Peter's First Sermon

Bottom line

When you are filled with the Holy Spirit, there should be a noticeable difference!

Opening Line

I want you to turn to someone next to you and tell them about one of the most meaningful or memorable sermons you have ever heard, and why it was memorable.

Introduction

Last week at the baptism, there were a few sermons mentioned over the course of the testimonies. The one from 1 Corinthians, where I said that it is OK not to be OK. I want to reiterate that. Church is not a place for perfect people but those who are hurting and need of a savior. This is a safe place to not be OK.

I’m still getting feeback about the message about praising God, although I think had more to do with the time of praise we had after as it was the message itself.

Joby Martin’s sermon on the beatitudes was mentioned. I went to check it out, and it was really good. If you’re looking for a new pastor to listen to, I would recommend Joby.

One of the people getting baptized said that they turned around a couple of times before they actually walked through the doors. That stood out to me because the Sunday they showed up I made a pretty straightforward salvation call, which they responded to. Never underestimate God’s perfect timing.

When I was thinking about a sermon that made a deep impact on me recently. I was driving home from Estevan and I was listening to Mark Driscoll, and he was preaching on parenting. One of the things that really stood out in the message was his point on discipline. There’s a difference between sin and making a mistake, and they should be parented the same way. Sin needs to disciplined, a mistake simply needs to be parented and there is a difference. It probably resonated because I’m pretty sure the day before I had got upset with the kids, and it definitely wasn’t a sin issue I was upset about. Now everytime I start to get frustrated with my kids, the Holy Spirit reminds me of the message and sometimes I take a breath and calm down. Sometimes, I’m not perfect, still working on it.

Main Point

I start with memorable sermons because this morning we are going to look at a pretty significant sermon. Following the coming and filling of the Holy Spirit, there is quite a commotion among the crowd, and Peter steps up and addresses everyone gathered. Remember, this is the same Peter that less than 2 months earlier denied he even knew who Jesus was when Jesus was on trial before the Sanhedrin. Before he couldn’t even stand up to a servant girl at a fire; now he’s stepping up to a crowd of over 3000!

Why it matters

That backstory is so important because it is a perfect example of what the Holy Spirit is able to do through you when you allow him to fill you and empower you. If it can move Peter to stand up and boldly declare the message of Christ to such a huge crowd, what could it accomplish through you?

Scripture

So with that, we are in Acts 2:14-15

Acts 2:14–21 NLT

Then Peter stepped forward with the eleven other apostles and shouted to the crowd, “Listen carefully, all of you, fellow Jews and residents of Jerusalem! Make no mistake about this. These people are not drunk, as some of you are assuming. Nine o’clock in the morning is much too early for that. No, what you see was predicted long ago by the prophet Joel: ‘In the last days,’ God says, ‘I will pour out my Spirit upon all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy. Your young men will see visions, and your old men will dream dreams. In those days I will pour out my Spirit even on my servants—men and women alike— and they will prophesy. And I will cause wonders in the heavens above and signs on the earth below— blood and fire and clouds of smoke. The sun will become dark, and the moon will turn blood red before that great and glorious day of the Lord arrives. But everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.’

Prophecy Fulfilled

Remember last week we read about the response of the crowd when the Holy Spirit fell and all the different people groups heard the wondrous things that God had done, yet some accused the believers of being drunk. So Peter can hear that opposition in the crowd and he says they aren’t drunk, it’s only 9 in the morning. If someone is that drunk that you can’t understand them and it is only 9 am, that person needs help. No I’m being serious. I’m not making a joke here. I honestly thought about cracking a joke, and the Holy Spirit grabbed me and reminded me that there are people in our community that probably have had too much to drink already because that is the only way they can get through their day. That’s not something to laugh at, it is something that should break you heart. We should be aware of those people in our communities and be praying for them.

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So Peter then shows the people from Scripture what is actually happening. Since all these people are gathered for a Jewish feast, they are going to understand the Scriptures, and that is why Peter is quoting Joel. In the last days, God is going to pour out his Spirit on who? On all people. I remember Darren saying that he must still be a young man because he still sees visions and he would quote this passage. Old men dream dreams and young men see visions.

Now obviously the whol prophecy isn’t fulfilled. The sun didn’t become dark, the moon didn’t turn blood red. Some of the signs didn’t happen, and that’s because it is a taste of things to come. The great and glorious day of the LORD is still to come, but in the meantime, the Holy Spirit has been poured out on all people. And, everyone who calls on the name of the LORD will be saved.

One commentator pointed out that if someone has questions about something that is happening during out times of worship or ministry, you need to be able to point to the Scripture that backs it up. This is really important because you and I live in a world where feelings and emotions trump reason, and there are those who claim to be a church yet are teaching and doing things that are clearly unbiblical. It is a good check for us as church leadership to ensure we are maintaining Scriptural integrity, but it is also a good for you as you encounter different preachers and churches through social feeds and the like.

Acts 2:22–24 NLT

“People of Israel, listen! God publicly endorsed Jesus the Nazarene by doing powerful miracles, wonders, and signs through him, as you well know. But God knew what would happen, and his prearranged plan was carried out when Jesus was betrayed. With the help of lawless Gentiles, you nailed him to a cross and killed him. But God released him from the horrors of death and raised him back to life, for death could not keep him in its grip.

The Story of Christ in 30 seconds

Did you see what Peter did right there? That is good preaching right there! He told the whole story of Christ in three verses.

What does Peter mean that the people in the crowd nailed Jesus to the cross and killed him? Many of them probably weren’t even in Jerusalem. How could Peter make such an accusation?

By their sin. The penalty for sin is death. This was the plan, for Jesus to die for the sins of the world, but it was the sins of everyone gathered that put Jesus there. In fact, it wasn’t just their’s. It was your sin that put Jesus on the cross. Without the death on the cross, you and I are still guilty of our sin and deserving of eternal punishment. Jesus not only came and did amazing signs and wonders, he also lived a sinless life. He had to because he had to be pure and spotless in order to pay the price for you and I.

The thing that really stands out in this passage is these two words:

“But God...”

Twice in this passage, Peter uses this line, and this is something that I believe you need to hang on to tightly all through out life. Jesus died on the cross, but God released and raised him back to life, and this is the hope of every believer, that you will share in that resurrection one day.

I think some of you need to be reminded that you serve a God that always has the final word. The world was full of sin and there was no hope of redemption, but God had a plan. Jesus was dead, but God raised him back to life.

What is the situation that you are facing? What challenge feels too big? Maybe it is someone you are praying for, or a miracle that you are believing for. Maybe it is a financial hardship or an anxiety that you can’t just seems to shake. Whatever it is and no matter how hopeless it might seem, remember that your heavenly Father will always have the final word, and this thing is not the end of you story; it is simply the climax before you get to the turning point. You story is going to have its, “But God” moment. Just keep praying, keep believing, keep holding on. Don’t allow the lies of the world to drown out that hope.

But God...

OK, I want to pause there for a moment. That was a really good point and you’d never know it from your reactions. I want you to know, and we are going to work on it over the next little while, that the sermon is not a one sided conversation. The same way we all sing together, you are allowed to respond to the message. The reason I say that is because of what happens in Peter’s sermon. In verse 40, after the crowd asks what they are to do with what they have heard, Luke writes that Peter kept preaching for a long time. Apparently no remembered anything else Peter said. He started strong, got a response, and kept going for quite a while.

My point is that the crowd responded to the message, they engaged in the message, and you are allowed to do that as well. I’ll help you out this time.

You serve a God who always has the final word. No matter how bad things feel, no matter how impossible things may look, it is simply building to the, “But God” turning point. And you all say

AMEN!

Acts 2:25–31 NLT

King David said this about him: ‘I see that the Lord is always with me. I will not be shaken, for he is right beside me. No wonder my heart is glad, and my tongue shouts his praises! My body rests in hope. For you will not leave my soul among the dead or allow your Holy One to rot in the grave. You have shown me the way of life, and you will fill me with the joy of your presence.’ “Dear brothers, think about this! You can be sure that the patriarch David wasn’t referring to himself, for he died and was buried, and his tomb is still here among us. But he was a prophet, and he knew God had promised with an oath that one of David’s own descendants would sit on his throne. David was looking into the future and speaking of the Messiah’s resurrection. He was saying that God would not leave him among the dead or allow his body to rot in the grave.

Peter the Expositor?

Peter is quoting Psalm 16 here, specifically verses 8-11, but the quoting of scripture isn’t the significant part. It is the insight that he drawing out of the passage. Remember, when Jesus found Peter and called him to be a disciple, he was in the fishing boat with his father and brother. That means that he had flunked out of the school. All young Jewish boys went to learn under a Rabbi, and there was only two ways that would end. You either excelled, and the Rabbi kept you on and you went on to become a rabbi yourself, or you flunked out and went back to the family business. Peter had flunked out and was a fisherman.

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So how in the world did he suddenly become a greater expositor of Scripture? Well there are two possible explanations, and I think both are worth exemplifying.

The first is that simple fact that he spent so much time with Jesus. As you read through the gospels, you quickly recognize that Jesus understood scripture at a level no one else could grasp. Makes sense, he is God the Son after all.

But Jesus lived with the disciples. It would have been simply impossible to record everything he ever told them. But his time on earth was limited, and he knew he needed to prepare them to carry on the mission of the church. I would bet there were some deep conversations around the campfire or as they were walking from town to town. Peter grew simply by being around the one who inspired it all.

The other explanation is the power of the Holy Spirit at work in Peter. The Apostle Paul lists the gift of wisdom and the gift of knowledge as spiritual gifts. Jesus himself said that you shouldn’t fear when you have to give an account, for the Holy Spirit will give you the words when you need them. This could simply be another expression of the empowerment of the Holy Spirit working through Peter.

To be honest, I’m comfortable saying it was probably a little of both, and these are things you should probably be doing. You should be spending time with Jesus in prayer, letting him speak to you through his word. The more time you spend with Jesus, the more this book is going to make sense. And, like I said last week, you should be making a concious effort to invite the Holy Spirit to fill you everyday. I don’t know about anyone else, but I really like the idea of going about my day empowered by the Spirit of God, because I’m pretty sure I’m going to mess things up if I’m not. Maybe for you it isn’t the deep theological insight, but just having the confidence to say what you need to say, when to say, how to say it, and who needs to hear it. Its a simple prayer.

“Father, help me as I...”

Acts 2:32–36 NLT

“God raised Jesus from the dead, and we are all witnesses of this. Now he is exalted to the place of highest honor in heaven, at God’s right hand. And the Father, as he had promised, gave him the Holy Spirit to pour out upon us, just as you see and hear today. For David himself never ascended into heaven, yet he said, ‘The Lord said to my Lord, “Sit in the place of honor at my right hand until I humble your enemies, making them a footstool under your feet.” ’ “So let everyone in Israel know for certain that God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, to be both Lord and Messiah!”

As you see and hear today

It was undeniable that something changed that day for the believers. In fact, Peter’s whole sermon is simply explaining that because of what Jesus accomplished in his death and resurrection, the Holy Spirit has now been poured out on them.

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The remarkable thing, and what you are going to see as we go through the book of Acts, is that this was not a one off event. The apostles would continue to do miraculous things throughout the known world, all becaue they were empowered by the Holy Spirit. But it wasn’t just the fact that they heard the good things God had done; the people could see that something was different. They could see a change in the believers. The presence of the Holy Spirit set them apart.

Transition to Application

The same should be said about you.

Main To Do

See I want to start challenging you with questions like, “When was the last time you invited someone to church?”

“When was the last time you shared your testimony with someone?”

“When was the last time you talked to someone about spiritual things outside of church?”

But I think I need to start with,

“When was the last time you asked the Holy Spirit to fill you?”

Why it matters

When was the last time you actually paused in your day, took a breath, closed your eyes, and asked for the Holy Spirit’s help or filling?

It is hard enough trying to be a disciple of Jesus without the Holy Spirit’s help, its even harder to make disciples without his help. It’s hard to understand scripture without his help.

It should not surprise people to find out you are a Christian. When the Holy Spirit dwells within you, people should be able to see and hear the difference in your life. Your co-worker and your neighbour shouldn’t walk in and be like, “I didn’t know you went to church.” They should walk in and be like, “OH you go to church, that’s what’s different about you.” See the difference?

Closing Line

Now be the difference.

Discussion Questions

What stood out from the message?

How can you cultivate a deeper relationship with the Holy Spirit in your daily life?

In what ways have you noticed a change in your behavior or attitude since seeking the Holy Spirit's filling?

Reflect on a moment when you felt the Holy Spirit leading you to take action; what happened?

What are some practical steps you can take to ensure that you are regularly asking for the Holy Spirit's guidance?

How can sharing your experience of the Holy Spirit's work in your life encourage others in their faith?

How can you actively seek out ways to share your faith and the impact of the Holy Spirit with your friends?