ActsSermon4

This is a sermon about a sermon. My sermon tonight is about Peter's sermon preached on the Day of Pentecost and recorded in scripture in Acts 2:14-41.

A miraculous phenomenon occurred on the Day of Pentecost. As promised by Jesus and predicted by the prophets, the Holy Spirit arrived. That is not to say that there had been no manifestation of the Spirit prior to Pentecost. Under the economy of the Old Testament, the Spirit came upon special men for special ministries. (See Numbers 11:27-19) The promise of Jesus was that the ministry of the Holy Spirit was going to change, John 14:17. The arrival of the Spirit was marked by four things.

1. Church baptized in the Spirit, v. 2.

2. Individuals in-dwelt by the Spirit, v. 3.

3. Filling of the Spirit, v. 4.

4. Spirit given ability to speak in other languages, vs. 4-13.

It is here that we begin tonight. The multitude of people who witnesses these miraculous and amazing things wondered, "What's going on?" (verses 12-13). Peter answered their questions with a sermon. I call it Pentecostal preaching because it was preached on Pentecost

Peter did not preach in tongues! The message was preached by a Jew, to Jews (vs. 14, 22, 29, 36), on a Jewish feast day, about the Jewish Messiah in the everyday language of Jews. Whatever Gentiles happened to be present on this day were proselytes to the Jewish religion, v. 10. This sermon has three significant sections to it. In my estimation, every sermon and every gospel witness that we give, either to an large group or to an individual, needs these three things ...

Peter explained what had taken place on the Day of Pentecost and he did it he used the Old Testament scriptures. "This is," Peter says, "not a demonstration of drunken behavior as you are so quick to accuse but a fulfillment of prophetic scripture." In verse 16-21, Peter quotes Joel 2:28-32. Now, understand that not everything that Joel predicted here was fulfilled on the Day on Pentecost. Some of this will not happen until the Tribulation Period. But the "pouring out of the Spirit" upon all believers had arrived. Since the day of Pentecost, we have been living in what the Bible calls "the last days."

Preaching is not an some exercise in expressing men's ideas but it is an explanation of God's Word. And that is what Peter did. He caused the people to see the current event through the grid of Biblical prophecy.

Peter used this then to present to them the essential elements of the gospel. Verse 22 - Jesus' miracles reveal God's approval of Him. Verse 23 - You, on the other hand, crucified him (God knew and had already determined that this would happen. Verse 24 - Jesus, contrary to the "official announcement of a stolen body" (see Matthew 28:11-15), had risen from the dead. The crucifixion was a terrible crime on the part of men (v. 23) but a plan and a wonderful victory on the part of God, vs. 23b-24.

Again, Peter quotes and explains scripture to prove the resurrection of Jesus, vs. 25-35. He quotes and explains Psalm 16:8-11 and Psalm 110:1.

His message is from the Bible, it is about Christ, His life, His death, His resurrection, His ascension, His identity as Messiah and God and it is about the sinfulness of all men.

Peter concluded his sermon in verse 36. All Israel must know that Jesus whom they crucified is the Messiah and the Lord himself. He has quoted and explained the scripture. Here he applies it to them personally.

Pentecostal preaching is preaching that quotes and explains and applies a Biblical text. The power of preaching is not, should not be, the persuasiveness of a man's words but the power and authority of the word of God. It is the Word of God that is alive and powerful and sharper than a two-edged sword, that pierces the heart with God's truth. It is by hearing the word of God that faith comes. Our message is not ours. It is not human persuasion but simply delivering God's message. Quoting and explaining what the Bible says.

There was conviction, v. 37. Those who heard were "pricked (pierced) in their heart." They now wanted the answer to a second question. Not "What does this mean?" but "What should we do?"

There was a clear appeal, v. 38-39. This verse is often cited by those who preach 'baptismal regeneration." However, that is not at all what is being taught. The grammatical construction of the verse is not a clear in English.

"Repent" - You plural = All of you repent. Repentance is the gospel message. Mark 1:15 - Repent and believe the gospel. Repentance is turning away from sin and toward God. See

"Be baptized every one of you" - You singular = Those of you who repent should be baptized. Repentance is conversion, salvation, and baptism follows repentance.

"For the remission of sins." Those who believe in baptismal regeneration say that this most common little preposition means "in order to." In other words, you must repent and be baptized in order to have you sins forgiven." But the word "for" can and does also mean "because of." If I say, for example, "Jump for joy" (Luke 6:23), I do not mean jump in order to have joy, but jump because you have joy. Jesus himself used this same preposition in the sense of because of in Matthew 12:41 - Ninevah repented at (eis - because of) the preaching of Jonah.

Baptism is very important but it does not save. We repent and our sins are forgiven and we receive the Holy Spirit (vs. 38b-39) as Christ promised to all who would respond to his call. We are baptized because this has happened to show the salvation that we have received.

According to verse 40, Luke did not record everything that was said by Peter and the other 11 apostles on the day of Pentecost. They gave further witness. When it says (verse 40) "save yourselves" the common word "Sozo" is used simply meaning "Be saved" (see ________) - no works salvation here.

According to verse 41, 3000 did respond to this invitation. More later. This is "Pentecostal preaching" (review).