Scripture Reading: Acts 2:22–36
You can turn in your Bibles back to Acts chapter 2. This morning we read the entirety of the chapter, all of Acts chapter 2. We noted, of course, that our scope of focus was Acts 2, verse 22 to verse 36. So we'll read that portion of Scripture now, Acts 2, beginning in verse 22.
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, him being delivered by the determined purpose and foreknowledge of God, you have taken by lawless hands, have crucified and put to death. Whom God raised up, having loosed the pains of death, because it was not possible that he should be held by it. For David says concerning him, I foresaw the Lord always before my face, for he is at my right hand that I may not be shaken.
Therefore, my heart rejoiced and my tongue was glad. Moreover, my flesh also will rest in hope, for you will not leave my soul in Hades, nor will you allow your Holy One to see corruption. You have made known to me the ways of life. You will make me full of joy in your presence.
Men and brethren, Let me speak freely to you of the patriarch, David, that he is both dead and buried, and his tomb is with us to this day. Therefore, being a prophet and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him that of the fruit of his body, according to the flesh, he would raise up the Christ to sit on his throne. He, foreseeing this, spoke concerning the resurrection of the Christ. that his soul was not left in Hades, nor did his flesh see corruption. This Jesus God has raised up, of which we are all witnesses.
Therefore, being exalted 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. For David did not ascend into the heavens, but he says himself, the Lord said to my Lord, sit at my right hand till I make your enemies your footstool. Therefore, let all the house of Israel know assuredly that God has made this Jesus whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ. Amen.
Opening Prayer
Well, let's go to the Lord, our God, in prayer again. Heavenly Father, Thank you again that we can read from the scriptures now. We rejoice again and would praise you again for the fact that we can hold the full Bible in our hands because we know in many nations where there is much persecution and much opposition to the gospel that our brothers and sisters in Christ do not even have a full Bible, if a Bible at all. We do pray that we would count that a high and heavy privilege to hold your revelation in our hands and we pray now that you would bless this act of preaching, this act of worship, the preaching of your word, that you would be honored and glorified in this act and that the people gathered here would rightfully give you praise for all things and it's in Christ's name that we do pray.
Amen.
Introduction
Well you'll remember if you were here this morning that We felt it a good thing to add something of a sermon accompaniment to Pastor Butler's preaching through the Gospel of Matthew. More specifically, that promise in Matthew 16, 18, I will build my church and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it. We noted this morning that subsequent revelation in many ways is the opening up of that promise that Christ gives to his disciples there. I will build my church. and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it because we come to Acts chapter 2 and we see the one to whom Jesus spoke that word at least one of the many to whom Jesus spoke those words standing up on the day of Pentecost and preaching Christ Jesus to those to whom before he denied the Savior now with the comfort and the courage that his Savior gave him he is proclaiming Jesus Christ and his riches and his glories.
And it is by this means of proclamation, by this preaching, that Christ does build his church and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it. And we look this morning at in verses 22 through to verse 31, we looked at the central message. First off, we noted that the central message contained in verses 22 to 24 is concerning Jesus Christ, specifically His death and His resurrection. That this Jesus Christ who performed wonders and signs and miracles is the one that God prepared beforehand to carry out the work of salvation that you by lawless hands have crucified and put to death and that God has raised up.
And we noted that yes, there is of course the reality that that is the central gospel message, the death and resurrection of Christ, but also that Peter tailors his sermon to his audience specifically at the point of they being the ones who crucified the Lord of glory. Remember, Peter is hammering the nail of guilt into the consciences of the gathered assembly, and he tells them that you, by lawless hands, have taken him, this Christ, crucified him, and put him to death. And we noted the scriptural anticipation that The Apostle Peter here appeals to Psalm 16. No doubt he appeals to the theological weight of other portions of the Old Testament, 2 Samuel 7, and the Davidic Promise, the Davidic Covenant.
But the idea is that Peter goes to the Scriptures, something that his audience would be familiar with, in order to argue for the certain truthfulness that this Jesus Christ was promised and that he was raised up by God. Well, now we get to two more things that we'll look at in subsequent verses. In verse 31, we see the historical, or excuse me, verse 32, we see the historical fulfillment. And in verses 33 to 36, we see the weighty implications.
The Historical Fulfillment
So first off, the historical fulfillment And we see this in verse 32. This Jesus God has raised up, of which we are all witnesses. You see, this Jesus spoken of by Peter, promised in the OT scriptures, in the Old Testament scriptures, did truly rise again as it was promised and prophesied that he would. Peter goes to the Old Testament, to argue for the certain truthfulness that this Jesus is the one prophesied by David, whom he calls a patriarch and a prophet.
And then he brings to bear eyewitness testimony in order to confirm the truthfulness that God has raised up this Jesus, the Christ. This is F.F. Bruce, in asserting that Jesus of Nazareth had been so delivered and raised by God, Peter and his colleagues were making a claim which they could confirm by their personal ocular testimony. Ocular of course you probably or maybe you don't know what that means, but of or pertaining to the eyes The ocular organs again.
He says that Peter and his colleagues Peter Peter and his colleagues were making a claim which they could confirm by their personal ocular testimony. This is something, as we'll make a note of later, that we do not do in this 2,000 years removed from the historical redemptive era or epoch that we have here before us in the Book of Acts. We no longer appeal to ocular testimony and to the testimony of our senses because Christ has now been exalted to the right hand of the majesty on high, and we no longer appeal to those things. But nevertheless, we have the historical fulfillment, and we see language all throughout the New Testament confirming the firsthand eyewitness accounts.
And
Luke's Eyewitness Testimony
we'll move from the general to the specific, but first, we see the New Testament confirming the firsthand eyewitness accounts in the introductory statements of Luke in his two volumes. Now, you need to pay close attention as we read these texts, because as Christians, we do not follow after, as Peter would say, cunningly devised fables and the myths and the legends of men, as if this story concerning Jesus Christ was concocted in the minds of men in order to propagate and grow a religion in the first century. but much rather we are grounded in the revelation of God which contains in it references and allusions to and citations of eyewitness testimony. Notice the language of Luke. Chapter 1, verses 1 to 4, and hopefully you are familiar with these verses.
We see that we do not follow after cunningly devised fables because we read in Luke 1, verse 1, inasmuch as many have taken in hand to set in order a narrative of those things which have been fulfilled among us, just as those who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and ministers of the Word delivered them to us, it seemed good to me also, having had perfect understanding of all things from the very first, to write to you an orderly account, most excellent Theophilus, that you may know the certainty of those things in which you were instructed." And following after that, of course, we have the life and the times of Jesus Christ, our blessed Savior. But you see the stuff of veracity, the stuff of certain truthfulness. Our religion does not rest upon fable and myth, but rather upon verity of verities, that is, truth of truths we see here that from the beginning or first off we see the language of things fulfilled among us that's why Peter could say God raised up this Jesus of whom we are all witnesses because those things were fulfilled among them from the beginning they were eyewitnesses and ministers of the word and they deliver them to Luke and others, it seemed good, he writes, having had perfect understanding of all things from the very first. We have, the inspired authors, given by divine power, perfect understanding.
And notice it's an orderly account, and it is unto the end that Theophilus, and by extension Christians everywhere, may know the certainty. of those things in which they were instructed. You see, we have in these introductory statements of Luke and Luke 1, and now in Acts 1, the language confirming the firsthand eyewitness accounts of the resurrected Christ. Remember that Luke wrote two volumes, the Gospel of Luke and the Book of Acts. And we see here, we read here in Acts 1, Luke making mention of his former account as he opens up the book this way.
The former account I made, O Theophilus, of all that Jesus began both to do and teach. until the day in which he was taken up, after he, through the Holy Spirit, had given commandments to the apostles whom he had chosen, to whom he also presented himself alive after his suffering by many infallible proofs, being seen by them during forty days and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God." So you see here, Christianity is rooted Not in the eyewitness account of one man secluded in a cave or somewhere out in the wilderness, but rather upon the eyewitness accounts of a number of men, a great number of men, to whom he appeared after his suffering by many. And notice the language, infallible proofs. The religion of Christianity rests upon the things of infallibility. We have in the scriptures an infallible word that discloses to us the truth of the Lord Jesus Christ.
And this is why we must take heed, because these are the things of infallible proofs. And specifically in verse 3, we have what would be behind, no doubt, Peter's statement in Acts 2. In verse 32, we read, to whom he also presented himself, that is to the apostles, to whom he also presented himself alive after his suffering, by many infallible proofs, and we'll look at those proofs in a few moments, but just to note here, we see the language all throughout the New Testament, and we see it first in the introductory statements of Luke in his two volumes, that is, language of first-hand eyewitness accounts.
Apostolic Eyewitness Statements
Secondly, we see these first-hand eyewitness accounts in apostolic statements confirming eyewitness testimony. What do we read in John 1, 14? Remember, in that prologue to the Gospel of John, we read in verse 1, in the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. And then later in verse 14, we read, and the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.
They beheld His glory, and so they could speak concerning the certain truthfulness. of his resurrection. This is Gil. And not only were there some beams of his glory at his transfiguration, which were seen by the apostles, among which the evangelist John was one, and to which he may have here a particular reference, but even at his apprehension, his death, and especially at his resurrection from the dead. So you see, Peter could say with great confidence, this Jesus God raised up, of whom we are all witnesses, because He, like John, beheld His glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.
And have you ever considered this language in 1 John? You can turn there with me. In 1 John, we have more of this, more of these apostolic statements confirming eyewitness testimony. Notice what we read, and this is 1 John right at verse 1. that which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon and our hands have handled concerning the word of life." The blessed apostles whose eyes had seen the Lord, who looked upon Him and who handled Him with their hands.
You see, Christianity, and the apostles knew this very well and rejoiced in it, Christianity does not rest upon cunningly devised fables, but rather is the stuff which the apostles had heard, which they had seen with their own eyes, which they looked upon, and which their hands had handled. And then notice 1 Peter, if you back up in Revelation a couple books. Excuse me, 2 Peter. In 2 Peter, we have where we find this language of cunningly devised fables.
And notice the language of the Apostle Peter who, remember, is the one proclaiming the word in our passage under focus this evening in Acts chapter 2. 2 Peter 1 verse 16, for we did not follow cunningly devised fables when we made known to you the power and coming. of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eyewitnesses of his majesty. For he received from God the Father honor and glory when such a voice came to him from the excellent glory. This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased. And we heard this voice which came from heaven when we were with him on the holy mountain." Again, behind Peter's statement that Jesus was raised by God, of whom we are all witnesses, is the stuff of certain truthfulness, for we did not follow cunningly devised fables.
We see as well, throughout the New Testament, language confirming the firsthand eyewitness accounts.
Post-Resurrection Appearances
We see that third in the narrative accounts of the post-resurrection eyewitness testimony. Turn with me, for me as well, but you can turn to Luke 24. You see, what we have here is probably the language behind at least some of the truth, some of the realities behind John's statement when he writes, whose hands have handled. In Luke 24, we have the post-resurrection appearance of our Lord Jesus Christ.
The patience here of our Savior is, I guess, not surprising, but to us, who wouldn't be this patient in the face of such ignorance, no doubt it can be sometimes surprising. But it all the more highlights the fact that Christ is very different from us. But notice what we have here in Luke 24, beginning at verse 36. Now, as they said these things, Jesus himself stood in the midst of them and said to them, Peace to you.
But they were terrified and frightened, and supposed they had seen a spirit. And he said to them, Why are you troubled? And why do doubts arise in your hearts? Behold my hands and my feet, that it is I myself.
Handle me and see, for a spirit does not have flesh and bones as you see I have. When he said this, when he had said this, he showed them his hands and his feet. But while they still did not believe for joy and marveled, He said to them, have you any food here? So they gave him a piece of broiled fish and some honeycomb and he took it and ate it in their presence.
You see again why Peter can say this Jesus God raised up of whom we are all witnesses because in his pre ascension, post resurrection appearances, not only did they a hear him because we read and he said to them, But no doubt, they saw Him. But that, you see, that still wasn't enough. You see the text does say, for joy, they marveled. But you see something of the ignorance and the unbelief here, because Jesus has to go through a number of infallible proofs in order to make known that this is the Christ, the Son of the living God.
He speaks to them. That isn't enough. They had already cast their eyes upon him, but that wasn't enough because frightened, they supposed him to be a spirit. And then he says, handle me and see.
So he moves from hearing to seeing to handling to the sense of touch. And yet they still do not believe. And so the final proof is that they hand him or he asks for some broiled fish and honeycomb and he eats in their presence. And then he gives them that wonderful Bible study, opening up their minds that they might apprehend the scriptures.
But you see, here we have the stuff of Christ presenting himself alive by many infallible proofs to the gathered apostles.
Paul's Argument in 1 Corinthians 15
And then, fourthly, with regards to language, all throughout the New Testament, confirming the firsthand eyewitness accounts, we have Paul's argument for the certainty of the resurrection of the dead in 1 Corinthians 15. And you'll hopefully remember what we have in that passage, everyone, is that we have the Apostle Paul, among many other things, bringing to bear the implications if Christianity is not true, if the resurrection of the dead and the resurrection of Christ is not true. Paul brings to bear many leveling and sobering implications if that truly is the case. But before he gets to that point, notice the stuff of, we are all witnesses of the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.
Remember, this morning we came to this passage to see a definition of the gospel, so we'll pick up there in verse 3. For I determined, excuse me, for I delivered to you, first of all, that which I also received, that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures, and that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the Scriptures, and that he was seen by Cephas, then by the twelve. After that, he was seen by over five hundred brethren at once, of whom the greater part remained to the present, but some have fallen asleep. After that, he was seen by James, then by all the apostles.
Then, last of all, he was seen by me also, as by one born out of due time. You see what Peter is, what Peter, what Paul is doing here in 1 Corinthians 15 is he's dealing with this bad doctrine of those who were rejecting the resurrection of the dead. And he goes to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ in order to prove the reality that the dead in Christ also will rise again. And you see where he goes.
He speaks first off with regards to the scriptures, because no doubt and of course, that is the ultimate authority, especially in our time and era, the Bible alone. But then he goes to the fact of eyewitness testimony. He is doing what Bruce noted, Peter and his colleagues making a claim which they could confirm by their personal ocular testimony. He was first seen by Peter, or here we read Cephas.
He was seen by Cephas, then by the 12, then by over 500 brethren at once. You see, they could at this time find people, and there were many alive that had seen the risen Christ. They could speak to them. They could ask them if they really doubted, and if they were really plagued by unbelief, they could go to these men who saw the risen Christ, and they would hear yes.
I laid my eyes upon that one who was crucified. He did rise again, and he's now ascended to the right hand of the majesty on high. You see the Bible, the New Testament, time and again brings us language confirming the firsthand eyewitness accounts. And again, what Paul brings to bear here is the reality the sobering reality of what would be the case if Christ had not risen from the dead.
Notice in verse 12, and this is very important, when we say, when we talk about the fact that our religion, our profession, our confession of faith does not rest upon cunningly devised fables that were the case, this would be true. Notice what we read in 1 Corinthians 15 and verse 12. Now, if Christ is preached that he has been raised from the dead, how do some among you say that there is no resurrection of the dead? You see, that was the problem in Corinth, at least one of the many problems in Corinth, the one that he's dealing with right now in chapter 15.
Why are there some among you that say there is no resurrection of the dead? Notice he goes on, but if there is no resurrection of the dead, then Christ is not risen. And if Christ is not risen, then our preaching is empty, and your faith is also empty. Yes, and we are found false witnesses of God, because we have testified of God that He raised up Christ, whom He did not raise up, if in fact the dead do not rise.
You see the brilliance of the Apostle Paul, mounting argument upon argument, if this, then that, if that, then this. And he continues, for if the dead do not rise, then Christ is not risen. And if Christ is not risen, your faith is futile, and you are still in your sins. Then also those who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished.
If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men the most pitiable. You see, the importance of Peter on that day bringing to bear the reality that Christ most certainly was raised by God, and we are all eyewitnesses of this truth, is because Christianity rests upon the truthfulness of that claim. And we know that it is not just a claim, but it is confirmed by the Scriptures, and in the context of Peter and the Apostles, it was confirmed by eyewitness testimony. So we have the historical fulfillment.
The Weighty Implications
Secondly and lastly we have the weighty implications. If you move back to Acts chapter 2, we have the weighty implications in this follows upon that statement in verse 32 where we have already dealt with this Jesus God has raised up of which we are all witnesses and then in verse 33 we have that very important word the therefore where Where we have the implications brought these weighty implications brought to bear as Peter closes up his sermon I guess if we're to be precise, he doesn't necessarily close up his sermon there because in verse 40 we read, and with many other words, he testified and exhorted them. But nevertheless, this section of our focus in this section of Peter's sermon, he brings to bear these weighty implications upon his audience. Upon preaching the message of Christ, supporting it with the scriptures, and confirming it by appealing to the eyewitness testimony of many, Peter then brings to bear some sobering Christological realities.
What we mean by that is, because this sermon is about Christ and the truthfulness about Christ's life, death, resurrection, and ascension, these Christological realities he brings to bear, truths concerning Christ, he brings to bear upon his audience. And there are three that we'll consider based upon the text before us.
Christ Exalted to God's Right Hand
And the first is, he has been exalted. to the right hand of God. Notice verse 33A, excuse me, 33A, therefore being exalted to the right hand of God. Jesus Christ upon the perfect completion of his messianic work, the giving of his life for guilty sinners upon the cross, culminating upon the cross, rising again the third day, he is exalted ultimately to the right hand of God most high. And no doubt his audience understood the implications of the scripture quotation Peter employed.
Bear with me as we go through this exercise. Again, his audience understood the implications of the scripture quotation Peter employed. And what is that? But a verse from Psalm 110, and it's seen here in verse 34.
For David did not ascend into the heavens, but he says himself, the Lord said to my Lord, sit at my right hand till I make your enemies your footstool. So what we're saying when we say that they understood the implications is as their minds are rolling Peter's sermon in their head and as they're understanding what he's saying, they would say, in effect, Peter is saying that we are the enemies of Christ, that he will crush under his foot. You see, there's no other way to wriggle out of the implication. The Lord said to my Lord, sit at my right hand till I make your enemies your footstool.
You see, his audience would have understood the messianic nature of Psalm 110. You read the ancient and even modern Jews with respect to Psalm 110 and Psalm 116 and other passages of the Old Testament. And they understood the messianic implications of those things. They didn't apply them to Jesus as they ought to have, but nevertheless, they understood that Psalm 16, quoted before, and Psalm 110, quoted now in verse 34 and 35, that those applied to the Lord Jesus Christ, to King Messiah.
They did not apply them to the Lord Jesus Christ, but they had a messianic understanding. So the weighty implication here in Christ being exalted to the right hand of God is that their understanding Peter to say to them, you are the enemies of the Lord. And when the Lord said to my Lord, sit at my right hand till I make your enemies your footstool. You are the ones that are in view as Christ lowers his weighty and heavy boot upon his enemies throughout time in history.
And so you see that Peter, in driving the nail of guilt, hammering the nail of guilt into the consciences of his audience, brings to bear this weighty implication that this Jesus has been exalted to the right hand of God, where he rules and reigns for the good of his people, but also rules and reigns crushing those who would oppose him. They understood the implications of the scripture quotation Peter employed, and perhaps even other ones that Peter didn't employ, but were no doubt connected and in the background. For example, they would have had a messianic understanding as well of Psalm 2. Remember what we read there, kiss the sun, previously referred to as the Christ in the first couple verses.
Kiss the sun, lest he be angry. and you perish in the way when his wrath is kindled but a little." It also says before that ending to the psalm that this Christ anointed by God and exalted would dash his enemies to pieces like a potter's vessel. And so they would have understood what Peter was saying here. The weighty implication in verse 33a is that they were the enemies of God and of his exalted Christ.
The Spirit Poured Out on the Church
Secondly, he poured out the Holy Spirit upon the disciples. The second weighty implication is that he poured out the Holy Spirit upon the disciples, again, verse 33, this time 33b, therefore being exalted 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. This sect of the Nazarene, is the recipient of the blessings prophesied by Joel. You'll remember in the opening, in Peter's response to the crowd saying in verse 13, others mocking said, they are full of new wine.
Peter's response is an explanation of what was actually going on. These are not drunk, he says, as you suppose. since it is only the third hour of the day, and then verse 16, but this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel, and he quotes the prophet specifically with respect to the pouring out of the Spirit of God in the last days. And so the weighty implication here is that this sect of the Nazarene is the recipient of the blessings poured out by or the blessings prophesied by Joel poured out by God, it is not the nation of Israel as presently understood as the ones who put to death the Prince of Life and hung him upon a tree. You see, they may have had, the unbelieving Jews of this day, may have had perverse notions an irreligious fantasy, that they would be the recipients of this Joel prophecy, and that they would have the spirit poured out upon them, and that they would then go about propagating their irreligion, as understood from our vantage point.
But it is this sect of the Nazarene, rather, these Christians, this early church movement that has the Spirit poured out upon them. And it is they who prophesy. It is they who see visions. It is they who dream dreams.
It is those menservants and maidservants upon whom the Spirit is poured out, and they prophesy. And so you see the implication is that they are outside of that Joel prophesied blessing. They are not the recipients of the Spirit, but rather these followers of the Lord Jesus Christ. And you see, just like we noted before, they would have understood the implications because you see what follows after this reality of the Spirit being poured out upon all flesh.
Notice what we read in verse 19, I will show wonders in heaven above and signs in the earth beneath, blood and fire and vapor of smoke. The sun shall be turned into darkness and the moon into blood before the coming of the great and awesome day of the Lord." Joel uses the language, the great and terrible day of the Lord. What is he referring to? Well, it follows immediately upon the heels of those last days in which God poured out His Spirit.
Gil, writing, says, When he shall come in power and great glory, specifically, I will show wonders in heaven above and signs in the earth beneath, blood and fire, and vapor of smoke. when He shall come in power and great glory, as He did in a few years after this, to take vengeance on the Jews and destroy their nation, city, and temple, in which there was a display of His greatness and power, and which was awful and terrible to them, as in Joel it is called." You see, perhaps they even remembered the words of the Lord Jesus Christ in that parable. You remember the parable of the vinedressers, Matthew 21. The parable of the vine dressers, the landowner leases his vineyard to these vine dressers in order that they might render the fruits in their seasons. And he sends to them, in fact you can turn there because we need to see the language and see the understanding of the unbelieving Jews in that particular context.
In Matthew 21, notice what we read in verse 33. Here another parable, there was a certain landowner who planted a vineyard and set a hedge around it, again Matthew 21 verse 33, dug a wine press in it and built a tower, and he leased it to vinedressers and went into a far country. Now in vintage time drew near, he sent his servants to the vinedressers that they might receive its fruit. And the vinedressers took his servants, beat one, killed one, and stoned another.
Again he sent other servants, more than the first, and they did likewise to them. Then last of all, he sent his own son to them, saying, They will respect my son. But when the vinedressers saw the son, they said among themselves, This is the heir. Come, let us kill him and seize his inheritance.
So they took him and cast him out of the vineyard and killed him. Therefore, when the owner of the vineyard comes, what will he do to those vinedressers? We see that they Unbelieving Jews hear Jewish leaders answer rightly. They say, verse 31, they said to him, he will destroy those wicked men miserably and lease his vineyard to other vinedressers who will render to him the fruits in their seasons.
Jesus said to them, have you never read in the scriptures, the stone which the builders rejected has become the chief cornerstone. This was the Lord's doing and it is marvelous in your eyes. Therefore, I say to you, the kingdom of God will be taken from you. and given to a nation bearing the fruits of it. And whoever falls on this stone will be broken, but on whom it ever falls, it will grind him to powder.
Now, just as we read in verse 45 here, so it was on the day of Pentecost in Acts chapter two, they understood the implications. Now, when the chief priests and Pharisees heard his parables, they perceived that he was speaking of them. But when they sought to lay hands on him, they feared the multitudes, because they took him for a prophet." You see, they understood. They would have understood on Acts chapter 2, and perhaps some of them were there when Christ gave this parable.
And they would have understand that what he is saying is that we will be the ones who are the recipient of that Joel judgment. And they would have no doubt recognized and understood, based upon this sending of the Spirit and the outpouring of the Spirit, they may have hearkened back to Christ's words in Matthew 23. You can turn there with me as well, because there we read the promise of the Lord Jesus Christ as to what would happen. Notice in Matthew 23, we read in verse 31, Therefore you are witnesses against yourselves that you are sons of those who murdered the prophets.
Fill up then the measure of your father's guilt. Serpents, brood of vipers, how can you escape the condemnation of hell? Therefore, indeed, I send you prophets, wise men, and scribes. Some of them you will kill and crucify, and some of them you will scourge in your synagogues and persecute from city to city, that on you may come all the righteous blood shed on the earth, from the blood of righteous Abel to the blood of Zechariah, son of Berechiah, whom you murdered between the temple and the altar.
Assuredly, I say to you, all these things will come upon this generation." Now, hopefully you can see the connection, but just to force it a little bit more, we have in Acts chapter 2, the Spirit poured out upon these prophets, wise men and scribes, if you will. And they bring the message of Christ. And those who are against them, we read Christ saying are promised. Those who are against them, we have this promised judgment that all the blood shed on the earth would come to bear upon them.
Those who are the murderers of the prophets and the murderer of the just one. So you see when Peter quotes Joel 2, and when he talks about the pouring out of the Spirit upon the disciples, the weighty implication is that those who are against Christ, those who reject His message and are not found believing in Him, are the enemies that will receive the judgment subsequent to the pouring out of the Spirit on all flesh.
Christ Given All Authority
And then lastly, we see, with regards to the weighty implications, if you move back to Acts chapter 2, we see The third and last weighty implication is that Christ has been given all authority in heaven and on earth. Notice this closing statement, if you will, a summary statement that begins again with a therefore in verse 36 of Acts chapter 2. Therefore, let all the house of Israel know assuredly that God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ. You see, he's bringing back out the hammer and the nail.
In fact, he never put them away. But he has the nail and he has the hammer and he's continuing to drive home the reality of the guilt and of the bloodshed. into the consciences of his audience. Therefore, let all the house of Israel know assuredly." You see, he wants them to know with a certainty, with a weighty certainty that would bear down upon their consciences. You see, it is the hope of the preacher that the message of God and of his Christ will haunt the unregenerate.
Now, that might sound a little indelicate in our modern era that we want a message to haunt someone. Well, we do, because we know the implications and the eternal truth that is at stake, their eternal souls. Might the weight of a gospel message preached to every unbeliever haunt them until such day that they believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and find solace and peace in the King of Kings and in the Lord of Lords. You see, If you're an unbeliever here tonight, these words should haunt you.
That this Jesus Christ that was crucified, was raised by God the third day, and has been exalted to the right hand of the majesty on high. And he will come again to judge the living and the dead, and those outside of the scope of his salvation. will be in the fearful place of calling upon the rocks and trees to hide them from the wrath of the Lord Jesus Christ. But those in the blessed fold will be in the blessed place of being found safely in Him and hearing those words, enter into your rest. He has been given all authority in heaven and on earth.
And once again, think of the implication here. Because again, we're 2,000 years removed, but it was only, let's say, 50 days ago, from the vantage point of the day of Pentecost, 50 days ago, this Christ that Peter is talking about was a bloody massacre upon a Roman implement of execution. There's no king of kings and lord of lords. Peter, are you talking about the same Christ?
This one that we saw was brought down to the feeblest of men by the bruisings and the batterings and the whippings and the spittings and the mockings and was lifted up upon a Roman implement of execution, the cross, between two criminals? This is the one that you're saying has been exalted to the right hand of the Majesty on High? Yes. You see, when they, in their unbelief and in their mocking, set upon Him the crown of thorns, and mockingly called him the king of the Jews, they were absolutely right.
They put upon him in a mocking fashion that crown of thorns, but it was, though it pained him, and though it marked the shame of the cross, it was still a crown of victory. Because through the crown of thorns would come the crown of gold, and of jewels bespecking our valiant king. It is through that, or it is quite the implication here, when Peter says that this Christ whom you crucified, you see, He wants that to be brought to the four of their minds. This one that you put to death upon the tree, that you saw as a bloody mess, that you wanted to silence as an insurrectionist, is holy and pure, the just one that was promised.
And it is in Him, it is to Him that has been given dominion and glory and a kingdom. And He will come to judge the living and the dead and bring recompense upon those who would reject Him in all His glory, in all His splendor. What a startling thing. And if you think about, you think about Stephen as well, and we get to him in only five chapters, the account of Stephen.
When he, before he's about to be stoned, he says, behold, I see God and Jesus Christ standing at the right hand of God. Would have been the same thing for that audience. Wait a minute. This is that Jesus that we put to death only a few years ago, only a handful of years ago.
What do you mean you see him standing at the right hand of God? We see the response there, don't we? They run at him with one accord. You see, there's two types of one accord in the book of Acts.
The one accordness of the gathered assembly, the church of the Lord Jesus Christ, and there is that wicked, treacherous, diabolical one-accordness of the opposers of Christ and his people. And in that case, Stephen sees the glory of the risen Christ, exalted, sitting at the right, actually standing, the right hand of the majesty on high, and they reject the king of kings. This one who was crucified is the one who you say has been exalted to the right hand of the majesty on high? Yes, most certainly, and he will come to judge the living and the dead.
And you see, remember, Peter doesn't let these truths dangle. He doesn't let them just sit there. When we read the account of Joel and we talked about this language of signs of the earth beneath and wonders in heaven above, blood, fire, vapor of smoke, the sun turning into darkness, the moon into blood, etc. the great and terrible, the great and awesome day of the Lord, that's language of judgment. But you see, Peter did not stop there because we have verse 21 quoted.
And it shall come to pass that whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved. You see, we talk a lot about, and hopefully you don't think it's anti-Semitic, the unbelieving Jews, the unbelieving Jewish leaders, the ungodly Jewish leaders, and that's most certainly true, but it's not because they're Jews, it's because they oppose the one promised to them. It's because they oppose the Lord of Glory, whether Jew or Gentile. A wicked and abominable generation rejects the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords.
But you see, when we talk about all of that, we see here that there is hope. Whether Jew, as in this case, before the preaching Peter, or Gentile, later on in the book of Acts, and throughout the history of Gospel proclamation, whether Jew or Gentile, there is always this most certain hope. set before the hearer by the preacher and it shall come to pass that whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved. Later on in this account we read at verse 39, for the promise is to you and to your children and to all who are far off as many as the Lord our God will call. You see, Gil has, and I believe rightly noted, and you've probably heard this before, that what is in the background of that statement is the unbelieving Jewish declaration and crying out at the crucifixion where they said, let his blood be upon us and our children.
So Peter, by this offer of hope, by this proclamation and command to repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus, he's offering, if you will, an overturning, an overriding, an absolution, if you will, of that curse that they call down upon themselves when they said, let Christ's blood be upon us and our children, because he says this promise is for you and for your children, and to all who are afar off, as many as the Lord our God will call. You see, Peter covers God through Peter. covers all bases here if it was if it was stirring up and arousing up in these mind in the minds of these unbelieving Jews as they're hearing this message well oh wait a minute he just said repentant and believe and be baptized in the name of Jesus for the forgiveness of sins but but we said and we cried out to God let his blood be upon us and our children well God through Peter satisfies or brings the peace and the balm of clarification that this promise is for you and your children. The curse will not be good if you believe by grace. The curse will not be good because this promise is for you and for your children.
And so we see brethren, or we have seen the central message, the scriptural anticipation, the historical fulfillment, the weighty implications, and just two things as we conclude now before we pray. First off,
Concluding Applications
Just some concluding thoughts before we close in prayer. First off, in the Christian gospel, we are to have the highest confidence. As we stated earlier, you see, in Christianity, we do not follow after cunningly devised fables. We do not follow after legend and myth, but rather we follow after God's most certain truth.
Calvin says, it gives us much courage when we know that we labor in a matter that is certain. lest then the faithful should think that in these labors they were beating the air. And now comes to set forth the certainty of the gospel. And he denies that anything had been delivered by him but what was altogether true and indubitable. And they were encouraged to persevere when they were sure of the prosperous issue of their calling.
We now obtain certainty in another way, for though Christ has not risen before our eyes, yet we know by whom his resurrection has been handed down to us. And added to this is the inward testimony of conscience, the sealing of the spirit, which far exceeds all the evidence of the senses. But let us remember that the gospel was not at the beginning made up of vague rumors, but that the apostles were the authentic preachers, of what they had seen. In the Christian gospel, we have the stuff of the highest confidence.
Not the stuff of maybe and perhaps, and if we gather together all the evidence and all the proofs, then maybe it could be the case, but it might be... No, we have certain truth. Paul uses the language of a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptance. Luke uses the language of things by which you may be assured, and in which you may have, in which you have infallible proofs. we have the stuff of certainty, the stuff of truth.
And then lastly in Christ we have a great champion, don't we? You see when we read accounts like this We have to understand that there is no story greater and there is no story, and by story I mean in this case of course a true one, not Mother Goose and those sorts of things. In this true story we have the stuff of the greatest story to which there is no rival and no match. And the gem of the story, the hero of the story, the champion of the story is this Jesus Christ who was taken by lawless hands and crucified and put to death as a so-called blasphemer and an insurrectionist, an insolent man.
Of course, he was wholly harmless and undefiled. And it was not the case that he should be held by the power of the grave or Hades, but rather God has raised him up. and this one whom he has raised, he has exalted to his right hand where he ever lives to make intercession for his people. Nowhere do we have a champion like our Christ. And kids and adults, maybe kids because maybe we just see this more as adults, but we can bring before us so many so-called champions and heroes, can't we, that we'll spend so much time on and and pour out so much money onto musicians, actors, sports heroes and those sorts of things.
Now there may be and there is no doubt a lawful use, I don't say never ever watch another hockey game and cheer for the Canucks because that's wicked and evil. No, I would not say that. I just watched them play last night and they won, that was great. But you see, We are not to find the stuff of high hope and the stuff of champions and heroes and the stuff of this lower world.
Do not be preoccupied and do not be overly occupied by following after so-called heroes to the point where they're exalted to the place of idols before your eyes. We have a champion in Christ Jesus the Lord, and you'll never be disappointed. You'll be disappointed watching the Canucks. If you think the Sedins are heroes, you'll be disappointed because they occasionally play bad.
Moving away from the Canucks and moving to the stuff of infinitely higher glory, you will never be disappointed in the Lord Jesus Christ. Never. Herein we have a champion of the highest order. Here we have one who now sits at the right hand of God He received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit.
He poured out that which they saw and hear. He was promised, prophesied by the patriarch David. And he has been made by God, both Lord and Christ. If you believe, praise God.
If you do not believe, fear. Be haunted by the message of Peter. and find yourself resting upon the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords for all spiritual blessings in the heavenly places in Christ.
Closing Prayer
Before we pray I'll close with a reading of this by Spurgeon. It's extended, but it's a wonderful sermon. It's called, Christ Our Champion. And on this note of in Christ we have a great champion, Spurgeon writes, he is in the tomb and his foes have set a guard and a seal that they may keep him there.
You see, what's in view is the resurrection. Remember, we've been dealing in part, in large part, with that, this Jesus God raised up, of whom we are all witnesses. He is in the tomb and his foes have set a guard and a seal that they may keep him there. Will any now help him to escape out of their charge?
Is there any man who will aid him? No, there is none. If the champion escapes, it must be by his own single-handed valor. Will he make a clear way for himself and come up from the midst of his foes?
You know he will, my brothers and sisters. For the moment the third day comes, he touches the stone and it is rolled away. He has defeated death. He has pulled up the posts of the grave and taken away its gates and bars.
As for sin, He treads that beneath His feet. He has utterly overthrown it. And Satan, too, lies broken beneath the heel that once was bruised. He has broken the old dragon's head and cut his power in pieces forever.
Solitary and alone, his own arm brings salvation unto him and his righteousness sustains him. I think I see him now as he goes up that hill which is before Hebron, the hill of God. He bears upon his shoulders the uplifted gates of the grave and tokens of his victory over death and hell. Doors and posts and bar and all, He bears them up to heaven.
In sacred triumph, He drags His enemies behind Him. Sing to Him, angels, praise Him in your hymns. Exalt Him, cherubim and seraphim. Our mightier Samson has gotten to himself the victory and cleared the road to heaven and eternal life for all His people.
There in our Christ we have a champion. These would have seen the implication of this Christ who was that champion, who did affect the promised scriptures that were beforehand written concerning him. And they must, they need to close with the Lord Jesus Christ. And we read that some did.
We read that some cry out and say, men and brethren, what must we do? And of course the reply is always by the preacher, believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you shall be saved. Rest in that certain truth and you will find bliss forevermore.