A Rookie Gets The Sermon Right Series

Acts 2:14-24 A Rookie gets the Sermon Right (Part 1)

This is Peter’s first sermon, but the church age to come here is the age of preaching. We still live in that same age, a

I. Rebuke Preaching (14-15)

Now the apostles had just been accused of drunkenness and the Spirit and power of God led Peter to stand up and set the record straight. Peter did just that and when Peter stood anointed to preach the Word of God, he lifted his voice. I don’t believe that Peter was very careful about not offending anybody. I don’t believe Peter was afraid to call out those he was speaking to. It is clear that Peter wanted the people to know the truth, and that he was not afraid to call them to listen.

a. The preaching was strident (loud)

Why do you suppose the people of our day are so against loud preaching?

b. The preaching was straight (direct)

What is the point in trying to step around people’s feelings?

Is that a wise sidestep, or is it dangerous and less loving than the straight truth?

When was the last time you were straight with someone, because you truly cared about him or her?

c. The preaching was severe (let this be known)

d. The preaching was serious give heed to my words, these men are not drunk)

Peter was not only strident or loud and straight but he was also severe and serious. What’s wrong with letting in the world know that the gospel is severe and serious?

II. Reference Preaching (16-21)

a. Power of the Good Book (spoken through the prophet Joel)

In case God ever moves you to another area and you have to look for a church home, allow this to be your number one barometer about a church. That barometer must be the preaching of the word of God. If the preacher is not a reference preacher he is not a preacher at all. The book is the only power source a preacher has. The Holy Spirit must speak through the preacher, but the Holy Spirit will always speak through the powerful Word of God.

Are you in God’s Word daily on you own?

What would it take to help you begin a daily time of devotions?

b. Purpose is the Good News (the good news in this passage of Joel is that the last days are coming)

The Bible is the good news and if you preach and study enough of it you will always find within it “good news”. The good news in this passage is the promise that the last days are coming. Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.

c. Product is Glorious Salvation (And it shall be that everyone who calls upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.)

Reference preaching leads to the regular proclamation of the good news and the product produced by reference preaching is the glorious salvation of sinners.

III. Rigid Preaching (22-24)

I will start the next few thoughts with synonyms of the word rigid.

a. Unbending in the message (Jesus the Nazarene)

I believe that Peter would lose his lunch if he heard the thought of bending messages to leave out the message of Jesus Christ. Beware though some churches are doing just that. Listen to some television preachers and listen for the message of Jesus. You may hear the name Jesus but more often you will hear the blessings available for living a good life.

Are you guilty of proclaiming the message of Tri-City Baptist Church around the workplace instead of the message of Jesus Christ?

Here is a test for you… attempt tomorrow to say the name Jesus Christ in a conversation with a lost friend. If you can’t get it out tomorrow you may need to ask yourself why?

Have I bent the message away from its most meaningful name?

Speaking of God doesn’t seem to bother Satan nor most common people, but the name of Jesus Christ is offensive.

Rigid preaching is offensive, but it is the only way to get the message out.

b. Inflexible about the truth (predetermined plan and foreknowledge of God)

Peter seemed to be inflexible about the truth. The truth is, Jesus Christ who was God in the flesh predetermined and foreknew of His death on the cross. Peter was inflexible about the preaching of this truth.

c. Unyielding about their guilt (you nailed to a cross by the hands of Godless men and put Him to death)

Peter would not yield to the feelings of the men to whom he was speaking. Peter preached to them that their actions were sin. Why is it that the world and many preachers want to remove the word sin from their vocabulary.