Lesson #05

ACTS 2:14-41
LESSON #05
THE FIRST SERMON AND THE FIRST CHURCH

• MEMORY VERSE: ACT 2:21
  • READ ACT 2:14-36 PETER’S SERMON
  • PETER, WHO IS THE HEAD OF THE FIRST CHURCH, GIVES THE FIRST SERMON OF THE CHURCH AGE ON THE STREETS OF JERUSALEM.
  • WHAT KINDS OF PEOPLE WERE IN PETER’S AUDIENCE?
  • PETER’S AUDIENCE CONSISTED OF JEWS FROM JUDEA, JEWISH PROSELYTES, AND JEWS VISITING JERUSALEM FOR THE FEAST DAYS. (14)
  • THE AUDIENCE WAS MADE UP OF JEWISH PEOPLE WHO HAD HEARD THE NOISE OF THE COMING OF THE HOLY SPIRIT.
  • AS WE NOTICED IN OUR LAST LESSON, SOME BELIEVED, SOME QUESTIONED, AND SOME MOCKED.
  • THEREFORE, PETER’S AUDIENCE CONSISTED OF JEWS IN VARIOUS STAGES OF UNBELIEF.
  • PETER TARGETS THE CYNIC: (15-21)
  • PETER USES OLD TESTAMENT PROPHECY TO APPEAL TO THE JEWISH CYNIC WHO WAS FAMILIAR WITH THE OLD TESTAMENT PROPHETS.
  • THE PROPHECY IN JOEL 2:28-32.
  • THE HOLY SPIRIT FILLED THE 120 BELIEVERS IN THE UPPER ROOM AND CAUSED THEM TO BE SO FILLED WITH JOY THAT THEY SEEMED TO BE DRUNK.
  • IT WAS 9 O’CLOCK IN THE MORNING. ON JEWISH FESTIVAL DAYS IT WAS UNLAWFUL TO EAT OR DRINK ANYTHING, MUCH LESS WINE, BEFORE THE MORNING SACRIFICE WAS OFFERED IN THE TEMPLE AT 9 AM.
  • NOTICE THAT PETER DOES NOT SAY THAT THE DAY OF PENTECOST IS THE COMPLETE FULFILLMENT OF JOEL’S PROPHECY. HE ONLY SAYS THAT THE DAY OF PENTECOST IS LIKE THE FULFILLMENT OF JOEL’S PROPHECY.
  • WE DISCUSSED IN OUR LAST LESSON HOW JOEL’S PROPHECY WILL BE COMPLETELY FULFILLED AT THE SECOND COMING OF CHRIST WHEN HE COMES TO ESTABLISH HIS KINGDOM ON EARTH FOR 1000 YEARS.
  • WHAT SPECIFIC THINGS WILL OCCUR AROUND THE TIME OF CHRIST’S RETURNS AT THE SECOND COMING? (THE TRIBULATION PERIOD)
  • MEN AND WOMEN OF ALL AGES, FILLED WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT, WILL SPEAK WORDS OF PROPHECY, AND HAVE PROPHETIC DREAMS AND VISIONS. (JUST A SIDE NOTE FOR THOSE WHO CLAIM WOMEN SHOULD BE SILENT IN THE CHURCH, THIS VERSE INCLUDES WOMEN WHO WILL BE ANOINTED TO GIVE PROPHETIC ORAL MESSAGES.) (17-18)
  • WONDERS IN HEAVEN AND SIGNS IN THE EARTH SUCH AS BLOOD, FIRE, AND SMOKE.
  • THE TRUMPET AND VIAL JUDGMENTS OF REV 8:7 REV 9:2 REV 16:3-4, 8 ARE THE FULFILLMENT OF THIS PROPHECY.
  • THE SUN BECOMES DARK AND THE MOON TURNS TO BLOOD.
  • JESUS SPECIFICALLY TELLS US IN MAT 24:29-30 THAT THESE ARE THE SPECIFIC SIGNS OF HIS SECOND COMING TO EARTH.
  • WHAT IS THE MEANING OF THE PROPHETIC PHRASE, “THE DAY OF THE LORD”? (20)
  • THE BOOK OF JOEL TALKS A LOT ABOUT THE DAY OF THE LORD.
  • A JEWISH DAY BEGAN AT SUNDOWN IN THE EVENING, PROCEEDED INTO THE DARKNESS OF NIGHT, THEN SUDDEN LIGHT BREAKS THE DAWN AND CONTINUES INTO THE FULL WARMTH OF THE DAY.
  • THE DAY OF THE LORD FOLLOWS THIS SAME PATTERN:
  • THE PROPHETIC DAY OF THE LORD BEGINS WITH THE FADING OF LIGHT AS THE TRIBULATION PERIOD BEGINS, THEN THERE IS THE FULL DARKNESS UNTIL THE END OF THE TRIBULATION PERIOD OF 7 YEARS. SUDDEN SPIRITUAL AND PHYSICAL LIGHT APPEARS WITH THE SECOND COMING OF CHRIST IN THE SKY. CHRIST’S MILLENNIAL KINGDOM OF 1000 YEARS IS THE REMAINDER OF THE DAY OF THE LORD.
  • PETER TELLS THE CYNIC THAT THOSE WHO CALL ON THE LORD IN THE TIME OF GREAT TROUBLE WILL BE SAVED. (21)
  • PETER TARGETS THE INTERESTED JEW (22-36)
  • PETER TALKS ABOUT HOW JESUS MOVED AMONG THEM JUST MONTHS AGO PERFORMING MIRACLES, WONDERS, AND SIGNS. (22) MANY OF THEM PROBABLY HEARD ABOUT HIM OR EVEN SAW HIM.
  • IS THERE A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN MIRACLES, WONDERS, AND SIGNS?
  • PROBABLY THERE IS A FINE LINE OF DIFFERENCE OTHERWISE GOD WOULD NOT HAVE USED THREE WORDS TO DESCRIBE THE THINGS JESUS DID.
  • MIRACLES:
  • THESE ARE THE HEALINGS DONE OUT OF COMPASSION FOR SUFFERING PEOPLE.
  • WONDERS:
  • THESE ARE EVENTS LIKE THE FEEDING OF THE 5,000 AND THE STILLING OF THE STORM.
  • SIGNS:
  • THESE ARE EVENTS THAT ADVERTISED THE GOSPEL OR ASPECTS OF IT LIKE JESUS’ RESURRECTION.
  • WHEN THE JEWS ASKED FOR A SIGN, HE SAID THAT JONAH’S 3 DAYS AND 3 NIGHTS WAS THE SIGN. THIS REFERRED TO HIS RESURRECTION.
  • PETER EXPLAINS THE CRUCIFIXION AND RESURRECTION: (23-24)
  • ACCORDING TO PETER, THE CRUCIFIXION WAS NOT SOME ACCIDENT THAT WAS NOT SUPPOSED TO HAPPEN. IF THESE PEOPLE IN PETER’S AUDIENCE HAD HEARD ABOUT JESUS’ CRUCIFIXION, THEY NEEDED TO KNOW WHERE THIS EVENT FIT IN GOD’S PLAN.
  • PETER TELLS THEM THAT THE CRUCIFIXION WAS IN GOD’S PRE-DETERMINED PLAN ACCORDING TO HIS SUPERNATURAL FOREKNOWLEDGE EVEN THOUGH IT WAS CARRIED OUT BY EVIL MEN.
  • NOTICE THAT PETER TWICE LAYS THE BLAME FOR THE CRUCIFIXION AT THE FEET OF HIS AUDIENCE. (“…ye have taken…” 23) (“…ye have crucified…” 36)
  • IT IS THE SIN OF EVERY PERSON THAT SENT JESUS TO THE CROSS.
  • ACCORDING TO PETER, THE END RESULT WAS CHRIST’S RESURRECTION.
  • THIS IS THE MOST IMPORTANT PART OF PETER’S SERMON. EVERYTHING TO THIS POINT WAS INTRODUCTION.
  • PETER’S MAIN POINT…THE RESURRECTION OF CHRIST:
  • PETER QUOTES FROM PSALMS:
  • THIS CHAPTER OF ACTS RECORDS THREE TIMES WHEN PETER QUOTED FROM THE PSALMS TO EXPLAIN TO THE PEOPLE ABOUT CHRIST’S RESURRECTION AND JESUS’ CURRENT MINISTRY:

  ACT 2:25-28	QUOTES PSA 16:8-11
  ACT 2:30	QUOTES PSA 132:11
  ACT 2:34	QUOTES PSA 110:1

  • READ PSA 16:8-11
  • PETER’S ARGUMENT IS THAT BECAUSE DAVID’S BODY DECAYED IN THE GRAVE, DAVID DID NOT FULFILL THOSE VERSES IN PSA 16. THEREFORE, JESUS CHRIST FULFILLED THEM WHEN HE RAISED FROM THE DEAD.
  • PSA 16:8 REFERS TO THE LIFE OF JESUS CHRIST.
  • PSA 16:9 REFERS TO THE DEATH OF JESUS CHRIST.
  • PSA 16:10 REFERS TO THE RESURRECTION OF JESUS CHRIST.
  • PSA 16:11 REFERS TO THE ASCENSION OF JESUS CHRIST.
  • WHAT DOES THIS PSALM TELL US ABOUT THE RESURRECTION OF JESUS CHRIST?
  • FROM THIS PSALM, WE UNDERSTAND THAT JESUS KNEW GOD WOULD RAISE HIM FROM THE DEAD.
  • FROM THIS PSALM, WE KNOW THAT HIS BODY DID NOT ROT IN THE GRAVE.
  • READ PSA 132:11
  • GOD PROMISED DAVID THAT HIS DESCENDANT WOULD BE THE ETERNAL KING. (30)
  • PETER GIVES HIS OWN EYE WITNESS TESTIMONY (32)
  • ALL THE DISCIPLES ARE EYE WITNESSES TO THE FACT OF THE RESURRECTION.
  • BECAUSE JESUS WAS RAISED FROM THE DEAD AND IS NOW AT THE RIGHT HAND OF GOD, THE FATHER, HE SENT THE HOLY SPIRIT. AND THAT IS WHAT JUST HAPPENED TO THE 120 IN THE UPPER ROOM. (33)
  • THIS IS A NEW CONCEPT TO THE JEWS WHO WERE USED TO THE OLD TESTAMENT THEOLOGY.
  • THE OLD TESTAMENT JEWISH BELIEVER DID NOT GO TO HEAVEN WHEN HE DIED. HE WENT TO A PLACE CALLED ABRAHAM’S BOSOM IN SHEOL OR HADES, WAITING FOR HIS OWN FINAL RESURRECTION, WHICH WILL OCCUR AT THE SECOND COMING OF CHRIST. (DAN 12:1-3)
  • PETER GIVES GOD’S WITNESS OF THE ASCENSION BY QUOTING ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT SCRIPTURES ABOUT THE DEITY OF CHRIST FROM THE PSALMS:
  • READ PSA 110:1

  • “The LORD (Jehovah) said unto my Lord (Adonai)…”

  • THIS IS GOD, THE FATHER, MAKING A LEGAL VOW TO HIS SON, THE LORD JESUS CHRIST WHO IS NOW ASCENDED INTO HEAVEN.
  • WHAT IS THE VOW THAT GOD MAKES TO HIS SON?
  • CHRIST WILL ONE DAY BE LORD AND KING OVER HIS ENEMIES.
  • THE WORD, “FOOTSTOOL” (35) REFERS TO THE FACT THAT ANCIENT KINGS SYMBOLICALLY PLACED THEIR FOOT ON THE NECK OF A VANQUISHED ENEMY.
  • READ 1COR 15:26-28 THE LAST ENEMY IS DEATH.
  • THEREFORE, BECAUSE CHRIST IS RISEN AND ASCENDED INTO HEAVEN, HE IS SEATED AT THE RIGHT HAND OF GOD.
  • TO SIT AT GOD’S RIGHT HAND DOES NOT MEAN THERE ARE TWO THRONES. IT IS AN EXPRESSION THAT MEANS = TO RULE WITH MY AUTHORITY AND POWER.
  • GOD HAS MADE JESUS BOTH LORD AND CHRIST. (36)
  • THE NAME, CHRIST, IS THE SAME AS THE JEWISH WORD, MESSIAH, WHICH MEANS = THE ANOINTED ONE.
  • PETER’S CONCLUSION: (36)
  • BECAUSE CHRIST IS RISEN AND ASCENDED, BECAUSE GOD HAS MADE HIM LORD AND MESSIAH, BECAUSE JESUS SENT THE HOLY SPIRIT TO FILL HIS BELIEVERS AS HE SAID HE WOULD, JESUS CHRIST IS STILL WORKING IN THE WORLD.
  • HOW DO WE KNOW ALL THIS IS TRUE?
  • WE KNOW THIS IS TRUE BECAUSE HE SENT THE HOLY SPIRIT TO FILL US.
  • IF YOU ARE A BELIEVER IN JESUS CHRIST, YOU CAN GIVE PETER’S SAME TESTIMONY BECAUSE HE HAS PUT THE HOLY SPIRIT IN YOU.

  • READ ACT 2:37-41 THE RESULTS OF PETER’S SERMON
  • WHAT SHALL WE DO?
  • BECAUSE OF PETER’S SERMON, JEWS IN THE AUDIENCE FELT GUILTY FOR THEIR PART IN THE CRUCIFIXION OF THEIR MESSIAH, THE SON OF GOD.
  • THEREFORE, THE QUESTION IS, “WHAT SHALL WE DO WITH OUR GUILT?”
  • PETER’S RESPONSE: (38)

  • “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins.”

  (38)

  • DOES WATER BAPTISM CLEANSE ANYONE FROM THEIR SINS?
  • THE ANSWER IS NO. THEN WHAT DID PETER MEAN?
  • THE BAPTISM OF REPENTANCE CLEANSES A PERSON OF THEIR SINS AND PUTS HIM INTO THE KINGDOM OF GOD. THEN WATER BAPTISM IS HIS TESTIMONY OF WHAT HAPPENED IN THE HEART SPIRITUALLY.
  • IN THE PHRASE, “…be baptized for the remission of sins…” (38), THE WORD, FOR, IN THE GREEK MEANS = TO SHOW FORTH.
  • THEN THEY WOULD BE FILLED WITH THE GIFT OF THE HOLY SPIRIT.
  • PETER’S CALL TO THOSE WHO WANT TO BE SAVED. (39)
  • PETER TELLS THEM THAT JESUS CHRIST IS CALLING THEM TO BE SAVED.
  • PETER ALSO SAYS THAT THE CALL TO BE SAVED IS TO THOSE THAT ARE “AFAR OFF”. (39)
  • “AFAR OFF” MEANS FAR IN DISTANCE AS WELL AS FAR IN TIME.
  • THEREFORE, THE CALL TO GENTILES EARLY ON FOR SALVATION IS PRESENT IN THE MINDS OF THE DISCIPLES, HOWEVER, THE MEANS OF GENTILE SALVATION WAS NOT YET REVEALED TO THEM.
  • THEREFORE, THE CALL IS STILL VALID IN OUR DAY AND WILL BE UNTIL CHRIST’S RETURN. IT IS A UNIVERSAL CALL TO SALVATION.
  • PETER CALLS THEM OUT OF “THIS UNTOWARD GENERATION” (40)
  • PETER IS REFERRING TO HIS PRESENT GENERATION OF JUDAISM’S DEAD RELIGION THAT WILL LEAD TO DESTRUCTION.
  • THE RESULTS OF THE CALL OF CHRIST AT THE END OF PETER’S SERMON:
  • 3000 PEOPLE CAME TO CHRIST IN ONE DAY!
  • SUMMARY AND APPLICATION:
  • NOTICE THE MAIN POINTS OF PETER’S SERMON WERE THREE:
  • =1= ABOUT WHO JESUS IS.
  • =2= ABOUT JESUS’ RESURRECTION.
  • =3= ABOUT THE DISCIPLE’S EXPERIENCE WITH JESUS’ CURRENT MINISTRY THROUGH THE HOLY SPIRIT.
  • THIS IS EXACTLY HOW WE SHOULD WITNESS OF JESUS CHRIST TO PEOPLE TODAY.

  HOMEWORK
  ACT 2:42-47
  THIS IS A SELF-STUDY. PLEASE DO NOT SEND HOMEWORK ANSWERS TO THE TEACHER FOR CORRECTION.

  • APPLICATION OF ACT 2:14-41
  • IF YOU WERE TO WITNESS TO SOMEONE TODAY, WHAT WOULD YOU TELL THEM ABOUT:
  • WHO JESUS IS?
  • JESUS’ RESURRECTION?
  • ABOUT YOUR OWN EXPERIENCE WITH JESUS?

  • PREPARATION FOR ACT 2:42-47
  • WHAT PRACTICES CHARACTERIZED THE FIRST CHRISTIAN CHURCH? (42-47)
  • DO YOU THINK THE CHURCH TODAY SHOULD ABIDE BY THE SAME PRACTICES? WHY OR WHY NOT?
  • WHICH WOULD YOU INCLUDE AND WHICH WOULD YOU ELIMINATE? WHY?

  • MEMORY VERSE: ACT 2:42