The Apostle Peter’s 2nd Sermon, Pt. 3 Series

The Apostle Peter’s 2nd Sermon, pt. 3

Acts 3:22-4:4

Last week, the promises:

v. 19 Repent, and your sins will be blotted out, and the times of refreshing will come…God’s kingdom/Millennium.

Gov’t purified/war and bloodshed past/peace/ecology/infirmities gone/poverty/masses worship God!

That’s the promises, now…

The Prophets:

To make his message more clear, and to drive it all home, Peter now brings up the prophets [very high in priority in Jewish minds]…Moses…

v. 22-23 Direct quote from Deut. 18

He reminds them that even Moses prophesied to them that a prophet would come and He would be their Messiah, and that the cost of not following Him would be eternal damnation. [very powerful point to these Jews!]

Amazing the sources some base their beliefs on:

Hell’s right here on earth! [barber shop]

God would never send anyone to hell [donut house]!

Moses said, not Joe Barber/Joe Millionaire/Joe Schmo/ or even Jo Mama!

Then he reminds them that Moses wasn’t the only one…many other prophets, too!

v. 24 Peter didn’t go into a lot of detail, but he could have…but it was coming to their minds, I’m sure…

Over 300 direct prophecies had been fulfilled, like…

Is. 7:14 He would be born of a virgin Lk. 1:7 it happened!

Micah 5:2 born in Bethlehem Lk. 2:4 that happened!

Gen. 49:10 born of tribe of Judah Mt. 3:3 that happened!

Psalm 78:2 speak in parables Mt. 13:34 that happened!

Zech. 9:9 ride on colt of a donkey Mt. 21 that happened!

Is. 61 heal broken-hearted Lk. 4:18 that happened!

Is. 53:3 rejected by own Jn. 1:11 that happened!

Is. 53:7 stand silent before accusers Mk. 15:5 that happened!

Ps. 22:18 cast lots for His robe Jn. 19:23 that happened!

Ps. 22 (hundreds of years before crucifixion ever invented or thought of) prophets said they would pierce His hands and feet, and it happened!

Ps. 22:1 “my God, why forsaken me?” Mt. 27:46 that happened!

v. 5 tongue cleave to jaw Mt. 26:15 that happened!

Zech. 11:2 sold by enemies for 30 silver Mt. 26:15 that happened!

Is. 53:9 buried w/ rich Mt. 27 that happened!

One skeptic said, “certainly this is the most striking coincidence of details.”

Ill.—cover the state of Texas w/ quarters, 2 feet deep, mark the back of 1 of them with an X. Fly a man in and drop him anywhere you want in the state, blindfold him, and ask him to find that quarter with the X first try! That’s the same chance of just 8 of the Bible’s prophecies being fulfilled by coincidence!

No wonder in v. 24 Peter said, All the prophets have foretold of these days!

Now, Peter says, because you’ve come in contact w/ this info…if anyone ever ought to get saved, it’s you!

v. 25 You’re Jews, children of the prophets/covenant, you have all this inside info…to not get saved now is to sin against superior knowledge! You have a flood of lights showing you the way!

Ill.—stepping on pointy toys walking thru our dark house/tripping down steps w/ Jacob one morning…it’s one thing to do it in the dark, but in broad daylight?

Peter says, for you to not accept Christ is to sin against a flood of lights!

v. 26 [emphasize each use of “you”]…can’t “you” see this?

I can say the same to this crowd. What a shame that some will go to hell from GBC…but Jesus promises there’s some mixed in to this group and every Bible believing group, what a pity! For to go to hell from GBC is to sin against a flood of lights!

To sit here and hear the truth/surrounded by people who love and pray for you…and to not make sure you’re saved in the face of all of that!

If you’re here today and you’re not sure, you’ll never have a better chance to MAKE sure than today!

The Promises, the Prophets…

The resulting Persecutions:

4:1-4 Peter’s sermon produced 2 opposite results:

• 5k who heard, believed, and got saved…

• but the religious leaders and many others who heard, rejected it, and started up the persecuting which continued throughout the early church [eventually all the apostles would be jailed, beaten, and all would end up martyred].

The Bible has much to say about the persecution that is promised to true followers of Christ.

Matthew 5: 10 -

Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness’ sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

11 Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake. 12 Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you.

John 15: 18 If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you. 19 If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you. 20 Remember the word that I said unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord. If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you…