Acts 2:14-21

 

Acts 2:14-21

The First Sermon to the Church Part 1

Act 2:14  But Peter, standing up with the eleven, lifted up his voice, and said unto them, Ye men of Judaea, and all ye that dwell at Jerusalem, be this known unto you, and hearken to my words: 

Act 2:15  For these are not drunken, as ye suppose, seeing it is but the third hour of the day. 

Act 2:16  But this is that which was spoken by the prophet Joel; 

Act 2:17  And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, 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: 

Act 2:18  And on my servants and on my handmaidens I will pour out in those days of my Spirit; and they shall prophesy: 

Act 2:19  And I will shew wonders in heaven above, and signs in the earth beneath; blood, and fire, and vapour of smoke: 

Act 2:20  The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before that great and notable day of the Lord come: 

Act 2:21  And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved. 

          1.       Peter’s Preamble – vs. 14

a.       The Primacy of Preaching – when a man of God preaches, he must be:

                                                              i.      Confident – Peter stood up

1.       Peter doesn’t mumble through a bunch of random unrelated thoughts

a.       2 Timothy 4:1-2 

                                                            ii.      Passionate – Peter lifted up his voice

1.       Peter doesn’t sound unconvinced by his own words. He is so changed by work of the Holy Spirit through the scriptures he boldly declares the word of God. Preaching is the source spiritual power all through the book of Acts:

a.       Acts 3:20; Acts 4:2; Acts 8:5; Acts 8:25; Acts 8:35; Acts 8:40; Acts 9:20; Acts 9:27 

                                                          iii.      Knows his audience – Peter carefully addresses his message to those who would understand it

1.       Peter’s address speaks to the poignancy of the moment

a.       Luke 4:18-20 

                                                           iv.      Brings to remembrance – Peter reminds them of what they know and have just experienced

1.       The death and resurrection of Jesus that had rocked the city 50 days before this

                                                             v.      Commands his audience’s attention – Peter interprets their experience in the light of scriptures and clearly illuminates the truth.

1.       2 Timothy 3:16-17 

         2.       Peter’s Plea – vs 15

a.       Peter gives a defense of God’s work in the face of attack

                                                              i.      1 Peter 3:15   

         3.       Peter’s Scripture Passage – vs. 16-20

a.       Peter quotes from Joel 2:28-32 – vs. 16

b.       Joel predicts the coming of the Holy Spirit – vs. 17-18

                                                              i.      The Holy Spirit will come in the last days

1.       The last days are now – the church age

a.       1 Peter 1:20 

b.       1 John 2:18 

                                                            ii.      The Holy Spirit will be available to all the peoples of the earth

1.       Romans 11:25-26 

                                                          iii.      The Holy Spirit will be available to both genders and all ages

1.       Numbers 11:29 

                                                           iv.      The Holy Spirit will bring the proclamation of a new volume of truth – the New Testament - 2 Peter 1:16-21 

c.       Joel describes the universal authentication of that arrival – vs. 19-20

                                                              i.      There will be signs in heaven

1.       Darkness in the noon day

a.       Matthew 27:45 

2.       A blood moon

a.       There was a lunar eclipse the night of  April 3^rd 33 AD the day Jesus was crucified

3.       Virgo Rises with the moon at her feet

a.       This is how Revelation describes the birth of the Church

                                                                                                                                      i.      Revelation 12:1 

                                                            ii.      There will be signs on earth

1.       Blood

2.       Fire

3.       Vapor of smoke - Matthew 27:50-54 

                                                          iii.      These signs will authenticate the Great and Terrible Day of the Lord

1.       The Day of the Lord has an immediate fulfillment

a.       Peter is pointing to tangible evidence, that they have all witness, to prove his point.

                                                                                                                                      i.      Acts 2:22 

2.       The Day of the Lord has a long-term fulfillment

a.       There will be blood in the end times - Revelation 6:7-8 

b.       There will be fire in the end times - Revelation 8:7-8 

c.       There will be vapor of smoke in the end times

                                                                                                                                      i.      Matthew 24:29-31 

        4.       Peter’s Invitation – vs. 21

a.       Joel makes a universal invitation to all the peoples of the earth. Peter echoes his call: - Romans 10:12-13