Acts 2:22-41
Notes
Transcript
Before we jump in I wanted to quickly let you in on some things. We have a lot of events coming down the tracks as we fully step into September, and just due to time we won’t be able to announce all of those from the pulpit. So I want you to be aware of a few ways to stay up to date.
Subscribe to our newsletter.
Follow on Facebook or Instagram
Check out our website: events.
Intro
Intro
Have you ever been so convinced of something that it was impossible to persuade you otherwise? Like, locked in to your opinion. 100% convinced. A hill you’re willing to die on?
I had one of these in college that almost cost me the best man in my wedding. No kidding. Here’s the back story:
Part of growing up in our home was the requirement to be a classic rock conossieur
Zepplin, Eagles, local legend Allman Bros, and of course Skynard.
But one day, me and my best man (who is also a conissuer of classic rock) were driving around Athens and “The Joker” comes on… you know, “Some people call me the space cowboy...”
As soon as it played, I emphatically state: Tom Petty is great. “This isn’t Tom Petty, its _____ anybody? Steve Miller Band. But for whatever reason it was STUCK IN MY MIND THAT THIS WAS TOM PETTY AND I WAS RIGHT.
Ya’ll… we argued for 20 minutes in the car, and didn’t speak for 2 days. And no I couldn’t look it up because I didn’t have data on my razr. But when we got home and looked it up I was furious. Embarrassed. But furious, because I WAS DEAD WRONG. Egg on the face. Humble pie. Whatever you want to call it, it was happening. I had chosen the wrong hill to die on!
Fortunately we reconciled, and let it go. he still served as the best man in our wedding, and texting about this experience this week has been hysterical… but, here’s where this leads us today… and I hate to jesus juke us or give you spiritual whiplash, but here’s why I lead with this idiom.
Choosing the wrong hill to die on can be embarrassing as it regards classic rock, but being wrong about Jesus can be eternal. And this is exactly what we will find in our passage today, the audience of Peter’s sermon was 100% convinced that in rejecting and crucifying Jesus they had done the right thing. They were 100% convinced that he was not in fact the long-awaited Messiah or Christ, but by the power of the Spirit working through Peter’s bold preaching they realize, just as I did in the ford ranger, that they had chosen the wrong hill to die on.
And I want to be forthright and unapologetic this morning: If you do not have a personal relationship with Christ, or ever trusted Jesus as your savior and Lord I’m preaching to you this morning.
But also, for the Christian, what we have in Peter is a beautiful example of gospel witness and I pray that you walk away equipped to be His witness this morning as well.
So if you have your bible go ahead and open to Acts 2.
Let’s read together.
“Men of Israel, hear these words: Jesus of Nazareth, a man attested to you by God with mighty works and wonders and signs that God did through him in your midst, as you yourselves know—
this Jesus, delivered up according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God, you crucified and killed by the hands of lawless men. God raised him up, loosing the pangs of death, because it was not possible for him to be held by it.
For David says concerning him,
“ ‘I saw the Lord always before me,
for he is at my right hand that I may not be shaken;
therefore my heart was glad, and my tongue rejoiced;
my flesh also will dwell in hope.
For you will not abandon my soul to Hades,
or let your Holy One see corruption.
You have made known to me the paths of life;
you will make me full of gladness with your presence.’
“Brothers, I may say to you with confidence about the patriarch David that he both died and was buried, and his tomb is with us to this day.
Being therefore a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him that he would set one of his descendants on his throne, he foresaw and spoke about the resurrection of the Christ, that he was not abandoned to Hades, nor did his flesh see corruption.
This Jesus God raised up, and of that we all are witnesses. Being therefore exalted at the right hand of God, and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, he has poured out this that you yourselves are seeing and hearing.
For David did not ascend into the heavens, but he himself says,
“ ‘The Lord said to my Lord,
“Sit at my right hand,
until I make your enemies your footstool.” ’
Let all the house of Israel therefore know for certain that God has made him both Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom you crucified.”
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?” 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.
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.”
And with many other words he bore witness and continued to exhort them, saying, “Save yourselves from this crooked generation.” So those who received his word were baptized, and there were added that day about three thousand souls.
A Hill worth dying on. That’s what I want to give you today. Just like those gathered 2000 years ago in Jerusalem, I want you to be able to leave here today “KNOWING FOR CERTAIN” that God him both Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom YOU crucified.
And there are 3 things I’m giong to point out, that will help us stand upon that hill.
The Introduction. 2. The Incision. 3. The Instruction.
Let’s look at the Introduction.
The Introduction
The Introduction
These spectators were captivated by these signs and miracle, but they were also incredibly confused. Acts 2:12 says they were “perplexed” and asking “what does this mean?” So Peter answers this question by introducing them to Jesus, and specifically arguing that Jesus was and is the long awaited for Christ.
Introduce Jesus as Christ
Introduce Jesus as Christ
Let all the house of Israel therefore know for certain that God has made him both Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom you crucified.”
For the longest time I thought Christ was Jesus’ last name. I bet you did too!? But it isn’t a last name. Its a title.
The Old Testament predicted that God would send a chosen one—the CHRIST—to save the world from sin. As early as the Garden of Eden, God told Adam and Eve that a “seed” of the woman (a descendant) would come someday and destroy Satan and sin (Genesis 3:15). The psalms of David and the prophecies of Daniel described the work and coming of the CHrist whom God would send to save His people from their sins (Psalm 16; 22; 45; 110; Daniel 9).
The Jewish people knew the CHRIST was coming, but they misunderstood what He was coming to do. They believed the CHRIST would come to set up a kingdom on earth and deliver them from their Roman masters. We saw this a few weeks ago when the apostles themselves asked, “Will you at this time restore the kingdom of Israel?” (Acts 1:6).
But how were the people of Israel to discern the Christ? What would he look like? What would he be like? Needless to say… they didn’t expect this carpenters son from Nazareth, I mean nothing good comes from Nazareth.
Surely he would come with signs like Moses… Just as Moses brought recompense onto the Egyptian Empire, so would the Christ perform signs of judgement on the Roman Empire. But those weren’t his signs. His signs weren’t judgemental, but restorative.
Peter says Acts 2:22
“Men of Israel, hear these words: Jesus of Nazareth, a man attested to you by God with mighty works and wonders and signs that God did through him in your midst, as you yourselves know—
Attested as Christ by Signs
as you yourselves know… I mean come on guys, you saw what he did. or at the very least you’ve heard about it.
I mean remember his healings right:
Old Blind bartimeus. The man in the Gospel of John that sparked one of the greatest hymns ever written… “I once was blind but now I see.”
Paralytic lowered through the roof.
Or that woman who was bent over, crippled with pain for 18 years.
Or that time in the Synoguge when he told the man with the withered hand to stretch it out.
Attested by exorcisms.
That young boy that kept having the seziures and foaming at the mouth due to the torment of demons… remember Jesus set him free.
And do I need to bring up the guy out in the graveyard that was naked, cutting himself… couldn’t be bound. Everytime we put chains on him he’d break them! But then one encounter with this Jesus of Nazareth he’s clothed and in his right mind!
And you don’t want me to bring this up… but remember Lazarus!
Dead 4 days… back to life!
And the daughter of Jarius.
I mean remember guys… you know! You know this Jesus he did other crazy things.
Walked on water, calmed a storm, paid taxes by fishing, fed 5000 with a few loaves, turned water into wine!
Yall, this man Jesus was attested as the Christ, the Savior, by his many signs!
Attested as Christ by Crucifixion
But he is also attested as the Christ by his crucifixion.
this Jesus, delivered up according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God, you crucified and killed by the hands of lawless men.
That the Christ would suffer, even be hanged on a tree was constantly prophesied in OT Scripture. Probably the most clear depiction oyf the Christ dying for sin is Isaiah 53.
Surely he has borne our griefs
and carried our sorrows;
yet we esteemed him stricken,
smitten by God, and afflicted.
But he was pierced for our transgressions;
he was crushed for our iniquities;
upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace,
and with his wounds we are healed.
Church, that was written 700 years before Jesus was even born… it was foretold that the Christ would be attested by suffering.
Attested as Christ by Resurrection
But Peter goes on to remind them that this Jesus… He didn’t stay dead. And this too was Foretold.
God raised him up, loosing the pangs of death, because it was not possible for him to be held by it.
Peter then references Psalm 16 to make his case that the Christ, would ultimately be resurrected.
For you will not abandon my soul to Hades,
or let your Holy One see corruption.
Instead he would know the paths of life, and forever dwell in the presence of God.
He goes on to tell them… guys this couldn’t have been spoken about David…
Acts 2:29
“Brothers, I may say to you with confidence about the patriarch David that he both died and was buried, and his tomb is with us to this day.
But if you go to Jesus’ tomb… you know what you’re going to find? Nothing!
Being therefore a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him that he would set one of his descendants on his throne,
he foresaw and spoke about the resurrection of the Christ, that he was not abandoned to Hades, nor did his flesh see corruption.
His resurrection was foretold so that we may know the Christ! Jesus is the Christ.
And furthermore, we’ve seen Him.
Know for certain therefore that this Jesus… He is the Christ. Unfortunately they didn’t know… they chose the wrong hill to die on.
but Peter doesn’t just introduce Jesus to them as Christ or savior, but also LORD
Jesus as Lord
Jesus as Lord
Jesus is Lord due to his exaltation
Being therefore exalted at the right hand of God, and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, he has poured out this that you yourselves are seeing and hearing.
His exaltation at the right hand of God proves his lordship!
Right hand is a position of honor, authority, prominence, and strength. A symbol of equal honor with he who sits on the throne.
Peter once again references an OT Prophecy, this time from Psalm 110:
For David did not ascend into the heavens, but he himself says,
“ ‘The Lord said to my Lord,
“Sit at my right hand,
until I make your enemies your footstool.” ’
So we know he is attested as Lord due to his acension to the throne.
He is Lord. And all of his enemies will be made a footstool. All of His enemies will bow at the feet of this Jesus, and all tongues WILL confess that Jesus is Lord (Phil 2:11).
So… VS 36. KNOW FOR CERTAIN THAT GOD HAS MADE HIM… BOTH LORD AND CHRIST, the same Jesus that you crucified.
Peter has introduced us to Jesus as CHrist and Lord.
The Incision
The Incision
And his sermon landed! It hit its mark, because we read,
Acts 2:37 (ESV)
Now when they heard this they were cut to the heart,
The introduction of Jesus led to the incision of the heart.
The word to describe this experience is incredibly unique. In fact, its only used 1x… right here in all of Scripture. Other greek works around the same time period use it to describe a VIOLENT AGITATION. These guys are in pain. They are cut. They have an incision of the heart.
Why!? Why are they so pained? Why are they cut so deeply?
I’ll give you 3 reasons
Regulated
Regulated
This Jesus of Nazareth lived, taught, and worked among them for 3 years! But instead of listening and following Him, they tried to regulate him.
There were a lot of theories about who Jesus was. People had all kinds of ideas about who THEY wanted him to be.
Some wanted him to be a prophet, calling people back to religion.
Others wanted him to a political Christ, or savior that would deliver them from the oppression of Rome.
But still others just wrote him off. Thought he was a fraud, a religious sorcerer trying to deceive people. Saying he only cast out demons because he was the prince of demons!
But listen… Jesus would not be regulated. He would not conform to everyone’s expectations.
HE CLAIMED TO BE BOTH CHRIST AND LORD.
He forgave people’s sins, something only God could do.
He let people worship Him, something only God was worthy of… because if people didn’t the rocks and trees would.
He claimed to be the ONLY WAY of salvation, only the Christ could claim that.
And people couldn’t stand that… I mean Jesus, we like you and all, we think you’re a great teacher. We appreciate the miracles. and the full tummy from the loaves and fish, But can’t you stay quiet about all this Christ and Lord stuff!!?… but no. HE WOULD NOT BE REULATED.
Rejected
Rejected
So what did they do… they rejected Him.
When he said, I’ll give you eternal life if you but eat of my flesh and drink of my blood… many turned back and stopped following him.
When he set people free from the power of Satan, they came and begged to get away, to leave their region.
When he taught in his hometown, they took offense at him.
When he read from the scroll of Isaiah in the synogue saying, “The spirit of the Lord is upon me...” clearly stating to be the Christ they rose up and drove him out of the synoguge.
When he couldn’t be regulated, they rejected him.
Responsible
Responsible
But they didn’t stop there… ultimately they were responsible for killing him.
Peter says it directly!
vs. 23, “this Jesus… YOU CRUCIFIED AND KILLED BY THE HANDS OF LAWLESS MEN.
vs. 36, “This Jesus whom YOU CRUCIFIED.”
You can’t say… “we didn’t do it!” It was you screaming for Barrabbas. It was you screaming Crucify Him.
They were cut because they had become aware of their guilt!
How terrible the act of crucifying Jesus.
they had waited for this Christ, and now, instead of being the chosen people of God, they are becoming aware that… they are numbered among His enemies as he sits at the right hand of God the Father.
Peter preaches and introduces them to Jesus as Messiah and Lord, and brings them “to look on HIm whom THEY PIERCED AND MOURN FOR HIM.”
Application
Application
But what does that mean for us today? Here’s where it gets real personal for us today.... we are just as guilty.
We try to regulate him too. Who do you think Jesus to be? Who do you WANT him to be?
Often we want some good moral teacher. Someone who offers some hope when we are hurting, or lays out a good moral way of life.
Or we too want a political Messiah. Somebody we can use or hope in to make america great again.
Or we believe him to be A WAY to God, but not necessarily the only way.
But Jesus can’t be regulated… He IS WHO HE SAYS HE IS.
Like C.S. Lewis once said, “Either this man was, and is, the Son of God, or else a madman or something worse. You can shut him up for a fool, you can spit at him and kill him as a demon or you can fall at his feet and call him Lord and God, but let us not come with any patronizing nonsense about his being a great human teacher. He has not left that open to us. He did not intend to.”
And we reject him too don’t we…
How many of you have been cut to the heart before… brought to a place where you believe that what peter taught here is true. that he is Lord and He is Christ, but you realize that submitting to Him as Lord means we have to give him control! That the call to follow Christ is as Bonhoeffer wrote, “a call to die.” A call to deny some things, and in that moment you harden your heart and reject him because you don’t like the implications of Christ as Lord.
We don’t like that he claims to be the only way to God, and we get offended and reject him.
Or maybe you like what you hear, but you’ve seen some hypocrisy in the lives of so called “Christians” and you reject Christ and throw the baby out with the bath water!
But it’s worse still.
Although, seperated by 2000 years we too are RESPONSIBLE for his death.
But you may object… “I wasn’t there. I didn’t deliver him over.” But just as the promise of salvation and the HS is for you and for your children (generations not yet born) and all who are far off… so is the responsibility.
The Bible says...
It was for our sin that he was made to be sin.
He himself bore our sins on his body on the tree.
He was wounded for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities.
It wasn’t just a sin for them to demand his crucifixion, it was for the sins of all mankind that took him there. The wages, or penalty for your sin is death. And Christ died to pay that penalty on your behalf.
It wasn’t just their sin… it was yours. You are responsible for the death of Jesus, who is both Christ and Lord.
So they were cut to the heart… and in their pain they cry out, “BROTHERS, WHAT SHALL WE DO!?”
How can we fix this? How can we make this better? How can we undo what we have done?”
The Instruction
The Instruction
This is the Irony of the Cross! Hear this: To be saved from their regulation, rejection, and responsibility they must come to the cross, the same cross, on which they crucified Him. Think about that for a second. Just 53 days earlier they had chosen a hill to die on.. to crucify Jesus on the cross. Now, cut to the heart, they must come to the same cross to receive forgiveness for their sins.
God used our most henious crime as the means of our salvation. When we look at the cross we see:
Our sin put him there/There he rescues from sin.
You did it to Him/He did it for you.
This is where the paradox of God’s Soveriegn Will in redemption meets mankind’s deliberate responsibility.
God’s Role
this Jesus, delivered up according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God, you crucified and killed by the hands of lawless men.
He was delivered up according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God. Ephesians 1— Before the ages began He chose you to be holy and blameless before him. And he does that by transferring your sin from you to Christ. He was punished for your sins according to the pre-destined, soverign plan of God.
Our Responsibility
Yet, at the same time Jesus died as the result of a deliberate human decision, so you cannot escape or avoid your responsibility.
this Jesus, delivered up according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God, you crucified and killed by the hands of lawless men.
This is the mystery of the divine will. God was working in the events of your responsibility to bring about His eternal purposes.
In the tragedy of the cross that you are responsible for, we find the triumph of salvation that he is responsible for.
The cross we crucified him on, has become the cross that cleanses us.
John Stott once wrote, “The essence of sin is man substituting himself for God, while the essence of salvation is God substituting himself for man. Man asserts himself against God and puts himself where only God deserve to be; God sacrifices himself for man and puts himself where only man deserves to be.”
So what do we do? We come to the cross.
God’s Call
But you can’t come in your own power or according to your own will.
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.”
He calls you! “Even when we are dead in our sins, he makes us alive together with Christ
What can dead people do??? NOTHING!
— by grace we are saved. It is not of your own doing, but a gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.”
You are freed from your guilt and forgiven your sin by his gracious call.
Once again the soverign, predestined plan of God.
God Call’s, but you have to respond.
Our Response
When he calls, you respond. And according to that passage we do that in 2 ways:
Repent
Now what is repentance. By definition repentance means “to change or turn of direction in a person’s life.” This isn’t simply a feeling of remorse.
Now in a sense man is incapable of this on his own (a plethora of Scriptures to support that repentance is a gift), but when God calls he is calling you to respond with repentance.
To change your mind about Christ, and to turn from sin, but toward God. To respond to His call, by calling upon Him, because “everyone who calls upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.” (acts 2:21).
This is more than just a resolve to do better. It is a whole new attitude toward God.
And you have to do this personally!
Can’t come on the faith of another.
Well my parents are Christian… well I was raised in church. Oh my granddad was a preacher.
None of that suffices. YOU must own your responsibility and repent and believe.
But you must also be baptized.
Here we read, “repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins,” but the english fails us.
That word for is better translated, “on the basis of.” So instead we read, “Repent, and let each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ on the basis of the forgiveness of your sins.”
Because he died for the forgiveness of your sins… be baptized. Respond by symbolizing your association in his death.
Baptism is a symbol, not a work.
A symbol that publicly confesses I have died with Christ, and due to His grace I have been raised to new life with Him!
Conclusion
Conclusion
Peter had a captivated audience, and in the power of the Spirit he lays out God’s plan of salvation, to which he has been comissioned as a witness.
He Introduces his audience to Jesus, the Christ and Lord.
His message provides an incision, when they realize they had regulated, rejected, and own responsibility for killing Him.
But they respond to the Call of God in repentance and baptism.
Have you?
For 3000 people, that day of Pentecost marked a turning point in their lives. Is that today for you?
Connect Card
If yes, we want to hear from you. Bring us into that response so that we may walk with you and disciple you in that decision.
I also want to tell you to respond not just in faith, but in the public demonstration of baptism.
Step out and publicly declare it by obeying Jesus’ command to be baptized.
I know the excuses...
“Is that really important or necessary?” No not necessary for salvation, but its a command of LORD JESUS so yes it’s important. Disobeying Jesus in this area is not a great start to following Him as Lord.
Its a step of obedience.
Connect CArd
3000 responded… have you? Because Jesus is the right hill to die on. You can know for certain.
Let me pray.