Acts2: 14-36 – Peter explains what is going on at Pentecost – and in doing so preaches the first (and possibly the most powerful) sermon in the Christian church. It is a model for all preachers today! We look at four things that should be happening in preaching….
Also available as audio only on the ASK podcast here
Act with Acts 5 – Pentecost – the Gift of the Holy Spirit.
Here are some of the notes I used:
“Blessed Lord, who has caused all holy Scriptures to be written for our learning: Grant that we may in such a way hear them, red, mark, learn, and inwardly digest them, that by patience and comfort of your holy Word, we may embrace and hold fast the blessed hope of eternal life, which you have given us in our Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen” (BCP)
This is the first sermon preached in the Christian church.
Question of the week – why bother with preaching?
What makes a good sermon?
4 words used for preaching – one means a heralds announcement. Second is teaching. Third is exhortation….4th is homily – looking at life in the light of the Christian message.
You could argue that this is the greatest sermon ever preached – its power, its result – and it certainly is a model of what preaching should be.
It is simple and clear. It was memorable. If I phoned you up tomorrow and asked what I was preaching about I wonder if you could tell me…! So lets go through it.
1) Its bold – Acts 2:14-15 – The preacher – Peter – from coward to bold preacher…The first of 15 sermons in Acts. 7 by Peter, 5 by Paul 1 each by Stephen and James.
It’s a summary….would only take 5 minutes to read! You want sermons to be 5 minutes. I have been in an hour long sermon which felt like 5 minutes and in a 5 minute that felt like an eternity! V.40 – with many other words he exhorted them.
Note that what he does is deal with the immediate circumstances – an issue that has arisen and has caused questions. Preaching is not a history lecture – or a feel good talk – or a pep talk….it is dealing with the deepest questions we have. Would that there was such power in the church that people want to know why and what is going on!
In Acts the preaching of the Word and the power of the Spirit go together. Being filled with the Spirit and being filled with the Word are connected.
2) It’s biblical – 16-21 – The summary – It was an exposition of many parts of scripture. Preaching Jesus Christ from the Old Testament. Peter explains what has happened using the Scriptures. If you want to know what – read the news, Google – if you want to know why read God’s word.
Peter looked to Scripture to understand the present. Ch.1 it was the psalms 69 and 109 – now it is the book of Joel.
The Bible is 66 books….but it is one book with one message and one author – the Spirit.
Preaching is the proclamation of Gods Word, in the power of the Spirit, applying it to the present and preparing us for the future….
Another revolutionary aspect of this was that the Spirit was for everyone…v. 17 – all people. Men and women.Not all of Joel happened on that day – v. 20. But from then on we are now in the last days….although v. 20 – just 7 weeks earlier the people had seen the sun turned into darkness..
Salvation is for everyone…v.21
But let me return to the biblical. Peter had no notes. He had no preparation. But he was saturated in the scripture.
3) It’s big picture – 22-28 – History and Providence – Acts 2:23 – lawless men – in a crooked generation (2:40) Gods sovereignity and mans responsibility. By the way this is so bold – YOU murdered him. We often talk about sin in general or about other peoples sins – or we are too quick to offer false comfort. But you murdered him. Real preaching is at times very uncomfortable
Back to v. 20 – the day of the Lord. The present age and the age to come. The big picture is God has sent his Son….
The Cross – it was the most evil day and yet it was a day God planned (v.23) – it was no accident. The cross was ugly – the cross meant to the devote Jew that Jesus could not be the Messiah.
The Resurrection v. 24 – God raised him .
The Ascension – and the risen Christ – notice Christ filled with joy.
This is how we proclaim the Gospel…yes its direct for you, and for us here in Scots…and for Hamilton…and Newcastle…and NSW….and Australia…and Indonesia and to the ends of the earth – it encompasses everything that has gone on, everything that is going on and everything that will go on. Nothing escapes its gaze.
4) It’s bridal – 29- 36 – About Christ –
– Prophesied in the OT. Psalm 16 and Psalm 110. The OT is about Christ – Look at the logic….you will not let your body see decay – but David did decay – his tomb is here.
– Accredited by miracles signs and wonders Life
– The Cross – death
– The Resurrection 2:24 – can’t keep a good man down…. The Acts of the Resurrection…
– Pours out the Holy Spirit – v.33 and is seated on the throne. Exaltation .
– Lord and Messiah. V. 37 Kurios Yahweh.
He is Lord. He is God….
“The fact is that I am a Christian… I was once quite a militant atheist myself…But now I am a believer, and that helps me a lot in my activities, because everything becomes much, much easier. I think about things less. There are fewer dilemmas in my life, because there is a book in which, in general, it is more or less clearly written what action to take in every situation. It’s not always easy to follow this book, of course, but I am actually trying. And so, as I said, it’s easier for me, probably, than for many others, to engage in politics.” Alex Navalny
Full of Christ, Full of the Spirit, Full of Scripture….Prophecy – preaching is God speaking
We will look at their response next week but right now I have to ask what your response is?
Jesus often said – if you have ears then listen. He was really asking are we listening…? How do we listen to preaching? With humility, questions, prayerfully seeking to be doers of the word and not just hearers only.