“Men of Israel, hear these words: Jesus of Nazareth, a Man attested by God to you by miracles, wonders, and signs which God did through Him in your midst, as you yourselves also know—” (Acts 2:22)
- Now here on the day of Pentecost Peter is preaching the gospel message to listeners. I want you to notice first—what Peter doesn’t say.
- He didn’t use trite, meaningless, clichés, or platitudes. He didn’t preach a socially accepted ear tickling sermon—which is so commonly done in today’s denominations he did not speak of his self-importance as an appointed Apostle.
Fact is, the church began that day because Peter preached the word—the message of Jesus Christ. He preached the truth (John 17:17)—he preached the gospel, just the way he received it from Jesus. The word being the Rock of Christ – Matthew 7:24-25. Not necessarily a safe message because preachers and followers of the gospel would be imprisoned, stoned, lashed, ridiculed, and even killed. Remember, Jesus even told Peter, “…when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and another will gird you and carry you where you do not wish” (John 21:18) describing Peter’s manner of death.
From here I want bring out 4 points from the message Peter preached that day, the first. . .
- Miracles, Wonders, and Signs are from God – He was “…a Man attested by God…” Attested [ἀποδείκνυμι] APO-DEK-NU-ME, means: “to declare: to show, prove what kind of a person anyone is” [Thayer’s]. Remember our lesson from 2 Thessalonians 2 where the man of lawlessness was, “…showing himself that he is God… sets himself up in God’s temple, proclaiming himself to be God” (2 Thess. 2:3, 4). Jesus was no trickster—no deceiver, He was God just like John wrote (John 1:1, 14).
- God Planned it All – “Him, being delivered by the determined purpose and foreknowledge of God, you [a]have taken by lawless hands, have crucified, and put to death;” (Acts 2:23). Look again “delivered by the determined purpose and foreknowledge of God…” . Yes, the Jews took Jesus – yes they delivered Him to be crucified—but only because it was God’s purpose. Everything that happened from the virgin birth to the cross was planned by God before the world was. “And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your seed and her Seed; He shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise His heel” (Gen. 3:15). “Even my own familiar friend in whom I trusted, who ate my bread, has lifted up his heel against me.” (Psa. 41:9). Peter wrote, “He indeed was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was [a]manifest in these last times for you” (1 Pet. 1:20). Facts are facts: The church was in the mind of God before the foundation of the world – Eph. 1:4. What all this means is that the false teachers out there who claim that “man interfered with Jesus’ first attempt at setting up His kingdom”. Nobody took Jesus against His will—not the Jews, not the Romans. It was fulfillment of prophecy: “I gave My back to those who struck Me, and My cheeks to those who plucked out the beard; I did not hide My face from shame and spitting.” (Isa. 50:6), “Surely He has borne our griefs…He was wounded[k] for our transgressions…the Lord laid on Him the iniquity of us all… He was led as a lamb to the slaughter… He poured out His soul unto death… He bore the sin of many” (Isa. 53:4, 5, 6, 7, 12). Yet—Jesus was not helpless against man—“Or do you think that I cannot now pray to My Father, and He will provide Me with more than twelve legions of angels?” ( 26:53).
- The Resurrection Was Planned – “whom God raised up, having [b]loosed the [c]pains of death, because it was not possible that He should be held by it.” (Acts 2:24). Jesus rose from the dead and it was planned by God. Jesus lives—Jesus is the resurrection and the life (John 11:25). In fact, there were witnesses – Cephas, the twelve, 500 brethren at one time, James, and Paul – (1 Cor. 15:3-8).
- Jesus Ascended Into Heaven – “Therefore being exalted [a]to the right hand of God, and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, He poured out this which you now see and hear. 34 “For David did not ascend into the heavens, but he says himself: ‘The Lord said to my Lord, “Sit at My right hand, 35till I make Your enemies Your footstool.” ’” (Acts 2:33-35) Peter makes it crystal clear David speaks of Jesus ascending to the right hand of God—not of himself. Evident since Peter said, “For David did not ascend into the heavens” Peter is quoting David who wrote, “1 The Lord said to my Lord, “Sit at My right hand, till I make Your enemies Your footstool.” (Psa. 110:1).
Question: Are you a friend of Jesus or an enemy? A friend is one who has obeyed the gospel of Christ—and enemy isn’t a bad person—just one who has refused the invitation. My friends we must understand the “rod of Your strength” refers to the power of God’s word which is “…the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes…” 1:16.
At verse 36 we read, “Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly that God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ”
Jesus is both Lord and Christ—