Week Fourteen-Day Two: End of Day

We have said the first reason we believe in the Trinity is because the eyewitnesses of Jesus’ life and resurrection believed it. Tonight, let’s look at how Peter spoke about Jesus in one of his first sermons.

First we have to look at an Old Testament passage that Peter quoted.

Joel 2:28-32a

²⁸ “And afterward, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your old men will dream dreams, your young men will see visions. ²⁹ Even on my servants, both men and women, I will pour out my Spirit in those days. ³⁰ I will show wonders in the heavens and on the earth, blood and fire and billows of smoke. ³¹ The sun will be turned to darkness and the moon to blood before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the LORD. ³² And everyone who calls on the name of the LORD will be saved. 

According to Joel 2:32, the name, which accomplishes salvation when called upon is Yahweh – the very name of God!

Now look at how Peter applies this passage in a speech recorded in Acts 2.

¹⁴ Then Peter stood up with the Eleven, raised his voice and addressed the crowd: “Fellow Jews and all of you who live in Jerusalem, let me explain this to you; listen carefully to what I say. ¹⁵ These people are not drunk, as you suppose. It’s only nine in the morning! 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 servants, both men and women, 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.’^”

The point of Peter’s sermon here, and throughout the rest of his ministry, is that the name which brings salvation is the name Jesus! Wow! More tomorrow, but wow!

Lights out!