Heartfelt Preaching

ACTS CH 2 VS. 36--ACTS CH 2 VS 41 HEARTFELT PREACHING

INTRODUCTION: PETER’S SERMON AMOUNTS TO ABOUT FIVE MINUTES OF PREACHING, BUT WITHIN THOSE FEW VERSES OF SCRIPTURE WE FIND A MULTITUDE OF GOSPEL TRUTHS.

HE PRESENTS AN IRREFUTABLE ARGUMENT TO THE UNBELIEVING JEWS. REMARKABLE HOW JUST A SHORT TIME EARLIER THIS SAME MAN HAD DENIED EVEN KNOWING JESUS, NOW HE STANDS BOLDLY AND PROCLAIMS HIM AS LORD AND SAVIOR. HERE WE HAVE PROOF THAT REPENTANCE BRINGS FORGIVENESS AND FORGIVENESS INSURES GOD’S COMPLETE PARDON **

HE PREACHED A MESSAGE STRAIGHT FROM HIS HEART.

A LADY ONCE TOLD ME AFTER CHURCH: “PREACHER, YOU REALLY GOT ON MY TOES.”

I TOLD HER: “ I’M SORRY, I WAS AIMING FOR YOUR HEART.”

PETER WAS A “TELL IT LIKE IT IS” PREACHER. ***

HE PRACTICED PAUL’S METHOD OF PREACHING THE GOSPEL “IN SEASON AND OUT.”

HE PREACHED IT HARD AND STRAIGHT AND THE RESULTS WERE EXACTLY AS THEY ARE SUPPOSED TO BE WHEN THE GOSPEL IS PREACHED IN ALL OF IT’S POWER, PURITY, PURPOSE.

GODLY, GOSPEL PREACHING ALWAYS BRINGS ABOUT REPENTANCE, AND SALVATION.

THE CHURCH NEEDS MORE OF THIS TYPE OF PREACHING IN THIS DAY AND AGE WE LIVE IN

I. PETER PREACHED A POWERFUL MESSAGE.

(A) HE TOLD THEM PLAINLY WHO JESUS IS.

1. THE SON OF GOD, GOD INCARNATE, GOD IN FLESH, HEAVEN’S PROMISE.

2. THE SAVIOR OF MANKIND, WHO CAME TO SEEK AND TO SAVE.

HE STILL SEEKS MANKIND TODAY THROUGH THE WORD OF GOD, THROUGH THE DRAWING OF THE HOLY SPIRIT.

3. THE PROMISED MESSIAH OF THE OLD TESTAMENT, THE VERY ONE THAT THE UNBELIEVING JEWS REJECTED AND CRUCIFIED.

(B) HE TOLD THEM POWERFULLY WHO JESUS IS. (VERSE 36)

1. HE GOT THEIR ATTENTION WITH THE TRUTH OF GOD’S WORD.

WHEN THE WORD OF GOD GETS YOUR ATTENTION, GOD CAN SPEAK CLEARLY TO YOUR HEART, ALLOW YOU TO HEAR WHAT HE WANTS TO SAY TO YOU.

2. HE GOT TO THEIR HEART AND SOUL.

HE BROKE THROUGH THE BOUNDARIES OF TRADITION AND CEREMONIES, HE PUT IT DOWN ON THEIR LEVEL

3. HE SAID: “THIS SAME JESUS WHOM YOU HAVE CRUCIFIED, IS LORD AND CHRIST.

4. IMAGINE THE SHOCK AND HORROR OF THEIR SOULS WHEN THEY HEARD THESE WORDS OF TRUTH.

II. HE PREACHED A PROMINENT MESSAGE.

(A) IT WAS A MESSAGE OF PROPHECY.

ISAIAH 53: VS. 4&5: HE HAS BORNE OUR GRIEF AND OUR SORROWS, YET WE DID ESTEEM HIM STRICKEN, SMITTEN OF GOD, AND AFFLICTED. BUT HE WAS WOUNDED FOR OUR TRANSGRESSIONS, BRUISED FOR OUR INIQUITIES: THE CHASTISEMENT OF OUR PEACE WAS UPON HIM; AND WITH HIS STRIPES WE ARE HEALED.

1. ISAIAH CHAPTER 53 GIVES A DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF OUR LORD AND SAVIOR.

2. 400 YEARS BEFORE IT HAPPENED, ISAIAH GAVE A COMPLETE REPORT ON THE CRUCIFIXION OF CHRIST.

(B) IT WAS A MESSAGE OF PROMISE.

ROMANS 15:8: PAUL SAID, HE CONFIRMS THE PROMISES MADE UNTO THE FATHERS.

ACTS 13:23: GOD, HAS ACCORDING TO HIS PROMISES, RAISED UNTO ISRAEL, A SAVIOR, JESUS.

1 JOHN 2: VS 22--25 (READ)

(C) IT WAS A MESSAGE OF PURPOSE

HEBREWS 5: VS 13--19 FOR WHEN GOD MADE PROMISE TO ABRAHAM, BECAUSE HE COULD SWEAR BY NO GREATER, SAYING SURELY BLESSING I WILL BLESS THEE, AND MULTIPLYING I WILL MULTIPLY THEE, AND SO AFTER HE HAD PATIENTLY ENDURED, HE OBTAINED THE PROMISE. WHEREIN GOD, WILLING MORE ABUNDANTLY, TO SHOW UNTO THE HEIRS OF PROMISE, THE IMMUTABILITY OF HIS COUNSEL, CONFIRMED IT BY AN OATH. THAT BY TWO IMMUTABLE THINGS, IN WHICH IT WAS IMPOSSIBLE FOR GOD TO LIE, WE MIGHT HAVE A STRONG CONSOLATION, WHO HAVE FLED FOR REFUGE, TO LAY HOLD UPON THE HOPE SET BEFORE US. WHICH HOPE WE HAVE AS AN ANCHOR OF THE SOUL, BOTH SURE AND STEADFAST, AND WHICH ENTERS INTO THAT WITHIN THE VEIL.

1. TRANSLATE TO 2007 LANGUAGE: GOD HAS MADE AN OATH UPON HIMSELF. (NONE HIGHER TO SWEAR BY)

2. HE CANNOT LIE TO US (IF HE DID HE WOULD CEASE TO BE GOD)

3. OUR SALVATION IS SECURED THROUGH HIM, HIS FINISHED WORK ON THE CROSS OF CALVARY. HE HAS ENTERED INTO THE VEIL (HOLY PLACE) AND PLACED HIS BLOOD THERE AS AN ETERNAL SACRIFICE FOR THE SINS OF WHOSOEVER WILL REPENT OF THEIR SIN AND ACCEPT CHRIST AS PERSONAL SAVIOR.

HE PREACHED A PLAIN MESSAGE.

(A) HE PREACHED JESUS CRUCIFIED.

1. THIS SAME JESUS THAT “YOU” CRUCIFIED.

(B) HE PREACHED JESUS SANCTIFIED (SET APART TO BE A SUBSTITUTE FOR THE SINS OF MANKIND)

1. THE INNOCENT DYING FOR THE GUILT OF OUR SIN.

(C) HE PREACHED JESUS GLORIFIED

1. RESURRECTED AND NOW SEATED AT THE RIGHT HAND OF GOD THE FATHER.

IV. HE PREACHED A PIERCING MESSAGE.

THEY WERE CUT TO THE HEART.

(A) THEY WERE: CONVICTED IN THEIR SINS.

1. A PERSON WILL NEVER GET SAVED UNTIL HE REALIZES HE IS LOST.**