Peter’s Sermon.
Peter’s sermon’s the first sermon, preached after Jesus’s disciples received the infilling or baptism with the Holy Spirit.
The sermon titled “This Jesus” presented the disciples the opportunity to preach Jesus to the large numbers of Jews living in and outside Jerusalem. In this way, the gospel spread to the Jews and the converts to Judaism from all over the World. Thus, salvation was first offered to the Jews and the converts to Judaism.
The Occasion.
The Jewish feast of Pentecost was the occasion for Peter’s sermon.
Jews and converts to Judaism from every Nation had come to Jerusalem for the feast of Passover and unleavened bread.
And they were still in Jerusalem during the feast of Pentecost. When they suddenly heard a loud sound that caught their attention, and as they came together, they became even more confused because they each understood the language spoken to them by Jesus’s disciples, who were Galileans. The disciples speaking in different tongues were attesting to the Wonderful works of God.
But while some of the Jews were wondering what was happening, others mocked, saying that the disciples were “full of new wine”. It was their mockery that prompted Peter’s sermon.
The purpose of Peter’s sermon is for the salvation of the Jews. Peter proved that Jesus was the Messiah, so the Jews should turn to Him and be saved.
And to do this, Peter had to present the whole gospel to them.
This whole gospel is, therefore, what every believer should know about Christ.
The Content of Peter’s Sermon.
The Content of Peter’s sermon includes:-
Peter’s Defense Of The Disciples.
(1) A defence of the charge of drunkenness the Jews made against the disciples. Peter successfully defended the disciples as he explained their actions using the scriptures. He explained that the disciples were not blabbing nor drunk with new wine. But that, the promise of God spoken by the prophet Joel was being fulfilled.
“And it will be in the last days, says God, that I will pour out My Spirit on all humanity; then your sons and daughters will prophesy, your young men will see visions, and your old men will dream dreams. I will even pour out My Spirit on My male and female slaves in those days, and they will prophesy. I will display wonders in the heaven above and signs on the earth below: blood, fire and a cloud of smoke. The sun will be turned to darkness and the moon to blood before the great and remarkable Day of the Lord comes. Then everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” Joel 2:28-32.
Jesus Christ, The Nazarene.
(2) the introduction of Jesus to the Jews as the one from Nazareth whom God, by miracles, signs and, Wonders introduced to them.
Peter’s introduction of Christ as a Nazarene, “despised of men,” and that He was raised from the dead by God proved to the Jews that Jesus was the Messiah because these statements refer to the teachings of the Old Testament Prophets, such as Isaiah, who spoke of a suffering Messiah. And of the patriarch David, who spoke concerning the resurrection of the Messiah, saying,
“He was not left in Hades, and His flesh did not experience decay.” Psalms 16:10.
(3) The suffering and death of Jesus.
(4) The burial and resurrection of Jesus.
(5) The Ascension and Exaltation of Jesus.
And (6) The current position of Jesus as Lord and Christ.
What Every Believer Should Know About Christ.
What we can take away from Peter’s sermon that every believer should know is that:
(1) Our words and actions should conform to the Word of God so we can defend the faith.
The words and actions of the worldly person are reckless because they are from a spirit of drunkenness. But the words and actions of the believer in Christ are good for building up someone in need. So the believer’s filled with the Holy Spirit, not wine.
(2) Christ is called a Nazarene, and so are His followers. Matthew 2:23; Acts 24:5
According to Strong’s Concordance and Bible Dictionary, Nazarene or “Nazoraios” (nad-zo-rah-yos), could mean “Branch”, “Separated One”, or “despised of men.”
This means the people had different opinions about Christ, some good and some bad.
This will be the same with the believer. But the believer should be Christlike.
The Death Of Christ.
(3) Peter’s sermon proved that Jesus Christ died on the cross.
The believer must recognize and stand on the ground of the death of Christ as a fact for faith.
The shedding of Christ’s blood led to the remission of our sins. And will continue to do so as long as we recognize His death.
And by His death, we are free from sin. For with Christ’s death, we died with Him. And our old man or sinful nature was crucified with Him. We were in Him when He hung on the cross.
So it’s Christ’s death that sets us free from sin and spiritual death by the knowledge that we died with Him.
And because we acknowledge our death with Christ, we can and should surrender our will to God.
The shed blood of Christ also proved that the “Will” of God is activated. And in the “Will” of God, ‘nothing shall be impossible’, because it shall no longer be by power or by might but by the Spirit of God. This fulfils the prophecy of Zechariah. (Zechariah 4:6)
The Burial And Resurrection.
(4) Peter’s sermon also proved Jesus Christ was buried and raised back to Life.
The believer must also recognize the burial and resurrection of Christ as fact for faith.
For by Christ’s burial, our old man or sinful nature was buried with Him.
Our old man or Adamic nature is Adam’s likeness and image. It is the fallen or sinful nature that we inherited from him.
So, standing on the ground of Christ’s burial, we no longer belong to Adam, and no resemblance exists between him and us anymore. Adam’s weakness and sickness, curses, failure, barrenness. etc., that we inherited from him are, therefore, done away with.
And by Christ’s resurrection, we receive eternal Life, the Life and nature of God. We are, therefore, raised with Christ to newness of Life. We are new creations and sons of God, partakers of the Divine nature and resembling God in everything.
“……….. you have put off the old man with his deeds. And have put on the new man who is renewed in knowledge according to the image of Him who created him.” Col. 3:9-10.
We have also received the promised Holy Spirit. And God (the Godhead dwells in us bodily) now lives in us by His Spirit. Thus fulfilling His promise, ” I will never leave you nor forsake you.” Hebrews 13:5.
The Ascension And Exaltation.
(5) Peter’s sermon also proved that Jesus Christ ascended to heaven and now sits at the right hand of God.
The believer must recognize the ascension and exaltation of Christ as a fact for faith.
And as we stand on the ground of the ascension of Jesus Christ, the believer must know that Jesus Christ will return. As He ascended, the same way He will return. So we should prepare for His return.
On the ground of the exaltation of Christ, the believer must know that we sit in Christ at the right hand of God. And that we have power and authority over Satan and his demons and all things.
And this Jesus whom the Jews Crucified is now Lord and Christ, the proof being the Outpoured Holy Spirit.
“…… no one can say that Jesus is Lord except by the Holy Spirit.” I Cor. 12:3.
Conclusion On Peter’s Sermon.
Peter’s sermon so deeply convicted the hearts of the Jews and converts to Judaism that they asked him and the rest of the apostles to tell them what to do. So he said to them, “Repent and baptize in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness or remission of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.”
Peter then concluded his sermon by saying,
“Be saved from this perverse generation. And that day, three thousand souls gladly received Peter’s word and joined the disciples.” Acts 2:40-41.