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Men and brethren, what shall we do?

This was the question asked by the Jews after Peter preached on the day of Pentecost.  They had seen things that day they had never seen.  God had moved in a way with which they were not familiar.  Things were happening that they did not understand. 

Men and brethren, what shall we do?

Now let’s take a step back.  Before we continue on with that eventful day, let’s look around a little. 

When studying the Bible, the Word of God, it is important to understand WHO God is.  Genesis, the first book of the Bible, starts off giving us some insight about God. 

“In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.”  -Genesis 1:1

So right off the bat, we discover that God was at the beginning, “In the beginning God…”
Also we learn that God is a Creator.  “…God created the heaven and the earth.”  Verse 2, “And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep.  And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters.” 

In verse 2 we find mention of the Spirit of God.  Not only that, but that the Spirit of God moves.

Verse 3… “And God said, Let there be light:  and there was light.”

Here we see the creative power of God.  Notice also HOW God created light.  “And God said….”  He SPOKE.  He created light with His WORD!  Not only light, but the sky, v.6 “And God said…”, dry land, v. 9 “And God said…”, plants, v.11 “And God said…”, sun, moon, and stars, v. 14, “And God said…”, fowl and aquatic animals, v. 20, “And God said…”, land animals, v. 24, “And God said…”

So, by His Word, He created the earth, the heavens, and the plants and animals that fill them.  God’s Word is powerful.

Let’s go a step further.  John 1 tells us, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.  The same was in the beginning with God.  All things were made by Him; and without Him was not anything made that was made.”  -John 1:1-3

We find also in Genesis 2:4 for the first time in the Bible, God is called something besides “God.” 

“These are the generations of the heavens and of the earth when they were created, in the day that the LORD God made the earth and the heavens,” 

“The LORD God.”  According to Webster, the word “Lord” means “a person having great power and authority; ruler, master.”

 Well, that sounds right.  God commanded in Genesis 1, and everything obeyed. He created by His Word.  That is certainly great power and authority.  Other places in Genesis we find God to be a Judge (with the flood), a Leader (with Abraham), The Almighty (Genesis 17:1), a Promise Keeper (Isaac born to Abraham and Sarah).  He’s called “the most high God” in Genesis 14.  He’s the Provider in Genesis 22.  God has won battles, delivered armies, set up kings, cast down kings, and performed miracles.  He is God. 

Now let’s look back at John 1.  We saw how God is the Word in verse 1, now let’s keep going. 

John 1:1-15

1 "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God"

2 "The same was in the beginning with God."

3 "All things were made by Him; and without him was not any thing made that was made."

4 "In Him was life; and the life was the light of men."

5 "And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not."

6 "There was a man sent from God, whose name was John."

7 "The same came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all men through him might believe."

8 "He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light."

9 "That was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world."

10 "He was in the world, and the world was made by Him, and the world knew Him not."

11 "He came unto His own, and his own received Him not."

12 "But as many as received Him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on His name:"

13 "Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God."

14 "And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth."

15 "John bare witness of Him, and cried, saying, This was He of whom I spake, He that cometh after me is preferred before me: for He was before me."

Who was John sent to bare witness of?  Jesus Christ.  Jesus Christ became flesh (Luke 2:7), dwelt among us, and His glory was beheld.  So, the Word IS God, and the Word is Christ.  Isaiah prophesied this, in Isaiah 9:6.

“For unto us a child is born, unto us a Son is given: and the government shall be upon His shoulder: and His name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.”

So according to the Bible, God is the Word, and the Word is Jesus Christ.  What about the Holy Ghost?  Well, the Holy Ghost is the Spirit of God, right?  2 Corinthians 3:17 says “Now the Lord is that Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.” 

John 4:22-24  "Ye worship ye know not what:  we know what we worship:  for salvation is of the Jews.  But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth:  for the Father  seeketh such to worship Him.  God is a Spirit:  and they that worship Him must worship Him in spirit and in truth." 

In John 14, Jesus speaks of the Holy Ghost being the Comforter.  He tells them the Comforter will come.  Then He says “I will not leave you comfortless:  I will come to you.”   So we can see that God, Jesus, and the Holy Ghost, is one person.  1 John 5:7 “For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one.”

We also know that Jesus is the Savior.  Phillippians 3:20 says “For our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ.”  Isaiah 43:10-12 says “Ye are my witnesses, saith the Lord, and my servant whom I have chosen: that ye may know and believe Me, and understand that I am He: before me there was no God formed, neither shall there be after Me.  I, even I, am the Lord; and beside Me there is no saviour.  I have declared, and have saved, and I have shewed, when there was no strange god among you: therefore ye are My witnesses, saith the Lord, that I am God.”

Isaiah 53:3-5 tells us of the beating and death of Jesus.  Through His cross we can find salvation.  But what do we do with what we find? 

John 3:1-8

 "There was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews:  The same came to Jesus by night, and said unto him, Rabbi, we know that Thou art a teacher come from God: for no man can do these miracles that Thou doest, except God be with him.  Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.  Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother's womb, and be born?  Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.  That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.  Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again.  The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit. "

Born of water and of the Spirit…

The water is baptism.  The Spirit is the Holy Ghost. 

Jesus told His disciples in Matthew 28:19 “Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:” 

Now we have already discussed how that Jesus is the Word, the Word is God, and God is the Spirit.  SO what is His name?

The disciples knew.  On the day of Pentecost, Peter stood up and preached.  He told them of Christ and how He was crucified.  Then… “Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do?  Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.  For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call.” –Acts 2:37-39

Baptized in the name of Jesus Christ, that’s what Jesus had meant!  The name of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost is JESUS.  And whenever the Apostles baptized someone, it was in the name of Jesus Christ.

Acts 8:16 “(For as yet He was fallen upon none of them: only they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.)”

Acts 10:48 “And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of the Lord. Then prayed they him to tarry certain days.”

Acts 19:1-5 “And it came to pass, that, while Apollos was at Corinth, Paul having passed through the upper coasts came to Ephesus: and finding certain disciples, he said unto them, Have ye received the Holy Ghost since ye believed? And they said unto him, We have not so much as heard whether there be any Holy Ghost.  And he said unto them, Unto what then were ye baptized? And they said, Unto John's baptism.  Then said Paul, John verily baptized with the baptism of repentance, saying unto the people, that they should believe on him which should come after him, that is, on Christ Jesus.  When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.”

The name of Lord Jesus… “Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.”

What about being born of the Spirit?

Acts 2:1-4   “And when the day of Pentecost was 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 all the house where they were sitting.  And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them.  And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.”

Here we find the disciples being born of the Spirit.  What was the sign of this?  Speaking in tongues.  When someone receives the Gift of the Holy Ghost, they begin to speak with tongues, as the Spirit gives the utterance.  It happened in Acts 2, Acts 10, Acts 19, and it is still happening today!  Acts 2:39, “For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call.”

Acts 10:44-47  “While Peter yet spake these words, the Holy Ghost fell on all them which heard the word.  And they of the circumcision which believed were astonished, as many as came with Peter, because that on the Gentiles also was poured out the gift of the Holy Ghost.  For they heard them speak with tongues, and magnify God. Then answered Peter, Can any man forbid water, that these should not be baptized, which have received the Holy Ghost as well as we?”

Acts 19:6  “And when Paul had laid his hands upon them, the Holy Ghost came on them; and they spake with tongues, and prophesied.”

So, we have discussed Who God is, what He did to save us, and His plan of salvation.  If you would like to learn more, and find a church near you,  click here.