Acts 2:13-36 What is the Christian Gospel?
A vital Message v.13-21
One of the great preachers of the last generation was Billy Graham. At the height of the Cold War he visited Russia to meet with political and religious leaders. Many conservatives in the United States criticised him for not taking a more aggressive, prophetic role. One person accused him of setting the church back 50 years. Billy Graham responded:
“I am deeply ashamed. I have been trying very hard to set the church back 2,000 years.”
The principles that Jesus taught his apostles were clearly effective in changing a godless, antagonistic society so shouldn’t we relearn these principles again.?
Peter’s sermon at Pentecost was the first Christian sermon and it sets the pattern for what churches need to teach. Peter had been taught by Jesus in his three year apprenticeship. Today our theological colleges are good at teaching psychology, counselling techniques, small group management and advanced theology but are not always good at training people how to preach. In Christchurch Baldock our prime need is for excellent expository teaching which means riveting talks explaining what Jesus, his prophets and apostles taught.
The book of Acts is clear on the means by which the church advanced in those early very difficult years. It was by the preaching of the Word of God. Thus:
“So the word of God spread. The number of disciples in Jerusalem increased rapidly, and a large number of priests became obedient to the faith”. Acts 6:7
“Those who had been scattered preached the word wherever they went". Acts 8:4
Acts 3:20, 4:2, 8:5,25,35,40, 9:20,27 and chapters 13, 14, 17, 20 and on to the end confirm that this was the means by which the church grew. In the time of George Whitefield and John and Charles Wesley the churches were inward looking so they and their colleagues took to preaching outdoors and it was through their preaching that England saw a revival.
John A. Broadus was a renowned 19th-century Baptist theologian who emphasised that preaching is the essential means of spreading the Gospel. He focused on doctrinal depth, passionate delivery, clear exposition of the Bible aimed at moving hearers to trust in Christ. He saw preaching as a difficult but vital work, requiring systematic preparation to ensure sermons were rich in doctrine and delivered with eloquence and interest so as to impact life and character of listeners. He wrote:
“No other religion has ever made the regular and frequent assembling of the masses of men to hear religious instruction and exhortation an integral part of divine worship, except Christianity. Its the genius of Christianity as so designated by the Holy Spirit. Others have copied it because of its power.”
After Jesus had been baptised and tested in the wilderness he began his public ministry and what he did was foundational:
“He taught in their synagogues.” Luke 4:15
What did he teach? He read and then explained the meaning of Scripture, that is expository preaching. Social work and pastoral care are needed but of prime importance is the teaching of the Word of God.
George Whitfield preached many times a day and his critics sometimes accused him of rambling. He replied:
“If men will continue to ramble like lost sheep, I will continue to ramble after them!”
Phillips Brooks (1835–1893), an American clergyman and Bishop of Massachusetts defined preaching as "the presentation of truth through personality" in his 1877 Yale lectures, H emphasised that the ‘truth’ or message must be that of the Word of God, not just human ideas.
Peter’s sermon
This sermon gives a summary of what is at the heart of the gospel. The late Australian evangelist, John Chapman, often asked people is they could summarise the Christian gospel in just 15 words. Peter does this in this sermon. His sermon was so effective that 3,000 men became followers of Jesus.
The occasion
The occasion of this sermon is important. In Hebrew, it is called Shavuot (rhymes with “a blue oat”), meaning “weeks” - and so it is known as the Feast of Weeks. Pentecost comes from the Greek word for “fifty” since it occurs fifty days after the preceding holiday, Passover. The passover was the day before Jesus’ crucifixion so this sermon was given just seven weeks after Jesus’ death and resurrection.
Shavuot was originally a harvest festival, the second of two firstfruits occasions. In Leviticus 23, following the description of Passover, we read:
“And the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, “Speak to the people of Israel and say to them, when you come into the land that I give you and reap its harvest, you shall bring the sheaf of the firstfruits of your harvest to the priest, and he shall wave the sheaf before the LORD, so that you may be accepted. On the day after the Sabbath the priest shall wave it.” Leviticus 23:9-11
This was the first firstfruits offering, the harvest of barley, which included sacrifices. Next, we read about the second firstfruits occasion, the holiday of Shavuot:
“You shall count seven full weeks from the day after the Sabbath, from the day that you brought the sheaf of the wave offering. You shall count fifty days to the day after the seventh Sabbath. Then you shall present a grain offering of new grain to the LORD.” Leviticus 23:15–16
This time, it is the wheat harvest. According to the Mishnah (put in writing about 200 AD), the processions to the holy city for this feast would be festive, and much more than just wheat being brought as firstfruits, as we see from this description:
“Those who lived near brought fresh figs and grapes, but those from a distance brought dried figs and raisins. An ox with horns bedecked with gold and with an olive-crown on its head led the way. The flute was played before them until they were nigh to Jerusalem; and when they arrived close to Jerusalem they sent messengers in advance, and ornamentally arrayed their bikkurim [firstfruits].” Mishnah Bikkurim 3:3
This time, though, it turned out to be a very unusual Shavuot! The fruit flourished and the church was established through the verbal, intelligible, proclamation of God’s Word.
The opening of the sermon
Any good sermon needs to grab people’s attention at the outset. For Peter this was easy. There had been a supernatural noise, the sound of a violent wind, in the house where the followers of Jesus were together. This was followed by visible tongues of fire which separated and came to rest on each of the Christians. They then could not but explode with joy and they went out into the streets to tell people the good news about Jesus, who he was and what he had achieved. Those who spoke foreign languages heard them speaking about Jesus in their own languages.
“We hear them declaring the wonders of God in our own tongues.” Acts 2:11
These ‘tongues’ were real languages, not weird gobble-de-gook that some claim to be the repeat of the Pentecost experience today. People were asking’
“What does this mean?” Acts 2:12
It was then that Peter stood up and with a loud voice taught them about an Old Testament prophecy. He explained a passage in Joel that foretold the coming of the Holy Spirit on all of God’s people:
“I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams: And on my servants and on my handmaidens I will pour out in those days of my Spirit; and they shall prophesy.” Acts 2:17-18
This prophecy is remarkable. Men and women will both equally be filled with God’s Spirit and the evidence of this will be that they share the gospel with others.
The last verse of this prophetic passage is very important
“And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved.” Acts 2:21
The Holy Spirit has been given so that people may be saved, put into a right relationship with Almighty God.
The purpose of the sermon
Any good sermon must have a single purpose and this Peter had. He longed that people should be saved. His final passionate words in this sermon makes his aim clear:
“He pleaded with them, ‘Save yourselves from this corrupt generation.” Acts 2:40
They were saved by accepting and responding to the message about Jesus:
“Those who accepted his message were baptised, and about three thousand were added to their number that day.” Acts 2:41
So many sermons today lack this clarity of purpose. The great Bishop J.C. Ryle wisely said:
“If there's a mist in the pulpit, you can be assured there will be fog in the pews.”
John Henry Jowett (1863 - 1923) was an influential British Protestant preacher at the turn of the nineteenth to the twentieth century. Warren W. Wiersbe called him ‘The greatest preacher in the English-speaking world.’ He said:
“No sermon is ready for preaching . . . until we can express its theme in a short, pregnant sentence as clear as a crystal.”
Jesus is a historical figure
After telling his hearers about the prophecy of Joel he gets to his core meagre - it is all about Jesus: Look at how he starts the core of his message:
“‘Fellow Israelites, listen to this: Jesus of Nazareth was a man accredited by God to you by miracles, wonders and signs, which God did among you through him, as you yourselves know. This man was handed over to you by God’s deliberate plan and foreknowledge; and you, with the help of wicked men, put him to death by nailing him to the cross. But God raised him from the dead, freeing him from the agony of death, because it was impossible for death to keep its hold on him. David said about him:” Acts 2:22-25
Later he comes back to centre on Jesus:
“God has raised this Jesus to life, and we are all witnesses of it. Exalted to the right hand of God, he has received from the Father the promised Holy Spirit and has poured out what you now see and hear. . . Therefore let all Israel be assured of this: God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Messiah.” Acts 2:32-36
There can be no doubt that Peter wants his hearers to know all about the historical Jesus. He did not share philosophical ideas because he knew that people’s salvation depended on Jesus being a real historic figure who preached, healed, died and rose again.
The renowned English jurist Sir William Blackstone (1723-1780), lamented that the sermons he heard in London's major churches in the mid-18th century lacked specific Christian content. Blackstone visited almost every major clergyman's church in London but claimed he did not hear a single discourse
‘ . . . which had more Christianity in it than the writings of Cicero.’
Cicero was an eloquent Roman orator and philosopher of the 1st century BC, and his writings were considered a benchmark for secular morality and ethics. Blackstone's observation highlighted a prevailing trend in the Anglican clergy of his time to give a bland, philosophical morality, but avoiding the core doctrines of the Gospel, such as salvation through Jesus Christ. This spiritual apathy in the established church was one of the factors that led to the rise of evangelical movements and figures like John Wesley and George Whitefield, who began preaching with a more direct focus on the gospel message. Isn’t what Wesley and Whitfield were so critical of being repeated in many churches today?
There are too many people today who think, mistakenly, that the Christian message is somehow untrue. One listener to a clear gospel sermon went up to the preacher and said:
“I believe the gospel to be a concoction of nonsense to further the wishes of the few who want to hold power over the rest.”
That was not true of the apostles, being Christians cost them everything, including their lives, as they told people that the story about Jesus, his teaching, his miracles, his death and his resurrection were really true and that by following Jesus, not them, they could be saved. Peter’s listeners knew that what he was saying about Jesus was true.
“Jesus of Nazareth was a man accredited by God to you by miracles, wonders and signs, which God did among you through him, as you yourselves know.” Acts 2:22
Jesus died on that cross
Peter is frank about the need all people have for salvation, we all need to be saved from the consequences of our sin. He spoke with great courage about how many of his listeners had been responsible for the death of Jesus when they clamoured for his execution and the release of Barabas instead:
“This man was handed over to you by God’s deliberate plan and foreknowledge; and you, with the help of wicked men, put him to death by nailing him to the cross.” Acts 2:23
This was not anti-semitic, Peter himself was a Jew but he is willing to put responsibility where it lay. A visiting preacher to a prison containing hardened criminals and murderers was talking about the death of Jesus and asked a rhetorical question:
“Who is responsible for his death”
There was a silence and then one man in the congregation blurted out,
“It wasn’t me, honestly.”
The reason Jesus had to die as the ultimate sacrifice for our sin was because we have all sinned. The Bible keeps saying this from beginning to end:
“For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” Romans 3:23
This means that every person has failed to meet God's perfect standard. However the following verse offers the solution, the same one that Peter offers in his first sermon:
“. . . and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.” Romans 3:24
Every person stands under the wrath of God because we have turned our backs on him and his way of living. We all need to be saved. God has provided the means of our salvation through the death of his son, Jesus Christ. We can be saved only by becoming committed followers of Jesus. His death for us is then our salvation.
God had planned for His Son to enter this world for the express purpose of being the ultimate sacrifice for our sin. His death was no accident. Isaiah 53, written 700 years before Jesus, makes this clear. This is just one Old Testament passage that explains how God will save his people:
“But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed. We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to our own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all.” Isaiah 53:5-6
When a new evangelistic course was being introduced the driving force behind it approached William Taylor, the newly appointed rector of St. Helens Bishopsgate. After looking at its content:he replied:
“I’m sorry but I’m not happy as it doesn’t talk about the judgment of God at all, or the problem of our sin.”
To this response came the reply:
“I would never talk about the judgment of God to a non-Christian as it might put them off.”
Yet the Bible says that our sin is our greatest problem. It is this sin that will cause us to face God in judgment. The only way to find hope, peace and purpose is to come to Christ on his cross and plead for his forgiveness. He is then willing to bear our sins and set us free. His death was the final sacrifice that all the animal sacrifices in the Old Testament looked forward to but only those who have repented and entered into a relationship with Jesus as their Lord can be forgiven.
The message of the New Testament is clear, judgment is coming on all of us because we are selfish unrighteousness people. This is what Peter emphasises in his sermon, there is only one way to be saved and that is to call on the name of the Lord, which means to submit to him as Lord and Saviour. He did not sanitise what he said, ‘You did it!’ Yet the Lord came to die as the substitute, bearing the sins of his people. This is what all the New Testament teaches:
“God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.” 2 Corinthians 5:21
“He himself bore our sins in his body on the cross, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; “by his wounds you have been healed.” 1 Peter 2:24
“For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God.” 1 Peter 3:15
It is only because Jesus Christ, the Son of God, died in our place that God can consider us to be righteous, because we belong to him. We are saved by his death, his blood. This has been the church’s message ever since the apostles began to preach:
“We preach Christ crucified: a stumbling-block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles, but to those whom God has called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God.” 1 Corinthians 1:23-24
Jesus rose from the dead
Peter’s next emphasis is the physical resurrection of Jesus. Everybody was talking about this at the time. The apostles had all seen the risen Christ, as had over five hundred others. They could all be interviewed. This was not mass hysteria. Peter explains:
“But God raised him from the dead, freeing him from the agony of death, because it was impossible for death to keep its hold on him.” Acts 2:24
He supports this doctrine of the resurrection by quoting from the word of God. Remember that the Saducees, the political leaders of the Jews at the time, who included the High Priests, did not believe in a resurrection. Peter quotes the great King David, who had been promised a kingdom that will continue for ever, ruled over by God’s everlasting king who will govern all people for eternity:
“Therefore my heart is glad and my tongue rejoices; my body also will rest in hope, because you will not abandon me to the realm of the dead, you will not let your holy one see decay.” Acts 2:26-27 from Psalm 16:8-11
No wonder David was thrilled and he couldn’t keep quiet because he knew he was eternally safe, death was defeated. He was safe because he knew the Lord God was in control of all. In the previous verse he writes:
“I keep my eyes always on the Lord. With him at my right hand, I will not be shaken.” Psalm 16:8
Yet the wording is significant. David was an adulterer and murderer, he was certainly not holy in himself, so who is he talking about. Peter tells us what Jesus must have taught him, the ‘holy one’ is Jesus, David’s direct descendant, - he is God’s holy, sinless Messiah. Jesus, although David’s descendant, is also his Lord.
David’s kingdom was extensive but it did not span the whole globe. The Kingdom of God is both eternal and universal. The resurrection of Jesus proves that his heavenly Father has accepted his sacrifice to pay for our sin. Death cannot overcome those who are righteous and we are considered righteous when we turn to Christ, our role is then to live righteously..
No wonder Peter finishes this section of his sermon by stressing that the resurrection of Jesus really did occur:
“God has raised this Jesus to life, and we are all witnesses of it.” Acts 2:32
The tomb of David can still be seen on mount Zion in Jerusalem but there is no tomb for Jesus, only the empty shell where they think he ha been laid.
Jesus is exalted
The disciples had witnessed the supernatural ascension of Jesus. They had also witnessed the extraordinary miracles he did, the raising of the dead, the healing of paralytics, they had witnessed his transfiguration, they had heard his teaching about the Kingdom of God and when he talked about his coming death and resurrection. They had been trained by Jesus for three years and knew the sort of person he was, they had witnessed his crucifixion, they had met him after his resurrection and had been there at his ascension. They knew for certain that this Jesus is God’s Messiah who now rules God’s kingdom, the evidence was obvious. Peter concluded this summary of his life with:
“Exalted to the right hand of God.” Acts 2:33
It is because of who Jesus is that he can give the Holy Spirit of God to his people, just as they had experienced. At first they experienced the physical wind and the tongues of fire but then they all had the heart-felt desire to share the gospel with all around. This gift of the Holy Spirit to his people was yet further evidence that Jesus was now with his Father:
“Exalted to the right hand of God, he has received from the Father the promised Holy Spirit and has poured out what you now see and hear.” Acts 2:33
Peter finishes of this argument by again quoting King David, whom all his listeners admired:
“For David did not ascend to heaven, and yet he said,‘“The Lord said to my Lord: ‘Sit at my right hand until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet.’” Acts 2:34-35, Psalm 110:1
The question must be asked, ‘Who was David talking about?’ The first ‘Lord’ in this verse is Hebrew for ‘Jehovah’ and in the Old Testament it is translated with capital letters, ‘LORD’. The second ‘Lord’ was someone else, someone superior to King David. This second ‘Lord’ of David is described as sitting alongside God the Father. Peter is saying that this can only be Jesus.
Summary and significance for us all
Peter’s outline in this sermon is:
Jesus is a historical figure
Jesus died on that cross
Jesus rose from the dead
Jesus is exalted
He concluded his sermon with a telling sentence. He has presented the evidence and then gave the obvious conclusion, that is relevant for all people:
“Therefore let all Israel be assured of this: God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Messiah.” Acts 2:36
This is the essence of the Christian message:
“Jesus Christ is Lord of all”
We reject him at our peril.This has always been the apostolic message. Paul begins his letter to the Romans in a similar way:
“ . . . the gospel he promised beforehand through his prophets in the Holy Scriptures regarding his Son, who as to his earthly life was a descendant of David, and who through the Spirit of holiness was appointed the Son of God in power by his resurrection from the dead: Jesus Christ our Lord.” Romans 1:1-4
Mark begins his gospel
“The beginning of the good news about Jesus the Messiah, the Son of God.” Mark 1:1
Jesus himself said:
“‘The time has come,’ he said. ‘The kingdom of God has come near. Repent and believe the good news!’” Mark 1:15
At the end of Luke’s gospel Jesus summarised that the gospel centres on the forgiveness of sin, emphasising the Scriptures, his dearth and resurrection, the need for repentance and the importance of preaching this message:
“Then he opened their minds so they could understand the Scriptures. He told them, “This is what is written: The Messiah will suffer and rise from the dead on the third day, and repentance for the forgiveness of sins will be preached in his name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.” Luke 24:45-47
Peter’s listeners then, just as we do today, carry a responsibility for the death of Jesus. Peter’s listeners were ‘cut to the heart’ wondering whether the plight they were in was irredeemable. They asked each other
“Brothers, what shall we do?” Acts 2:37
The great news is that there is hope. In stead of running away from God, people must turn round and come before him on bended knee. Peter told them of the only solution:
“Peter replied, ‘Repent and be baptised, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off – for all whom the Lord our God will call.’” Acts 2:38-39
The promises are in the Word of God. We know we are called when God speaks to our consciences that we need his forgiveness.
This has always been the focus of Spirit-filled preaching. Such preaching is interesting, is based on facts, has its focus is Jesus, is challenging and results in people having to make a decision about Jesus. Notice that the Holy Spirit is seldom mentioned after the introduction. That is because the Spirit always turns people to focus on Jesus.
The Bible teacher Jim Packer, who has written several classical books, was wrestling about how to make the relationship between Jesus and the Holy Spirit clear to people. That evening he visited a church that was lit up by many spotlights and the light shone in his understanding. That is precisely what the Spirit does. He causes us to see the beauty and wonder of Jesus, the lights themselves are much less significant.
The church’s message is simple but very profound:
“Jesus Christ is Lord of all”
We can be saved, forgiven and admitted to his Kingdom or we can remain unforgiven and under his judgment. That choice is ours.
BVP
