The First Sermon
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This morning we are picking back up in the book of Acts.
If you are new to MCF, it would be good for you to know that we practice a form of preaching called “Expository Preaching”. What that means is we believe the Bible is best taught by taking books of the Bible and them studying them from beginning to end, chapter by chapter, verse by verse in order to understand what they mean in our lives.
That being said, we are currently doing that through the book of Acts. A book that details the birth of the church and how the early church began to spread the gospel of Jesus Christ.
In fact, we aren’t too far in our study as we come back to chapter 2 today. So, if you are new to our church, you’ve come at a great time as we continue today in this amazing study.
Today as we come back to , we come back to one of the most exciting moments in church history. The moment when God poured out His Spirit on the disciples. And it’s exciting because now the disciples have everything they need to accomplish the mission that Jesus had given them.
In , Jesus promised this moment would come. Luke writes:
8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”
And the Bible tells us it happened 10 days after Jesus ascended into heaven. In that moment the Holy Spirit showed up and supernaturally anointed and empowered the disciples to be witnesses for Jesus.
And supernatural it was, because Luke tells us as the Holy Spirit empowered them, they began to speak in tongues. In other words, to speak in languages they had never learned before. Languages of divine inspiration.
And as we learned last week the purpose of the tongues was symbolic in nature and symbolized two important principles for gospel advancement.
First, that the gospel is meant for all nations and all languages. The fact of the matter is, Jesus died for everybody and the good news of salvation is for everybody.
Second, that through the empowerment of the Holy Spirit, God will give his disciples the ability to communicate the gospel in a way people could understand and receive it.
For those first disciples, God gave them the ability to speak in a language they had never learned because when the Spirit was poured out it was the day of Pentecost. A day when Jews from all over the known world had come to offer sacrifices at the temple. A day Luke says men from every nation under heaven were present.
On the day God
And because they were all from different nations, they all spoke different languages. And so in this moment God gave the disciples the ability to supernaturally speak in languages they’d never learned so that everybody present could understand what the disciples were saying. Luke writes:
6 And at this sound the multitude came together, and they were bewildered, because each one was hearing them speak in his own language. 7 And they were amazed and astonished, saying, “Are not all these who are speaking Galileans? 8 And how is it that we hear, each of us in his own native language?
Acts 2:6
Luke says as the Holy Spirit empowered the disciples to speak these languages, those present were hearing them speak in their native tongue. So, a great question would be, “What were the disciples saying to them?” Luke tells us. He writes:
“…we hear them telling in our own tongues the mighty works of God.” (ESV)
Luke says as the disciples spoke in languages they’d never learned, those listening heard the gospel message in their own language.
They heard about God’s love for them.
They heard about the death and resurrection of Jesus.
They heard about the good news of salvation.
It was a miraculous moment as through the power of the Holy Spirit God enabled the disciples to communicate the Gospel in a way people could hear and understand.
And what was true for those disciples is true for us. The fact is, God wants to empower and equip us to share the gospel in a way people can hear and understand in our context.
God wants to supernaturally empower us to communicate the Gospel to the people of Marysville and Marshall County.
Now, does that mean God’s going to do it in the same way? Probably not. It’s highly unlikely that God is going to use tongues to communicate the gospel to your co-worker, family member, or friend.
But what He is going to do is give you the ability to communicate the gospel to them in a way you couldn’t in your own power.
What will that look like? I don’t know.
Maybe the Holy Spirit will give you supernatural insight, and you’ll be able to speak into your friends life in a way you couldn’t before.
Maybe the Holy Spirit will give you the ability to give supernatural counsel. In that moment you’ll say something they needed to hear. Something
Maybe the Holy Spirit will give you supernatural wisdom. And when your co-worker asks for your advice, you’ll give counsel that could only come from God.
Or maybe for our church the Holy Spirit will give us a supernatural love for people that communicates the supernatural love of God. That causes people to stop and say, “What is going on at Marysville Christian Fellowship? There’s just something about those people and that church that makes me want to know more about Jesus.”
It’s even possible the Holy Spirit will help you communicate the gospel in the midst of persecution.
In , as Jesus warns the disciples about future persecution, he tells them not to worry what to say in those moments. Luke writes:
11 And when they bring you before the synagogues and the rulers and the authorities, do not be anxious about how you should defend yourself or what you should say, 12 for the Holy Spirit will teach you in that very hour what you ought to say.”
11 And when they bring you before the synagogues and the rulers and the authorities, do not be anxious about how you should defend yourself or what you should say, 12 for the Holy Spirit will teach you in that very hour what you ought to say.”
13 Someone in the crowd said to him, “Teacher, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me.”
Jesus says, “Part of the Holy Spirit’s job is to supernaturally empower you with the ability to communicate the truth of God’s Word.”
12 for the Holy Spirit will teach you in that very hour what you ought to say.”
So, I don’t know exactly what it will look like for you or for us. But I can tell you this. If you and I are functioning in the power of the Holy Spirit, we can be certain that the Holy Spirit will help us communicate the Gospel in a way people can hear, understand, and receive it.
And I don’t know about you, but I want that for our church, and I want that for you.
And if you’re interested in learning more about that, I would encourage you to come to the Wednesday night prayer meeting this week because that is what we have been learning more about and praying for.
So, that’s what’s going on as we come back to today. The Holy Spirit has been poured out, and in this supernatural moment, the disciples are beginning the mission of spreading the gospel.
Which brings us to a critical moment in the life of the early church. A moment when questions are asked and criticism is is given.
A critical moment as for the first time the gospel is not only shared, but explained.
Because as you can imagine, the initial outpouring of the Spirit and the tongues caused quite a stir. I mean imagine if that happened today. People would want to know what is going on out at MCF.
In fact, listen to how the people respond as they heard the disciples speaking in languages they’d never learned. Luke writes:
Because as you can imagine, the initial outpouring of the Spirit and the tongues caused quite a stir. In fact, listen to how the people respond as they hear the disciples speaking in their native languages. Luke writes:
“…we hear them telling in our own tongues the mighty works of God. And all were amazed and perplexed, saying to one another, ‘What does this mean?’ But others mocking said, ‘They are filled with new wine.’” (ESV)
Luke says as the disciples supernaturally communicated the gospel, three reactions occurred.
Some reacted with amazement. Meaning they were astonished. They’ve never seen or heard anything like this. This group is probably saying, “What is this? This is unbelievable. Tell us more!”
But others were perplexed. They couldn’t figure out what was going on. They’re confused. They’re saying, “How can this be? What does this mean? This needs to be explained!”
And then others were mocking and criticizing. As the disciples shared the good news they shouted out, “What a bunch of hog wash! Can’t you see. They’re all liquored up. Somebody didn’t know their limit.”
Those are the three reactions. And the truth is, the gospel produces the same reactions today as it did then. Because when the message of Jesus is proclaimed, it typically illicit’s one of three responses.
Question: How many of you have ever followed a recipe in order to prepare a meal or bake something?
I would say most of us have probably done that. I know for me, following a recipe is essential. Unlike my wife, I don’t have the knowledge or ability to just throw stuff together and make something that would be safe to eat. I could never be on a show like “Chopped”, I need a recipe.
In fact, one of my favorite recipes is a recipe I use for peanut butter cookies. I don’t know about you, but I love peanut butter cookies. There is nothing like a hot fresh peanut butter cookie with a cold glass of milk. Who’s with me on that?
And as we’ve learned, just like those disciples needed that empowerment, we need it as well. In fact, if you’ve missed the last couple of weeks, I would encourage you to go online to marysvillefellowship.com where you can watch and listen to those messages. Because in the same way that those first disciples were empowered, we need to be empowered as well in order to continue the mission of gospel advancement.
For some, it produces amazement and wonder. It’s something they’ve never heard or experienced before. Now they’re curious and they want to hear more about it. The Apostle Paul says this is the group that tends to eventually get it. He writes:
“...but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.”
(ESV)
(ESV)
Paul says for those who stand in awe, it’s the gospel is the power of God.
And the reason I like this particular recipe is because it’s simple. In fact, if you can’t follow this recipe, then you just might be a Chiefs fan, because it only requires three ingredients and is called “3 Ingredient Peanut Butter Cookies”.
Paul says for those who stand in amazement of what God has done, it’s the power of God.
For others though, it produces confusion and concern. It just doesn’t make sense. It’s not logical. How can this be? Paul says this of those:
“...but we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews...”
1 Corinthians 18:23b (ESV)
Using the Jews who struggled to believe in Jesus, Paul says the gospel can be a stumbling block. Something they struggle to embrace and comprehend. They’re confused. They’re just not sure if they can buy into it the idea.
And then for others, it produces criticism. How ridiculous they say. Of this group the Apostle Paul says:
“...but we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and folly to Gentiles...” (ESV)
Using Gentiles as an example, he says the problem for some is that Jesus isn’t logical. So instead of believing, they ridicule, criticize, and try to explain it away. It must be the wine they say!
And in this next passage answers the question we’ve been talking about for the last two weeks. He answer’s the question, “What’s that all about?”
And if you think about it, those are the three typical reactions people give when the gospel is presented. Either people are amazed and intrigued. Or they’re confused and don’t know what to think. Or they’re critical and they reason it away.,
And so with questions, confusion, and criticism looming, an explanation is needed. So, what do the disciples do? Picking back up in verse 14, Luke tells us:
14 But Peter, standing with the eleven, lifted up his voice and addressed them: “Men of Judea and all who dwell in Jerusalem, let this be known to you, and give ear to my words. 15 For these people are not drunk, as you suppose, since it is only the third hour of the day.
Now, you might be thinking, “Ok Pastor, that’s great. Thank you for the recipe and Chiefs joke. But what does that have to do with the message this morning.”
I bring up my “3 ingredient Peanut Butter cookie recipe”, because as we come back to the book of Acts today, we are introduced to what you might call the recipe for salvation. And like my peanut butter cookies, it’s a recipe that involves three steps. Three steps that if shared with others, can lead them to salvation.
So, what are the steps? Well, as we’re going to see in a moment, it’s not really a recipe that we are given, but a sermon. A sermon that the Apostle Peter will preach. In fact, it’s the first recorded sermon in the NT. A sermon that in many respects will become the pattern for leading somebody to Jesus. And in this sermon there are three ingredients, or points that Peter will make.
And three steps if shared with others, can lead them to salvation.
So, here’s what we are going to do as we jump back into Acts.
First, we’re going to read the entirety of Peter’s sermon. In other words, we’re going to read the recipe he gives us for salvation.
Acts 2:14-
Second, we’re going to identify the steps Peter gives us.
Luke says in order to address what is happening, Peter decides to stand and give an explanation. And this shouldn’t surprise us. As we’ve learned Peter is the primary spokesman for the group. It makes sense that he would stand to deliver the first gospel sermon.
And over the next 27 verses Peter is going to thoroughly explain the gospel message. And in doing so he’s going to address three topics.
Finally, today and next week, we’re going to walk through each step in order to get a thorough understanding of the why, the how, and the what of salvation.
First, he’s going to address the topic of the Holy Spirit and why He’s come.
In other words, after next week, my hope is that all of us will have a clear understanding and ability to lead somebody to Jesus. Not that it’s as easy as a cookie recipe, but that you’ll have a clear path for leading somebody to faith.
Second, he’s going to address the topic of Jesus. Who He is and why He came.
And finally, he’s going to address what our response should be to Jesus. In other words, now that we know what’s going on, what should our response be?
And the reason this sermon is so important is because in many ways it will become the template for how to explain the Gospel.
And that’s important for this reason:
If you and I want to lead people to Jesus, then we need to have a solid understanding of the gospel message.
First, what Peter says should produce more confidence in
Second, by preaching this message Peter is not only functioning in the power of the Spirit, but he is sharing what he has learned and studied. In other words, Peter has spent time studying the Word. Peter has a firm grasp on scripture. And what this highlights is it takes more than empowerment to be an affective witness.
Like Peter, we need to be able to stand up and tell people what has happened, who Jesus is, and what they need to do in response. Because when Peter is done preaching, 3000 people get saved and baptized all at once.
So, I don’t know about you, but I’d like to know what he said. Because when I share the gospel, I want to see people come to faith.
In other words, it’s not just enough to be empowered. Yes, God can give you words, knowledge, and wisdom that aren’t yours. But at the end of the day, you need to have a studied understanding of God’s Word. You need to have the ability to tell some one what the gospel is, why they need it, and what they need to do in order to be saved.
And so, for the next two weeks we are going to allow Peter to teach us how to share the gospel. And to do that we are going to break this sermon up into two parts.
Today, we are going to look a little more in depth at the Holy Spirit. To answer the question why He’s come and what His purpose is.
And then next week we are going to look at who Jesus is, what He offers, and how we should respond.
And the goal is, after walking through this sermon, you and I will have a solid understanding of how to convincingly and scripturally lead somebody to Jesus.
So, with that as our basis, let’s get started as Peter explains what has happened and why it’s happened.
And what I want you to notice first, is before Peter addresses what is happening, he addresses what is not happening. Peter begins by saying:
15 For these people are not drunk, as you suppose, since it is only the third hour of the day.
Peter says, “Before I get started, and just so were clear, nobody is drunk. It’s not the wine folks. It’s the third our of the day. It’s 9:00 in the morning. Nobody’s been to the bar. Everybody is sober.”
So, up front, Peter denies the critics charge that their drunk. But that does bring up a good question. A question I think we should address. And the question is, “Why did some of the people think they were drunk?”
Well, it could be for a couple reasons:
Maybe it was because they were speaking in other languages? I guess if all of a sudden, a group of people come out of a building speaking in what sounds like babble or gibberish, you’d have to wonder.
And I guess that could be the case if it were gibberish. You know, like they were slurring their speech or something like that. Maybe you’ve been around somebody like that. Somebody who’s maybe had too much to drink, and they kind of talk in gibberish?
But that’s not what's going on here. Luke just told us that they were speaking in languages people could understand. In other words, people clearly understood what they were saying. So, it wasn’t drunk gibberish. So, that’s off the table.
Could it be because they were falling down all over the place? You know, like somebody whose had a few too many.
Well, Luke doesn’t give any indication that they had lost control of their minds or bodies. In fact, at this point Peter is standing and getting ready to give an intelligible speech. That’s kind of hard for a drunk person to do, right?
In fact, there’s a show on tv I recently saw called “Drunk History”. And honestly, I’m not sure what to think about it, but it is kind of entertaining.
What they do in the show is they find people who know a lot about a specific historic event. And then they get them hammered and have them tell the story. And as you can imagine, it’s all over the place and quite entertaining as they fall out of their chair, and in some cases start puking as they tell the story.
But that’s not what is going on here. This isn’t “Drunk Gospel”. Peter is standing, and what he’s about to say is intelligible, articulate, and he’s not puking.
So, why are some blaming it on wine? If they’re not talking gibberish and they have control of their mind and bodies, why do they attribute their behavior to being drunk?
How about this. Could it be it’s the only explanation they have?
You see, what we have to understand is when the critics attributed their behavior to wine, what they were saying is it appeared they were under the influence of something. In other words, their behavior was so odd to them, all they could think was, “It must be wine.”
But Peter says it wasn’t wine. In fact, we know it was the Holy Spirit.
So, what that tells us is, when a person is empowered by the Holy Spirit, there is a noticeable change in their behavior. Something that causes people to stop and say, “What’s gotten into them?”
Because all of a sudden, they’re not acting the same, they’re not talking the same, in fact, it kind of seems like they’re out there. They’re just a little too excited about Jesus. Because for them to be that excited about Jesus, there must be something in their system. What kind of wacky tobacco have they been smoking?
And their right, there is something in their system. It’s called the Holy Spirit. And he’s ignited a fire and changed them. The Holy Spirit is now influencing their life in a way that is noticeable and seems strange to those around them. That’s why Jesus says:
16 And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever, 17 even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you.
17 even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you.
Jesus says, when you get empowered by the Spirit, the world isn’t going to recongize you and your behavior will confuse them, and in some cases anger them. Jesus goes on to say in :
18 “If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you.
13 Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were uneducated, common men, they were astonished. And they recognized that they had been with Jesus.
And to be honest, that’s why people often criticize and make fun of people like you who attend a church like this. And some of you know what I’m talking about. Because all of a sudden you’re like this different person.
You’re all excited about Jesus.
You’re talking about getting water baptized.
You’re wearing MCF t-shirts.
You’re going to the women’s conference.
You’re attending Wednesday night prayer service.
You want to go to church every week.
You’re given your time and money to the church.
And all they can think is, “What kind of kool-aid is that pastor serving out there at the crazy church by Taco Bell? There must be something in the coffee!”
You see, that’s what the Holy Spirit does. He changes you and He begins to influence your behavior, actions, and beliefs.
And the world doesn’t understand it. The world can’t comprehend it. All they can say is, “It must be the wine.”
So, know this, if you’re going to seek the empowerment of the Spirit, it’s going to result in an influence on your life that is evident to others. An influence that they may criticize. An influence that may cause them to think you are crazy. In fact, Jesus’s own family thought that of him at one point. In regards to Jesus, Mark writes:
20 Then he went home, and the crowd gathered again, so that they could not even eat. 21 And when his family heard it, they went out to seize him, for they were saying, “He is out of his mind.”
All that to say, before Peter explains what is happening, he explains what is not happening. Nobody’s drunk. Everybody’s of sound mind.
But there is an influence on them, an influence called the Holy Spirit. And from here Peter begins to give his explanation. And in doing so, Peter is going to give us three important facts concerning the Holy Spirit and why he has come.
Fact #1: The Holy Spirit has come to fulfill a promise.
Fact #1: The Holy Spirit
Peter goes on to say, it’s not wine as you suppose:
“But this is what was uttered through the prophet Joel: And in the last days it shall be, God declares, that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh...” (ESV)
16 But this is what was uttered through the prophet Joel:
Peter says, “Listen, what is happening is actually Biblical. In fact, you’ll find it in the OT book of Joel.” And from there Peter begins to quote a portion of scripture from Joel chapter 2.
The reason it’s important for Peter to do this, is because if the people are going to buy into Jeus, then they need to understand that everything that is happening is a result of God’s fulfilled promise.
In other words, nothing goofy is going on here. In fact, it’s quite the opposite. What’s going on here is Biblical and represents the fulfilled promise of God. And what it’s pointing to is God’s promise of redemption.
So, a good question might be, “What was the promise?”
We talked a lot about this promise in our study of Mark’s Gospel. But the promise was that at an appointed time, God would provide a redeemer for mankind.
It goes back to when Adam and Eve brought sin into the world. In that moment God made a promise that one day He would send a redeemer who would have the ability to restore our relationship with God.
So, when Peter says, “What is happening is what was uttered through the prophet Joel”. What he’s implying is, “The time is now. God has sent his redeemer. And the proof is in what has just happened. God has begun the work of redemption. His Spirit has been poured out!”
First, when it comes
In other words, the outpouring of the Spirit is a sign that Jesus’s work on the cross paid off. A sign that God accepted the sacrifice Jesus made. The promise of redemption has now come.
And it results from the fact that God exalted the crucified Jesus, he’s been enthroned at his right hand, and the messianic reign has begun. And the outpouring of the Spirit upon the people is a sign that the time of redemption has begun.
Now, the truth is, Jews of that day would have had struggled with what Peter was saying. That’s why it’ s a stumbling block for them. Because for many of the Jews of that day, their view of the Messiah was of a physical nature. They believed he would be an earthly king that would bring physical deliverance to Israel.
But as we learned through the the Gospel of Mark, Jesus didn’t come to be an earthly king. He came to be a heavenly king, and he came to save us from our sin.
And so what Peter is pointing to isn’t a physical deliverance, but the spiritual deliverance that now comes through Jesus as God pours His spirit of restoration upon us.
It’s a sign that the work of redemption has begun as the Holy Spirit begins to regenerate and transform us. It’s what the prophet Ezekiel was referring to. He writes:
26 And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh.
And that’s one of the purposes of the Holy Spirit. To begin the work of regeneration that transforms you literally from the inside out.
Let me explain it like this. When you put your faith in Jesus, God responds by pouring His Spirit out on you. And in that moment, God’s Spirit begins to change you. In that moment a process of change begins in you. And believe me, people will notice the change.
So, what does this mean for you and me? It means a couple of things:
First, it means when people criticize you or call you crazy for your behavior or what you believe, all you have to do is point them to God’s Word. All you have to say is, “Listen, this is what God promised us. In , he promised he would send a redeemer. He promised He would pour His spirit upon us. He promised he would redeem us.”
26 And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh.
25 I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you shall be clean from all your uncleannesses, and from all your idols I will cleanse you. 26 And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh.
It’s an opportunity for you to say, “Listen, you want to know why I’m excited about Jesus? You want to know why I want to get baptized? You want to know why I’m not acting “normal”. It’s because God kept his promise by sending his son Jesus. And now He’s poured His spirit on me. I’m no longer a slave to sin. I’m no longer the same person I was. The old is gone. The new has come. I’ve been changed. I’ve been born again.
26 And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh.
So, you can call me crazy all you want. But I’m not crazy. God’s Spirit has renewed and is restoring me. I’m a new man. I’m a new woman. The old me is dead. I’ve been redeemed. You see, it’s 100% Biblical.
You see, it’s 100% Biblical. You’re not crazy. You’re not drunk.
24 They will fall by the edge of the sword and be led captive among all nations, and Jerusalem will be trampled underfoot by the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled.
So, you can call me crazy all you want. But I’m not crazy. God’s Spirit has renewed and is restoring me. I’ve been redeemed.
Second, because the work of redemption has begun, it means we are living in a time called the last days. Quoting the prophet Joel, Peter says:
“And in the last days it shall be...”
So, what are the last days? What is Joel referring to?
The last days represent the time between Jesus’s ascension into heaven in and his return on a future unknown date. A future moment in time when Jesus will return and collect those who have been redeemed. It’s the time frame we currently live in. And to be honest, it’s an exciting time to be alive.
But it’s also going to be a scary day. A day when if you don’t know Jesus, you don’t get caught up. A day when millions, maybe billions of people will encounter the most horrifying day of their life. The day when they realize how wrong they’ve been about Jesus.
It’s exciting because at anytime Jesus could return and we’d be with Him. I know we don’t typically think about that reality, but it’s a reality. Jesus could return at any moment. And everything you thought was important in your life would change in a millisecond. Paul describes that day like this:
16 For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. 17 Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord.
Paul says on that day, you’ll be going about your regular business, talking to a friend, eating lunch, playing candy crush and in an instant you’ll be caught up in the clouds with Jesus.fJesus explains it like this:
39 and they were unaware until the flood came and swept them all away, so will be the coming of the Son of Man. 40 Then two men will be in the field; one will be taken and one left. 41 Two women will be grinding at the mill; one will be taken and one left.
40 Then two men will be in the field; one will be taken and one left.
38 For as in those days before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day when Noah entered the ark, 39 and they were unaware until the flood came and swept them all away, so will be the coming of the Son of Man. 40 Then two men will be in the field; one will be taken and one left. 41 Two women will be grinding at the mill; one will be taken and one left.
Acts 2:17-
Jesus compares it to the great flood of Noah. He says it will happen on a day people aren’t expecting it.
And if you’re here when that happens, as a Christian, it will be the most exciting day of your life. Nothing will compare with it. That’s how this applies to you.
And if you’re here when that happens, as a Christian, it will be the most exciting day of your life. Nothing will compare with it. That’s how this applies to you.
So, Peter says to the crowd, “Hey, everything that is happening right now is a fulfillment of God’s promise. He’s pouring his Spirit out on all flesh. He’s made a way possible for you and I to be right with Him once again.”
So, here we sit. On the other side of the promise as we are transformed by the Holy Spirit anxiously awaiting the return of our Lord.
And what that means for you and I, is not only do we need to be ready, but we need to be doing everything we can to get others ready. Because I don’t know about you, I don’t want anybody to be caught off guard on that day.
This leads us to a second fact concerning the Holy Spirit:
Fact #2: The Holy Spirit has come to empower all Christians for witness.
Peter goes on to quote the prophet Joel:
17 “ ‘And in the last days it shall be, God declares,
that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh,
and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy,
and your young men shall see visions,
and your old men shall dream dreams;
18 even on my male servants and female servants
in those days I will pour out my Spirit, and they shall prophesy.
I know we’ve talked a lot about empowerment in the past few weeks, but now Peter gets more specific as he explains who empowerment for and what it does.
So, let’s begin with who it’s for. And this is important because in some churches and denominational circles, it’s taught that the spirit empowerment we see in the NT was only for a select few and only for a certain time period.
In fact, some even believe that divine healing and miracles ended after the first 12 apostles all died. But I can tell you right now, there is no proof of that, and the Bible doesn’t say that. And Peter shows us that.
Quoting Joel, Peter says in the last days, the days we live in, God has poured out his spirit on all flesh.
So, the first thing I want you to notice again is the term “last days”. The terms represents the time between Jesus’s ascension in and his return in the future. That’s the time frame for the work of the Holy Spirit. Meaning, it didn’t end at the end of the 1st century.
Second, notice the term “all flesh”. What that means is the outpouring of the Holy Spirit is for everybody living in between that time period. So, from until now, everybody that has lived is “all flesh”. That’s who the Holy Spirit is for.
Third, notice that Joel then categorizes the all flesh. He says the Holy Spirit is for sons, daughters, you men, old men, male slaves and female slaves.
In other words, the outpouring of the Spirit is for everybody living in the last days under the sun. It’s for the young, the old, men, women, the poor and the rich. Meaning, salvation and the work of the Spirit is available to everybody and anybody that would want it. The Spirit doesn’t discriminate between race, class, gender, or age. What He offers He offers for all.
Fourth, not only is the work of the Spirit for everybody, but the empowerment is as well. Joel says in those days, the last days, all shall prophesy. In other words, all will function in the power of the Spirit.
Now, this goes back to what we talked about last week. Remember what Paul said. Paul said of all the spiritual gifts, prophesy is the greatest gift.
And if you recall, to prophesy means to speak under the influence of divine inspiration. To make inspired utterances. And in this passage Joel says for those who the Spirit has been poured out upon, they will prophesy. They will speak and work under the influence and power of the Spirit.
So, what Joel is saying is the empowerment of the Spirit isn’t just for the apostles, the Pope, a priest, a pastor, or a select few. The empowerment of the Spirit is for anybody who becomes a follower of Jesus.
5 you yourselves like living stones are being built up as a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.
Peter says you are God’s priests. The ones building up His Spiritual house.
So, if you’re a Christ follower, not only has the Holy Spirit transformed you spiritually, but He wants to empower you for ministry. He wants to supernaturally equip you to work and speak for Him.
Now, here’s why this is so important for us to understand. It’s important because a lot of Christians don’t view themselves through this lens. Instead, they look to a pastor or a priest to be God’s spoke-person. Or they look to someone they deem as super spiritual.
But the truth is, God wants to supernaturally equip you and speak through you. Regardless of your background, your age, your sex, or your race, God wants to pour His Spirit of empowerment upon you.
In fact, when we get to , whenever that is, we’re gong to be introduced to 4 teenage sisters were mighty women of God. Luke writes:
8 On the next day we departed and came to Caesarea, and we entered the house of Philip the evangelist, who was one of the seven, and stayed with him. 9 He had four unmarried daughters, who prophesied. 10 While we were staying for many days, a prophet named Agabus came down from Judea. 11 And coming to us, he took Paul’s belt and bound his own feet and hands and said, “Thus says the Holy Spirit, ‘This is how the Jews at Jerusalem will bind the man who owns this belt and deliver him into the hands of the Gentiles.’ ”
1 And when we had parted from them and set sail, we came by a straight course to Cos, and the next day to Rhodes, and from there to Patara. 2 And having found a ship crossing to Phoenicia, we went aboard and set sail. 3 When we had come in sight of Cyprus, leaving it on the left we sailed to Syria and landed at Tyre, for there the ship was to unload its cargo. 4 And having sought out the disciples, we stayed there for seven days. And through the Spirit they were telling Paul not to go on to Jerusalem.
8 On the next day we departed and came to Caesarea, and we entered the house of Philip the evangelist, who was one of the seven, and stayed with him. 9 He had four unmarried daughters, who prophesied.
You see, age and gender don’t matter to God. He uses people who want to be used by Him.
And because you are his son or daughter, he has a job for you. Meaning, He didn’t save you to sit on the sideline. He wants to work in and through you.
Again, that’s why I would encourage you to come to the Wednesday night prayer meeting as we seek to be empowered for ministry.
In fact, this Wednesday night we are going to look more into the gift of prophesy. Because apparently that’s a gift we can all have.
And I believe that for those who show up on Wednesday night, that God has a prophetic word He’s going to give us. Something He wants to communicate to us. Something that will encourage us. Something that will equip us for the work He’s called us too.
All that to say, the Holy Spirit wants to empower you for ministry.
Which leads us to the final reason the Holy Spirit has come.
Fact #3: The Holy Spirit has come to convict the world of sin.
Quoting Joel, Peter goes on to say:
19 And I will show wonders in the heavens above
and signs on the earth below,
blood, and fire, and vapor of smoke;
20 the sun shall be turned to darkness
and the moon to blood,
before the day of the Lord comes, the great and magnificent day.
19 And I will show wonders in the heavens above
and signs on the earth below,
blood, and fire, and vapor of smoke;
20 the sun shall be turned to darkness
and the moon to blood,
before the day of the Lord comes, the great and magnificent day.
21 And it shall come to pass that everyone who calls upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.’
Acts 2:19-
As Peter wraps up what is happening, he points to a spiritual reality that many in our culture, and even within the church, don’t want to talk about or acknowledge. He points to a day called “The day of the Lord”.
So, what is the “Day of the Lord”. The day of the Lord is the day the Lord returns. It’s the end of the “last days”. It’s the moment the Lord returns to retrieve those who have put their faith in Him, and to judge those who have not.
In other words, for some it will be a day of celebration, but for others a day of wrath. The book of Revelation describes that day like this:
12 When he opened the sixth seal, I looked, and behold, there was a great earthquake, and the sun became black as sackcloth, the full moon became like blood, 13 and the stars of the sky fell to the earth as the fig tree sheds its winter fruit when shaken by a gale. 14 The sky vanished like a scroll that is being rolled up, and every mountain and island was removed from its place. 15 Then the kings of the earth and the great ones and the generals and the rich and the powerful, and everyone, slave and free, hid themselves in the caves and among the rocks of the mountains, 16 calling to the mountains and rocks, “Fall on us and hide us from the face of him who is seated on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb, 17 for the great day of their wrath has come, and who can stand?”
Notice the similar language from Joel’s prophecy. The sun turned to darkness. The moon turned to blood.
Now, you might be thinking, “Pastor, that sounds awful. When will this happen?” Again, we don’t know when Jesus is going to return. But what we do know is it’s going to happen. And what we do know is for those who don’t know Jesus, it will be a disturbing day. The Apostle Peter describes it like this:
10 But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, and then the heavens will pass away with a roar, and the heavenly bodies will be burned up and dissolved, and the earth and the works that are done on it will be exposed.
Peter says it will come when we least expect it, and in that moment life as we know it on planet earth will change.
For those who have put their faith in Jesus, it changes for the good.
But for those who have not, the consequences of their decision will follow.
Revelation 20:
Consequences that will lead to judgment. A judgment that will result from their unwillingness to repent and receive the free gift of salvation that Jesus offers.
We read about that judgment in Revelation:
11 Then I saw a great white throne and him who was seated on it. From his presence earth and sky fled away, and no place was found for them. 12 And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Then another book was opened, which is the book of life. And the dead were judged by what was written in the books, according to what they had done. 13 And the sea gave up the dead who were in it, Death and Hades gave up the dead who were in them, and they were judged, each one of them, according to what they had done. 14 Then Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire. 15 And if anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.
Again, I know this idea isn’t popular.
It’s not popular to say that people will have to pay for their sin.
It’s not popular to say that good people will go to hell.
It’s not popular to say that God would send somebody to hell for eternity.
But the truth is, God doesn’t send anybody to hell. The truth is, people choose it as they refuse to acknowledge a holy and righteous God. As they refuse to acknowledge their sin. As they refuse to receive God’s free gift of salvation.
Because at the end of the day, eternal separation from God is a choice. God doesn’t send anybody to hell. The fact is, He’s gone to hell and back so you don’t have to go there. And now the decision is yours.
And that’s where the Holy Spirit comes in. Because one of the jobs of the Holy Spirit is to convict the world of sin and lead them to Jesus. Jesus puts it like this in :
8 And when he comes, he will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment:
Jesus says when the Holy Spirit comes, one of his jobs will be too convict the world of sin. In other words he will work to convince us that we are sinners. He will work to convince us that we need a savior. He will work to reveal truth to us. And what’s amazing, is He will do it through people like you and me.
That’s what our prophesy is to result in. That’s why it’s so important that we function in the power of the Holy Spirit. Because the Holy Spirit wants to lead people to Jesus. And if you’re willing, He wants to do it through you.
Because whether it’s politically correct or not to talk about it, the Day of the Lord is coming. And for some, it will be the most amazing day of their existence. But for others the most horrifying day of their existence.
But the good news of the Gospel is, you don’t have to fear that day. Because as he quotes Joel, Peter says:
21 And it shall come to pass that everyone who calls upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.’
Peter says while that day is coming, if you call on the name of the Lord. If you put your hope in His promise of redemption, you will be saved.
You see, what Peter has done here is what we all need to be able to do when it comes to sharing the Gospel. We have to be able to function in the power of the Spirit. Because the truth is, without the Holy Spirit, you can talk about Jesus until you’re blue in the face, and it won’t do any good.
The fact is, you need the Holy Spirit to help you. You need His empowerment. You need Him to speak through you. You need Him to strike conviction in the hearts of those you speak too. Only the Spirit can do that. Only the Spirit can transform a hardened heart.
You see, without the Spirit, we don’t have the ability to lead anybody to Jesus. Because the Spirit not only empowers us, he speaks through us, and His words are able to penetrate the hardest hearts. The writer of Hebrews puts it like this:
12 For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.
But thankfully, God has poured out His Spirit. And for those who are willing, God wants to empower and equip us to lead as many as possible to Him. Amen
I don’t know about you, but I want more of the Holy Spirit in my life. I want God to pour His spirit out on me. And not only do I want him to transform me, I want him to empower me so I can lead others to Him. I want Him to empower me for witness.
Because the day of the Lord is coming. And there are still a lot of people who don’t know Jesus. And I don’t know about you, but on the day of the Lord I don’t want to have any regrets. I want to know that I gave everything to lead as many people as possible to Jesus.
And that’s what the outpouring of the Spirit has done. It’s opened the door of redemption. It’s allowed the work of Jesus to now take place in the hearts of men. And if you are willing, you can be a part of that work.
So, as we close this morning, I have two challenges I would ask you to consider:
Challenge #1: If you haven’t already, invite Jesus to be Lord of your life. The fact is, God loves you so much He sent His only son to die for you. And now He’s sent his Holy Spirit to draw Him to you.
Maybe you sense His presence here this morning. If you’re honest, there’s something inside of you telling you something needs to change. There’s a burning in your heart that’s saying, “You need to respond to this.” Whether you realize it or not, that tugging, that voice, that burning, is the Holy Spirit.
The question is, “Will you respond?”
Challenge #2: If you’re serious about leading people to Jesus, then I want to challenge you to ask the Holy Spirit to empower you for witness. The truth is, without His help, it will be difficult for you to explain somebody’s need for Jesus or convince the critic. The Holy Spirit has the ability to penetrate confusion and soften hard hearts.
With that said, I would encourage you to come to the Wednesday night prayer meeting.
This Wednesday night we are going to continue to pray that God would empower us for witness. That God would equip us with the ability to supernaturally communicate the gospel in our community.
And if you are willing, you can be a part of that work.
At the end of the day, that’s why the Holy Spirit has come. He’s come to fulfill a promise. He’s come to empower us for witness. And he’s come to convict a world that desperately needs Jesus.
Let’s Pray
So, with that as our basis, lets dive back into Acts as Peter responds to the questions and confusion that the coming of the Holy Spirit has caused. Beginning in verse 14 Luke writes:
Acts 2:14-
14 But Peter, standing with the eleven, lifted up his voice and addressed them: “Men of Judea and all who dwell in Jerusalem, let this be known to you, and give ear to my words. 15 For these people are not drunk, as you suppose, since it is only the third hour of the day. 16 But this is what was uttered through the prophet Joel:
17 “ ‘And in the last days it shall be, God declares,
that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh,
and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy,
and your young men shall see visions,
and your old men shall dream dreams;
18 even on my male servants and female servants
in those days I will pour out my Spirit, and they shall prophesy.
19 And I will show wonders in the heavens above
and signs on the earth below,
blood, and fire, and vapor of smoke;
20 the sun shall be turned to darkness
and the moon to blood,
before the day of the Lord comes, the great and magnificent day.
21 And it shall come to pass that everyone who calls upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.’
22 “Men of Israel, hear these words: Jesus of Nazareth, a man attested to you by God with mighty works and wonders and signs that God did through him in your midst, as you yourselves know— 23 this Jesus, delivered up according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God, you crucified and killed by the hands of lawless men. 24 God raised him up, loosing the pangs of death, because it was not possible for him to be held by it. 25 For David says concerning him,
“ ‘I saw the Lord always before me,
for he is at my right hand that I may not be shaken;
26 therefore my heart was glad, and my tongue rejoiced;
my flesh also will dwell in hope.
27 For you will not abandon my soul to Hades,
or let your Holy One see corruption.
28 You have made known to me the paths of life;
you will make me full of gladness with your presence.’
29 “Brothers, I may say to you with confidence about the patriarch David that he both died and was buried, and his tomb is with us to this day. 30 Being therefore a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him that he would set one of his descendants on his throne, 31 he foresaw and spoke about the resurrection of the Christ, that he was not abandoned to Hades, nor did his flesh see corruption. 32 This Jesus God raised up, and of that we all are witnesses. 33 Being therefore exalted at the right hand of God, and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, he has poured out this that you yourselves are seeing and hearing. 34 For David did not ascend into the heavens, but he himself says,
“ ‘The Lord said to my Lord,
“Sit at my right hand,
35 until I make your enemies your footstool.” ’
36 Let all the house of Israel therefore know for certain that God has made him both Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom you crucified.”
37 Now when they heard this they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?” 38 And Peter said to them, “Repent and be baptized 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. 39 For the promise is for you and for your children and for all who are far off, everyone whom the Lord our God calls to himself.” 40 And with many other words he bore witness and continued to exhort them, saying, “Save yourselves from this crooked generation.” 41 So those who received his word were baptized, and there were added that day about three thousand souls.
Peter is going to explain the gospel by answering three questions:
We’re going to call the first step - Why you need Jesus to save you. And it encompasses verses 14-20.
And it encompasses verses 14-20.
The second step is called - How Jesus has made salvation possible. And it encompasses verses 21-36
And it encompasses verses 21-36
And the third step is called -What you need to do for Jesus to save you. And it encompasses verses 37-41.
And it encompasses verses 37-41.
And it encompasses verses 37-41.
So, those are the questions Peter is going to answer.
However, for our purposes today we are only going to cover the first step, because like all first steps, without a full understanding of step 1, it will be difficult to move to step 2 & 3.
Because let’s just be honest, until a person understands their need for Jesus, then why would they put their faith in Him.
So, to get us going, we’re going to begin with Peter’s introduction. Because like all sermons, Peter has an introduction that leads to his points. Again, Luke writes:
So, for our purposes today we are only going to cover the first step, and really like all first steps, without a full understanding of step 1, it will be difficult to move to the next two steps.
Why has the Spirit come.
What does the Spirit want to show us.
How should we respond.