Peter Preached the Gospel

Welcome

Good morning and welcome to church.

We’re continuing our study in the Book of Acts this morning as we look at the founding of the church and its impact on us today. We pick back up this morning in Peter’s first sermon on the day of Pentecost, just after the arrival of the Holy Spirit.

Probably the most amazing thing about this message by Peter is remembering that just a few weeks before this was when Peter betrayed Christ on the night of his arrest.

Today’s message is a message of repentance. Some people struggle with repentance, because the very word implies that they must give up control, they must give up their autonomy, they must swallow their pride and their desires to admit their error.

This reminds me of the story of the young boy who had his hand stuck in an expensive vase. His parents labored to get his hand free, they used soapy water and olive oil to attempt to get the boy’s hand to slide out of the cherished heirloom vase. After some 20 minutes of trying the panicked mother suggested that they give up and break the vase, which frightened the young boy.

After a few quiet moments of wracking their brains for another solution, the boy—crying—look up at his mother and asked, “Would it help if I let go of the candy in my hand?”

Isn’t this how we are with our sin? All too often, we don’t want to give up our favorite sins. We don’t want to get into a relationship of accountability that might cause our sins to be found out. We would rather hold onto the thing that is causing so much anguish and pain because it is familiar to us.

Let’s go back to this message in Acts 2 to see what happens...

Peter has been explaining to the gathering the fact that Jesus was their Messiah, who had been killed by the corrupt city leaders, but that he had resurrected and returned to heaven.

Acts 2:37–47 CSB

37 When they heard this, they were pierced to the heart and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “Brothers, what should we do?” 38 Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized, each of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. 39 For the promise is for you and for your children, and for all who are far off, as many as the Lord our God will call.” 40 With many other words he testified and strongly urged them, saying, “Be saved from this corrupt generation!” 41 So those who accepted his message were baptized, and that day about three thousand people were added to them. 42 They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching, to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread, and to prayer. 43 Everyone was filled with awe, and many wonders and signs were being performed through the apostles. 44 Now all the believers were together and held all things in common. 45 They sold their possessions and property and distributed the proceeds to all, as any had need. 46 Every day they devoted themselves to meeting together in the temple, and broke bread from house to house. They ate their food with joyful and sincere hearts, 47 praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. Every day the Lord added to their number those who were being saved.

[pray]

I. He Clearly Preached the Gospel

Peter’s message was a clear explanation of the Gospel. Let’s look back at verses 22-24...

Acts 2:22–24 CSB

22 “Fellow Israelites, listen to these words: This Jesus of Nazareth was a man attested to you by God with miracles, wonders, and signs that God did among you through him, just as you yourselves know. 23 Though he was delivered up according to God’s determined plan and foreknowledge, you used lawless people to nail him to a cross and kill him. 24 God raised him up, ending the pains of death, because it was not possible for him to be held by death.

I love this section of scripture because it’s such a clear explanation of the theology of Jesus.

Incarnation of Christ - which is that Jesus, a human man, was also God, the eternal Second Person of the Trinity.

Crucifixion of Christ - explaining that Jesus’ death at the hands of the Jewish leaders was a part of God’s purpose and foreordained.

Resurrection of Christ - explaining to them that the very thing that their religious leaders refused to believe had come to pass when Christ rose again, overcoming the very grip of death.

Peter summed up his argument saying...

Acts 2:36 CSB

36 “Therefore let all the house of Israel know with certainty that God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Messiah.”

This was the worst news for any devout Jew of the time. They had been waiting expectantly for their Messiah to come for so long. To learn that he had come and they had killed him was devastating.

Acts 2:37 CSB

37 When they heard this, they were pierced to the heart and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “Brothers, what should we do?”

It is clear here that Peter’s message was convicting.

Even though it may have been a hard truth for the Jews who were present to hear, Peter’s message was truth. The Holy Spirit uses truth to draw people to God and convict them that change is necessary.

II. He Clearly Told Them How to Be Saved

Just as Peter’s explanation of the situation was clear, he was clear in the way that they should respond...

Acts 2:38 CSB

38 Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized, each of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.

The word for “repent” in the Greek is μετανοέω (metanoeō), and it literally means to change your mind or attitude. We use it to indicate a change from acting in a sinful way to acting in obedience to God. While the sense may focus on the thinking or the motivation behind the action, the usage always focuses on the resulting behaviour. To put this simply, without a change in behaviour, there can be no repentance.

Repentance is a theme that runs throughout the Bible, both Old and New Testaments...

2 Chronicles 7:14 CSB

14 and my people, who bear my name, humble themselves, pray and seek my face, and turn from their evil ways, then I will hear from heaven, forgive their sin, and heal their land.

God has always connected His promise of salvation to repentance...

Ezekiel 18:21–23 CSB

21 “But if the wicked person turns from all the sins he has committed, keeps all my statutes, and does what is just and right, he will certainly live; he will not die. 22 None of the transgressions he has committed will be held against him. He will live because of the righteousness he has practiced. 23 Do I take any pleasure in the death of the wicked?” This is the declaration of the Lord God. “Instead, don’t I take pleasure when he turns from his ways and lives?

John the Baptist’s prepared the way for the Messiah by preaching the exact same message...

Matthew 3:1–3 CSB

1 In those days John the Baptist came, preaching in the wilderness of Judea 2 and saying, “Repent, because the kingdom of heaven has come near!” 3 For he is the one spoken of through the prophet Isaiah, who said: A voice of one crying out in the wilderness: Prepare the way for the Lord; make his paths straight!

Peter told them to “Repent and be baptized.” What does baptism have to do with salvation?

Baptism is a ritual act of cleansing with water. While we teach that baptism is not necessary for salvation, it is mandated in scripture as one of the two sacraments that were ordained by Christ.

Matthew 28:19–20 CSB

19 Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe everything I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

Some of these passages on repentance might be confusing—with confusion coming from the translation, some of which make it sound like both baptism and repentance are required for salvation. We can look to the NASB version for an improved understanding...

Acts 2:38 NASB95

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

In fact, there were

Four essential parts of conversion:

Repent from your sins

Be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ (on the basis of)

Forgiveness of your sins

Receipt of the Holy Spirit

These four parts are considered normal for the conversion experience. There is some dispute here as to whether baptism is a response to repentance or forgiveness. However, my position is that repentance yields forgiveness, which should yield both a response of baptism and the receipt of the Holy Spirit.

Baptism is generally considered a public statement that “I am no longer what I used to be. I have been changed by the Gospel of Jesus Christ and have turned from my sin.”

Today, in many Christian churches, we often delay baptism, rather than baptizing on the spot, as was the practice early in the life of the church. Sometimes we do this because people don’t always come prepared for baptism on the spot. We often want to put people into a brief discipleship course to ensure understanding of the decision and also to ensure that people aren’t just caught up in an emotional experience and drawn to baptism because others are doing it.

In our church, we do this with a membership class. Pastor Joe teaches our membership class and makes sure that people understand what it means to be saved, he ensures that each person has made a decision based on salvation in Christ, and he teaches them what it means to be a member of this church.

If you are interested in our membership/baptism class, please talk to Pastor Joe after the service.

Peter was calling for the Jewish audience to repent of their rejection of the Messiah and to embrace the promise that the Messiah brought them...

Acts 2:39 CSB

39 For the promise is for you and for your children, and for all who are far off, as many as the Lord our God will call.”

He was reminding them here that the gift of the Spirit is a promise that was for them and their children. His final call was an echo of Joel’s prophetic promise from God...

Joel 2:32 CSB

32 Then everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved, for there will be an escape for those on Mount Zion and in Jerusalem, as the Lord promised, among the survivors the Lord calls.

III. Many People Came to Christ

We don’t have all of Peter’s message. Here in verse 40 we get a summary statement...

Acts 2:40 CSB

40 With many other words he testified and strongly urged them, saying, “Be saved from this corrupt generation!”

This language about a “corrupt generation” is Old Testament language referring to people who are stubborn and rebellious and refusing to put their faith in God...

Psalm 78:8 CSB

8 Then they would not be like their ancestors, a stubborn and rebellious generation, a generation whose heart was not loyal and whose spirit was not faithful to God.

I’ll remind you that this was language that God used for his own people, the Jews.

While we certainly live in a corrupt and degenerate world today, this was a description for the Jewish leaders, who had rejected Christ and had him murdered on the cross.

IV. The Holy Spirit Worked In & Through the Church

I have told you that the Holy Spirit draws the souls of people to accept Jesus and that was the case on the day of Pentecost as well...

Acts 2:41–42 CSB

41 So those who accepted his message were baptized, and that day about three thousand people were added to them. 42 They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching, to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread, and to prayer.

These were the elements of the early church gatherings. They were devoted:

To the apostles’ teaching

To the fellowship

To the breaking of bread (sharing a meal together) and,

To prayer.

We seek to understand the apostle’s teaching by studying the Bible, with a Christ-centered focus on understanding.

Devotion to the fellowship, was more than just having a gathering for the purpose of being together. The believers in the early church were devoted to each other. The word means that they were devoted to caring for each other and contributing to the needs of others in the fellowship.

The “breaking of bread” likely indicates that they shared meals together, though they certainly shared the Lord’s Supper together whenever they met.

While it might be obvious to you in this week of love, you might notice that there was a great deal of love motivation in all of these actions....

Acts 2:43–47 CSB

43 Everyone was filled with awe, and many wonders and signs were being performed through the apostles. 44 Now all the believers were together and held all things in common. 45 They sold their possessions and property and distributed the proceeds to all, as any had need. 46 Every day they devoted themselves to meeting together in the temple, and broke bread from house to house. They ate their food with joyful and sincere hearts, 47 praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. Every day the Lord added to their number those who were being saved.

I will make this clear that this was not a communistic society as some have asserted. This was a voluntary act of sharing what they had with each other. We sometimes experience this in the church today when we hear about the need of someone in our church. I know that in some cases I can point to recent events in the life of our church where we have helped one or another with a need, by helping to provide for that need, sharing meals with those who may not have enough to feed their families, or gathering together in prayer for those who need our support in that way.

While we sometimes see this outpouring of love for each other here at FBC Pharr, we sometimes fail to measure up to such a passage as this one.

This passage describes a special time in the church, that doesn’t always endure the test of time. For these believers, new in their faith and filled with the Spirit, meeting once a week for regular services wasn’t enough. These early believers gathered together daily, they cared for each other daily, and they shared their faith with each other and with others in their community.

As I said, this was a special time for the early church. We sometimes see these kinds of gatherings break out in spontaneous revival. We saw early last year, that such an event occurred at Asbury University in Kentucky. College students from all over the country have experienced similar types of revivals during the last year that have interrupted daily life to be filled with praise and worship.

Conclusion

You might be here today needing to respond in some way to the message that you’ve heard here today.

Salvation

Repentance

Prayer

Discipleship

You might be like the boy with the quarter in his hand, you might be holding onto something in your life that you need to release in order to let God do the work that he wants to accomplish in you.