In Matthew 16:18 Jesus makes this great statement “And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it.” We can see several things about the church in this statement. First, when Jesus spoke this, the church was not yet in existence. He said “I will build……” Second, there was only to be one church. Notice the word “church” is singular. Third, Peter was going to play an important role in the church.

We now fast forward to Acts chapter one. Jesus had been crucified, was buried and had resurrected at this point. In Acts 1:3 it tells us that Jesus was “Seen by them through 40 days, and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God.” So after His resurrection He was with His Apostles for 40 days and talking to them about the church, but it still wasn’t a reality yet.

In Acts 2:1 we see a special day called the Pentecost. “Pente” means 50. Pentecost was 50 days after the Passover. Again, this is important because it sheds some light on the early church. Jesus arose on the Sunday of Passover. If you count 50 days after the Passover, you will arrive at a Sunday. The church began on a Sunday 50 short days after Jesus resurrected! To be more specific, the church started ten days after Jesus ascended back into heaven!

Who was the man who preached the first gospel sermon? None other than Peter himself. The man who just a short time before this denied that he even knew who Jesus was. God can take a sinner and turn him around and do good things with him.

It seems that as Peter was preaching, telling the audience that they had crucified Jesus, they stopped him, asking what they needed to do to. What did Peter tell them? “All you have to do is believe,” “Just ask Jesus to come into your heart,” “Repeat after me the sinner’s prayer?” No, in verse 38 it says “Then Peter said to them, repent and be baptized everyone of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.”

Over 3000 people gave their souls over to Jesus that day and the church got its glorious beginning. Verse 42 tells us that the Lord added daily those who were being saved.

How did you become a Christian? Did you do the same thing that Peter told them on the day of Pentecost? Can the church that you are a part of trace its roots back to the day of Pentecost?