Text: Acts 2:14-36, Title: Address to the Christ-Killers, Date/Place: NRBC, 6/10/07, AM
A. Opening illustration: Talk about the young man indicted on murder charges here in Tifton this week. Suppose that I came in here today and accused you (because you live in Tifton) being guilty of it. Or what if I accused you of being guilty of Christ’s death? That’s the reaction that Peter probably got…
B. Background to passage: After the accusation of drunkenness along with those who truly sought the meaning of this obviously spiritual event, Peter stands full of the Spirit, along with the rest of the eleven, and preaches the first Christian sermon of the church era. He stands probably in the temple courts among thousands of people before audio amplification, and raises his voice to proclaim a word of truth. Commentators are in union that this is probably not the full text of his sermon, but represents its basic thrust. This text sets a great example for preachers and witnesses about the content and structure of a witness for Christ.
C. Main thought: in the text, we will see Peter’s three main points
A. What’s Going On Here (v. 14-21)
1. Peter moves to note the absurdity of the charge of drunkenness at 9 am. And talking to Jews in Jerusalem for the festival of Pentecost, quotes the minor prophet Joel, indicating that what they are witnessing that day, was foretold many years earlier. Joel’s context was a promised restoration after repentance after a plague of locusts. Joel noted that in the “last days” God would pour out His Spirit upon all (kinds) of people. Peter probably didn’t understand the significance himself of all flesh. Peter links the prophecy spoken of by Joel and the manifestation of tongues on Pentecost. He takes something current, and moves to the eternal. Joel brings together, probably unknowingly, events at the beginning and the end of the last days. And the Jews present that day would have had great anticipation for the “last days” because they also believed it to be the time when the Messiah would come. And many were waiting for Him like a kid waits on Christmas morning.
2. Ps 119: 11, John 14:26, Heb 1:1-2, 1 Pet 1:20, 1 Cor 10:11, Num 11:29
3. Illustration: George Barna Research reports "Our most recent surveys indicate that about half of all adult Americans listen to preaching or Bible teaching in a typical week." Although 1 out of 3 read the Bible during the week, only 1 out of 10 claim to study the Bible weekly and fewer than 1 out of 25 devote themselves to memorizing at least one new Bible verse per week, less than 2 percent are committed to all four of these practices on a weekly basis. It’s no wonder that Americans have tremendous spiritual hunger, but no consistent spiritual growth”, realizing that I didn’t have to be Dr Bennett to memorize scripture, one writer counted 453 promises about Christ, 120 of which were fulfilled in His first coming, that leaves 257 yet to come to pass, another counted 3268 verses of scripture that have been fulfilled already,
4. Note that Peter had memorized an extended passage in Joel, and also note the Holy Spirit’s ministry of remembrance. We should be about the spiritual discipline of scripture memory. This is a business as usual mark. Remember that all God’s prophecies will come to pass. There are still many left to be fulfilled. We are in the last days. The Coming of Christ is soon. The signs that Joel mentions could be soon. Are you prepared for the end? As spiritual people, we should be prepared to speak about current events as a lead in for the gospel. Whether they be spiritual, political, or personal occurrences, we must remember that everything in our world should be interpreted through Christ. Help others to see Christ in everyday events. Do you long for spiritual truth like that? If someone started speaking of some passage, do you tune in or out?
B. The Cold Hard Facts (v. 22-23)
1. Peter then transitions to the life and death of Jesus, which is the core of Christian preaching. Peter preaches that God vindicated or endorsed Christ with His power through signs and wonders (things that point to something much greater). He indicates that at least some among them had seen this clear indication of the hand of God. He probably spent more time here emphasizing the God-empowered ministry of Christ, emphasizing the power of the Spirit on Him as the Messiah. Then in unprecedented boldness, Peter says that they killed their own Messiah! He also states that the ultimate cause was God ordaining it (perfect passive participle for “predetermined”). This is one of the places that the wonderful paradox of divine providence and human responsibility come together. For even though God planned and superintended it, he never violated their wills, nor prevented their culpability. This is a consistent mark of apostolic preaching. You killed Jesus.
2. 1 Cor 2:23, 2 Cor 4:5, Eph 3:8, John 3:2, 9:32-33, Isa 53:5, 1 Cor 15;3, Gal 1:4, 1 Pet 2:24, 1 John 2:2,
3. Illustration: it is reported that the only cameo that Mel Gibson had in the Passion of the Christ was of his hand pounding the nails into the wrists of Christ, Let’s suppose that a person on sins 3 times a day. A sin in the morning, a sin during the day and a sin at night. Sounds like a pretty good person! Let’s think for a moment. If that person is saved at 10 years old and dies at 80 years old that person will commit 76,650 sins in their lifetime! Imagine nearly 80,000 sins and this is from the life of a "good person."
4. The bible is Christ-centric, and we should be too in our ministries and preaching. Many of you are in the same boat—you know that Christ healed the sick, made the lame to walk, opened the eyes of the blind, and raised the dead. But you know more believe in him than these Jews. Why? You have never sold out for Him! Define NT believing. You may have said “the prayer” on many occasions, but the test of your life is not what knowledge you have, or whether or not you have prayed a prayer, or if you have joined the church, or been baptized, but have you sold everything for the kingdom? Do you live your life with consistency toward what you know about Jesus? If he is the Savior, have you let Him save you? Have you ever come to the point where you realized that you did kill Jesus? Your sins caused God to provide Him as a substitute for you. Finally, there is a huge lesson here, but we don’t have time do develop it, about the fact of God ordaining sinful, terrible situations, that sometimes take lives.
C. The Validity of the Faith (v. 24-36)
1. One other great mark of apostolic preaching is the focus on the resurrection. That is where Peter goes next. One reason is that Peter had just stated that Jesus was the Messiah, AND He was crucified. The point is not that Jesus was overcome by evil, but that He willingly permitted evil to accomplish His Father’s will. So, in order to continue to demonstrate the Messiahship of Jesus, he talks about the resurrection. He states that death couldn’t hold nor handle him, and God vindicated Him again by raising Him up, and by exalting Him to the highest place with the highest name. He first quotes Ps 16:8-11, and speaks about how that even though David wrote it, its fulfillment didn’t take place in him—he’s dead in the tomb. So David was speaking of Christ. Oh, and by the way, we all saw it. Then he goes on to quote Ps 110:1, so to further establish the exaltation of Christ. And he concludes with a powerful statement—God has “without a doubt” made Jesus both Lord and Christ! Define those two words.
2. Rom 1:4, 1 Cor 15:17, 16:22
3. Illustration: someone said that a crucified Messiah was an oxymoron to the Jewish ear, kinda like fried ice,
4. Side note on apologetics—remember that Peter was preaching the bible, not necessarily defending it. Fancy arguments never convert, the supernatural change of the Spirit coming through the preached word of God does. You and I may not have send the resurrection, but “blessed are those who believe who have not yet seen.” We have experienced a resurrection of sorts, when we were buried with Christ, and raised to walk in newness of life. But if the resurrection is true, all of the things that Jesus taught were true, then we must be born again, he is the only way to the Father, we must sell out for Christ or else, hell is a real place where those that reject the forgiveness Christ offers. If he is both Lord (Absolute Ruler God) and Christ (God’s chosen anointed One), do you reverence Him and love Him appropriately? Not the SS love for Jesus, but a visceral affection to Jesus and drive to do His will. Because nobody wants to go to hell, but there are a lot of us who don’t want to go to hell, but don’t love Christ! It is not enough to simply affirm the truth of the resurrection! If you don’t love Jesus, you need to come now, seek His face, truly repent of your rebellion, and ask Him to come in and change you!
A. Closing illustration: tell about the salvation experience of Andrew MacDonald
B. Back to Joel 2:12
C. Invitation to commitment
