SAVINGS AND GROANS
ACTS 2:14-41
About 90 years ago, a 26-year-old college student in Wales named Evan Roberts got permission to leave college and return to his home village of Loughor to preach his first sermon. Seventeen people up to listen to his sermon. No one could have predicted the impact. Within three months 100,000 converts had been added to the churches of Wales. Five years later a book was published that tried to debunk the revival. The main point of the book: 100,000 people added to the churches, only 80,000 remained after five years! That same revival jumped the ocean and spread to America.
In the 1970’s something like that was happening in California. It’s been called the Jesus Movement. I was a part of that and some of you were as well. I wasn’t raised in a Christian home, but when I was 20 I came under deep conviction of sin. My life changed because of revival preaching.
These sermons that are recorded in Chapter’s 2-4 are important because they show us what was important to the early Church. They tell us the story of the Passion and its impact in the early church: revival. Think about what happened: Location: in the Temples outer court: think about the events of 50 days earlier and Peter and the Temple. Then: Denial, dejection and depression. Now: trumpeting, triumph and transition. Then: curses on the tongue. Now: contrasting tongues with a blessing attached.
I) CONTRASTING WORDS: REGRET UNDER INFLUENCE (2:14-20)
2:14 Then Peter stood up with the Eleven, raised his voice and addressed the crowd: “Fellow Jews and all of you who live in Jerusalem, let me explain this to you; listen carefully to what I say. The explanation is directed to the composition of the early Church: “fellow Jews and all who live in Jerusalem.” Later (v.22 and 29) the two groups are combined under the phrases “Men of Israel” and “Brothers.” Here they were set apart in order to address those who were confused by the language miracle. Many people and languages heard as one a unified message. The problem with communicating is best seen in the need to create equivalent ideas for contrast and understanding to occur.
“The Scriptures are full of moral instruction and ethical exhortation, but the ground and motivation of all is found in the mercy of Jesus Christ. We are to preach all the riches of Scripture, but unless the center holds, all the bits and pieces of our pulpit counseling, or our thundering at social sins, of our positive or negative thinking – all fly off into the Sunday morning air . . . let others develop the pulpit fads of the passing seasons, Specialize in preaching Jesus.” Edmond Clowney
2:15 These men are not drunk, as you suppose. It’s only nine in the morning! The negative argument: we cannot be drunk, it’s only nine in the morning. The messengers needed to be empowered. Some say the most amazing miracle was the transformation of the messengers. Jesus had told them to wait in Jerusalem for the Holy Spirit. He promised that when the Spirit came he would empower them to be his witnesses. They really did need that power. It wasn’t much more than a month earlier that those closest to Jesus had completely flopped. Do you remember how when Jesus when in the garden of Gethsemene He was deeply troubled, and he asked his disciples to just stay awake and was for him? Then when the Roman cohort came with the chief priests to arrest Jesus, we are told that “they all left him and fled” (Mark 14:50)? Just a few hours later, Peter, the one disciple you would think Jesus could count on, denied that he even knew him three times. We think of these men as so strong and capable, but they were as self-protective and weak kneed as any of us. They groaned under the load before. Now they groaned under the anointing.
2:16-21 No, this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel: The positive response to the negative comment: this is what Joel spoke about in Joel. Pilate is like most of us. He wilted in the light of history. Joel’s prophesy is important. It establishes a point of continuation and fulfillment until judgment is complete. No, this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel:
17” ‘In the last days, God says,
I will pour out my Spirit on all people.
Your sons and daughters will prophesy,
your young men will see visions,
your old men will dream dreams.
18Even on my servants, both men and women,
I will pour out my Spirit in those days,
and they will prophesy.
19I will show wonders in the heaven above
and signs on the earth below,
blood and fire and billows of smoke.
20The sun will be turned to darkness
and the moon to blood
before the coming of the great and glorious day of the Lord.
21And everyone who calls
on the name of the Lord will be saved.
22“Men of Israel, listen to this: Jesus of Nazareth was a man accredited by God to you by miracles, wonders and signs, which God did among you through him, as you yourselves know.
II) CONTRASTING CHOICES: PEOPLE AND POTENTATES (21-31)
2:22-36 The preaching (kerygma) section. The age of fulfillment has arrived.
2:22 “Men of Israel, listen to this: Jesus of Nazareth was a man accredited by God to you by miracles, wonders and signs, which God did among you through him, as you yourselves know.” The messages topic: Jesus of Nazareth and the signs, wonders & miracles He works. The three terms are only used here and in 2 Corinthians 12:12. The more common term is signs and wonders. Holy Spirit and the world: the purpose of His outpouring is to both empower and convict until the end of the Age, not simply at the end of the Age. The message contains Gospel events and the focus is on the life of Jesus.
2:23 This man was handed over to you by God’s set purpose and foreknowledge; and you, with the help of wicked men (lawless), put him to death by nailing him to the cross. Jesus death is presented as a combination of divine will and human need/freedom. This is the paradox of history and God: whatever happens God knows, yet we are responsible for what occurs. “With the help of wicked men” points to the Roman’s in Palestine whom the Jewish leaders needed if a death sentence was to be carried out. Think about His death: Peter attributes the death of Christ both to the wickedness of men and to the purpose of God. He wants them to know that “the One God attested to, you killed.” Gentiles were commonly called wicked because they didn’t have the Law. Peter does something new however, he connects the wicked Gentiles with the Jewish leaders. In essense he says they are without law also. Most of all: Peter tells us that the stigma of sin is wiped away by the most shame filled act Rome could employ: the cross.
2:24 But God raised him from the dead, freeing him from the agony of death, because it was impossible for death to keep its hold on him. Peter goes on and starting in v.24 talks about his resurrection. Here the resurrection is attributed to God the Father alone: no human agency, not even Jesus, had anything to do with it. Because of the resurrection, Jesus has been exalted to the right hand of God: a place of blessing and correction or judgment (anestesin/raised up). We use this for resurrection, but it has a legal implication of being “raised up” as a new judge being elevated to the seat on the bench.
Holy Spirit’s release to the Church is the sign of Christ’s presence, power and glory. The Messianic age will end when Jesus returns. Notice how Peter assumes that they were in the last days. The “last days” was a term that referred to the time when the Messiah came. So for us they extend from the time of his first coming to the time of his second coming. If we’re going to see the same kind of thing happen today, if we’re ever going to see something like revival in our church, or our community, or our nation, it will not be because of our own courage, or ingenious planning, or slick programs, or effective training. It will be because the Holy Spirit has done something in our lives.
2:28-32 You have made known to me the paths of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence.’29 “Brothers, I can tell you confidently that the patriarch David died and was buried, and his tomb is here to this day. 30 But he was a prophet and knew that God had promised him on oath that he would place one of his descendants on his throne. 31 Seeing what was ahead, he spoke of the resurrection of the Christ, that he was not abandoned to the grave, nor did his body see decay. This is what is called a Pesher from the Qumran community: it means an interpretation. It was a methodology for interpreting that emphasized prophetic fulfillment, without focusing on the details of the prophecy. A common Pesher opens by stating: “this is that…” Peter was calling attention to the common belief that prophecy had ceased, but was now happening again. We see this by his assertion “In the last days” (v.17) and “they will prophecy.” An additional emphasis is placed on the statement by declaring that it is God who says this (v.17).
It is important for us to look at what Peter does with the Old Testament passage and how he uses it. For him, what the Scripture says is what God says and does. He also let’s his listeners know, and us as well, that the last days began with the death and resurrection of Jesus. He points to the newly emerging prophetic movement as the validating clause that proves his point. God’s long awaited redemptive program is now moving ahead with full force. He also implies that the response will produce a “going forth” of the messages power from Jerusalem, adding a new prophetic edge. Joel 2:28-32 was a highly recognized Messianic passage at the time of the Churches birth. It also let’s us see a glimpse into human expectations and time lines and God’s idea of time.
III) CONTRASTING CONSEQUENCES: FREEDOM AND CONSEQUENCES (32-41)
2:25-35 Here Peter quotes from two Psalms: 16:8-11 and 110:1,” to support what he had said about Jesus in v. 24 This is also done in the Qumran Pesher style: ‘I saw the Lord always before me. Because he is at my right hand, I will not be shaken… because you will not abandon me to the grave, nor will you let your Holy One see decay. 28 You have made known to me the paths of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence… The Lord said to my Lord: “Sit at my right hand 35 until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet.
Both Psalm 16 and 110 were considered to be mysteries by the Jewish interpreters of Jesus time period. Peter gives understanding to something that many had debated over for years. This was due to Jesus use of the same passage in Psalm 110 in Mark 12:35-37. Jesus said that this promise refers to Him, and Peter reminds everyone of this fact. The agony and humiliation of the garden was necessary, as they lead to the exalted position, power and authority of the right hand of God. He further refers to another clearly Messianic Psalm and interprets Psalm 16:10 in light of the resurrection: “You will not abandon me to the grave, nor will you let your holy one see decay.” Even David prophesied about the Messiah’s triumph over the grave, according to Peter.
2:36 “Therefore let all Israel be assured of this: God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ.” Jewish faith stated that no one had the right to designate someone as Messiah until they had fulfilled the Messiah’s work. Peter does this here. He proclaims that Jesus is the Lord not only after the resurrection (finished work), but because of the resurrection. Later, the unknown writer of Hebrews 12:12 declares that Jesus is the Leader (author) and Finisher (perfecter) of our faith.
Conclusion: 2:37-41 When the people heard this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and the other apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?” 38 Peter replied, “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 The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off—for all whom the Lord our God will call.” 40 With many other words he warned them; and he pleaded with them, “Save yourselves from this corrupt generation.” 41 Those who accepted his message were baptized, and about three thousand were added to their number that day. Peter’s preaching was incredibly effective: the words cut to the heart. This is a referral to the deep emotions that began to be shown over the realization that they had killed their Messiah. The response was to repent: change your heart, confess your sin, and then get baptized. Show everyone what you now accept as true. Letting the LORD add you to His Saving Account, and then you get to begin to Groan under Holy Spirit influence.
