The Apostle Peter’s Sermon on Pentecost: Acts 2:14-36

In Acts 2:14-36, the Apostle Paul’s physician, Luke, says this:

“But Peter, standing up with the eleven, lifted up his voice, and spake forth unto them, saying, ‘Ye men of Judaea, and all ye that dwell at Jerusalem, be this known unto you, and give ear unto my words. For these are not drunken, as ye suppose; seeing it is but the third hour of the day; but this is that which hath been spoken through the prophet Joel:

‘Ye men of Israel, hear these words: Jesus of Nazareth, a man approved of God unto you by mighty works and wonders and signs which God did by him in the midst of you, even as ye yourselves know; him, being delivered up by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, ye by the hand of lawless men did crucify and slay: whom God raised up, having loosed the pangs of death: because it was not possible that he should be holden of it. For David saith concerning him,

‘Brethren, I may say unto you freely of the patriarch David, that he both died and was buried, and his tomb is with us unto this day. Being therefore a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him, that of the fruit of his loins he would set one upon his throne; he foreseeing this spake of the resurrection of the Christ, that neither was he left unto Hades, nor did his flesh see corruption. This Jesus did God raise up, whereof we all are witnesses. Being therefore [to] the right hand of God exalted, and having received of the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, he hath poured forth this, which ye see and hear. For David ascended not into the heavens: but he saith himself,

‘Let all the house of Israel therefore know assuredly, that God hath made him both Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom ye crucified.'”‘”

In this passage, Luke records the Apostle Peter’s evangelistic sermon on the day of Pentecost, when the Holy Spirit first indwelt His people. In this sermon, Peter includes a prophecy of the Spirit’s indwelling, proofs of the Savior’s identity, and the prescription of the sermon’s implications.

In verses 14-21, Luke records Peter’s preaching of the prophecy of the Spirit’s indwelling. He begins by saying that Peter took his stand with the other eleven Apostles, raised his voice, and started declaring his sermon to the Jews who were listening, both those who were raised in the district of Judea outside of Jerusalem, and those who lived in Jerusalem. Then, he commanded them to heed his words. Why? Because, he said, the people who were speaking in unlearned languages were not drunk, as some of them supposed, since it was only the third hour of the day after sunrise, or 9 AM.

On the contrary, Peter said that the speaking of God’s mighty deeds in unlearned languages was part of what the prophet Joel spoke in the Book of Joel. In that book, he said that God said that, in the last days, which was the time period in which the day of Pentecost took place, He would pour out His Spirit on all people groups, and men and women would prophesy, or proclaim His Word, young men would see visions, old men would dream dreams from God, and these people would be His slaves, who would proclaim His Word. Furthermore, He went on, He would show wonders in the sky, and signs on the earth below, including bloody death, fire, and billows of smoke. These signs would signal that God is who He said He is in His Word. In addition, God continued, the sun would be turned into darkness and the moon into blood before the day of the Lord, or the Second Coming. Finally, God said, it would be that everyone who would call on the trustworthy reputation of the Lord (the gospel) would be saved.

In verses 22-35, Peter gives proofs of the Savior’s identity. First, he describes His signs, telling his audience to hear that Jesus of Nazareth was proven to them by God with miracles, wonders, and signs that God performed through Him among them, just as they know. Second, he describes His slaughter, telling his hearers that Jesus was taken captive by the predetermined plan and foreknowledge of God, and nailed to a torturous cross by his hearers, and by godless men (the Romans), and put to death. Third, he describes His salvation, saying that God raised Jesus up again, putting an end to the pain of death because Jesus could not be controlled by it.

Fourth, he quotes His Scripture written by King David, which says that Christ saw the Lord (the Father) always in His presence; for He was at His right hand, so that He would not be shaken. Therefore, He goes on, His heart was glad and His tongue joyfully boasted; moreover His body lived in hope; because the Father did not abandon His soul to the place of the dead, nor allow His Holy One to undergo decay. Furthermore, He says, the Father made known to Him the ways of life; He made Him full of gladness with His presence. After quoting this Scripture, Peter tells his audience that David died, was buried, and that his tomb was with them in that day. Therefore, he goes on, because David was a prophet and knew that God had sworn to Him with an oath to make one of his descendants the King of Israel, he spoke of the resurrection of the Supreme Prophet, Priest, and King, that He was not abandoned to the place of the dead, nor did His flesh suffer decay.

Fifth, Peter describes the Savior’s saints by saying that God raised Jesus from the dead, and that he and the other eleven Apostles were witnesses to Jesus after He was raised from the dead. Sixth, Peter describes His sovereignty by saying that, since God raised Jesus from the dead, He exalted Him to His hand of authority, having given Him the promise of the Holy Spirit, and Jesus poured forth the power of the Spirit in the disciples’ speaking of the mighty deeds of God in unlearned languages, and in what the Jewish audience saw of the Spirit’s power. Why was Jesus given the promise of the Holy Spirit, and poured forth His indwelling power? Peter answers: because it was not David who ascended into heaven, but he said that “the Lord (the Father) said to my Lord (Jesus), ‘sit at My right hand, until I make Your enemies a footstool for Your feet.'”

In verse 36, Peter ends his sermon with the prescription of the sermon’s implications. He implies, since God gave Jesus all authority in heaven and on earth until He makes His enemies a footstool for His feet, his audience is commanded to know for certain that God has made Him both Supreme Authority and the Supreme Prophet, Priest, and King — this Jesus whom they crucified.

So, do you take your stand with other disciples of Jesus?

Do you declare to the unsaved the most important proofs of the Savior’s identity — His death for our sins and His bodily resurrection from the dead?

Do you give heed to God’s Word?

Are you a slave of God?

Have you depended upon the divinity, perfect humanity, death for your sins, and bodily resurrection of the Lord to save you from your sins?

Has the agony of your death been put to an end by depending upon Christ, His death for your sins, and bodily resurrection from the dead?

When you understand that the Lord is in your presence, are you unshaken, glad, and do you live in hope because God will not abandon your soul to hell?

Has the Lord made known to you the Way of life?

Are you a witness to the truth of the claim that God raised Jesus from the dead?

Do you know for certain that God has made the crucified Jesus both Supreme Authority and Supreme Prophet, Priest, and King?

Do you understand what it means that Jesus is the Supreme Priest? The Apostle Paul wrote about it this way:

“. . . I make known unto you brethren, the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye received, wherein also ye stand, by which also ye are saved, if ye hold fast the word which I preached unto you, except ye believed in vain. For I delivered unto you first of all that which also I received: that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; and that he was buried; and that he hath been raised on the third day according to the scriptures; and that he appeared to Cephas; then to the twelve; then he appeared to above five hundred brethren at once, of whom the greater part remain until now, but some are fallen asleep; then he appeared to James; then to all the apostles; and last of all, as to the child untimely born, he appeared to me also. For I am the least of the apostles, that am not meet to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God.”              1 Corinthians 15:1-9                                                     

This is what the Apostle John said about the gospel in John 1:1-18:

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made through him; and without him was not anything made that hath been made. In him was life; and the life was the light of men. And the light shineth in the darkness; and the darkness apprehended it not. There came a man, sent from God, whose name was John. The same came for witness, that he might bear witness of the light, that all might believe through him. He was not the light, but came that he might bear witness of the light. There was the true light, even the light which lighteth every man, coming into the world. He was in the world, and the world was made through him, and the world knew him not. He came unto his own, and they that were his own received him not. But as many as received him, to them gave he the right to become children of God, even to them that believe on his name: who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us (and we beheld his glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father), full of grace and truth. John beareth witness of him, and crieth, saying, This was he of whom I said, He that cometh after me is become before me: for he was before me. For of his fulness we all received, and grace for grace. For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him.”

This is what Christ Himself said about the gospel:

“. . . God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved.” John 3:16-20

John the Baptist said this: “. . . he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on [stays directed toward] him.” – John 3:36

The Apostle Paul said this in Romans 2:4-16 and 1:18-32:

“. . . despisest thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance and longsuffering, not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance? but after thy hardness and impenitent heart treasurest up for thyself wrath in the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God; who will render to every man according to his works: to them that by patience in well-doing seek for glory and honor and incorruption, eternal life: but unto them that are factious, and obey not the truth, but obey unrighteousness, shall be wrath and indignation, tribulation and anguish, upon every soul of man that worketh evil, of the Jew first, and also of the Greek; but glory and honor and peace to every man that worketh good, to the Jew first, and also to the Greek: for there is no respect of persons with God. For as many as have sinned without the law shall also perish without the law: and as many as have sinned under the law shall be judged by the law; for not the hearers of the law are just before God, but the doers of the law shall be justified; (for when Gentiles that have not the law do by nature the things of the law, these, not having the law, are the law unto themselves; in that they show the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience bearing witness therewith, and their thoughts one with another accusing or else excusing them); in the day when God shall judge the secrets of men, according to my gospel, by Jesus Christ.”

“. . . the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousnessof men, who hinder the truth in unrighteousness; because that which is known of God is manifest in them; for God manifested it unto them. For the invisible things of him since the creation of the world are clearly seen, being perceived through the things that are made, even his everlasting power and divinity; that they may be without excuse: because that, knowing God, they glorified him not as God, neither gave thanks; but became vain in their reasonings, and their senseless heart was darkened. Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools, and changed the glory of the incorruptible God for the likeness of an image of corruptible man, and of birds, and four-footed beasts, and creeping things. Wherefore God gave them up in the lusts of their hearts unto uncleanness, that their bodies should be dishonored among themselves: for that they exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshipped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen. For this cause God gave them up unto vile passions: for their women changed the natural use into that which is against nature: and likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another, men with men working unseemliness, and receiving in themselves that recompense of their error which was due. And even as they refused to have God in their knowledge, God gave them up unto a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not fitting; being filled with all unrighteousness, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, malignity; whisperers, backbiters, hateful to God, insolent, haughty, boastful, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, without understanding, covenant-breakers, without natural affection, unmerciful: who, knowing the ordinance of God, that they that practise such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but also consent with them that practise them.”

Speaking of those that practice sin, the Apostle Paul uses this quote:

“. . . There is none righteous, no, not one; There is none that understandeth, There is none that seeketh after God; They have all turned aside, they are together become unprofitable; There is none that doeth good, no, not so much as one: Their throat is an open sepulchre; With their tongues they have used deceit: The poison of asps is under their lips: Whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness . . .” – Romans 3:10-14

This is my appeal to you, as written by the Apostle Paul:

“. . . we beseech you on behalf of Christ, be ye reconciled to God. Him who knew no sin he made to be sin on our behalf; that we might become the righteousness of God in him.”       – 2 Corinthians 5:20b-21

This is how you become reconciled to God:

“. . . if thou shalt confess [acknowledge] with thy mouth Jesus as Lord [Greek: kurios, or Supreme in Authority], and shalt believe in thy heart that God raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved: for with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be put to shame. For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek: for the same Lord is Lord of all, and is rich unto all that call upon him [depend upon Him]: for, Whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord [who He is, what He has done, and what He can do] shall be saved.”                    Romans 10:9-13