Acts 2:36-41 concludes Peter’s Pentecost sermon with a direct call to action, declaring that God has made Jesus—whom the people crucified—both Lord and Messiah. The crowd is cut to the heart and asks what to do; Peter tells them to repent and be baptized in Jesus’ name for the forgiveness of sins and the gift of the Holy Spirit. He assures them the promise is for all generations. About 3,000 people respond and are baptized that day.

"Both Lord and Messiah" This isn’t a ticket to heaven—it’s entry into Spirit-filled community and new creation life. What if this is not individualistic escape, but an invitation to resist the dehumanizing systems of the present age (Rome, religion, nationalism).

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This is the heart of Peter’s Pentecost sermon. He declares that Jesus’ death was part of God’s divine plan, but humans are still responsible for crucifying him. God raised Jesus from the dead, freeing him from death’s power—fulfilling David’s prophecy. Peter argues that David wasn’t speaking of himself, but of the Messiah, whom God would raise and exalt. He affirms that Jesus is now exalted at God's right hand and has poured out the Holy Spirit, which the crowd is witnessing.

How should we understand the upside down nature of the kingdom and the kind of power we are called to pursue? How does Jesus’ resurrection and exaltation redefine power, kingship, and God's faithfulness?

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Peter explains that the outpouring of the Spirit fulfills Joel’s prophecy, signaling the last days. He begins proclaiming Jesus as the one sent by God, validated through miracles and divine power. Here, those called are likewise validated by the Spirit moving in and through them. Joel 2 which Peter quotes here, talks of a radical inclusion. The vision for all people--this extends beyond Jew vs. Gentile, but also includes social boundaries of gender, age, etc. The Spirit of God is the great equalizer and is poured out on all people.

How does the Spirit reframe our experience and expand who belongs? How does Peter use and understand Joel 2?

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This is the undoing of the Tower of Babel… if the story of babel is that of an ancient people invoking a ziggurat (a temple used to bring the gods to earth to serve man)…this story is God coming to man to prepare him for the service of God. The power the disciples had asked for in Acts 1--will instead be the power given by the Spirit in Acts 2, not the political power and prestige they wanted, but a subversive power that calls for the service of all. A power that empowers the powerless. This will be not an elevation of Israel a division like the tower of babel, but a bringing together of a diverse group of people to be the People of God--this is not eradicating Israel but fulfilling the call the be a blessing to all peoples.

What does Pentecost teach us about the nature of the church as the Spirit of God is poured out on all of God’s people? What does this pouring out of the Spirit mean for us as the body today?

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If Acts 1 holds the disciples’ question, “Lord, is this the time when you will restore the kingdom to Israel?,” as a longing for political or social power, Acts 2 answers not with domination but with Spirit-filled community, mutuality, and witness to the margins.

Willie James Jennings says "The Book of Acts...[is] ... A call to Christians to be open to the action of the Spirit, not only leading them to confront values and practices in society that may need to be subverted, but perhaps even leading them to subvert or question practices and values within the Church itself." (Bible for Normal People, Episode 188)

What if our deepest transformation comes not through conquest but through communion?

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After wandering in the wilderness, Israel is on the cusp of a new beginning. Deuteronomy retells their story- not to rehash the past, but to remind a new generation of who they are. It’s a call to choose life, to love God and neighbor, and to remember the long road that brought them here.

Deuteronomy was likely compiled or finalized during or just before the Babylonian exile. It reflects a community in crisis trying to reimagine faithfulness without land, temple, or power, and inviting a return to covenant rooted in love and justice.

What do we carry forward—and what do we leave behind? What kind of community are we becoming as we step into the future?

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