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You can turn in your Bibles to 
Acts chapter 2. Acts chapter 2. The Apostle Peter 
on the day of Pentecost, 50 days after the crucifixion of the 
Lord Jesus Christ, the resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ, preaching 
to the gathered Jews at Jerusalem. We're going to read from verse 
22 to verse 36. We'll pray, and then we'll have 
a look at a study of the Apostle Peter. We'll clarify what that 
means after we have prayed. Let's read Acts chapter 2, beginning 
at verse 22. 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, 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. Well, let us pray. Heavenly 
Father, we thank you for the Holy Scriptures. We thank you 
here that we can read of the ministry of the Apostle Paul. 
More importantly, the proclamation of Jesus Christ, His death and 
resurrection for sinners. We pray that You would help us. 
We would have that ministry of the Spirit working now by the 
Word, that saints might be edified and encouraged and equipped, 
Lord God, and that sinners might be saved by Your amazing grace. And we pray in Christ's name, 
Amen. Well, what we're going to do 
this morning is study a preacher. We're going to study the Apostle 
Paul. Now, qualified with this, that 
any study of a preacher and any study of a biblical individual, 
a biblical character, one who is a believer in Christ, is always 
a study of the grace of the triune God and the victory of Jesus. So we're going to study Peter, 
but insofar as the study of Peter is a study of amazing and victorious 
grace. And we will see that as we move 
along. Just an introduction or a quote 
from F.F. Bruce on what's going on in Acts 
chapter 2, 14 to 36. He writes this, Peter's address 
to the gathered assembly can be divided into two main sections. First, an explanation of the 
phenomenon that had drawn the wondering multitude together, 
the speaking in tongues of those of the apostles. And secondly, 
an outline of the kerygma, or the apostolic proclamation. So verses 14 to 21 of chapter 
2, we have just what he said, an explanation of, or a vindication 
of, the phenomenon that had drawn the wondering multitude together. 
And then secondly, the portion that we read, verses 22 to 36, 
we have an outline of the kerygma that is the apostolic proclamation. What is the pattern of gospel 
preaching that we find in our Bible, specifically in the book 
of Acts? How is it that preachers of the 
Lord Jesus Christ come to their gathered assembly and communicate 
the gospel? What we're going to do again 
is we're going to examine Peter. We're going to do so under four 
points. But first off, it's always a 
good exercise to examine either a writer of one of the books 
of the Holy Scriptures or someone who is being narrated, someone 
who is the the object of narration, for example, like we have here 
in the Book of Acts. Why? Because it helps us to appreciate 
in greater detail this character and the grace of God in their 
lives. For example, Psalm 32 would be helpful to us and is 
glorious to read even if we don't know anything about David. It's 
a wonderful thing to read. Blessed is he whose sins are 
forgiven. Blessed is he to whom God does 
not impute iniquity. But it's even more, or it helps 
us more, or it's a better study to know that that's David. That's 
David writing, the one who cast his eyes upon Bathsheba. That 
one who put to death Uriah, setting him to the forefront of the hottest 
battle. That one whom Nathan indicted by God, and that one 
whom God restored. When we know all that about David, 
It adds to the weight and to the thrust of that declaration. 
Blessed is he whose sin is forgiven and to whom the Lord does not 
impute iniquity. The same thing if we study if 
we study the Apostle Paul. You see, it's a wonderful thing 
to read of the Apostle Paul in Romans 1 5. Through him, we have 
received grace and apostleship for obedience to the faith. Why 
is it so glorious to read Paul writing about the grace in his 
salvation and the grace in his apostleship? Because he was a 
murderous wretch, dragging men and women from their houses off 
to prisons and to have large stones crush their head. The 
God of amazing grace is studied when we study characters in the 
Bible, because when we see the before picture and we see the 
after picture, our only praise or the only trajectory of our 
praise It's not upon the man, it's upon the triune God who 
saves from first to last by grace without a helper. And so that's 
what we're going to do. We're going to study the preacher, 
the Apostle Paul, or sorry, the Apostle Peter from Acts chapter 
two under four headings. First off, his current strength. Secondly, his refined zeal. Thirdly, his Protestant recovery. And fourthly, his Christocentric 
message. finishing with the most important, 
his Christocentric message, to be sure. But first off, his current 
strength. Peter, once the fearful coward, 
is now the fearless proclaimer of Christ. You see, when we come 
to this text of chapter 2, we should marvel and we should worship 
God when we see and read about Peter in verse 22, standing up 
and saying, men of Israel, hear these words." And then continuing, 
Jesus of Nazareth. Why is that so amazing? And why 
ought that stir our hearts to praise? Because we know that 
Peter was once that fearful coward. Fifty-three days approximately 
prior to Peter, with boldness and strength, standing up and 
proclaiming Christ to a gathered assembly, he thrice denied this 
same Jesus. And you see, Peter didn't just 
repeat the denial. He didn't just state the denial 
and repeat it three times. He called down curses from God 
upon him if what he said was inaccurate. In fact, why don't 
we turn there? Why don't we turn to to Luke 
chapter 22? Actually, excuse me, Matthew 
26, the parallel account, Matthew 26, just to see this. I think 
sometimes we misinterpret what is said in the text. Matthew 
chapter. 26, beginning at verse 69. Now, Peter sat outside in the 
courtyard and a servant girl came to him saying, You also 
were with Jesus of Galilee. But he denied it before them 
all, saying, I do not know what you are saying. And when he had 
gone out to the gateway, another girl saw him and said to those 
who were there, This fellow also was with Jesus of Nazareth. But 
again, he denied with an oath. I do not know the man. And a 
little later, those who stood by came up and said to Peter, 
Surely you also are one of them, for your speech betrays you. 
Then he began to curse and swear, saying, I do not know the man. 
Immediately a rooster crowed, and Peter remembered the word 
of Jesus, who had said to him, Before the rooster crows, you 
will deny me three times. So he went out and wept bitterly. 
You see, when we come to verse 74 and we read, maybe not, but 
when we read, Then he began to curse and swear, saying, I do 
not know the man. I think some of us might think 
he's getting really frustrated because he's been asked the third 
time. You know, he really doesn't want to deny his savior. I mean, 
at the heart of things, he's a coward, but he doesn't want 
to deny him. But he's denied him the third time. So he's frustrated 
and he's swearing at this person who's asking him. No, the text 
is conspicuous because before it says with an oath. But again, 
he denied with an oath. It is with curses and swearing. 
In other words, might the curse of God be upon me if I am falsely 
stating that I do not know Jesus? He's not just denying him. He's 
saying, might God smite me? It's a self imprecatory calling 
down the cursings of God on his head if he is not true and saying, 
I do not know this Jesus of Nazareth. What a heavy denial. What a heavy 
denial when he calls the oath, he calls before him the witness 
of God to validate his lies and his denial. It is quite the betrayal, 
quite the denial. And so when we come to Acts chapter 
two, we see Peter standing up before the same people before 
whom he denied Christ. It ought to stir our hearts and 
cause us to sing amazing grace. How sweet the sound when we see 
men of Israel hear these words. Jesus of Nazareth. You see, he 
would use those words, but he would use them in denying that 
he knew him. Now he owns his Savior, he owns 
his Lord, and he proclaims him to those before whom he was fearfully 
afraid. Peter now has this current strength. Once the fearful coward, he is 
now the fearless proclaimer of Jesus Christ. And we know what 
this was. What was this? But first off, 
an answer to prayer. First off, this was an answer 
to prayer. Remember the scene prior to what 
we just read. There's a scene where Jesus prays 
or Jesus speaks to Peter and acknowledges, divulges that he, 
the second of the blessed triune God incarnate, has prayed to 
the first of the triune God for Peter. You see, Peter was always 
full of this zeal. Whenever Christ would say something 
that was going to happen, Peter said, no, no, no, no. Might it 
never be? When God incarnate said to Peter that I will be 
delivered by wicked hands to Jerusalem, will be crucified 
and raised the third day. Peter said, Lord, might it never 
be? And time and again, Peter would would contradict his savior. Well, he did that on that occasion. 
And Peter, Jesus says to Peter, Peter, Satan has sought to sift 
you like wheat. But I have prayed for you. that 
your faith would not fail. And when you have returned to 
me, strengthen your brethren." You see, Jesus knew Peter's forthcoming 
betrayal in a matter of hours that day. In a matter of hours. It was only a few seconds later 
that Jesus said, before the rooster crows three times, you will deny 
me three times. So we come here and we see an 
answer to prayer. Jesus prayed for Peter. Jesus 
prayed to the father that Peter's faith might not fail, though 
he would stumble. Ultimately, his faith would not 
fail. And on this great day of Pentecost, Peter proclaims the 
riches and the excellencies of Jesus Christ, that one who prayed 
for him. We see an answer to prayer and 
we see promises fulfilled. Turn to John 15 with me. John 15 in Peter. proclaiming 
with current strength, having tossed away by God's grace that 
former cowardice. We see him proclaiming Christ 
with boldness. And this is, yes, first, an answer 
to prayer, but secondly, a fulfillment of promise. John 15, verse 26, 
But when the Helper comes, Jesus speaking to His disciples, I 
shall send to you from the Father Excuse me, but when the helper 
comes whom I shall send to you from the father, the spirit of 
truth who proceeds from the father, he will testify of me and you 
also will bear witness because you have been with me from. The 
beginning, if you stand down a little bit to John 16 and verse 
five, but now I go away to him who sent me and none of you asks 
me, where are you going? But because I have said these 
things to you, sorrow has filled your heart. Nevertheless, I tell 
you the truth. It is to your advantage that 
I go away. For if I do not go away, the 
helper will not come to you. But if I depart, I will send 
him to you. And when he has come, he will 
convict the world of sin and of righteousness and of judgment, 
of sin because they do not believe in me, of righteousness because 
I go to my father and you see me no more, of judgment because 
the ruler of this world is judged. Now notice, I still have many 
things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. However, 
when he, the spirit of truth has come, he will guide you into 
all truth for he, excuse me, for he will not speak of his 
own authority, but whatever he hears, he will speak and he will 
tell you things to come. So you see, prior to his crucifixion, 
knowing, of course, that it was coming prior to that day of redemption 
that Christ would bear out, he promises his disciples that there 
will be one who is sent. There is a day coming when you 
will be empowered to bear witness to all that you have heard and 
seen. And so again, when we come to 
Acts chapter two, we read this, we see Peter standing up with 
strength and boldness. We see that it is an answer to 
the promise of Jesus Christ who said he would send his spirit 
to empower his people for bold proclamation. In the book of 
Acts, just if we turn to the left of our chapter 2, we read 
in chapter 1, verse 4, And being assembled together with them, 
he commanded them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for 
the promise of the Father, which he said, You have heard from 
me, for John truly baptized with water, but you shall be baptized 
with the Holy Spirit not many days from now. And it was on 
that day where they were baptized, that we see or it was soon after 
that that day when on the day of Pentecost came that by the 
power of the Holy Spirit, this preacher proclaimed the gospel 
of Christ with great boldness. So his current strength, Peter, 
once the fearful coward, is now the fearless proclaimer of Christ. 
Secondly, his refined zeal, his refined zeal. Not only is Peter 
zealous, but that zealousness is no longer marked by an untamed 
bravado. We mean by that an untamed bravado. Well it's zeal but it's not under 
control. That's what Peter was marked 
by prior to this day of Pentecost. Remember before the crucifixion 
a number of occasions but one that might jump out at us the 
most is that day on the night of Christ's betrayal where he 
hacked off Malchus's ear. Peter was zealous there, but 
you see, it was a zeal, as the Bible says, without knowledge. 
It was a zeal uncontrolled. It was an untamed bravado. Peter was about the cause of 
his Savior, but unsheathing his sword, he expressed it in an 
incorrect manner. We remember that time in Matthew 
16. You can turn there if you'd like. 
It's always good to do so. To keep us awake and to get finger 
memory, we find our way to various texts for various purposes. In 
Matthew 16 at verse 21, we read something of Peter's zeal prior. to the zeal that we read in Acts 
chapter 2, verse 21 of Matthew 16. From that time, Jesus began 
to show his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer 
many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes and 
be killed and be raised the third day. Then Peter took him aside 
and began to rebuke him, saying, Far be it from you, Lord, this 
shall not happen to you. But he turned and said to Peter, 
Get behind me, Satan, for you are an offense to me, for you 
are not mindful of the things of God, but the things of man. So it was a heavy day for Peter, 
wasn't it? You see, Peter, in his untamed 
zeal, is thinking that he's working for the cause of Christ, your 
far be it Lord, from you, that this might happen, that you would 
be crucified by wicked men and rise again the third day. I'm 
sure Peter wasn't anticipating, get behind me, Satan. Probably 
not what Peter had in mind. You know, maybe in the very least, 
if he was wrong. No, Peter, you don't understand. 
No, Jesus is very serious because he was with resolute fervor marching 
towards the reason for which he came into this world to die 
for sinners and to rise again. So for anybody to come before 
that, it is as if they are the mouthpiece of Satan in trying 
to prevent prevent that redemptive perfection, the crosswork of 
Christ. So Peter had zeal here. but it 
was marked by an untamed bravado. Now when we get to Acts chapter 
2, the prayer of Christ is effectual. The promise of Christ has come 
to bear, has come to fruition. And what do we have now? We have 
a zealous Peter, but we have a zealous Peter whose zeal is 
according to knowledge, and it is under Holy Spirit-owned control. With respect to those who oppose 
him, first off, He no longer is that one who lops off the 
ears of Malki, but rather is the one who with great patience 
preaches to them. You see, Peter is standing before 
those who are complicit, who are guilty for the crucifixion 
of his master, of his savior, of his friend. And prior to this, 
Peter would have unsheathed his sword and started lopping off 
ears. But for the purpose of the propagation 
and the proclamation of the gospel of Jesus Christ, he is owned 
by God with godly patience to say, men of Israel, hear these 
words. Jesus of Nazareth. He'll go on 
to say, men and brethren, let me speak freely to you of the 
patriarch David. Imagine, he's standing before 
those godless Jews who, with great venom and great vitriol, 
crucified the Lord Jesus Christ. He's standing before multitudes 
of the general populace of Judea, who would have cried out, crucify 
him, crucify him, give us Barabbas, the murderous thief, instead 
of the second of the blessed triune, who only spoke perfection. He's standing before those people. And instead of lashing out and 
instead of pointing fingers and unsheathing his sword and tossing 
it at people's heads, he, for the sake of Christ, for the cause 
of God and truth, owned by the Holy Spirit, with great patience 
and long-suffering, though with boldness, says, Men of Israel, 
hear these words. Jesus of Nazareth, and he preaches 
the gospel. Glorious example. of a preacher 
with refined zeal and with respect to the truth. So with respect 
to opposition, we see a tamed bravado and zeal by Peter. And 
with respect to the truth, we see this also. See, before, Peter 
rejected this whole idea of a crucified and resurrected Messiah. But 
as a result of Jesus on that great resurrection day saying, 
did you not know that all of the law, all of the prophets, 
all of the Psalms spoke concerning me? Do you not remember what 
I told you, at least on three occasions recorded, but probably 
many more, that I must be delivered up into wicked hands, crucified, 
put to death, but the third day rise again? Do you not remember 
that? receiving that God-owned and spirit-wrought instruction 
by Jesus Christ, now is level and configured to the truth. 
And on this day, with great zeal, according to knowledge, proclaims 
the riches and the excellencies of Jesus. He is now, with respect 
to the truth, refined in his zeal, and proclaims it with great 
fervor. Thirdly, his Protestant recovery. Peter's Protestant recovery, 
and I'll qualify this, but it's an observation based upon his 
former self, based upon his current self, based upon others, and 
based upon what is often the Christian response to being found 
in sin and being found in grievous transgression. His Protestant 
recovery, thirdly, he was good for Christ's cause because he 
understood forgiveness and availed of the blood. You see, Peter 
had that biblical and Christian response to transgression and 
to sin. Others, we see even within the 
circle of Christ's disciples, did not have that. Now, he wasn't 
a Christian, Judas. But you see, Judas, like Peter, 
was marked with a remorse. But what does it end up in? But 
his entrails scattered upon rocks in the field of blood. You see, 
there is a proper response and a God-wrought response to sin. It's not the Judas response. 
And it certainly isn't the response of many so-called Christians 
throughout the ages. Referring to those within the 
Catholic tradition. the Roman Catholic tradition. 
You see, Protestant recovery from sin, or we should say biblical 
and Christian recovery from sin, sees us acknowledging our sin, 
but immediately availing of the finished work of Jesus Christ 
and being found in him. We immediately fly to the Lord 
Jesus Christ. We do not self-flagellate ourselves. Believe it or not, up until the 
1960s, and even continuing up until this day, there are some 
Roman Catholics who, seeking to self-atone because Christ 
isn't good enough, will whip themselves with nails on little 
balls and whips and whatever sort of thing to physically atone 
for their own sins. They'll engage in quests of self-penance. It's a story of a man who went 
on missionary work, and I can't remember what was in the mesh 
tied to his back, maybe tree stumps or chariot tires. But he'd walk up hills and he'd 
walk everywhere with a sack upon his back in order to self-atone 
for transgressing God's law, for sinning. The Bible never 
tells us that we must have a period of grievous guilt, a period of 
self-introspection for three days, three weeks, three months, 
where we You know, we only eat cardboard tasting cereal and 
we, you know, don't drive anywhere. We run everywhere and we walk 
on our knees upstairs with rocks taped to our knees. We always 
immediately fly and the Bible always calls us to immediately 
fly to the Lord Jesus Christ because only his blood avails, 
only his righteousness avails for us. Turn to 1 John with me 
because John sets it forth to us. with glorious clarity. In John's first epistle, we read 
wonderful language, what we are to do when we sin. Verse 7 of 1 John 1, But if we 
walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship 
with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ, his Son, cleanses 
us from all sin. If we say that we have no sin, 
we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess 
our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and 
to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned, 
we make him a liar and his word is not in us. My little children, 
these things I write to you so that you may not sin. And if 
anyone sins, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ, 
the righteous. And he himself is the propitiation 
for our sins and not for ours only, but also for the whole 
world. So you see what's going on here. When we sin, we have 
what? We have prescribed ways of self-atoning, 
whether it's time spent in prayer, whether it's doing it. No, we 
have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ, the righteous. 
What's the import to us as Protestant Christians, as Christians? The 
import is that when we transgress, it is not noble, it is not holy 
to dive into a state of self-loathing and guilt. There is nothing holy 
about that. There is nothing righteous about 
that. Don't do it. When we sin, yes, we acknowledge 
the gravity and the severity of violating the precepts of 
a holy God. But within a matter of seconds, 
we immediately fly to that fountain opened up for sin and for uncleanness. We immediately fly to the blood 
and to the righteousness of Jesus Christ, because in Christ and 
in Christ alone, we have all that is needed for salvation 
and right standing before God. Don't be like the Pharisees and 
the hypocrites of the Jews who walk around looking sad and whatever 
for however long, immediately fly after acknowledging your 
sin to that place, to Jesus Christ, to His blood, to His righteousness 
and His perfect remission of sins provided in His saving work. Peter's Protestant recovery. And this is as a result of and 
I think we see this demonstrated in Jesus Christ. You see, we have Peter availing 
of forgiveness. He was instructed concerning 
it. He knew doctrinally what was going on. Christ is my all 
in all. I'll fly to him. And we also have Jesus dealing 
with Peter in a forgiving manner, don't we? Let's just let's just 
cut to the chase. If any of us if any of us were 
three times denied by someone who is our closest companion. You got to admit, we wouldn't 
be, oh, you know what? That's all right. I imagine that with 
our remaining corruption and with our wickedness, there would 
probably be a lashing out. There might not be all of you, 
but there would be this anger. There would be this grudge. There would be something that 
we would. We shouldn't have that. Not saying that's right, but 
we wouldn't respond like our Savior, even if it's a smaller 
sin. Even if it's something that someone 
does that isn't sin, we just get mad at people and we're just 
horrible, mean wretches sometimes. Jesus Christ is thrice denied. Peter comes to him after the 
ship rolls into the beach. And what does Jesus say to him? 
He says, Peter, get over here. I'm going to point my finger 
in your face, spit on you. Even when you say, please forgive 
me, I'm still going to hammer you and beat you up because you 
wronged me. No, Jesus says, come and eat some breakfast. Jesus 
says that he says, come and eat breakfast. The first time Peter 
sees him in this occasion after his resurrection, it is come 
and eat some breakfast. Jesus, denied thrice by his closest 
companion, makes food for him. And then he gets into his tirade 
against him. No, Jesus then says, Peter, do 
you love me? Three times. Three times, Peter 
says in this restoration, I love you, Jesus. And Jesus says, feed 
my sheep. And that's what he does on this 
day of Pentecost. Jesus is glorious. We need to follow after Jesus 
when we're engaged. That's just the principle of 
scripture. For whom he foreknew, these he also predestined to 
be what conform to the image of his Son. Let's be like Jesus 
when we deal with people. They cut us off in the road, 
or if they You know, say one little thing about us, or if 
they steal our hamster, or if they take our toy, whatever it 
might be, the smallest thing to the biggest thing, what do 
we do? If they are repentant, we approach 
them like Jesus. We make them breakfast. We say, 
you're forgiven. In our case, you're forgiven, 
brother, sister. Let's go about, let's love each other. We need 
to be Christ-like when we engage in our Christianity. Fourthly 
and lastly then, as we look towards closing this morning, his Christocentric 
message. Peter's Christocentric message. Peter was all about Jesus. Kids, 
that's what Christocentric means. Christ and center. There are 
two words there. Christ and center. Christ-centered 
preaching. That's what Peter was marked 
by. Christocentric message. Notice 
back in the book of Acts. Peter comes on the day of Pentecost 
before those who crucified the King and Lord of glory. He immediately 
flies into an indictment for their insolence and their disobedience. 
He will indict them, he will charge them, but it is Christocentric 
in its patient proclamation. Men of Israel, verse 22, have 
asked to 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." First off, what 
we see here is that the signs, the wonders, the miraculous doings 
were all Christ-centric. They were all Christ-centered. 
You see, our Bible is not full of a bunch of periods of time 
where everybody walked around levitating and performing amazing 
miracles. See, the opponents of Christianity 
very often ridicule and mock us for believing in miracles. All these amazing things happen 
from the time of Adam to Christ and the apostles. People were 
juggling without their hands or whatever it might be, just 
doing things sort of in an ambiguous manner or detached from a reality. That reality is Jesus Christ 
is the center, the reason and the purpose for all miracles 
in the Bible. Ultimately, unto the end, that God is vindicated 
in his redemptive purposes. When Christ is doing miracles 
and signs and wonders, it was to vindicate the fact that he 
was the promised Christ, that he was the promised Messiah, 
and God really is with this one. The signs, the miracles, and 
the wonders that Peter alludes to here were Christocentric. They had Christ as the reason 
and Christ as the purpose. Secondly, Christ is the terminus 
of redemptive history. Terminus simply means the point 
to which something is tending, an end or a goal. Jesus Christ 
is the terminus of redemptive history. Him, verse 23, being 
delivered by the determined purpose and foreknowledge of God. Jesus Christ is not just the 
reason for the season. He's the reason for everything. All of redemptive history from 
Adam to Christ was Christ's word and Christocentric. Everything 
after that great day at Golgotha is Christ centered. Everything 
is for the Lord Jesus Christ. If you don't believe me, then 
you'll believe Paul in the book of Romans. At least you should. 
If you don't, you can talk to me afterwards. Romans 11. Everything 
is for Jesus and everything has Jesus as its center. Oh, the 
depths. Romans 11 33. Oh, the depth of 
the riches, both of the wisdom and knowledge of God. How unsearchable 
are his judgments and his ways past finding out for who has 
known the mind of the Lord or who has become his counselor 
or who has first given to him and it shall be repaid to him. 
For of Him and through Him and to Him are all things, to whom 
be glory forever. Amen. Everything has Jesus Christ 
as its center. All of redemptive history before 
and after the Lord Jesus Christ has our blessed Redeemer at the 
center. For of Him and through Him and 
to Him are all things. Thirdly, and lastly, Christ's 
cross and resurrection. This is under his crystal centric 
message. Christ's cross and resurrection 
are the two historical monuments of the gospel. You see, when 
we speak of the gospel of Jesus Christ, we need to be sure that 
we know what we're talking about, because if we smuggle things 
in under our umbrella of gospel definition, we can entertain 
heresy or we can confuse people. The cross and resurrection of 
Christ are the two historical monuments of the gospel. Gospel 
deviations can plague us, even within the realm of Reformed 
Christianity. The gospel is not living the 
gospel. It's a kind of a catchy quote, 
and I know some of us, all of us, can latch on to cool little 
quotes and quick little sayings. Preach the gospel. And when necessary, 
use words. Oh, that's kind of cute. And 
that's nice. It is nonsense, though. Please don't use it. 
I get what it means. I get what you're saying. We 
need to shine as lights in a crooked, perverse generation. But when 
you preach the gospel, it is always necessary that you use 
words. No one can be saved by being 
helped across the street. No one can be saved by helping 
unload groceries. No one is saved by witnessing 
your good works. People are saved by the hearing 
of the message. Faith comes by hearing and hearing 
by the word of God. Preach the gospel and always 
use words because it is necessary for you to do so. That which 
is a consequent of the gospel is not the gospel. That which 
is a consequent, that which follows as an effect of the gospel is 
not the gospel. A changed heart. That's not the 
gospel. That is glorious. That is beautiful 
because it is the reality of the announced new covenant. New 
hearts. I will take out their hearts 
of stone, put a heart of flesh. I will give them my spirit and 
cause them to walk in my statues. Beautiful. But that's not the 
gospel. The gospel is Christocentric, 
does not have man in the constituent elements of its glory. The gospel 
is not ethical conduct. The gospel is not Christ will 
save you and make you be good. We don't need to look forward 
to the gospel is not the answer to the bad news. Isn't you won't 
do drugs anymore? That's great. But the answer 
to the hardness of man's heart and the righteous, wholesome 
severity of God is not that you will be nice and good. The gospel 
is not our glorification as glorious as that is entering into Emmanuel's 
land. The heavenly bliss of paradise 
is glorious, but that is not the good news of Jesus Christ. 
The good news is not the eschatological victories of Jesus, his second 
coming, his crushing of enemies, his bringing his saints into 
eternity. Glorious, wonderful, not the 
gospel. The evangelical command which 
follows the proclamation of the gospel is not the gospel. Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ 
and you shall be saved is not the gospel. That is what follows 
on the heels of giving the gospel. The command to believe what you 
have given as the gospel. What then is the gospel? The gospel is that Christ died 
and rose again for the sins of all who believe in him. It has 
judicial answers for judicial questions. What that means is 
there is a judicial or legal bad news. God is holy. You're not. You've transgressed 
his holy law. You stand under his condemnation. The good news, the gospel answers 
that judicial bad news with Jesus Christ, his righteousness imputed 
to those who believe his perfect saving work upon Calvary's tree, 
bearing the legal punishment for all who believe given to 
the saints. The gospel is that Christ died 
and rose again for the sins of all who believe according to 
the scriptures. Again, if you don't believe and I'm not trying 
to be nitpicking and I'm not trying to, you know, be be fussy 
and picky because there are many deviations with regards to this 
point. What is the gospel? Again, we've 
already touched on some of them and it does us well for the cause 
of God and truth, not to confuse categories. Paul in first Corinthians 
15 gives us this proper historical and Christian definition of the 
gospel of Jesus Christ. Moreover, brethren, I declare 
to you, verse one of one Corinthians 15, the gospel which I preached 
to you, which also you received and in which you stand, by which 
also you are saved. If you hold fast that word which 
I preached to you, unless you believed in vain. Now notice. 
Verse three, 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. The gospel of Jesus 
Christ, the two monuments, historical monuments of the gospel are Christ's 
cross and resurrection. Bruce writes this in his exposition 
of the Book of Acts, and I think it helps us with regards to categories. The early apostolic kerygma, 
that is, the pattern of apostolic preaching, regularly falls into 
four parts, which may be summarized thus. First, the announcement 
that the age of fulfillment has arrived. Secondly, And this is 
the gospel, a rehearsal of the ministry, death and triumph of 
Jesus. Third, citation of Old Testament 
scriptures whose fulfillment in these events proved Jesus 
to be the Messiah. And fourthly, a call to repentance. These four elements are present 
in Peter's proclamation here. He has already announced that 
the age of the fulfillment has come. Now he rehearses the story 
of Jesus. You see here, the gospel is that, 
the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, as he writes here, 
the ministry, death and triumph of Jesus. Then there's citation 
of scripture passages arguing for that perfection and reality. And then lastly, that call to 
repentance, believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you shall be 
saved. We have as the glorious content 
of the gospel message, clearly and exclusively Christocentric 
message. It's about Jesus. It's all about 
Jesus. And it's about Him dying, Him 
rising again in glory. So, brethren, to close, just 
a few things before we pray. I do hope that you will avail 
of what Peter availed of daily in your Christian walk. Richard 
Barcelos writes this with regards to our third point Protestant 
recovery. Faith is Christospective. It looks outside the soul to 
Christ, promised to sinners in the Gospel. Our hope is not to 
be found in evidences within, but in Christ without. Look to 
Him. You see, when we stumble, and 
we will, when we sin, and we have already and we will again, 
when we hurt others, when we hurt ourselves, when we sin, 
when bad things happen, We fly and we fly to and we latch onto 
the finished work of Jesus because we will fail. We will stumble 
and we will be miserable wretches if we look with eyes inwardly 
and find the evidences of Christianity stirring in our souls. We need 
to look to Jesus. Isn't that what Pastor Butler 
has been preaching with regards to the book of Colossians? Set 
your minds on things above, on the Lord Jesus Christ, and then 
what happens? The evidences of our Christianity 
follow. It's not look inwardly at the 
inner workings of the Spirit and therein find hope. Hope resides 
solely and alone in the blood and righteousness of Jesus Christ. There look and there find your 
strength There, find your zeal and there find the stuff of daily 
recovery in our Christian walk. And remember that Christianity 
is Christocentric. Isn't that an amazing revelation? 
Christianity is the religion of Jesus. It's the doctrine, 
the theology of Jesus Christ. And so Christianity is Christocentric. are the things that come out 
of our mouths and the things that we say to others and the 
things that I am talking about, unbelievers, those who do not 
believe in Jesus, that our message to them ought always to be Christocentric. It's a message not about how 
good we are, not about how bad they are, though that needs to 
be in there in the sense of you're a sinner, you need the Lord Jesus 
Christ. But very often we can preach a moralism, stop doing 
that, start doing that, things will be good, even though we 
claim to be Reformed Christians all about Christocentrism. have 
a Christocentric message. If somebody was to ask you, what's 
Christianity all about? It shouldn't be a litany of, 
you know, don't do that, don't do that, don't do that, can't 
eat that, can't drink that, can't watch that, that sort of thing. 
I mean, there are legitimate applications of the Ten Commandments 
that, you know, need to sanctify us and help us. But if somebody 
asks you, what is Christianity? It's all about Christ. It's all 
about a Savior coming to do what we couldn't for us. Coming to 
die a death that we deserve. who rose again the third day 
in great victory, who has been exalted to the right hand of 
the majesty on high, where he ever lives to make intercession 
for us. This goes back to where we look. What is, how is it that we will 
be able to stand before God that day? It's because of the stuff 
that we sing about in that hymn 223. Arise my soul, arise. Shake off thy guilty fears. The 
bleeding sacrifice. in my behalf appears. He ever 
lives to make intercession for us, so might our walk, might 
our proclamation, might our everything that we do in this lower world 
have Christ as the center and Christ as the glorious end. Let 
us pray. Heavenly Father, Thank you so 
much for your word, for what it says concerning Jesus. Thank 
you for the strength and the zeal of Peter that he had, but 
only because you empowered him, Lord God, by your spirit and 
by the instruction of Jesus, that he was able to proclaim 
those things to people who needed to hear. We just thank you so 
much that we can avail of the gospel of Jesus Christ as recipients 
of that same message and as recipients of your amazing grace. We do 
pray that you would help us in this lower world to be Christo-centric 
Christians, that we might live in light of the fact that we're 
saved solely and alone by his perfect work and by your grace, 
and as a result of that, seek to live unto your glory. We pray 
for any Lord God this morning who are here who stand outside 
of Christ. We do pray that you would come 
to them. swiftly, that upon the wings of your grace would come 
spirit and word, that they might be saved unto the praise of your 
grace. We long to see those who are opposed to you, who are opposed 
to your truth, who perhaps just come out of obligation or come 
with parents, that they might see our precious Christ, that 
they might see his glories, his riches, and his excellencies, 
and that by your grace, Lord God, they would own him as their 
Savior and sing his praises. We just pray now that you would 
go with us, help us to live to your glory, to be always about 
Jesus, to help others in their walk in this lower world. And 
Lord God, as we approach this upcoming week, might we wake 
our heads each morning thinking of the Savior and of your benefits, 
and might we rest our pillows safely, resting only on those 
things which are Christ-centered. We thank you so much for your 
blessings, and we ask that you go with us now in the name of 
our Lord Jesus Christ. And it's in His name that we 
pray.