Sermon Tone Analysis

IMAGINE!!!…

You are given a platform to declare the gospel.

What OLD TESTAMENT book comes to your mind to use first?

Would you use the old testament, could you use the old testament?

Genesis… (maybe share the origin of sin?)

Esther… (describe a redeemer)

Psalms… (look at multiple passages on the promised Messiah?)

Odds are… the small book of Joel tucked away with the other minor prophets would not be one of your first go to books, if even on your radar!

Book of Joel:

Speaks to the coming “Day of the Lord”

God judges SIN

The need to REPENT!

God provides Salvation (To those who Call On Him)

As we begin to look over and study some of the critical sermons in the book of Acts you will discover they reference the scriptures often.

These scriptures are referring to are either the old testament scriptures or words in which Jesus Himself spoke.

The Setting

Our sermon today takes place at the Jewish celebration Pentecost.

It is this day God has chosen to send His Holy Spirit (the Helper as Christ referred to Him) upon ALL believers!

These believers begin to praise God speaking in tongues of the people there listening.

A clear indicator from the beginning that the gospel message and plan of God is a global one!

People are amazed, bewildered, some thinking they are even drunk…

They had not given control to drink rather they are controlled by the Holy Spirit of God!

It is in this setting that Peter begins to preach and he references Joel along with some other Old Testament Scriptures… Acts 2:14-40

PAUSE to acknowledge our elders with verse 14...

The Fulfillment of Prophecy

Defense… vs 14-15 Not filled with wine, Rather the Holy Spirit!

Explanation… comes from minor prophet Joel 2:28-32 (OT prophecy is critical for the people of God to know!)

You and I are living in the last days… the “Day of the Lord” is coming

Judgment / the return of Christ...

Vs 17-18 Peter is declaring is what is happening in their presence NOW!

I absolutely love the ALL inclusiveness of 18… men, women, slaves

This is the birth of the church!!!

Many wonderful signs are going to be present with its birth.

So too with the end of days… when Christ returns Vs 19-20

Even as Peter is declaring what is, he is very aware of the imminent return of Christ

As Peter preaches there is an urgency… fast forward 2000 years we should be all the more urgent in our sharing of the Gospel

VS 21… It was true in the Old Testament, it is true as Peter preaches here, as Paul declares in Romans 10:13, and it will still be true in the final days… “Those who call on the name of the Lord will be saved!” it is always God who does the saving, we have the amazing privilege to declare this to a lost world!

Jesus Declared the Messiah!

Peter gives them “proofs” that He truly was their Promised Messiah they saw with their own eyes!

“You yourselves know”… such sad words that are still true for so many...

To Know of God and never know Him!

He is clearly seen in the things witch are made Romans states

The universe

The human cell / DNA

the defense of the scriptures holding up under the strongest scrutiny

Vs 23 Blows me away… God had this planned, He was a willing sacrifice!

Notice Peter does not remove the guilt due to God’s plan…

You Nailed...

Godless men… men who did not have the Law

You knew better than they did.

God told you about His coming Messiah!

Jesus Resurrected From the Dead!

BUT GOD!!!… Vs 24 where man sins God intervenes!

The Resurrection!!!

An End to the AGONY of death

It was IMPOSSIBLE for Him to be held by deaths power!

Wow!

What a God!

What Savior!

Peter goes back to what King David said earlier of this in Psalm 16:8-11

Not abandoned to Hades: a place or abode of the dead, including both the righteous and the unrighteous (in most contexts ᾅδηςa is equivalent to the Hebrew term Sheol)—‘the world of the dead Louw, J. P., & Nida, E. A. (1996).

Greek-English lexicon of the New Testament: based on semantic domains (electronic ed. of the 2nd edition., Vol. 1, p. 5).

New York: United Bible Societies.

Peter speaks confidently concerning Christ resurrection…

Because David prophesied of this and is still in his grave rotting… check it out for yourselves!

This he prophesied of the Messiah not himself

Because he along with many others there were witnesses… ask us, check the validity, interview us… we saw Him risen!

The signs, wonders, message, the plan of God, the death the Resurrection all lead to Peter’s final point…

Jesus is the Divine Messiah!

Jesus sits at the right hand of the Father...

He pours forth the Holy Spirit on His followers

BOTH see and hear...

The presence of the Holy Spirit in our lives should be seen and heard!

Does the way you lead life and the way you speak indicate His presence in your life?

What do you testify to the world around you with the way you live and speak?

Faith in Christ should produce a change in ones life!

We are able to “KNOW FOR CERTAIN” that this Jesus we see in scripture is divine He is God!

This TRUTH should spark something in our lives, it should move us to action...

Peter’s Application

We hear this truth… We understand this truth… We say we believe this truth...

NOW WHAT?

They were pierced to the heart… only God can do this, the Holy Spirit is at work here in peoples hearts.

Joel as he prophesied the words of the Lord says this in Joel 2:12-13

“What should we DO?” our actions condemn us it is a work of the heart…

Repent: as Joel described is a work of the heart… to change one’s way of life as the result of a complete change of thought and attitude with regard to sin and righteousness...

Israel is guilty… along with all mankind.

The BAPTISM is was an outward expression of ones internal decision, ones personal working in the heart.

Peter demonstrates here that this is for each Jew to do before God personally...

WHO? Vs 39 demonstrates the who of things beautifully “you, your children, and those far off” (EVERYONE)

This message is for today just as much as it was for then.

Repent, “rend your heart before God” … If you have done this, then allow the Holy Spirit to influence you, give Him control and may others SEE and HEAR a difference in your life.

This Jesus is God, He has done it all.

Praise the Lord!