Acts 2:14-41 (Click title for audio access)
"The Words We All Understand" • 5.15.11 • Calvary Christian Fellowship, Sunday Morning Service
Intro.
- It has been 50 days since the resurrection of Christ. For 40 of those days, Jesus appeared to His disciples, speaking to them about things pertaining to the Kingdom of God.
- After Christ's ascension, the disciples waited for 10 days for the Promise of the Father, the Baptism of the Holy Spirit, which has now come and which we studied last week.
- This event was far from a private event, as a loud noise as from a tornado accompanied it, as well as the supernatural ability given to the disciples to speak in known dialects of their time.
- This brought a crowd together and prompted some of them to ask, "What is going on here?," anticipating that God had worked something in their midst.
- There question is what Peter endeavors to answer now. Peter's address in this section falls nicely into three parts. He will
I. Explain The Meaning Of Pentecost (v.14-21)
II. Exalt The Risen Christ (v.22-36)
III. Evangelize The Lost (v.37-41)
Text
I. Explain The Meaning Of Pentecost (v.14-21)
• Acts 2:14,15 : "But Peter, standing up with the eleven, raised his voice and said to them, 'Men of Judea and all who dwell in Jerusalem, let this be known to you, and heed my words. For these are not drunk, as you suppose, since it is only the third hour of the day." : What a difference the Holy Spirit makes! Peter and the other 11 had been privately waiting for the promise of the Father.
- Before that they were hiding out or running away! Now they stand in the face of mockery and answer the charge like only Spirit filled men can do. Peter addresses residents and visitors.
- Peter notes the time of day. It was 9 in the morning, an hour before the common time for eating the first meal of the day.
- Drinking might be done with the first meal, but certainly not before then and definitely not during a sacred feast, which the feast of weeks was.
- I might mention here something that I feel is often overlooked. There are some in the body of Christ who would have people believe that the Holy Spirit makes one lose all control.
- Peter's rational and reasoned response show us quite other wise! If anything, the word that really describes Peter is authoritative and present.
- He speaks for the Apostles, with a clear resounding voice.
• Acts 2:16-21 : "But this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel: ‘And it shall come to pass in the last days, says God, that I will pour out of My Spirit on all flesh; Your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your young men shall see visions, your old men shall dream dreams. And on My menservants and on My maidservants I will pour out My Spirit in those days; And they shall prophesy. I will show wonders in heaven above And signs in the earth beneath: Blood and fire and vapor of smoke. The sun shall be turned into darkness, And the moon into blood, Before the coming of the great and awesome day of the Lord. And it shall come to pass that whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.’" : This event that was happening before their eyes had been part of a prophecy from Joel 2:28 and following. The context of Joel 2 is a prophecy of warning regarding the day of the Lord.
- Two things stick out. First, the experience that they were having at that very moment was predicted in scripture and within scriptural boundaries.
- Second, notice that Peter associates what was happening as emblematic of the commencement of the last days.
- The first part of the prophecy was being fulfiled. God had poured out His Spirit and all flesh would be the recipients, not just specific Jewish people.
- Men and women will prophecy in the book of Acts. There will be visions and dreams that are recorded for us. Lowly servants in low places will be given the privilege of having His Spirit.
- Such things continue today, as the Lord continues to baptize with His Spirit and fill believers.
- And they will prophecy! The word "prophecy" does not refer primarily to telling the future. It speaks of carrying forth the word of God, the message of Christ!
- That will be a major part of the Christian experience from the book of Acts until this very day!
- The characteristic of the Holy Spirit's presence will not be the gift of tongues. That will not be in the forefront. The priority gift will be on prophesying!
- Then, at the other end of this prophecy, is the season that we looked at in Matthew 24. The wonders that we looked at there were exactly what we see Peter proclaiming here.
- As horrifying as that day will be, all the days prior to it will present the opportunity for salvation. Whoever calls. Whoever cries out for the name of the Lord will be saved.
- Joel's prophecy and Peter's proclamation bring the same warning: Christ is coming to vanquish His enemies, but there is a hope of salvation! It's in the name of the Lord!
- Today, that has not changed! While it is day. While there is opportunity, will you call upon Him? If you have, will you point people to Him, so that they might do as you have done!
II. Exalt The Risen Christ (v.22-36)
• Acts 2:22-24 : "Men of Israel, hear these words: Jesus of Nazareth, a Man attested by God to you by miracles, wonders, and signs which God did through Him in your midst, as you yourselves also know— Him, being delivered by the determined purpose and foreknowledge of God, you have taken by lawless hands, have crucified, and put to death; whom God raised up, having loosed the pains of death, because it was not possible that He should be held by it." : The audience is letting the words of Joel sink in. The day of the Lord. Call on the Lord. Be saved!
- They might have surmised that they knew God. They were called by His name! As they were thinking Peter used the occasion to call them to His intention.
- Hear these words. Think about this. Consider Jesus of Nazareth. I want to talk about Jesus!
- He is the centerpiece, the cornerstone, the difference maker, the game changer!
- Evangelism without Jesus is simply motivational speaking! Jesus makes it the gospel!
- God put Jesus on display before them. He was an exhibit that they had clearly seen. Miracles, wonders and sign were all done through Him and they could not deny it.
- They saw His power, but they denied it's true source and rejected Jesus.
- Peter sees this for exactly what it is. Before the Holy Spirit had come upon him, he did not understand. Here he clearly understands what has taken place theologically.
- Jesus had been delivered up, rejected, but that was a something that God had worked out.
- The word for "determined purpose" comes from the word "horizo." It was determined like the horizon is set. Or, it came from the place of eternity in the mind of God, who knew.
- While it was God's plan, they had the responsibility of illegally, unrighteously putting Jesus to death! It may be that many in that crowd had been there when Christ was sentenced to death.
- It may have been their voices that cried out for His crucifixion. But even though that was the case, God raised Jesus up, because death could not hold Him down.
- God loosed the pains of death. The word "pains" denotes labor pains. The grave was treated more like a womb that brought forth a life that had been hidden within it!
- He tasted death for us, but permanent death is for sinners. Jesus was not a sinner!
• Acts 2:25-28 : "For David says concerning Him: ‘I foresaw the Lord always before my face, For He is at my right hand, that I may not be shaken. Therefore my heart rejoiced, and my tongue was glad; Moreover my flesh also will rest in hope. For You will not leave my soul in Hades, nor will You allow Your Holy One to see corruption. You have made known to me the ways of life; You will make me full of joy in Your presence.'" : Peter is quoting from Psalm 16:8-11. David wrote about the resurrection and the defeat of the grave.
- Many of the Jewish people before that day would have attempted to understand these verses in a mystical way. Now, they are hearing of how these scriptures were fulfilled in the life of Jesus.
• Acts 2:29-32 : "Men and brethren, let me speak freely to you of the patriarch David, that he is both dead and buried, and his tomb is with us to this day. Therefore, being a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him that of the fruit of his body, according to the flesh, He would raise up the Christ to sit on his throne, he, foreseeing this, spoke concerning the resurrection of the Christ, that His soul was not left in Hades, nor did His flesh see corruption. This Jesus God has raised up, of which we are all witnesses." : I love Peter's candor here. "Guys, let's face it: David is dead as dead can be!"
- At the least, David's tomb and body had been right there for centuries! He could not have been talking about Himself. David was talking about Jesus!
- God spoke through David and had promised Him that he would have a descendant upon His throne, which everyone knew was the annointed One, the Messiah that they had waited for!
- David says that Jesus was not left in Hades, abandoned as one in a permanent condition.
- When Jesus was in the grave, dead, His body did not decompose in any way. Those things happen to us because of our sin nature and our sin, neither of which Jesus possessed personally.
- Peter says this publically: This Jesus God raised up! It's one thing for us to say this, but here is Peter among many who might have called for Christ's death, as well as Romans who executed it!
- Peter is saying what we can say today: "Jesus is alive and I am a witness!"
• Acts 2:33-36 : "Therefore being exalted to the right hand of God, and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, He poured out this which you now see and hear. For David did not ascend into the heavens, but he says himself: ‘The Lord said to my Lord, 'Sit at My right hand, till I make Your enemies Your footstool.' Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly that God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ." : Having studied the depths of Christ's humiliation, it's wonderful to speak of His exaltation.
- When Peter saw Jesus lift off into heaven, he knew where He was going. He was going to be exalted, raised to be raised to the Highest place of greatest favor and privilege.
- He went to the right hand of God. Scripturally speaking, this speaks of the place of His strength, rule and honor. In the original language, the phrase "right hand" receives the emphasis!
- When God delivered Israel from the Egyptians, it was His right hand that was credited.
- When He sustains an army, a believer or any life, that entity is held by His right hand!
- Now, because of where Jesus is, He has the power to make good on His promise! His ascension made way for His believers to received the Holy Spirit.
- He poured out His Spirit upon them. The word is descriptive of a wineskin that burst open, letting loose all of it's contents.
- He didn't just leak the Holy Spirit out or let Him out in a measured way. He turned the vessel over and held it upside down to make sure that the Spirit was given in full!
- This was what they were witnessing. Peter says, "This is what you are seeing! You are witnesses to the truth of what has happened with Jesus by witnessing what is happening with us!"
- A proof that Jesus has ascended to the right hand of the Father, is seen in the fact that the disciples have received the Holy Spirit. That is the practical proof. Peter furnishes the theological.
- Peter brings their minds back to what their King had said in Psalm 110:1. It was not David who ascended to the right hand of God. He had ascended to an earthly throne.
- He had achieved dominance over the His enemies, but this was not done on the scale that Jesus had accomplished. Jesus had ascended to the very throne of God!
- As a result let everyone in the house of Israel who had hoped in their Messiah know that God has taken Jesus and made Him both Lord and Christ.
- What is phenomenol about this is the very clear word that Peter proclaims. In the septuagint, the word "Lord" is synonymous with the word "God."
- God called Jesus God! If anyone else needs any proof of Christ's deity, I can furnish nothing better than this! He is both God and the Messiah!
III. Evangelize The Lost (v.37-41)
• Acts 2:37-39 : "Now when they heard this, they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, 'Men and brethren, what shall we do?' Then Peter said to them, 'Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promise is to you and to your children, and to all who are afar off, as many as the Lord our God will call.'" : The people who were listening were radically affected by Peter's proclamation. They were cut to the heart. It's akin to an abrupt stab.
- It was breathtaking. It painfully and suddenly came upon them.
- Literally, the conscience that had built itself up was pricked and the wound was open and agitated. Their hearts screamed at them that this was the truth.
- This is truly an amazing verse when you consider the hardness of hearts that men live under. These verses and words opened up their hearts and made them receptive.
- Why would they feel this way? Peter has just told them that the person that they personally had a hand in crucifying was their long awaited Messiah. Bad enough.
- But to listen to the logic of scripture, where the Father declared Jesus to be God and Messiah meant that He was the one who would be doling out punishment!
- "Sit here at my right hand until I make your enemies your footstool." LIterally, sit here until I bring you your enemies and you stand on their neck! I'd be pained as well!
- They went from feeling this to immediately asking what should be done about it! Frankly, many never get there. Many are affected by the truth.
- They know that they are lost without Christ. They know that He is the Messiah and that He has a claim on their life. But few move to ask what can be done about it!
- It is never enough to emotionally assent to a position in life. You can believe and not want to be something, but until you get up and take action, you will never be something else!
- What is the appropriate response to this information? Peter tells them "repent." Change your thinking about Jesus. Change your mind about yourself. Change your mind about your direction!
- In the mind, it is resolve to walk away from anything that hinders a relationship with Christ. In the heart, it is pain of thought and remorse. In the actions, it is a direct progression toward a change!
- Jesus tells them specifically that they were to be baptized. Why? Baptism was and is, an outward act that illustrats an inward change. For the Jews, there was added significance.
- Because baptism was public, and baptism was into Jesus Christ, the Jewish person was facing a very stark dilema. Their community has just executed Jesus for being a blasphemer.
- If one was to submit to baptism, they would be choosing to leave the comforts of their community, Judaism with it's rituals and face certain ostracisism from their family, permanently.
- Welcome to the family of God because it may very well be your only family!
- Peter tells them this for the same reason that Jesus tells the Rich Young Ruler to give away His riches.
- That was His first love and for these Jews, assembled on a feast day, their heritage was their greatest love and their religion, their greatest possession.
- One must understand an incredible principle here about evangelism: Making it easy for someone to come to Christ does not make for enduring disciples!
- Often, that just makes for shallow imitators enculturated, but not truly converted. On the other hand, when someone is truly born again, there is no stopping them!
- There is no barrier they won't smash their way through, if Jesus is on the other side!
- For those who believed in Christ enough to repent and follow through with a public display, Peter promised forgiveness from the Lord and the same Holy Spirit that they saw in them.
- He tells them that this is a promise for them, their children and then those who are afar off as many as the Lord would call. Who would that be?
- That's determined every time the gospel is presented! The call is an invitation to act.
• Acts 2:40,41 : "And with many other words he testified and exhorted them, saying, 'Be saved from this perverse generation.' Then those who gladly received his word were baptized; and that day about three thousand souls were added to them." : Most of what we have read thus far is a synopsis provided by Luke of the highlights of Peter's message. He let's it suffice that there was a lot more that was said.
- He testified and exhorted them over and over again. Another translation has it that he "warned and pleaded with them." One other, that he "strongly urged them."
- Let there be no doubt: For one who has experienced Christ and has called another to Him, this is the common experience.
- It feels as if we are almost begging them to take the greatest gift ever! That is a common experience and a common cry regarding culture.
- "Be saved from this perverse generation!" Wow! If that is true of the first century, how much more true is it today! The word "perverse" means twisted, the mind being tangled in knots.
- It is baffling to watch our society crumble under the weight of perversity. One would not even know where to begin. This is why God commands that we come out of it!
- We cannot leave the world, but we can determine to no longer be of the world!
- On that day, there were those who bowed to these terms. They gladly received His word. There was an enthusiasm, perhaps even a tinge of relief!
- They walked over the divide and were baptized into Jesus Christ. Three thousand souls were added to them. Make no mistake: This was a miraculous movement.
- For just one person to respond would have been amazing, but 3,000!?
- That being said, it was a small percentage of the people that likely listened. I don't throw that on as a wet blanket. I simply mention it to say that the work is greater than any realize!
- Evangelism is a God sized opportunity! Woe to anyone who would attempt it without His Spirit empowering them!
Conclusion
- Peter was faithful to proclaim God's Word: Repent! He did it God's Way: Be Baptized, leave anything that keeps you from Him.
- He received God's response: Men who had been dead in trespasses and sins, doomed for destruction, gladly received and were baptized, transferred eternally from death to life! Who's next!?
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