Sermon Tone Analysis

Introduction

This week was our grocery shopping week.

As always we go through the store gathering the things we need and head up to the checkout.

Anyone who has ever gone grocery shopping and stood in line waiting to check out knows that check stands are dangerous.

As you innocently stand in line waiting to check out, you glance around and are assaulted by all these tasty candies you don’t really want and definitely don’t need.

Trying to maintain your willpower to resist that chocolate bar you glance away and are met by magazines trying to solve all the problems you never knew you had! Or better yet, magazines telling you all about people you don’t know, will probably never meet, and can definitely not relate to!

I was reminded as we were shopping that American’s spend far too much time and money peering into the lives of the rich and famous.

Can you imagine what a difference it would make if believers dedicated that same amount of time and commitment to knowing Christ?

This week was our grocery shopping week.

As always we go through the store gathering the things we need and head up to the checkout.

Anyone who has ever gone grocery shopping and stood in line waiting to check out knows that check stands are dangerous.

As you innocently stand in line waiting to check out, you glance around and are assaulted by all these tasty candies you don’t really want and definitely don’t need.

Trying to maintain your willpower to resist that chocolate bar you glance away and are met by magazines trying to solve all the problems you never knew you had! Or better yet, magazines telling you all about people you don’t know, will probably never meet, and can definitely not relate to!

I was reminded as we were shopping that American’s spend far too much time and money peering into the lives of the rich and famous.

Can you imagine what a difference it would make if believers dedicated that same amount of time and commitment to knowing Christ?

As I mentioned last week, in Paul states that everything he has ever gained, as far as worldly accomplishments go, is worthless compared to knowing Christ!

Paul says The highest honor and greatest gain is knowing Christ!

It is as we pursue an intimate knowledge of Christ that we grow in the Christian life.

This message that Peter is preaching on the day of Pentecost is all about Jesus Christ!

As we study this message today, we are going to learn about Christ.

I want to note again that as Peter preaches this first message he has a definitive goal in mind.

He is crafting everything to draw his listeners in and point them to his conclusion.

His conclusion is the title of our message today.

Jesus is Lord and Christ!

To arrive at this conclusion Peter uses a series of quotations from Scripture accompanied by explanations.

ii.

Enabled By The Word Of God 2:14-39

As Peter preaches this first message he has a definitive goal in mind.

He is crafting everything to draw his listeners in and point them to his conclusion.

His conclusion is the title of our message today.

Jesus is Lord and Christ!

To arrive at this conclusion Peter uses a series of quotations from Scripture accompanied by explanations.

It is Peter’s knowledge of the Word of God that enables him to preach this message.

For an Israelite, especially devout ones as many in his audience were, these prophecies were well known.

For us today, not so much.

I want to spend as much time as necessary for us to understand these quotations so that we fully grasp the significance of what Peter is preaching.

Our goal this morning is to arrive at the same conclusion as Peter, Jesus is Lord and Christ!

Knowing who Jesus is fuels life transformation and fruit production.

It is impossible to bring glory to Christ if we are unaware of Who He is.

With goal of gaining a greater understanding of Who Jesus is, join me in studying the Word of God this morning.

In Peter’s sermon he points his listeners to two prophesies and a person.

He begins with…

1.

The Prophecy Of Joel vv.

14-21

Again, Peter’s audience would be familiar with this prophecy.

As he connects it to Jesus and the events of Pentecost, everyone would have grasped what he was doing.

It takes a little bit more work for us.

Peter’s presentation is thought out very well.

It is amazing how a common fisherman under the power of the Holy Spirit can put together such a powerful message.

This highlights for us yet again that God can and does use anyone who is willing to yield completely to Him.

Not word for word transcript of Peter’s sermon?Peter presents Joel’s prophecy by first introducing it and then repeating it.

Look with me at…

a.

The prophecy introduced vv.

14-16

a.

The prophecy introduced vv.

14-16

As Peter begins his sermon his first desire is for Focused attention in v. 14.

Peter raises his voice to be sure he is heard above the commotion over what is taking place.

This is how you introduce a sermon!

You want to get people’s attention.

This is also necessary because everyone seems to be talking at once.

I love the setup here.

The Spirit comes on a feast day that requires Jews to return to Jerusalem.

The disciples were commanded by Jesus to wait for the Holy Spirit in Jerusalem.

When the Spirit comes He enables the disciples to speak in languages they have never studied.

This miraculous occurence attracts a crowd.

As the crowd ponders what is taking place some mockers accuse the disciples of being drunk.

This statement perfectly paves the way for Peter’s sermon!

Our God is able to give us ample opportunity to talk of Him!

It is our responsibility to be ready when the opportunity is given.

Peter, being filled with the Holy Spirit and the Word of God, is ready.

After calling for their attention he follows up with a Flat denial in v. 15.The mocking accusation made in v. 13 is flatly denied and declared to be false by Peter.

He declares it to be false on the basis of simple logic.

It is very unlikely for them to be drunk at 9:00 am.

The assumption they had made was false.

It is always dangerous to make assumptions without facts to back them up.

Investigate before making statements.

Also notice how Peter just mentions this is passing.

He is not offering a defense against the accusation.

He is using the accusation as a platform from which to preach Christ!

This is a great example of taking an insult and making it an opportunity.

Many of us would not see being accused of public drunkenness as an opportunity to preach Christ.Opportunities are sometimes presented through opposition.

This is why we must be humble and respond carefully to opposition.

After getting their attention and denying the accusation, Peter begins to give a Full explanation in v. 16.This is one of the shortest verses in Peter’s sermon, yet it has generated quite a bit of controversy.

The controversy surrounds whether Peter is claiming a fulfillment of Joel’s prophecy or simply making a comparison to what Joel prophesied.

This is one of those passages where our hermeneutics, and the theological framework determined by those hermeneutics, play a major role.

Because we hold to a normal (literal), grammatical, historical method of interpretation (or hermeneutic) we here at Grace Church are what is known as dispensationalists.

One of the major ideas held by dispensationalists is that we see a clear Biblical distinction between Israel and the Church.

This is one of those passages that are affected by this belief.

If you believe that the church has replaced Israel, you are most likely going to see this as a fulfillment of Joel’s prophecy.

You then must spiritualize or explain away the other elements of his prophecy which are not fulfilled here.

However, If you believe that the Church and Israel are distinct, you will most likely understand that Peter is making a comparison.

This is not a fulfillment of Joel’s prophecy because that prophecy is not for the church!

It is for the nation of Israel and will be fulfilled at the end of the tribulation as the Millennial kingdom is being established.

You’ll notice that with both positions I used the words “most likely”.

That is because there are no set and established positions.

Everything is on somewhat of a spectrum.

Now, why do we say this is not a fulfillment?

What exegetical clues are there in this passage?

One of the biggest clues here is that Peter does not use the word “fulfillment”.

This is especially noteworthy as we understand that he does use it in Ch. 1. Look back at 1:16.