Peters Sermon at Pentecost

Introduction

Coming of the Holy Spirit

We were just introduced to the coming of the Holy Spirit (2:1-13)

By the coming of the Holy Spirit and the miraculous event of the tongues we can see that the promise and commission to the apostles is being fulfilled.

Remember the structure of Acts is built upon geography and the command given in Acts 1:8

Acts 1:8 ESV

8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”

At the moment the Apostles are being the witnesses in Jerusalem.

From Jerusalem they are going to reach all the nations - its the starting point for the climb they are about to make.

The Scripture

Peter Stands Up to Speak (v.14)

Acts 2:14 ESV

14 But Peter, standing with the eleven, lifted up his voice and addressed them: “Men of Judea and all who dwell in Jerusalem, let this be known to you, and give ear to my words.

Peter - who was to scared to confess Christ in front of a servant girl is now confessing Christ is everyone!

Rulers, Authority, and Powers that be!

God can turn around or restore anyone - no matter how big their fall

These men are not drunk (v.15)

Acts 2:15 ESV

15 For these people are not drunk, as you suppose, since it is only the third hour of the day.

Third hour of the day = 9:00am

Uttered by the Prophet (v.16-21)

Acts 2:16–21 ESV

16 But this is what was uttered through the prophet Joel: 17 “ ‘And in the last days it shall be, God declares, that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh, and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams; 18 even on my male servants and female servants in those days I will pour out my Spirit, and they shall prophesy. 19 And I will show wonders in the heavens above and signs on the earth below, blood, and fire, and vapor of smoke; 20 the sun shall be turned to darkness and the moon to blood, before the day of the Lord comes, the great and magnificent day. 21 And it shall come to pass that everyone who calls upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.’

The Last Days (v.17a) - We are in them!

Peter clarifies that the events of Pentecost signal the dawn of the last days

The inauguration of the last days began with the ascension of Christ which brought the outpouring of the Holy Spirit.

The New Testament authors always speak as if we are in the last days

Excursus - Prophecy (v.17b)

“miraculous act of intelligible communication, rooted in spontaneous, divine revelation and empowered by the Holy Spirit, which results in words that can be attributed to any and all members of the Godhead and which therefore must be received by those who hear or read them as absolutely binding and true” - R. Blaylock

Prophecy Today

I believe this act (in this same way) has stopped today - it was useful for when their was no written New Testament. However, now that we have the written word of God we need no new revelation - our scriptures are sufficient.

The closest thing we have to prophesying is the reading of the Word of God.

Because it is revealing God’s truth publically.

In this context - focus on the miraculous events going on to symbolize the coming of the Spirit & the coming of the New Covenant.

Why does Peter use Joel? (v.16-21)

He is answering the question asked by the onlookers - they asked “What is going on?” and “Are these men drunk?”

He tells the people that what Joel was describing is happening right in front of them!

The result of this is found in verse 21

Acts 2:21 ESV

21 And it shall come to pass that everyone who calls upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.’

Everyone that calls upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.

This Jesus - delivered by God - you crucified

Jesus of Nazareth (v.22)

Acts 2:22 ESV

22 “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—

Jesus proved himself to be the messiah by:

Mighty works

Signs

Wonders

Delivered up by the plan of God (v.23)

Acts 2:23 ESV

23 this Jesus, delivered up according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God, you crucified and killed by the hands of lawless men.

It was God’s eternal plan to deliver Jesus to be crucified

This was foretold by the law and the prophets

Genesis 3:15 ESV

15 I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring; he shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel.”

Read Isaiah 53

This was foretold and promised by Jesus

Luke 24:25–27 ESV

25 And he said to them, “O foolish ones, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken! 26 Was it not necessary that the Christ should suffer these things and enter into his glory?” 27 And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he interpreted to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself.

Matthew 16:21–23 ESV

21 From that time Jesus began to show his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised. 22 And Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him, saying, “Far be it from you, Lord! This shall never happen to you.” 23 But he turned and said to Peter, “Get behind me, Satan! You are a hindrance to me. For you are not setting your mind on the things of God, but on the things of man.”

The eternal plan of God came to fruition at Calvary

God raised him up loosing the pangs of death (v.24)

Acts 2:24 ESV

24 God raised him up, loosing the pangs of death, because it was not possible for him to be held by it.

God the Father raised Christ from the dead - defeating death itself that we may no longer taste death

David Says… (v.25-28) cited from Psalm 16

Switching perspective

Lord is ever before us

His soul was not abandoned to Hades so now Our souls will not be abandoned to Hades

He did not see corruption so now We will not see corruption

He has made known to us the paths of life now

We can have full gladness in his presence

The Patriarch David - predicted Jesus (v.29-35)

Acts 2:29–35 ESV

29 “Brothers, I may say to you with confidence about the patriarch David that he both died and was buried, and his tomb is with us to this day. 30 Being therefore a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him that he would set one of his descendants on his throne, 31 he foresaw and spoke about the resurrection of the Christ, that he was not abandoned to Hades, nor did his flesh see corruption. 32 This Jesus God raised up, and of that we all are witnesses. 33 Being therefore exalted at the right hand of God, and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, he has poured out this that you yourselves are seeing and hearing. 34 For David did not ascend into the heavens, but he himself says, “ ‘The Lord said to my Lord, “Sit at my right hand, 35 until I make your enemies your footstool.” ’

Christ is the Davidic descendent that sits on the Davidic throne - this throne is an eternal thrown in heaven (v.30)

The Holy Spirit being poured out onto the Apostles is a sign and proof the Jesus rose and has ascended (v.32-33)

Let this be known to the house of Israel (v.36)

Acts 2:36 ESV

36 Let all the house of Israel therefore know for certain that God has made him both Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom you crucified.”

This is the purpose of the entire message

God has made Jesus both Lord and Christ - and you crucified him!

Cut to the heart (Acts 2:37)

Acts 2:37 ESV

37 Now when they heard this they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?”

They were convicted of their sins - the Holy Spirit was working on them - calling them to salvation.

Which leads them to ask “what shall we do?”

The response (Acts 2:38)

Acts 2:38 ESV

38 And Peter said to them, “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.

Repent

Turn away from one’s previous way of living

Faith is implied here - its a change of the heart

be Baptized

This is the sign of the covenant

It visually represents the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ

Romans 6:4 ESV

4 We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life.

This is something for believers - those who are regenerate - meaning they are indwelt by the Holy Spirit

“for the forgiveness of sins”

for = because (eis)

Baptism does not “wash away” sins literally at all - purely symbolic

“Man was executed for the murder of his neighbor”

We would never assume that the man was executed so that his neighbor would be murdered

The word “for” means “because” in the english language sometimes

We are Baptized because the forgiveness of sins - not to receive forgiveness of sins - we have already received forgiveness of sins because of the cross of Christ!

“and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit”

Many make false conclusions from this verse by saying that the Holy Spirit is only received after baptism - which is simply not supported anywhere in scripture.

Other instances in Acts show people receiving the Holy Spirit after they are Baptized

Paul was baptized after receiving the Spirit in chapter 9

Some gentiles receive the spirit before baptism in chapter 10

Acts 10:44–48 ESV

44 While Peter was still saying these things, the Holy Spirit fell on all who heard the word. 45 And the believers from among the circumcised who had come with Peter were amazed, because the gift of the Holy Spirit was poured out even on the Gentiles. 46 For they were hearing them speaking in tongues and extolling God. Then Peter declared, 47 “Can anyone withhold water for baptizing these people, who have received the Holy Spirit just as we have?” 48 And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. Then they asked him to remain for some days.

Descriptive or Prescriptive

I believe that these events surrounding baptism in Acts are describing miraculous events that aren't always normative. However, one thing that I believe that we can take from this is that all believers should be baptized.

Clearer texts can help us interpret these events!

Galatians 2:16 ESV

16 yet we know that a person is not justified by works of the law but through faith in Jesus Christ, so we also have believed in Christ Jesus, in order to be justified by faith in Christ and not by works of the law, because by works of the law no one will be justified.

Galatians 3:1–6 ESV

1 O foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you? It was before your eyes that Jesus Christ was publicly portrayed as crucified. 2 Let me ask you only this: Did you receive the Spirit by works of the law or by hearing with faith? 3 Are you so foolish? Having begun by the Spirit, are you now being perfected by the flesh? 4 Did you suffer so many things in vain—if indeed it was in vain? 5 Does he who supplies the Spirit to you and works miracles among you do so by works of the law, or by hearing with faith— 6 just as Abraham “believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness”?

The Promise (v.39-41)

Acts 2:39–41 ESV

39 For the promise is for you and for your children and for all who are far off, everyone whom the Lord our God calls to himself.” 40 And with many other words he bore witness and continued to exhort them, saying, “Save yourselves from this crooked generation.” 41 So those who received his word were baptized, and there were added that day about three thousand souls.

All those who received the word were baptized

Three thousand people got saved after this sermon!

Conclusion - Summary of Peters Sermon

I. The crucifixion of the Lord Jesus was ordained by God from eternity past and was promised by the Law and Prophets

This was God’s plan - this was not by accident

What is a tragedy is also the best thing that ever happened to mankind

The same can be said about anything that has occurred in your life - it is all part of God’s plan and is under his control and authority.

II. Christ is now ascended and seated at the right hand of Father where He is currently exalted and reigns - because of this we have received the gift of the Holy Spirit.

We have a mediator in heaven who has purchased forgiveness of sins and has satisfied the wrath of God.

Therefore we are to submit all parts of our lives to his reign and obey him!

III. The proper response to these things is repentance and faith and being baptized.

We respond to the work of the Lord Jesus by turning to him in repentance and faith.

If you have never trusted Jesus I encourage you to do so today.

Perhaps you have never been baptized?

I would encourage you to make that public confession of faith today!