Effective Evangelism – The Conversion of the 3000 on the Day of Pentecost

1. God’s Spirit

1) God’s Spirit is always present everywhere (Psalm 139.7).

2) This was a special manifestation of God’s Spirit promised to the apostles.

3) The first clue to His presence was the sound of wind, rushing and mighty.

4) This sound filled the place where they were sitting.

5) Upon each of the apostles’ heads appeared a tongue like fire split in two.

6) The text says that they were filled with the Holy Spirit.

7) They spoke in different languages as the Spirit gave them speech.

8) The presence of God’s Spirit was needed in that day to advance the cause of Christ.

2. The presence of God’s Spirit is needed if we are to conduct effective evangelism.

1) While there is no miraculous presence today, we must permit the influence of the Spirit to guide us.

2) We do this by…

a. Obeying the message of the Spirit in the New Testament.

b. Teaching others what the Spirit taught through the apostles.

c. 1 Peter 4:11 “If any man speak, let him speak as the oracles of God; if any man minister, let him do it as of the ability which God giveth: that God in all things may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom be praise and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.”

3) Trusting in the Spirit’s will gives us confidence to do what is right.

1. About these people.

1) Jerusalem was a Mecca.

2) Jews came from everywhere to live there.

3) Jews had come from everywhere to observe the feast of Pentecost.

4) They came from all nations, both natural born Jews and proselytes.

5) The noise made by the Holy Spirit brought them to the place where the apostles were.

6) They heard the apostles speaking in their own native languages.

7) It was an obvious miracle because the apostles were Galileans not know for their linguistic prowess.

8) There are seventeen places listed in Acts 2.

9) They heard the apostles speak in their own languages the “wonderful works of God.”

10) While it was amazing, they didn’t know what to make of it.

11) Some were mocking them and saying that they had been drinking.

2. We need people to do effective evangelism.

1) It is no coincidence that multiple nations speaking multiple languages were present.

2) God’s design was for men of all nations to hear the gospel.

3) Jesus had said to the apostles, “Go and make disciples of all nations” (Matthew 28:19).

4) He also said, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to the whole creation” (Mark 16:15).

5) God wants all peoples to hear the message of the gospel without discrimination.

6) On this day, there were only Jews.

7) Soon, however, the message would go to the gentiles as well.

8) Peter declared in Acts 10:34-35 “Then Peter opened his mouth, and said, Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons: But in every nation he that feareth him, and worketh righteousness, is accepted with him.”

9) God wants the souls of men to be saved. Do you?

1. The Prophet Joel

1) To explain what was happening, Peter turns to the prophet Joel.

2) He tells them that they are no drunk; it is only nine o’clock in the morning.

3) He tells them that Joel spoke of this day.

4) Peter quotes from Joel 2:28-32.

5) This prophecy spoke concerning the pouring out of God’s Spirit.

6) It spoke of the people of the remnant working miracles.

7) Most importantly, however, it spoke of a day when salvation would come in Jerusalem.

2. The Prophet David

1) Peter also turns to the prophet David.

2) Peter quotes from Psalm 16:8-11.

3) This psalm speaks of the preservation of the Messiah from deathly corruption.

4) Peter also quotes from Psalm 110:1 regarding the reign of the Messiah.

3. We need to go to the prophets if we are going to do effective evangelism.

1) 2 Peter 1:21 says, “For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.”

2) That is, to the scriptures of the prophets, the Bible.

3) That is the message that men need to hear.

4) They don’t want our opinions or our “think sos.”

5) The honest of heart just want the facts from the scripture.

6) This means we need to know the scriptures so we, like Peter, can teach others.

7) 2 Timothy 3:16-17 “All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.”

1. Peter with all of the apostles.

1) All were preaching according to Acts 2:11.

2) However, Peter lifted up his voice in verse 14 to lead the thoughts of all.

3) He was the one who made the proper application of the prophet Joel and what it meant.

4) He then tells them who the Lord of Joel 2:32 was – Jesus of Nazareth.

a. That Jesus was approved by miracles, wonders, and signs that God did.

b. That they killed Jesus by crucifixion (23).

c. That God had raised up Jesus from the dead (24).

d. That David prophesied concerning Jesus’ resurrection (verses 25-30).

e. That Jesus is the one responsible for sending forth the Holy Spirit (verse 33)

f. That David prophesied concerning Jesus’ ascension into the heavens (verse 34-35).

g. That God has made Jesus both Lord and Christ (verse 36).

2. We need preachers if we are going to do effective evangelism.

1) 1 Corinthians 1:21 “For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe.”

2) God has chosen preaching as the means by which men are to be saved.

3) People need preachers to direct them to the right topics.

4) People need preachers to help them understand the proper application of the scriptures.

5) People need preachers to exhort them to believe and obey the scriptures.

1. The three thousand souls.

1) Those who heard Peter were convicted of their sin against God.

2) They wanted to know what to do.

3) Peter told them that they needed to repent and be baptized.

4) The promise of salvation as mentioned by Joel was for them and all.

5) Peter continued to exhort them with many other words.

6) He said to them, “Save yourselves from this crooked generation” (verse 40).

7) Those that were truly penitent, received Peter’s words and were baptized.

8) The number was three thousand souls.

2. We need individuals who have penitent hearts if we are going to do effective evangelism.

1) Jesus called them “good ground” (Matthew 13:23).

2) They are the ones willing to believe and obey the word of God.

3) The impenitent need to hear the gospel too, but we will not be effective with them.

4) The preaching of the gospel to them is for warning so they will be without excuse.

5) Isaiah prophesied unto such a people.

6) God said through him “I have spread out my hands all the day unto a rebellious people, which walketh in a way that was not good, after their own thoughts;” (Isaiah 65:2).

7) We need to do whatever it takes to reach the penitent of heart, the “good ground,” the honest and sincere seekers of truth.

8) The unexpected tragedy on the Day of Judgment will not be that the impenitent were lost.

9) The unexpected tragedy will be that we failed to get the gospel to the penitent of heart.

1. The follow up

1) After these three thousand were baptized, the apostles did not abandon them.

2) These continued with the apostles.

a. In their doctrine/teaching.

b. In fellowship with them.

c. Breaking of bread – Observing the Lord’s Supper.

d. In prayer.

3) They feared the Lord because of the signs and wonders done by the apostles.

4) They were together and had all things common – they shared with one another.

5) They made sacrifices for one another through selling their possessions and goods.

6) Every day they met in the temple.

7) They shared meals with one another in their houses with gladness.

8) They were united together under a single purpose.

9) We see the very picture of faithfulness.

2. If we are going to do effective evangelism, then we need to be persistent in faithfulness also.

1) We need to be anxious about following up with those that have been recently baptized.

2) This is more than just a “new converts” class.

3) It involves including them together with us in our regular worship.

4) Instructing them in right and wrong.

5) Praying with them.

6) Fellowshipping with them.

7) Eating with them in their homes and in our homes.

8) Making sacrifices for them.

9) Being a good example for them.

10) We must be concerned about keeping the baptized faithful!