“But Peter, standing with the eleven, lifted up his voice and addressed them: ‘Men of Israel, hear these words: Jesus of Nazareth, a man attested to you by God with mighty works and wonders and signs that God did through him in your midst, as you yourselves know— this Jesus, delivered up according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God, you crucified and killed by the hands of lawless men. God raised him up, loosing the pangs of death, because it was not possible for him to be held by it.'” (Acts 2:14a, 22-24)
Peter’s explanation of the miracles of Pentecost, particularly the speaking in tongues gave him an opportunity to preach a sermon, to proclaim the gospel. The sermon contains the basic facts of Jesus ministry, death and resurrection. These are enhanced by an appeal to the witness of the Old Testament, the Scriptures, in this case King David, and the eyewitness testimony of the apostles as well as those people who were there listening to him. These are some of the elements that ought to make up a presentation of the gospel. The first three are, for us, are contained in the scriptures. We also must include our own testimony, what Jesus has done and is doing for us. In addition we appeal to our audience’s own stirrings as the Holy Spirit convicts and guides them.
The important idea that Peter wanted to convey to those listeners was that now is the day of salvation made possible by the death and resurrection of Jesus, the very man that the Jews condemned and rejected several weeks earlier. Peter let them know that Jesus has risen from the dead and that He was no ordinary man, but He is Lord, that is Yahweh, as well as the promised Messiah.
Here then we find more elements of the gospel presentation. Peter called his audience to acknowledge their sins, to repent and be baptized, to openly declare their faith in Jesus. Faith imparts forgiveness and the Holy Spirit. The Spirit guarantees entrance into the Kingdom of God in the fellowship of the new community of God, the church. All who are granted such faith are rooted in the fellowship of other believers. Love and faith need the fellowship of the church in order to develop and function as God intends.