The First Gospel Sermon
Notes
Transcript
Acts (2:22-41)
INTRODUCTION
With the outpouring of the Holy Spirit on the Day of Pentecost...
The promises of Joel, John the Baptist, and Jesus were being fulfilled! As foretold by Joel and John, a time of judgment and salvation was at hand! After explaining the meaning of the miraculous events on that day,
Peter… Quickly diverted their attention from the miracles to the message. A message involving a crucified, risen, and exalted Lord!
[With Peter's message we find the proclamation of "The First Gospel Sermon." For the first time, the gospel of Christ was preached and people were told how to respond. Let's take a closer look at...]
The nature of what we know.
There is a branch of doctrine called Apologetics. I am fine with it as a study. I am interested in big thoughts of Theology.
Apologetics refers to the defense or justification of the authenticity, reliability, and authority of the Bible as a sacred text. It involves providing reasoned arguments and evidence to support the belief that the Bible is divinely inspired and represents the word of God. Apologetics addresses questions and challenges regarding the historical accuracy, textual integrity, and theological coherence of the Bible, aiming to demonstrate its trustworthiness and relevance for faith and life.
I want us to understand there is nothing wrong with having the knowledge that this book has and its statements about itself.
Consider the nature of evidence…
In addition to empirical evidence, there are several other types of evidence that can be used to support arguments or claims:
Anecdotal Evidence: This type of evidence is based on personal accounts or stories. While it can be compelling, it is often considered less reliable than empirical evidence because it relies on individual experiences which may not be representative of the broader population.
Expert Testimony: Testimony from experts in a particular field can be a form of evidence. This can include testimony from scientists, doctors, or other professionals who have expertise relevant to the argument being made.
Statistical Evidence: Statistical evidence involves using data and statistics to support an argument. This can include things like surveys, studies, or other forms of data analysis.
Logical Evidence: This type of evidence relies on logical reasoning to support an argument. It involves making a logical connection between premises and a conclusion.
Analogical Evidence: Analogical evidence involves drawing parallels between two similar situations or cases. It suggests that because two things are similar in certain respects, they are likely to be similar in other respects as well.
Factual Evidence: Factual evidence is based on facts that can be verified. This can include things like historical documents, official records, or other forms of documentation.
Experiential Evidence: This type of evidence is based on personal experience. While it can be persuasive, it is often considered less reliable than empirical evidence because it is subjective and may be influenced by biases or other factors.
Empirical evidence: This is evidence that is based on observation, experience, or experiment. It is data that can be observed or measured and is subject to scientific scrutiny. Empirical evidence is often considered to be the most reliable type of evidence because it is based on direct observation or experimentation rather than on inference or theory.
You can see some of this in Scripture…
Peter is preaching a message and at its core is this what do you know and why do you know it…
JESUS ATTESTED BY GOD...
Peter proclaims Jesus as a Man attested by God through His miracles - 22.
And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory.
Matthew 11. John the Baptist questions the Messiahship of Jesus and what does Jesus do. He just starts healing people. fulfilling the work of Isaiah. There were a lot of people claiming to be the Messiah, but only one came with Receipts and his name was Jesus.
Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened,
And the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped.
Then shall the lame man leap as an hart,
And the tongue of the dumb sing:
For in the wilderness shall waters break out,
And streams in the desert.
Done in their midst, they could not deny the signs Jesus did while alive!
They knew Jesus was the Messiah because they saw the evidence.
This would be a “Experiential” or “Emperical” evidence.
GOD KNEW JESUS COULDN’T BE HELD DOWN…
By crucifixion, which they themselves did with lawless (Roman) hands - 23
Though according to God's predetermined purpose and foreknowledge. God raised Jesus, having loosed the pains of death - 24
Yet it pleased the Lord to bruise him; he hath put him to grief:
When thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin,
He shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days,
And the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in his hand.
He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied:
By his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many;
For he shall bear their iniquities.
Therefore will I divide him a portion with the great,
And he shall divide the spoil with the strong;
Because he hath poured out his soul unto death:
And he was numbered with the transgressors;
And he bare the sin of many,
And made intercession for the transgressors.
Jesus' death and their involvement they could not deny!
THE APOSTLES KNEW THE RESURRECTION…
32 -
THE APOSTLES KNEW THE ASCENDED MESSIAH…
Peter as he has brings up David,
He outlines somethings that David knew…
DAVID KNEW WHAT GOD HAS SAID…
David's prophecy, fulfilled in Jesus - 25-31
I have set the Lord always before me:
Because he is at my right hand, I shall not be moved.
Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoiceth:
My flesh also shall rest in hope.
For thou wilt not leave my soul in hell;
Neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption.
Thou wilt shew me the path of life:
In thy presence is fulness of joy;
At thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore.
NOTICE THE WEIGHT PETER GIVES TO DAVIDS WORD…
David knew:
Forsaw the Lord 25-26
This is God’s Revelation to a Man -
The product,
David wasn’t moved from what was right
Hie heart rejoiced
His tongue was glad
he had rest and hope.
NOTICE THE HERMENEUTIC…
vs 29 David wrote the words, but it wasnt’ about David… Because you can find his bones.
vs 30 God’s Word to David, was a promise, it was a sworn oath. So David would never see the Messiah fulfill this but by Faith David declared it with faith.
Peter knew that he could trust this word because David wasn’t talking about himself but he Messiah. So Peter took this as a promise as did David.
JESUS EXALTED AS LORD AND CHRIST...
The outpouring of the Spirit was the result of Jesus' exaltation - Ac 2:33
Jesus' exaltation was also prophesied by David - Ac 2:34-35
The Lord said unto my Lord,
Sit thou at my right hand,
Until I make thine enemies thy footstool.
ISRAEL COULD KNOW THAT THE CRUCIFIED SAVIOR IS LORD AND MESSIAH.
How do they know this…
EVIDENCE?
EYE WITNESSES?
Those have their place but recognize the nature of the message of Peter. It was not to put men’s trust in all the evidence. But to put their faith in the declared word of God.
Your eyes can show you only so much. But God hath said,
Your decision making,
Your witnessing,
Your standards,
Your holiness,
Not on evidences but upon thus saith the LORD.
THE RESPONSE
THE REACTION...
They were cut to the heart (convicted of their sin) - Ac 2:37
This implies they believed the message about Jesus
As told: "know assuredly that God has made Jesus...Lord and Christ" - cf. Ac 2:36
They asked Peter and the apostles, "What shall we do?" - Ac 2:37
They were told to repent - Ac 2:38
Which is what Jesus wanted His apostles to proclaim - cf. Lk 24:46-47
To repent is to make the decision to turn from your preivious belief to knowing that the promise is for you… 39
They were told to be baptized - Ac 2:38
Which is what Jesus wanted His apostles to proclaim - cf. Mt 28:19; Mk 16:15-16
To be immersed in the name of Jesus for the remission of sins - cf. Ac 22:16
That they might received the gift of the Holy Spirit - Ac 2:38
THE RESULT...
gladly received his word and were baptized - Ac 2:41
Those baptized were "added" by the Lord to His church - Ac 2:47
Who is it that was saved and added.
“They that recieved his word”
Not that saw evidence…
This was the point with Thomas…
But Thomas, one of the twelve, called Didymus, was not with them when Jesus came. The other disciples therefore said unto him, We have seen the Lord. But he said unto them, Except I shall see in his hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and thrust my hand into his side, I will not believe. And after eight days again his disciples were within, and Thomas with them: then came Jesus, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst, and said, Peace be unto you. Then saith he to Thomas, Reach hither thy finger, and behold my hands; and reach hither thy hand, and thrust it into my side: and be not faithless, but believing. And Thomas answered and said unto him, My Lord and my God. Jesus saith unto him, Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed.
Fideism: Belief is based on faith rather than reason, and that one should believe in the teachings of a religious tradition (such as the Bible) simply because they are revealed by God or a divine authority. This perspective emphasizes trust and commitment to the teachings of a religious text or tradition, even in the absence of empirical or rational evidence.
Presuppositional Belief:
What an amazing conclusion to a day that started with amazing events...
The question is where is your faith found.
is it in what you see or is in what he has said.
Love this book
Live this book
Lead with this book
Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls.