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- Preaching the Living WORD through
the Written WORD - 2 Tim 4;:2 - |
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THE
FIRST SERMON OF THE CHURCH Acts 2:22-34
(6/16/13) Grace Bible Church,
Gillette, Wyoming Pastor Daryl Hilbert I. ATTESTED THROUGH MIRACLES (22-24) A. God Attested to Christ by Miracles (22) 1. Peter was preaching to Israel (“men of
Israel”) who would understand the weight of his words. 2. Jesus the Nazarene was “attested” (perf.
part. apodeiknumi - confirm or demonstrate) by God to be the Messiah and
Son of God. How did God do this? He did it through the use of miracles,
wonders, and signs. 3. Miracles have always confirmed that the
person performing them was God’s spokesman (Jn 3:2; Ac 10:38). As God’s
spokesman, his words could be trusted to be the words of God. As God’s
spokesman, Jesus’ claims to be the Messiah and Son of God could be trusted
(cf. He 2:4). B. God Predetermined Christ’s Death (23) 1. If Jesus was confirmed as the Messiah and
Son of God, then His death would have been “predetermined” (perf. part.
horizō - designated boundary or appointment, Eng. “horizon”) by God.
Substitutionary atonement through the Messiah was God’s purpose from the
beginning (1Pe 1:20). God sovereignly predetermines and carries out all His
plans. 2. In order for God to carry out all His
plans, He would also have to have Divine foreknowledge. God has
“foreknowledge” (prognosis - prior knowledge, prior planof what He will
bring to pass with) of all that will happen as well as all He will bring
to pass. 3. God’s sovereignty does not negate man’s
responsibility. For Peter assigns the moral responsibility to the Jews and
Romans. C. God Raised Christ from the Dead (24) 1. However, the great sovereign plan of God
predetermined Christ’s death as a substitutionary atonement for man’s sin.
This He confirmed by the necessity of Christ’s resurrection from the dead
(1Co 15:17). 2. Therefore it was impossible for Christ to
be “held” (krateō - held fast by power) by death’s power. II. ATTESTED THROUGH PROPHECY (25-31) A. God Attested to Christ Through David’s
Prophecy (25-28, 30) 1. Next Peter appeals from prophecy.
Miracles confirm God’s spokesmen. The words of God’s spokesmen are confirmed
by their infallible accuracy (De 18:18-22). If God is infallible, then His
words are infallible and absolute truth, even when given through His
spokesmen. 2. In this case, David is God’s spokesman
and his words are recorded in Ps 16:8-11 and Peter identifies David as a
“prophet.” 3. This psalm had an analogous fulfillment
in David’s life but it had its ultimate fulfillment in Christ’s death and
resurrection. David would be rescued from death or would enjoy fellowship
with God after death. Christ, the ultimate “Holy One,” would not abandoned to
death, but be raised from the dead. His body would not “see decay,” but be
raised after three days. According to Jewish tradition, in accordance with
their burial practices, after three days the body decomposes (cf. Jn 11:39). B. The Prophecy is Explained (29-31) 1. It did not refer to David (29) a) Peter confidently reasons with his
listeners that this ultimate fulfillment did not refer to the patriarch
David. His proof was that David’s body was still dead and buried in his tomb. 2. It referred to David’s Descendant (30) a) So if the prophecy’s ultimate fulfillment
did not refer to David, it must refer to someone else. That someone else
would be a “descendant” of David. This descendant would sit on the throne of
David as prophesied in the Davidic Covenant” (2Sa 7:12; Ps 89:3-4; 132:11). 3. It referred to the resurrected Messiah
(31) a) The Davidic Covenant had an analogous
fulfillment with Solomon (2Sa 7:13-14). But Peter tells us that the Davidic
Covenant was “looking ahead” (proeidon - to see beforehand, i.e.
prophetically) to the “Christ” (Christos - “anointed one” or Messiah).
In order to fulfill this covenant, it would necessitate the Messiah’s
resurrection. C. The Apostolic Witness (32-35) 1. Apostles witnessed Christ’s resurrection
(32) a) Peter makes the connection between the
confirmation by miracles and prophecies to the man, Jesus the Nazarene. It is
this Jesus who had been raised from the dead declaring that He is the Son of
God (Ro 1:4). b) To add to this overwhelming evidence,
Peter claims that he and the other apostles witnessed the resurrected Christ.
Through miracles and signs, the apostles themselves are confirmed as God’s
spokesmen. God’s spokesmen have infallibly testified to the truth of Christ’s
resurrection. It was to this end that the apostles were commissioned by
Christ (Ac 1:8, 22; 3:15; 5:32; 10:39, 41; 13:31; 26:16). 2. Apostles received the Holy Spirit (33) a) Since Christ accomplished the will of God
in salvation, God has exalted Him to His right hand, the ultimate position of
authority. It was from this position of authority that Christ sent the
promised Holy Spirit. b) In a more detailed description, Peter
answers their original question, “What does this mean?” Christ has poured
forth the Holy Spirit that very day. It was the coming of the Holy Spirit
that explained what they heard and observed. 3. The Apostles claimed Jesus as Lord
(34-35) a) Ps 110:1 does not refer to the first David
but the second David, Jesus Christ. David had not ascended to the right hand
of God, but Jesus Christ who is the Lord. b) In Ps 110:1, The Father speaks to the Son
and calls him “Lord.” Jesus the Nazarene, in all reality, was both Lord over
all and God (cf. Is 45:6). He has an exalted position as God’s continues to
put all things under His Lordship. III. APPLICATION TO ISRAEL (36-39) A. Israel Can Know for Certain that Jesus is
Lord and Christ (36) 1. Peter concludes (oun - therefore)
his argument telling Israel that they can know for “certain” (asphalōs
- safely, beyond reasonable doubt) that Jesus is both Lord and Christ. 2. He is the very one that the Jewish people
continued to cry out to have crucified (Mt 27:22-23). B. Some Were Pierced with the Truth (37) 1. The people were “pierced” (katanussō
- pricked or stabbed deeply) to the heart at Peter’s apologia. This is no
doubt came from the ministry of the Holy Spirit to convict the world of sin,
righteousness, and judgment (Jn 16:8). 2. They were given the truth and convinced
by it. Now they found themselves guilty before a holy God and they themselves
realized they needed to be reconciled. C. Israel Must Repent and be Baptized in the
Name of Jesus Christ (38) 1. Peter’s response was that Israel was to
repent of their sin and rejection of Christ. Though faith is not mentioned in
this verse, faith is a part of repentance even as repentance is a part of
faith. 2. Baptism is not a condition for salvation,
but an outward sign of faith and identification with Christ as Messiah. 3. This
verse does not suggest that baptism was necessary for salvation. The Greek
construction literally reads, “All of you (plural) repent, and each
of you (singular) be baptized on the basis of forgiveness of sins.” The
Greek proposition eis (“for”) can be translated “on the basis”
meaning, because they were forgiven through faith and repentance, they were
to be baptized. D. Israel Can Now Receive God’s Promise (39) 1. Peter confirms that salvation was the very
promise of God to Israel. As many as the Lord would call, would be the ones
who actually come. IV. ACCOUNTABILITY OF ISRAEL (40-41) A. Peter Exhorted Israel to Be Saved (40) 1. Peter continued to “solemnly testify” and
exhort them to be saved from the present unbelieving and wicked generation. B. Three Thousand Received Jesus as the
Messiah (41) 1. Having come that day on Pentecost, the
Holy Spirit’s ministry of convicting, illuminating, drawing, and regenerating
began. V. OBSERVATIONS AND APPLICATIONS 1. Believers are never to ask the unbeliever
to make a blind leap (without reason) of faith (Ac 2:36). 2. Believers are to give a defense of the
faith and lead men to faith in Christ (1Pe 3:15). 3. Believers are to rely on the convicting,
illuminating, drawing, and regenerating ministry of the Holy Spirit. |
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