Peter Preaches at Pentecost (Acts 2:14–41)

Prepared and preached by Pastor Steve Rhodes for and at Bethel Friends Church in Poland, OH on Sunday, February 4, 2024

There are different types of preaching, public speaking, and teaching. Now, it is said that public speaking is one of the fears of most people. I was required to take public speaking in high school, college, and seminary. I remember being in high school and I was so nervous to deliver my speech. It was terrible. My public speaking class followed lunch; do you know how hard it is to think about your speech all day long. It just ruined lunch. I was nervous. In college, I was still nervous. I was not as nervous because, by this point, I had preached and taught at church, but I didn’t know my audience that well. In seminary, I was used to public speaking and so I was not that nervous at all.

In like manner, I was required to take two preaching classes in college and one in seminary. By this time, I had done some preaching in my church and other churches, so I had a bit of confidence, even though I was preaching to my peers. In college, we didn’t have to preach without notes. In seminary, we were required to preach without notes, and that was quite frustrating and challenging, though a good challenge. But, as stated, there are different types of preaching. In college, I had to preach a sermon called: “A Story Told.” This means that I was required to take the character or part in a Bible passage. So, you could preach a sermon from the church mouse’s perspective. I preached Samuel’s call in 1 Samuel 3 from Eli’s perspective. Later, while serving as associate pastor, there was a day when someone else was scheduled to preach, and the senior pastor was away. But I received the 7 A.M. phone call. The voice on the other line said, “Steve, I am sick and too sick to preach, I am so sorry.” Or something like that. So, I dug out that sermon from college, and it was well received. There are other types of preaching. Some preaching is prophetic, delivering God’s call to His people. Some are more expository, which is usually my style. This means to talk and teach about a passage. Of course, an expository sermon can be prophetic, or a story told, or another form.

Why do I tell you all of this? I am talking about this because we are about to talk about Peter’s first sermon in Acts. Actually, I dare say that this is Peter’s first sermon, period. Was Peter nervous? I doubt it.

I intend to show you that this sermon is an evangelistic sermon. Peter is declaring that Jesus is the Messiah they were waiting for, and Peter challenges them to repent and receive Jesus as their Lord and Savior.

Think of an evangelist, who is an evangelist that you may think of? Name some names. Now, think of Peter in that way. Peter is proclaiming Christ, not unlike Billy Graham or another evangelist.

1. This is the fulfillment of prophecy (vv. 15–21)

Acts 2:14–21 (ESV)

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.’

1. 1. Notice this. Peter stands up to address the crowd to proclaim the fulfillment of the prophesy. We see this in the initial few verses.
   2. In verse 15, Peter begins to make a defense. He is stating that the people are not drunk. Remember our context here. In the previous verses, the first few verses of Acts 2, the people receive the Holy Spirit. The people started talking in foreign tongues, and the others are likely wondering what is going on. Think about this: the Holy Spirit has come upon the church like a mighty rushing wind. It is likely that anyone in the area heard a tornado type of wind. They saw tongues of fire, and now, Peter started to preach. The other people thought the disciples were drunk.
   3. Peters says that they aren’t drunk because it is too early. It is only 9 A.M., and at 9 A.M., people are not drinking yet.
   4. I read in my studies that in that day, people would not drink wine without eating meat, and that meal would come in the evening, so they definitely were not drinking yet.
   5. An explanation (vv. 16–21): Now, Peter quotes a passage from the Old Testament. He quotes Joel 2:28-32, and this is his defense; this is his explanation. This passage was written following a locust invasion of the Jewish people, but Peter applies it to his day and age. This passage is saying that God will pour out His Spirit in the last days. I believe, at least partially, Peter is applying this passage to their day and age. Peter is essentially stating that they are now in the last days. They are living in the last days. God says in this passage that in the last days, He will pour out His Spirit on the people. God says that this will affect men and women who will both see visions and prophesy. This is an amazing prophesy, which has now come about. Verse 19 mentions wonders and signs. In Acts, these are almost always listed together; signs and wonders go together.
   6. Verse 20 likely has not yet happened, though there are different thoughts about that verse.
   7. But verse 21: “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” This is now happening.

• Jesus is the Messiah (vv. 22–32) Look how Peter breaks down the Gospel.

Acts 2:22–32 (ESV)

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.

1. His works attest that He is the Messiah (v. 22): Peter references miracles, wonders, and signs. But the greatest miracle was the resurrection.
2. Do you ever think about that? How easy it is for us to forget, neglect, and trivialize the resurrection. Jesus is not dead. Can you have a relationship with a dead person? Of course not. But we can with Jesus because He is alive.
3. His resurrection attests that He is the Messiah (vv. 23–32): Verse 25 begins a quote from Psalm 16:8-11 and this attests to Jesus as the Messiah. The writer is stating that God would not allow Jesus to stay in the grave. In verse 29, Peter states that the writer of the Psalm is not talking about himself. They knew exactly where David’s grave was, and David was dead. But Jesus was resurrected (Verse 31).

• Jesus, the glorified Messiah, poured forth the Holy Spirit (vv. 33–36).

Acts 2:33–36 (ESV)

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.”

1. So, now we see Jesus as the Messiah with the Holy Spirit. Verse 33, Jesus is exalted at the right hand of God. Verse 35 is a quote from Psalm 110:1.
2. The people respond with the question of what they are to do.

• Application (vv. 37–40)

Acts 2:37–40 (ESV)

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.”

1. Peter does not hold back.
2. They must repent and be baptized into Jesus.

Repent means to have a change of heart. I wonder, have you repented?

Have you turned your life over to Jesus?

Think with me again about evangelists. Billy Graham always asked for a response. I need you to respond as well.

Maybe you need to receive Christ for the first time. Maybe you have never surrendered to Christ. I am not talking about saying a prayer as a child, being infant baptized, or anything else. I mean repentance and surrender. Are you living for Christ?

Maybe some of you need to be like Peter and preach the Gospel. Maybe some of you need to commit to living the Gospel. Maybe some of you must recognize that Jesus is Lord.

God created us to be with him (Genesis 1-2).

Our sin separated us from God (Genesis 3).

Sins cannot be removed by good deeds (Gen 4-Mal 4).

Paying the price for sin, Jesus died and rose again (Matthew – Luke).

Everyone who trusts in him alone has eternal life (John – Jude).

Life that’s eternal means we will be with Jesus forever (Revelation 22:5).

 

Pray