faith toward Jesus. It is a feeling in your soul, deep within the seat of your conscience, that you need to respond to God, and to do so urgently. Maybe you have felt this before, but just didn’t know what it meant, or even what to do with it.

That’s okay. Neither did they. And this is why Peter begins to share with them the set of words that follow next, as he is about to tell us exactly what to do with the conviction that we feel, in response to the gospel message of Jesus that we’ve heard.

In response to this question, “What must we do?”… Peter, having the keys to the kingdom of Heaven, and having been taught by Jesus for three years, and even forty days after His resurrection, stands up with the other eleven disciples of Jesus Christ and begins to speak.

But before we listen to his words, I want us to pay attention to two very important elements. First, if what Peter was declared was wrong, then someone among the other eleven disciples of Jesus would have spoken up. All these men were so serious about living for Jesus and proclaiming His good news that they all (minus John) died as martyrs for Jesus and His gospel. I say that to reiterate the significance of Peter’s words here. What Peter is about to say has the unified backing of the rest of those who Jesus has taught and trained. In what Peter says next, he is about to give us very clear instructions, as one of (and in unity with) “those who heard Him.” Confirming to us how to respond to the gospel of Jesus and experience “so great a salvation” in Jesus (Hebrews 2:3).

Here is what Peter says:

“Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit” (Acts 2:38).

Does this confirm what Jesus said in Luke 24:47? Let’s take a look.

Jesus: “and that repentance” (Luke 24:47) Peter: “Repent” (Acts 2:38)

Jesus: “and remission of sins should be preached in His name” (Luke 24:47) Peter: “let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins” (Acts 2:38)

Jesus: “to all nations beginning at Jerusalem” (Luke 24:47) Peter: This message, which preached on Pentecost, certainly fits the bill.

It does.

Just like Jesus said, the gospel message was preached, repentance was called for, forgiveness of sins through baptism in the name of Jesus Christ (His name) was proclaimed, and the outpouring of the promise of the Father, which is the baptism of the Holy Spirit, a promise for all people… was not only received in convincing detail, being confirmed to us through Peter and by the affirmation of the rest of the disciples of Jesus Christ who heard Him.

This is the fulfillment of Jesus’ life, ministry, and mission. To restore His creation, once again, to His design and plan for them all along. The same one that Adam and Eve once had with Him in Eden. To have fellowship with Him. And now, as a result of Jesus’ gospel, we too can dwell in that delightful place of the presence of God… which is no longer a place in which to live, but a person Who lives within us. Christ in us, the hope of Glory.

This gospel message is for you. It’s for me. It is for all of us. All we have to do to receive it, and in faith-filled obedience respond, just like Jesus said, which Peter confirmed.

  1. Genuinely repenting and turning to Jesus as a result of belief in His gospel.
  2. Being baptized by immersion in water, in the only saving name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of our sins—being born of the water.
  3. And allowing Jesus Himself to fill us with the baptism of the Holy Spirit… being born of the Spirit, which is a promise for all who God draws to Himself.

Have you repented and turned to follow Jesus? If not, take a moment right now as you are reading this and do it. Tell God how truly sorry you are for the sins that you have committed in your life, acknowledging how much you really need Him, and make a commitment to make a 180º turn in your life… no longer following your own ways, but His… desiring to become a true follower of Jesus.

Have you been baptized in the name of Jesus? If you have never been baptized, very specifically, with someone saying “in the name of Jesus Christ,” calling on the name of the Lord at your baptism, you need to be baptized in Jesus’ name according to the Scriptures. Many have been baptized in water, having Jesus’ command of Matthew 28:19 verbally repeated over them at their baptism saying “in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit,” but Matthew 28:19 was not a formula to repeat; it was a command to obey.

Have you been filled with the baptism of the Holy Ghost? If not, I want you to know that this is a gift from God. You do not have to earn it or work for it; all you have to do is believe and receive it by faith. You can receive this gift from God anywhere, anytime.

Maybe Jesus will pour out this gift on you right now!

If you believe and are ready to receive the baptism of the Holy Spirit, lift your hands right where you are, lift your face to Jesus, and begin to tell Him how thankful you are for His gospel, His love, and His gift of the Holy Spirit which He has promised to you.

As you do this, you will begin to feel Jesus, and when you do, just continue to speak to Him, and He will fill you with the Holy Spirit. You will know this as you will begin to share in the same experience that the disciples of Jesus did in the Book of Acts, as you begin speaking in a language that you yourself have never learned, as the Spirit alone gives you the ability to do so.

The same experience that the disciples of Jesus experienced on Pentecost is a promise for YOU!

Reflection Questions: