Bible Study Week 8
Part 2
The First Covenant Sermon
Peter Preaches
Peter heard their false accusations of drunkenness and immediately stood up in the disciples' defense. He was not the same fearful man who had cowardly denied his Lord as Jesus was being led to His crucifixion. It was a strong Simon Peter who stood and addressed the crowd that was gathered to see this marvelous event. It was a man Jesus foresaw when He declared that He would give Peter the keys of the kingdom of Heaven in Mathew 16. Peter was now ready to use those keys. First, he preached to them about the same precious Lord whom he had denied. This time his words were not words of defeat and cowardly denial but words that rang forth with victory.
>>> What can we learn from Peter's boldness to preach the gospel message on the Day of Pentecost?
We should be encouraged that despite Peter's mistakes, God chose him for such a pivotal message. No matter what mistakes we've made in the past, when God makes us new, we can boldly step into the promises He has for us.
Peter Preaches with Power
Peter preached with power that only the anointing of the Holy Spirit can give. The other eleven stood with Peter in full agreement as he preached the first sermon of the newborn church of Jesus Christ. His message began: "Ye men of Judah, and all ye that dwell at Jerusalem, be this known unto you, and hearken to my words: for these are not drunken, as ye suppose, seeing it is but the third hour of the day" (Acts 2:14-15).
Fulfillment of Joel's Prophecy
Peter declared that the outpouring of the Holy Ghost was the fulfillment of Joel's wonderful prophecy that in the last days God would pour out His Spirit upon all flesh (Joel 2:28). A worldwide outpouring of the Holy Ghost with the accompanying initial sign of speaking in other tongues would be God's blessing upon humanity throughout the church age. Peter preached to them the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ and told them that their own wicked hands were guilty of Jesus' death on Calvary.
Peter Preaches on the Resurrection
Peter brought his sermon to a climax by declaring that God had made that same Jesus, whom they had crucified, both Lord and Christ. Conviction gripped the hearts of the people as Peter preached his inspired sermon. In desperation and heartfelt sincerity, they cried out to Peter and to the rest of the apostles, "Men and brethren, what shall we do?" (Acts 2:37).
God's Plan of Salvation
An honest question deserves an honest answer, especially when people's destiny in eternity is at stake. Their question, "What shall we do?" was all important. They wanted to know how they could be saved. The responsibility rested squarely on Peter's shoulders to deliver to the multitude the proper New Testament plan for salvation. Peter had been given the keys to the Kingdom. For the first time, he was bout to use those keys to unlock the door of salvation to those present. Without hesitation and with the full support of the other apostles, Peter's voice boomed forth the answer to the thousands of hungry listeners before him.
"Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost" (Acts 2:38).
How beautiful! By simply obeying God's command to repent of their sins and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ, they were promised the same glorious baptism of the Holy Ghost the 120 had received that same day. In the next verse, Peter extended the promise of the Holy Ghost to all believers throughout the church age until Jesus comes again.
"For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call" (Acts 2:39).