Peter's Pentecost Sermon, Act 2:14-39

Peter's Pentecost Sermon        Act 2:14-39               June 04, 2017

 

Peter’s sermon answers their question of “What meanest this?” 

This sermon is a masterpiece of organization and is well worth studying carefully. Also in this sermon we can see the infilling of the Holy Spirit of Peter. In the four gospels we see Peter speaking without thinking, but this sermon is presented perfectly and very skillful. 

Very Important:  Peter's Sermon at Pentecost, Just received Holy Spirit, fully come. 

Peter sermon is not about the Holy Spirit, it is about the Son of God, Jesus, our Messiah.    

Acts 2:14  But Peter, standing up with the eleven, raised his voice and said to them, "Men of Judea and all who dwell in Jerusalem, let this be known to you, and heed my words.    

“Men of Judea”: Peter is addressing Jews, his whole presentation is aimed in that direction.    (vs 5 – devout men, every nation) 

Eleven other apostles besides Peter. Peter now begins the first gospel sermon. He and the apostles now begin their witness about Christ to the Jews.  A lot of people out there. 

(15)  For these are not drunk, as you suppose, since it is only the third hour of the day    (vs 13) 

The third hour of the day was 9:00 am in the morning, same hour Jesus our Lord was crucified (Mark 15:25). 

Isaiah 5:11 Woe to those who rise early in the morning, That they may follow intoxicating drink; Who continue until night, till wine inflames them! 

The Jews scarcely ever ate or drank, for that hour was the hour of prayer was their custom.   

(16)  But this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel:   

Peter had to know the Scriptures from memory.   

Spoken by the prophet Joel 2:28-32  (about 800 BC): Peter from vs. 17 thru 21, Peter quotes Joel.  The prophecy which he delivered so long ago is just now starting to fulfilled with the predictions in their own Scriptures; and this is another proof that Jesus whom ye have crucified is the Messiah. 

This clause does not mean, “This is like that”; it means Pentecost began what Joel had described. However, the prophecies of Joel quoted in Acts 2:19-20 were not fulfilled.  They had only begun. 

The implication is that the remainder would be fulfilled if Israel would repent.  

(17) And it shall come to pass in the Last Days,  says God, that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh; your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your young men shall see visions,  your old men shall dream dreams.  (18) and on my menservants and on my maidservants I will pour out my Spirit in those days; and they shall prophesy. 

Pour out my Spirit on all flesh:  The gift of the Spirit, on all races, not the Jews only.  Notice “my Spirit.”  

Last Days:  Is this the start of the Last Days 

Sons and your daughters:  remember Philip daughters. 

Servants, handmaidens this means that the humblest classes will receive the Spirit of God  

God had promised that there would be a time when all those who followed Him would receive His Spirit, and not just prophets, kings, and priests. Peter pointed out that that time had come to pass. 

This was the beginning of the last days. God's final act of salvation began with the pouring out of His Spirit. This final act of deliverance will continue to the end of this age. 

(19)  I will show wonders in heaven above and signs in the earth beneath: blood and fire and vapor of smoke.  (20)  The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the coming of the Great and Awesome day of the Lord.   

Earth beneath:  miracles done by Christ, and his apostles, on earth; 

Day of the Lord:  Has this occurred yet? No. This is obviously speaking of very end time issues.   

(21)  and it shall come to pass that whoever calls on the Name of the Lord shall be saved.  

This passage destroys every major Hebrew prejudice. Not only just Jewish, but also the Gentiles. can be saved. 

Calls on:  invoke, appeal 

Paul is given credit what the Gospel is, but Peter sermon mention it. 

1 Corinthians 15:1-4 Moreover, brethren, I declare to you the gospel which I preached to you, which also you received and in which you stand,  (2)  by which also you are saved, if you hold fast that word which I preached to you—unless you believed in vain.  (3)  For I delivered to you first of all that which I also received: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures,  (4)  and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures, 

 (22)  "Men of Israel, hear these words: Jesus of Nazareth, a Man attested by God to you by miracles, wonders, and signs which God did through Him in your midst, as you yourselves also know—  

Peter begins to preach Jesus directly to them.  Jesus is the primary subject (not the Holy Spirit). 

Hear these words:  Do it now

Attested by God:  A man,  as approved by God through miracles and wonders and signs to you... 

Yourselves also know:  meaning they were there and saw it all 

(23)  Him, being delivered by the determined purpose and foreknowledge of God, you have taken by lawless hands, have crucified, and put to death;  (24)  whom God raised up, having loosed the pains of death, because it was not possible that He should be held by it.   

Gospel:  have crucified, and put to death;  God raised up 

lawless hands:  Romans, Jews and ourselves 

(25)  For David says concerning Him: 'I foresaw the Lord always before my face, for He is at my right hand, that I may not be shaken.  (26)  therefore my heart rejoiced, and my tongue was glad;  moreover my flesh also will rest in hope.  (27)  For you will not leave my soul in Hades, or will you allow your Holy One see corruption.  (28)  You have made known to me the Ways of Life, you will make me full of joy in your presence.  (Psalms 16:8-11) 

Life: Psalm 16:8-11: Psalm 16:8,9a   (Acts 2:26a)

Death:  Psalm 16:9b, 10 (Acts 2:26b,27)

Resurrection:  Psalm 16:11 (Acts 2:28) Psalm 16:8-11  

John 14:6 Jesus said to him, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me. 

(29)  "Men and brethren, let me speak freely to you of the patriarch David, that he is both dead and buried, and his tomb is with us to this day.   

Freely:  Telling it all, David is really dead, not what world says today.  David is asleep. 

(30)  Therefore, being a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him that of the fruit of his body, according to the flesh, He would raise up the Christ to sit on his throne,   

God had sworn:  God promise, God would raise up Christ to sit on David throne”: When? 

(31)  he, foreseeing this, spoke concerning the resurrection of the Christ, that His soul was not left in Hades, nor did His flesh see corruption.  (32)  This Jesus God has raised up, of which we are all witnesses.   

This could not be David: it is prophecy of Jesus Christ.  If we really understand the nature of Jesus, the concept of Him suffering death is unthinkable. 

Of the Christ:  David knew that he was describing the resurrection of the Messiah. 

Jesus God:  What does this mean 

We are all witnesses:   of his resurrection, they (whole 120) having seen him, and heard him, and ate, and drank, and conversed with him since his resurrection, attest this great truth. 

(33)  Therefore being exalted to the right hand of God, and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, He poured out this which you now see and hear.   

Right hand of God:  Christ Throne 

He poured out this which you now see and hear: The supernatural marvels of this wonderful day were the proof of Christ 

Poured out:  The Holy Spirit 

(34)  "For David did not ascend into the heavens, but he says himself: 'The Lord said to My Lord, "SIT AT MY RIGHT HAND,  (35)  till I make your enemies your footstool." '   

SIT AT MY RIGHT HAND: Jesus is involved with the Supreme Government.  

David did not ascend:  still in the grave 

Until I make your enemies your footstool:  When the work of Jesus has ended and Jesus has conquered all, then all power is given up to the Father 

Quoted from Psalms 110:1.

Jesus had just established himself as the final Lord, King and Priest over the world. 

On five occasions in Acts some of the apostles said they were witnesses of the resurrected Christ (Acts 2:32; 3:15; 5:32; 10:39-41; 13:30-31) They knew whereof they spoke! 

(36)  "Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly that God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ."  (Messiah) 

This is the key Wording in this sermon: Jesus is Lord and Christ! (Isa 53; Isa 61).  This is the theme of Peter’s sermon.

Know assuredly:  Be assured, or know without any hesitation or possibility of mistake. 

This is the climax of Peter’s sermon. He has quoted from three different portions of Scripture, and has built this sermon on the person of Jesus Christ.  

1.   Christ died for our sins

2.   He was buried

3.   He rose again 

What did we just cover, the Gospel, but Peter Pentecost sermon, covered about Jesus, the Gospel of Christ. 

(37)  Now when they heard this, they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, "Men and brethren, what shall we do?"   

Cut to the heart:  Convicted of their sins, and pierced with sorrow,  

What shall we do: Good Question!  They are asking, is there any way that such sinners can be pardoned. 

(38)  Then Peter said to them, "Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.   

Repentance was repeatedly part of the apostles’ message in Acts (v. 38; 3:19; 5:31; 8:22; 11:18; 13:24; 17:30; 19:4; 20:21; 26:20). 

(39)  For the promise is to you and to your children, and to all who are afar off, as many as the Lord our God will call." 

For the promise:  pardon and gift of the Holy Spirit 

Acts 2:40-41 NKJV  And with many other words he testified and exhorted them, saying, "Be saved from this perverse generation."  (41)  Then those who gladly received his word were baptized; and that day about three thousand souls were added to them. 

Here in Peter’s own words he is acknowledging that Jesus call is not only to Jews, but to Gentiles, although it takes him awhile before he realizes that he is supposed to go to the Gentiles also. (Cf. Acts 10.)  (it took 10 years? and some nudging) 

This was the first Pentecost Sermon given by Peter.  Take time to think about it, mediate about it and thank God we are called to be part of the Body.