A. The Big Picture of This Dynamic
1.
Read: Acts 2:14 to 4:33.
2.
Key Verse: “And
with great power gave the apostles witness
of the resurrection of
the lord Jesus: and great
grace was
upon them all.” (Acts 4:33).
B. The central theme of this section of
Acts is: The witnessing
church fulfills its divine
commission.
1. The Day of Pentecost was D-Day in the divine strategy for
world wide evangelism
2. Clothed with the power of the Holy Spirit, the Church began its
witness with
deep, moving commitment to
Christ and to each other.
C. A Plan of Action
1. Witness By Preaching (Acts 2:14-16, 32,33)
2. Witness Through Baptism
(Acts 2:37,38)
3. Witness Through Fellowship
(Acts 2:44-46)
4. Witness Through Miracle
Power (Acts 3:6-9)
5. Courageous Witnessing
(Acts 4:13, 18-20)
II. The Holy Spirit Descends on The Day of
Pentecost (Acts 2:1-4)
A. The Day of Pentecost
the sheaf of the barley harvest.
2. Pentecost means “fiftieth” and was a part of the Hebrew “Feast of Weeks or
“Day of the First Fruits” as it was also called.(Deuteronomy 16:9-12)
3. One of
three great annual festivals in
Passover” and the “Feast of Tabernacles.” All males were required to attend no
matter where they lived. (Exodus 34:22,23)
4. “Passover” speaks of our salvation through the blood of Jesus.
5. “First Fruits” speaks of Resurrection of Life. First one resurrected from the
dead ushered in the harvest.
6. “Pentecost” was the beginning of months meaning there was more to come.
(Leviticus 23:15-23)
7. It was the anniversary of the giving of the law at Sinai. (Exodus 19:1)
B. They were
in one place and one accord.
1. 120 disciples were there in one of the 30 large rooms joining the temple.
2. The point is they were all together have obeyed the command of the risen Lord
C. A supernatural roaring noise descended.
1. Focused on a single house, rather than the sweeping horizontal fashion.
2. No wind only a sound and it came out of the sky as a visual aid of the Lord’s
return in the Spirit. He was faithful to His promise.
3. It was the irresistible power of the Holy Spirit.
D. Tongues as of fire descended on each of them.
1. Fire denotes divine presence.
2. This was the Shekinah Glory at close range.
3. It spoke of the intense energy and glowing light of the Holy Spirit’s ministry.
4. Each member was given his own distinct share.
5. The substance begin to multiply itself, showing that each one could have
the ONE Christ.
E. They were
all filled and began to speak with tongues.
1. This filling is the exaltation of one’s soul to the place where he is obsessed
with joy over his indwelling Lord.
2. The tongue was a miracle for their benefit for it is proof he is working through
them.
3. This is the one sign God repeated in each instance that one received the
baptism of the Holy Spirit.
4. This miraculous speech of Pentecost was not a gift as in I Corinthians 12
but an enablement of the Spirit.
III. THE RESPONSE OF THE CROWD (ACTS 2:5-13)
A. They were
from every nation.
B. The blast
like Sound was heard by those outside and they came to see.
C. The crowds
were shocked for three reasons.
1. Hearing the words in their own languages.
2. The unbelievable nature of the truths uttered by the disciples.
3. The exuberant, almost uncontrolled joy of the believers.
D. The
crowd’s reaction to the event.
1. The devout ones were asking, what does this mean?
2. Others just attributed the whole affair to drunkenness.
3. It was not the tongues that brought the response, it was the behavior.
III. PETER GIVES AN EXPLANATION TO THE CROWD (ACTS 2:14-39)
(WITNESSING
THROUGH PREACHING)
A. Thousands gathered probably in the outer
court of the
1. His manner is self-possessed and sober.
2. Christ is in him and his calmness is remarkable.
C. He
refrains from slander against them and acts as the charges
were
made in jest.
D. This was
holy intoxication.
E. This was an event prophesied by the
Prophet Joel. (Joel 2:28-29)
1. No longer was the Spirit of God limited to a chosen few.
2. The last days began with His first coming and will end with His second coming
3. It would be like rain falling on everyone without regard.
4. With the coming of the Spirit every believer enjoys the privilege of spiritual
illumination by dreams and visions.
5. All could prophesy, God speaking through a man.
6. The terminal points of the “last days” are first great joy and spiritual blessing.
and end with destruction and disaster.
7. In the meantime anyone can be saved during this “age of Grace.”
F. His
message was a Christ centered, Christ exalting witness.
2. the uniqueness of His ministry approved of God among you by miracles
and wonders and signs;
3. the death of Jesus "him being delivered by the determinate counsel and
foreknowledge of God, ye have taken, and by wicked hands have crucified
and slain";
4. the resurrection of Jesus "whom God raised up, having loosed the pains of
death: because it was not possible that he should be holder of it";
5. the ascension of Jesus “therefore being by the right hand of God exalted”;
6. and the continuing ministry of the living Jesus "he bath shed forth this, which
ye now see and hear."
H. His
Message was Filled with Scripture Quotations.
1. Joel 2:28,29
2. Psalm 16:8-11
3. Psalm 110:1
I. Called them to repentance.
J. Stated the
baptism with the Holy Spirit is to be a continuing source for the
church to all future generations.
IV. THE CHURCH EXPERIENCED GROWTH (ACTS 2:40-47)
(Witnessing Through Baptism)
A. Peter preached for a verdict and got
it. 3000 were added to the Church.
(Witnessing Through Fellowship)
B. The impelling power of this apostolic
fellowship flowed from several vital
factors.
1. Continued in the Apostles doctrine, the teachings of Jesus.
2. Had all things in common and sold everything
a. Peter and john said, “silver and gold have we none”
3. Fellowship, the beautiful spirit of communion and sharing which bound the believers together in unity.
a. A powerful example of what koinonia should look like can be found in a study of the “one another’s” of Scripture. Scripture commands us to: be devoted to one another (Romans 12:10), honor one another (Romans 12:10), live in harmony with one another (Romans 12:16; 1 Peter 3:8), accept one another (Romans 15:7), serve one another in love (Galatians 5:13), be kind and compassionate to one another (Ephesians 4:32), admonish one another (Colossians 3:16), encourage one another (1 Thessalonians 5:11; Hebrews 3:13), spur one another on toward love and good deeds (Hebrews 10:24), offer hospitality (1 Peter 4:9), and love one another (1 Peter 1:22; 1 John 3:11; 3:23; 4:7; 4:11-12). That is what true Biblical koinonia should look like.
4. Breaking of Bread, the fellowship of small groups, house to house.
5. Prayers, these were fare more than mere religious words. They were expressions of love and praise from full hearts.
convincing testimony of the presence of God.
D. Daily the
Lord added to His church.
I. The Church A Dynamic Witness
(Witness Through Miracle Power ) Acts 3:6-9
II. Healing of the Lame Man (Acts 3:1-10)
A. At the hour
of prayer – the ninth hour, approximately 3:00 p.m.
1. There were three times of prayer in the daily schedule.
a. Third hour – 9 a.m.
b. Sixth hour – 12:00 noon
c. Ninth hour – 3:00 p.m.
2. For
inhabitants of
temple grounds.
3. As yet they do not understand how Christ’s indwelling has made them
the
“temple of the Holy Spirit,” superseding the
ordinances (I Corinthians 6:19)
B. Powerless
Religion Verses Powerful Religion
1. Peter and John encounter a beggar at the gate of the temple
2. He was lame from birth
3. He was carried daily to the Beautiful Gate to beg.
a. The gate was beautiful because of the architectural details.
b.
It is the picture of what a dead religion
has to offer
a.
absolutely nothing.
4. For all the beautiful formality of religion the needs of this man had never been met
5. He asked alms of Peter and John.
C. Peter spoke
words of faith.
1. Maybe they remembered Jesus healed a man born blind at this very gate
(John 9:1)
2. They now stand in the Master’s shoes ready to do as he did.
3. It was unusual for someone to speak to this man.
4. Peter looked him straight “into” the eye.
Peter declares Look at ME
5. The word “such” is the word “who”
That who is Jesus Christ
4. He
commanded him to walk in the Name of Jesus of
a name he had heard before,
5. Peter is acting as a representative of someone alive.
An
ambassador for Jesus. Jesus is doing the work.
6. Peter had to act first, Jesus was now limited to working through His
servants.
7. The faith of the lame man is not involved. It is the Gift of Healings.
8. Peter took him by the hand and
lifted him. The man had no choice
9. Immediately strength came to his feet and ankles and he went into the
temple leaping and praising God.
D.
Jesus power to heal was no secret.
1. The people took note Peter and John did not heal in their own name.
2. This healing was more than a miracle, it was sign that Jesus was alive.
It is told that Thomas Acquires happened upon Pope
Innocent II when he was counting money. "See Thomas," said the Pope,
"The church can no longer say silver and gold have I none." Thomas
answered, "Yes, and neither can she say, 'rise and walk in Jesus'
name!" There had been an obvious trade of spiritual power for money.
III. Peter Preaches
In Solomon’s Porch (Acts 3:11-26)
A. Miracle of
the lame man stirred the people.
1. They knew this was the beggar from the gate.
2. The healed man attached himself to Peter and John sensing the
presence of God in them.
B. Peter
seizes the opportunity to address the crowd.
1. For the second time Peter has an amazed audience eager for
explanation.
2. The miracle blessed the man but also drew the crowds to be called to
repentance.
3. Peter did not address them as an unruly mob but an assembly of devout
people. “Men of
4. Peter’s job was to connect the miracle to Jesus, not to themselves.
5. The healed man was visible evidence of a miracle.
C. Peter gives
all glory to God.
1. What a temptation for a man who earlier wanted to be the greatest in the
kingdom. (Luke 9:46)
2. He preached Jesus Christ as the promise to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.
3. The same Jesus they denied preferring a murderer.
4. They killed the prince of life, the holy and righteous one.
a. They knew this was the Messiah’s name.
b. Peter traces their actions to the crime.
5. Peter contrast the Jew’s treatment of Christ with what God did with Him.
6. As an eyewitness he had authority to speak, and it brought conviction.
7. What a paradox that Peter should offer them life through the One they
killed.
D. Peter impresses them that the power to
heal resides in Jesus.
1. The Jewish use of the name of Christ meant Jesus Himself.
2. Not a magical formula by using His Name but by faith in His Name.
3. The point of the miracles was to prove the power of the crucified Christ
was still in their midst and operating in His servants because of their
faith in Him.
It was not for the
glory of the man but for Jesus. A healing to demonstrate the glory of God.
E. He called them to repentance.
1. He softens his words as he calls them “brothers”
2. If they change their mind about Jesus He will forgive their sins.
3. Two phases of salvation presented here.
a. The forgiveness of sin.
b. The regeneration (renewal) of their hearts by Christ’s indwelling
presence.
Lord.
G. Refreshing brings Restoration and the
return of the Lord.
1. At this point only souls have been redeemed and nothing else.
2. All of creation is waiting for its redemption. (Romans 8:18-23)
3. Until that day arrives, the Lord must continue to rule from the hearts of
men for all thins are not yet subject of Him.
H. Peter backs
his claim from the Scripture.
1. Peter quotes Moses to show how Christ has always been the burden of
prophetic truth. (Deuteronomy 18:15-19)
a. All of Moses’ successors, including Samuel, who spoke directly to
David about the kingdom, foretold the advent of Jesus.
b. These verses had been associated with one particular prophet that
would speak for God as did Moses.
c. The resemblance between Moses and Jesus in terms of intimacy with
God and as heads of new covenants is striking.
d. Only one person has claims of being that prophet, Jesus.
e. Giving heed to the prophet was a life or death matter.
f. Sinners will perish if they do not heed the words of God’s prophet,
the Lord Jesus.
2. Peter tells his listeners they are the heirs of God’s promises through the
prophets. (Genesis 22:18; 26:4; 28:14)
a. God promised an heir to Abraham who would bless all mankind.
b. Now that heir (Jesus) had arrived.
c. He was raised up in their midst and the blessing was extended to them
first.
d. He came to deliver them from their sin but they rejected Him.
e. Now He has been raised again and they have a fresh opportunity to
receive God’s pardon if they will seize it. Otherwise they forfeit all
their rights as heirs of Abraham and the prophets.
Could they get away with such bold preaching on the temple grounds?