The Book of Acts | Lesson 11

Acts 2:14–16 KJV 1900

But Peter, standing up with the eleven, lifted up his voice, and said unto them, Ye men of Judaea, and all ye that dwell at Jerusalem, be this known unto you, and hearken to my words: For these are not drunken, as ye suppose, seeing it is but the third hour of the day. But this is that which was spoken by the prophet Joel;

I. The Message!

A. The introduction.

1. “This is that which was spoken by the prophet Joel”!

i. Acts 2:17 and Joel 2:29 - “…I will pour out of My Spirit upon all flesh…”  Samaritans and Gentiles will be saved.”  (It was in God’s plan to save everyone)

ii. Acts 2:21 and Joel 2:32 - “And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved/delivered.”

iii. When they ask Peter how to be saved—verse 37—Peter does not tell them, “I already told you—verse 21. 

a. Just calling, believing, confessing, etc. will not save you.

b. Peter’s answer is Acts 2:38:

c. The Apostle Paul‘s conversion fell in line with what Peter was preaching!

d. When you get baptized in Jesus Name—the name of the Lord is called over you.  Praise God.

B. The Appeal.

Acts 2:22 KJV 1900

Ye men of Israel, hear these words; Jesus of Nazareth, a man approved of God among you by miracles and wonders and signs, which God did by him in the midst of you, as ye yourselves also know:

1. We see in verse 22:

i. “...Jesus of Nazareth, a man approved of God...“

a. Peter emphasized the humanity and the deity of Jesus!!

b. I think he learned this from Jesus Himself!

John 14:10 KJV 1900

Believest thou not that I am in the Father, and the Father in me? the words that I speak unto you I speak not of myself: but the Father that dwelleth in me, he doeth the works.

ii. A man approved of God among you. 

a. Look at the miracles and wonders and signs.

b. This was also, what Jesus told the disciples of John when they came and asked if He was the one they were waiting and looking for.

Luke 7:19–22 KJV 1900

And John calling unto him two of his disciples sent them to Jesus, saying, Art thou he that should come? or look we for another? When the men were come unto him, they said, John Baptist hath sent us unto thee, saying, Art thou he that should come? or look we for another? And in that same hour he cured many of their infirmities and plagues, and of evil spirits; and unto many that were blind he gave sight. Then Jesus answering said unto them, Go your way, and tell John what things ye have seen and heard; how that the blind see, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, to the poor the gospel is preached.

c. This was the sign that the Messiah was in their midst according to the prophet of old!

Luke 4:17–21 KJV 1900

And there was delivered unto him the book of the prophet Esaias. And when he had opened the book, he found the place where it was written, The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, To preach the acceptable year of the Lord. And he closed the book, and he gave it again to the minister, and sat down. And the eyes of all them that were in the synagogue were fastened on him. And he began to say unto them, This day is this scripture fulfilled in your ears.

Isaiah 61:1–2 KJV 1900

The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me; Because the Lord hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; He hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, To proclaim liberty to the captives, And the opening of the prison to them that are bound; To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord, And the day of vengeance of our God; To comfort all that mourn;

2. Peter preaches about the death Jesus:

Acts 2:23 KJV 1900

Him, being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, ye have taken, and by wicked hands have crucified and slain:

i. Peter preached about God’s determinate counsel and foreknowledge of the death that Jesus had to die!

John 1:1–14 KJV 1900

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made. In him was life; and the life was the light of men. And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not. There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. The same came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all men through him might believe. He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light. That was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world. He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not. He came unto his own, and his own received him not. But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.

ii. The plan from the beginning involved the death of Jesus Christ!

Revelation 13:8 KJV 1900

And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.

iii. Peter calls the crowd he was preaching to murderers.  

a. “…You have taken, and by wicked hands have crucified and slain.”

3. Peter preached about the resurrection of Jesus!

Acts 2:24 KJV 1900

Whom God hath raised up, having loosed the pains of death: because it was not possible that he should be holden of it.

i. The Risen Lord.

Acts 2:24 NIV

But God raised him from the dead, freeing him from the agony of death, because it was impossible for death to keep its hold on him.

a. Death Could not keep the Lord of Glory in the grave. “The Living One.”

b. The one who created life could not be held by the bonds of death!

Revelation 1:18 KJV 1900

I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death.

1. No matter how powerful hell may seem in your life you need to take faith in the fact that there is nothing in this world more powerful than that Spirit that has raised you up out of sin!

2. We have a Comforter through the Holy Ghost that has ALL power in heaven AND in earth!

Matthew 28:18 KJV 1900

And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.

3. We just need to learn to look to HIM!

Hebrews 12:2 KJV 1900

Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.