Empowered Witness: Peter's Sermon Part III.

READ “Things moms teach us”.

* Mothers teach us about foresight: "Make sure you wear clean underwear in case you’re in an accident."

* Mothers teach us about logic: "If you fall out of that tree and break your neck, don’t come crying to me."

* Mothers teach us about maturity: "Eat your vegetables or you’ll never grow up."

* Mothers teach us about religion: "You better pray that comes out of the carpet."

* Mothers teach us about time travel: "If you don’t straighten up, I’m going to knock you into the middle of next week!"

* Mothers teach us about contradictions: "Shut your mouth and eat your dinner!"

* Mothers teach us about contortionism: "Will you look at the dirt on the back of your neck?"

* Mothers teach us about perseverance: "You are going to sit here until you eat every last piece of that broccoli."

* Mothers teach us about genetics: "You’re just like your father."

* Mothers teach us about the weather: "It looks like a tornado swept through your room."

* Mothers teach us about the circle of life: "I brought you into this world, and I can take you out."

Because I said so, that’s why!" - A classic response to the eternal question of "Why?"

Others

"If everyone jumped off a cliff, would you do it too?" -

"Wait until your father gets home." -

"I'm not asking, I'm telling."

"This is why we can't have nice things." -

"I don’t care who started it, I’m finishing it!"

"Don’t make me come in there!"

Peter’s Sermon Part III

Acts 2:34–39 ESV

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.” ’ 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.” 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?” 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. 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.”

During the first century emperor worship spread throughout the entire Roman empire. The most powerful of all of them was perhaps Octavian, he gave himself the title Cesar Augustus. Octavian was a powerful ruler and was worthy of the titles that fit kings and emperor's.

He was mighty and authoritative, but one thing he was not was August. Augustness was an attribute that belonged to God alone, it denotes His transcendent Majesty and eternal glory.

During the first and second century, citizens of Rome were required to take a royalty oath and say publically, “Cesar Curious” which means, “Cesar is Lord” in the Christian community they would not say it.

As citizens of Rome they would offer civil obedience but they would not take the royalty oath even if it cost them their lives. Their confession was “Jesus is Lord”

The first creed of the first century church was simple, “Jesus O curios, Jesus is Lord! “

We hear that confession at the conclusion of Peters sermon at Pentecost.

In our last time together Peter had been speaking of prophesy from the Psalm of David.

In our text today verse 43 Peter uses Psalm 110

Remember this verse

Psalm 110:1 ESV

1 The Lord says to my Lord: “Sit at my right hand, until I make your enemies your footstool.”

Psalms 110:1 is the most quoted Old Testament scripture in the New Testament.

Peter is about to clarify Jesus Deity by using apologetics.

Peter uses the language of the OT to show that Jesus is the long awaited Messiah, that He meets their expectations as both King and Priest.

During the earthly ministry of Jesus the Pharisees argued over His claim to Lordship. Their primary question was: how could someone from the seed of David, the son of David be the Lord of David?

In Judaism the father always had dominance over the son. Since David preceded Jesus by 1000 years it was inconceivable that David would look to Jesus as Lord.

That is why these text that we are reading were so important to the early Jewish community.

For Peter to take them to Psalms 110 left them speechless. here’s why:

Psalm 110:1 ESV

1 The Lord says to my Lord: “Sit at my right hand, until I make your enemies your footstool.”

So God’s sacred name Yaweh was given by God to Moses in the wilderness out of the burning bush. Jews protected this name by means of creative circum-lo-cution ( making many words out of something otherwise simple)

They heaped up titles for God, the most sacred was Adoni “Lord”

Psalm 110 reads: Yaweh said to my Adoni, (Sovereign One), or God said to my Sovereign One, sit at my right hand.

The content of this discussion within the Godhead is between God Himself and the one He has appointed to be David’s Lord, His Adoni, which translates in the new Testament “Curios or Lord”.

Peters words are more than just scripture to be read over.

Peter is tells of the life, death, burial and resurrection, then he affirms that Jesus ascended into heaven, where He is seated at the right hand of God. Which means He has been placed in the seat of Cosmic authority.

God has elevated Christ to His right hand giving Him all authority of heaven and earth. This is a statement of cosmic authority, above every emperor, king, Governor, president or ruler is the one that sits at the right hand of God, His name is Jesus. He is not just King, but King of Kings, not just Lord but Lord of Lords.

That is what was prophesied by David 1000 years before Jesus. That is what Peter is saying.

See what exposition will do, all of that is just one verse, 18 words...

This is the God, the God of the cosmos that the Early Christians followed and worshipped. Sadly this is not the God that modern Christians follow and worship.

Worldly Version of Jesus

The world today doesn’t want the Jesus that reigns over the cosmos, they want the sweet Jesus,

they want a customizable Jesus, a Jesus that won’t judge them for living in sin.

They want a Jesus that identifies with their lust,

they want the, what works for you Jesus, they don’t want the Jesus that Judges from His high seat of authority ,

they want a Jesus that supports their agendas, their choices without judgment.

They want a Jesus that makes them rich, makes them healthy, rather than a Jesus that demands sacrificial living.

They want the Jesus of love and mercy rather than the Jesus that calls for repentance, sacrifice and holiness.

They want the Jesus of Cultural Conformity:

They want Jesus to be more acceptable and relatable to modern contemporary values,

They want their Jesus to be inclusive and tolerant. They do not care about biblical doctrine.

They want their Jesus to be a self-help guru.

They want their Jesus to be a wise old man with a white beard helping them achieve personal happiness and fulfillment. They do not want the Jesus that teaches that the key to happiness is to follow His Moral guidelines, serve others and love your brother as yourself.

They want their Jesus Spiritual but Not Religious: Their Jesus is seen as just one of many spiritual teachers, not unique or divine. His teachings are valued for their wisdom but stripped of any supernatural elements or claims to exclusive truth about God and salvation.

Ladies and gentlemen,

Today, I address a trend that undermines the very foundations of our faith—a trend that distorts the image and teachings of Jesus Christ to suit personal preferences and cultural fads. This practice is not just misguided; it is dangerous, it is deceptive, and it diverges drastically from the path laid out by our Lord.

In the realm of modern conveniences and consumer culture, where customization is king, there exists a growing temptation to reshape Jesus into an agreeable figure who sanctions our desires and ratifies our decisions. This "customized Jesus" is palatable and politically correct, crafted to avoid offense and embrace modern moral relativism.

However, let us be clear: When we mold Jesus to fit our image, we are no longer following Christ; we are asking Christ to follow us.

Consider the implications of a faith that swaps the crown of thorns for a crown of roses, that replaces the narrow gate with a wide-open field, that values comfort over the cross. Such a faith is void of power, void of transformation, and, most tragically, void of salvation.

Jesus Himself declared, "If you love me, you will keep my commandments" (John 14:15).

These words are not suggestions; they are the very essence of what it means to claim allegiance to Christ. To distort His commandments to justify our lifestyles is to abandon the first love we proclaim.

It is time to confront this insidious trend with the unchanging truth of the Gospel. The Jesus of the Bible is not a "feel-good" teacher; He is the risen Lord. He did not come to endorse all our actions but to redeem us. He calls us not to comfort, but to carry our cross—and follow Him.

By reducing Jesus to a mere spiritual guru or a political mascot, we strip the Gospel of its power. We ignore the Jesus who overturned tables and challenged the Pharisees, who demanded everything from His followers because He first gave everything for us.

This is a call to repentance. To those who have fashioned a Jesus who sanctions sin under the guise of grace, remember that true grace teaches us to deny ungodliness and worldly desires and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in this present age (Titus 2:12).

Let us reject the efforts to modify Christ and embrace the fullness of His teaching, which cuts to the heart and changes lives. Our call is not to conform Christ to the culture but to transform the culture through Christ.

Let us renew our commitment to the true Jesus Christ—the One who is the same yesterday, today, and forever (Hebrews 13:8). Let us dive deeper into the Scriptures to discover Him as He is, not as we would have Him be. And let us pray for the courage to follow Him, however challenging the path may be.

The Message of the real Jesus will cut you to the heart, look at our text :

Acts 2:36–37 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.” 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 cut to the heart, this is not a sugarcoated message.

What did Peter tell them to do?

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.

Astoundingly the word “repent” is in the bible 112 times.

This is no trivial figure, and it surely isn't something we should ignore. Each time “repent” is mentioned it should be seen as a dire warning, a clear call and a invitation to deal with real truth surrounding our relationship with the divine.

Why is “repent” so prominently repeated throughout the bible? The answer is as simple as it is uncomfortable: humanity is fundamentally at odds with God’s holiness.

Each repetition is a mirror held up to our flawed nature, a reminder of the chasm between divine perfection and human sinfulness. The frequency of this word is a measure of our intrinsic need for transformation—a transformation that is as deep as it is vital.

Do we have anything to repent from?

See if you identify with any of the following:

Have you gossiped, casting shadows on another's character from the safety of their absence?

Have you woven lies, however small, to suit your momentary needs?

Perhaps you’ve indulged in gluttony, eating not for need but for greed,

or succumbed to sloth, burdening others because you preferred comfort over responsibility.

Your desires may have strayed into lust, fixating improperly on another,

or materialism, where the pursuit of possessions eclipses your spiritual and communal duties.

Have you judged others harshly, while excusing your own faults,

or harbored hatred instead of promoting peace and understanding?

Does pride cloud your judgment, isolating you in a fortress of self-righteousness?

And amid these reflections, ask yourself: are there those you have not forgiven, choosing to clutch your grievances tightly?

These are not mere lapses; they are stark revelations of a spirit in turmoil, a soul adrift from the virtues that anchor us to righteousness and to each other

Each question, each admission is a call—a beckoning back to the path of rectitude, demanding not just acknowledgment, but action and change.

What about your marriage:

What are some common sins that can lead to problems and even divorce?

How about lack of communication,

infidelity

financial dishonesty

selfishness

neglect

constant criticism

unforgiveness

lack of intimacy

controlling behavior

anger issues

addictions and more.

Questions, how do you know that you have unrepentant sin in your life?

You feel guilty. That is the question for non-believers, what do you do with your guilt?

For your guilt to turn to peace there must be restitution.

If we as God’s children return to Him, seek forgiveness and live in true relationship with Jesus our marriages, our lives would be so much better.

Peter uses this sermon to call his audience to repentance and baptism in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of sins, promising them the gift of the Holy Spirit.

Acts 2:39 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.”

"The promise": This refers to the covenant blessings associated with the messianic age, particularly the gift of the Holy Spirit, which was prophesied in the Old Testament (e.g., Joel 2:28-29) and affirmed by Jesus (Luke 24:49, Acts 1:4).

"For you and for your children": This indicates the immediate inclusion of the Jewish audience and their descendants in the promise. It reflects the Jewish understanding of communal and generational blessings.

"And for all who are far off": This phrase significantly broadens the scope of the promise, extending it to the Gentiles and to all future generations. It anticipates the mission to the Gentiles that will become a major theme later in Acts.

unless you are a Jew, you’re a Gentile

"Everyone whom the Lord our God calls to himself": This universal call highlights the sovereignty of God in salvation, indicating that God’s call is not limited by geography, ethnicity, or time. It aligns with the New Testament teaching that salvation is offered to all…

but only effective for those who respond to God’s call.

God is clearly calling us into submission in this message today, it is time to repent of our selfish agenda, accept Jesus as who He is: He is the Lord over the cosmos, reigning over the world today, he doesn’t need your advice, He’s not interested in your opinion, He is the Lord of Lords and the King of Kings, surrender to Him today…