Peter Preaches at Pentecost
Month 10: Telling the Good News · Bible Story
Today's Scripture
Read together: Acts 2:14-41
14 Then Peter stood up with the Eleven, lifted up his voice, and addressed the crowd: “Men of Judea and all who dwell in Jerusalem, let this be known to you, and listen carefully to my words. 15 These men are not drunk, as you suppose. It is only the third hour of the day! 16 No, this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel: 17 ‘In the last days, God says, I will pour out My Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your young men will see visions, your old men will dream dreams. 18 Even on My menservants and maidservants I will pour out My Spirit in those days, and they will prophesy. 19 I will show wonders in the heavens above and signs on the earth below, blood and fire and billows of smoke. 20 The sun will be turned to darkness, and the moon to blood, before the coming of the great and glorious Day of the Lord. 21 And everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.’ 22 Men of Israel, listen to this message: Jesus of Nazareth was a man certified by God to you by miracles, wonders, and signs, which God did among you through Him, as you yourselves know. 23 He was delivered up by God’s set plan and foreknowledge, and you, by the hands of the lawless, put Him to death by nailing Him to the cross. 24 But God raised Him from the dead, releasing Him from the agony of death, because it was impossible for death to keep Him in its grip. 25 David says about Him: ‘I saw the Lord always before me; because He is at my right hand, I will not be shaken. 26 Therefore my heart is glad and my tongue rejoices; my body also will dwell in hope, 27 because You will not abandon my soul to Hades, nor will You let Your Holy One see decay. 28 You have made known to me the paths of life; You will fill me with joy in Your presence.’ 29 Brothers, I can tell you with confidence that the patriarch David died and was buried, and his tomb is with us to this day. 30 But he was a prophet and knew that God had promised him on oath that He would place one of his descendants on his throne. 31 Foreseeing this, David spoke about the resurrection of the Christ, that He was not abandoned to Hades, nor did His body see decay. 32 God has raised this Jesus to life, to which we are all witnesses. 33 Exalted, then, to the right hand of God, He has received from the Father the promised Holy Spirit and has poured out what you now see and hear. 34 For David did not ascend into heaven, but he himself says: ‘The Lord said to my Lord, “Sit at My right hand 35 until I make Your enemies a footstool for Your feet.”’ 36 Therefore let all Israel know with certainty that God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ!” 37 When the people heard this, they were cut to the heart and asked Peter and the other apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?” 38 Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. 39 This promise belongs to you and your children and to all who are far off—to all whom the Lord our God will call to Himself.” 40 With many other words he testified, and he urged them, “Be saved from this corrupt generation.” 41 Those who embraced his message were baptized, and about three thousand were added to the believers that day.
Memory Verse
“How then can they call on the One in whom they have not believed? And how can they believe in the One of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone to preach? And how can they preach unless they are sent? As it is written: “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!””— Romans 10:14-15 (BSB)memorize this week
📖 Bible-in-a-Year (optional)
Today's reading: Isaiah 17-20
Reading the whole Bible in a year — do this when you have extra time. (Around Day 292 of 365 — Isaiah's words to the nations around Israel.)The Heart of It
Just a few weeks earlier, Peter had been so scared that he told a servant girl he didn't even know Jesus. But on the day of Pentecost, the Holy Spirit filled him. And the same Peter stood up in front of thousands of people and preached the gospel out loud. He told them the truth plainly. Jesus of Nazareth did mighty works among them. Then He was crucified. But "God raised [Him] up" (). Peter wasn't sharing a clever idea or a religious opinion. He was reporting a fact that he and the other apostles had seen with their own eyes. The risen Jesus is Lord and Christ, and that changes everything.
What happened next is the heart of telling the good news. When the people heard it, they were "cut to the heart" and asked, "What shall we do?" (). Peter answered, "Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins" (). About three thousand people believed and were baptized that day. Notice the pattern. Someone was sent and spoke. Others heard. Then they believed and called on Jesus. That is exactly what our memory verse describes this week. God uses ordinary people who are willing to open their mouths, and He does the work in hearts. He still loves to use willing voices, including yours.
Around the Table
Peter used to be scared, but the Holy Spirit made him brave to tell people about Jesus. God can make us brave too!
Let's do it: Stand up tall like Peter and say loud, "Jesus is alive!"
Peter told people two big true things: Jesus died, and Jesus rose again. Then he invited them to turn to Jesus.
Let's talk: Who is one person you could tell that Jesus is alive?
Peter's sermon is built on eyewitness facts, not feelings. He said, "This Jesus God has raised up, and we are all witnesses."
Let's go deeper: Why does it matter that the first Christians preached the resurrection as something they saw, not just believed?
💬 Conversation Starter
What is something true and exciting you've told a friend about lately? Telling the good news of Jesus is like that — only the news is even better!
🛡️ Defending the Faith
The very first Christian sermon was preached in Jerusalem, just weeks after the crucifixion. And it was all about the resurrection. This was the same city where Jesus had just died. Anyone could have produced the body to prove Peter wrong. No one did. With gentleness and respect (), we can point people to that simple, stubborn fact.
For Dad · Go Deeper
Pentecost shows the order God uses again and again. The Spirit fills, and the filled believer speaks. Peter's boldness wasn't a personality trait. He had failed badly at it before. It was the fruit of being filled with the Holy Spirit (). For us as fathers, that's freeing. You don't have to manufacture courage to talk about Jesus with your kids or neighbors. You ask the Father to fill you, and you step out. Note too that Peter's message was soaked in Scripture. He quoted Joel and David to show this was God's plan all along. So lead your home to expect the Spirit's power and to ground every word in the Word.
Draws on: Robert Menzies, Empowered for Witness.
Let's Pray Together
"Father, thank You for sending the Holy Spirit to make scared people bold. Fill our family with Your Spirit. Give us courage to tell others that Jesus is alive. In Jesus' name, amen."
The same Spirit who made Peter brave lives in everyone who belongs to Jesus.