Teachers: Each of the next lessons [including this lesson] will focus on a sermon in Acts. Most of the sermons to be studied are conversion sermons. They were preached to first century audiences who were not Christians. The purpose of each sermon was to challenge listeners to consider faith in Jesus Christ.
Because this lesson is an introduction to the Acts sermons, it provides more Acts background material than will the other lessons. Help students realize the sermons provide insights into first century conversion efforts not found in other New Testament material. The sermons should provide convincing evidence that first century people were converted to Jesus Christ.
Only Acts records first century sermons intended to convert people to the resurrected Jesus. Acts provides a variety of unique information. In this information are the early church's emphases when the gospel [good news] was presented to potential converts.
Many of today's Christians conclude all first century sermons contained the same emphasis as the speakers sought to convert people. Because today's conversion sermons often have a similar emphasis, some Christians easily make that assumption. Hopefully, by studying some sermons in Acts, students can see a contrast. Hopefully, students will see and understand that Christians always have been converted to Jesus Christ.
With this lesson, the focus changes. For a few lessons the focus will be on sermons in Acts. Past experience suggests few Christians actually study Acts' sermons. Some skip the sermons without reading them. Some ignore the sermons. They read them without concentrating. Some do not understand the sermons. They read with concentration but find the sermons confusing. Some consider the sermons boring. [Perhaps that is a commentary on today's sermons.] Too commonly, Acts' sermons are neglected in order to focus on "important information."
Help your students gather insights from the sermons that generate the joy of discovery and understanding.
As worthwhile sermons should, Acts' sermons address the specific needs of the listeners. Those sermons do two things today's Christians should find important. First, the content of each sermon provides significant insights into the audience. Second, the content of each sermon provides significant insights into the speaker's understandings and priorities. Both make the sermons a source of unique information.
Help your students see that the sermons did much more than declare information the listeners needed to receive. Sermons began with things the audience understood to lead them to things they needed to understand.
Personal preparation must begin by reading the sermon to be considered. The sermon studied in this lesson is found in Acts 2:14-40.
Urge students to read the sermon to be studied more than once prior to class.
Location: The sermon was delivered in Jerusalem on Pentecost. Jerusalem overflowed with Jewish [and proselyte] pilgrims on Pentecost. In Israel's past, Pentecost was the Feast of Weeks. Originally, it was the national assembly to present the harvest's first yield to God. [See Exodus 23:16; 34:22; Leviticus 23:15-21; Numbers 28:26; and Deuteronomy 16:9-12.] Two original purposes were served by this assembling of Israel's men. The first acknowledged God was the source of their harvest. The second rejoiced in God's harvest blessings. In Israel's past, the Feast of Weeks was one of three annual pilgrimages Israelite men made to national assemblies (Deuteronomy 16:16).
When these national days of assembly began, Israel was a small nation occupying a small territory. Only a small nation in a small territory could require all men to make a pilgrimage to a central location three times a year.
In the first century, Israelites were scattered throughout their known world. Many Jews could not afford to travel to Jerusalem even once a year. Many who lived long distances from Jerusalem made a pilgrimage to Jerusalem once in a lifetime.
Situation: While Jerusalem was overcrowded with pilgrims, Acts 2:6 focused on "Jews living in Jerusalem from every nation." Seemingly, the initial audience was the residents of Jerusalem. Some Jews throughout the Mediterranean world retired in Jerusalem.
It is true that Jewish people from all over their known world were present in Jerusalem on Pentecost. [Pentecost came fifty days after the Passover.] However, this seemed to be the immediate objective: produce converts in Jerusalem who would form a Christian nucleus in that city. Preaching the gospel for the first time in Jerusalem on Pentecost had enormous evangelistic potential for the Jewish world. However, the first objective seemed to be to produce a base of Christian faith in Jerusalem.
Luke used comparisons to describe the presermon events. A noise or sound like a wind storm filled an unidentified house where the apostles were. Something that "looked like" or "seemed to be" flames settled on those in the room.
Help students see the comparative language. It was the sound of a wind storm, not a wind storm. It looked like flames of fire settling on those receiving the Spirit, but it was not flames of fire. What happened was so unique it had to be compared to something known.
At some point, the apostles moved from that house to the temple courtyard [the only known place in first century Jerusalem that could accommodate a gathering of thousands]. A mysterious phenomena heard throughout Jerusalem (2:6) could easily result in a gathering in the temple area.
Luke did not discuss the transition from the house to the temple courtyard.
Each person from the room was speaking in the language [dialect?] of the assembled Jews (2:6). The crowd was amazed because those speaking were Galileans. [Galileans were regarded as uneducated.] Though this happened in the temple area of Jerusalem, the speakers were not priests, rabbis, scribes, Pharisees, or Sadducees, but Galileans. Though the hearers understood the words in their own "language," they were confused. The hearers included both Jews and proselytes (2:10). The hearers heard the speakers declaring God's mighty acts (2:11). However, the hearers could not comprehend the happenings (2:12,13). Some suggested drunkenness as an explanation.
The multitude could "hear them speak" in their native languages. They were amazed because the speakers were Galileans, rural people not known for scholarship. "We hear them in our own tongues speaking of the mighty deeds of God" (2:11). They understood the words, but they were confused because they did not understand the meaning of the happenings (2:12).
It will be a temptation to spend the class period discussing the coming of the Spirit. However, that is not the purpose of this lesson. Certainly briefly share your conclusions, but please focus the students on the sermon in Acts 2.
The speaker: Though many speakers shared at first, Peter became the speaker. Peter's entire lesson is not recorded. He said much more than is recorded (2:40).
Peter took charge. He used a loud voice to become the spokesman for the eleven (2:14).
Peter's approach: His audience was eager to understand the confusing events they witnessed. Remember he spoke to a Jewish audience. Remember the hearers were familiar with Jewish prophecies and Messianic expectations. Peter's evidences and approach made use of their knowledge, background, expectations and arguments.
Help students note that Peter took advantage of every factor to direct the thinking of the listeners. He gave a reason for rejecting the explanation of drunkenness. With Joel's prophecy, he replaced the drunkenness explanation with a divine explanation. He used their confusion to point them to God's work in Jesus. He used their personal knowledge of Jesus' deeds. He declared Jesus' death was in keeping with God's plan. He documented Jesus' resurrection and Lordship with Jewish prophecy. Peter's approach used every available factor to move Jewish listeners toward faith in Jesus as the Christ.
The sermon: First, note Peter's use of their arguments. (1) Some suggested the events could be explained by drunkenness. Peter said that explanation was unbelievable. It was harvest time. "New wine" did not contain enough alcohol to allow a person to be drunk by 9 a.m. (2) Note his anticipation of an argument. In 2:23 he anticipated this argument: it would be impossible to kill God's son. "People cannot stop God. Killing God's son would not stop God." In their expectation, the Messiah could not be stopped. He would accomplish God's purposes, and God's purposes would be this world purposes. Peter declared Jesus' death accomplished God's predetermined plan.
Peter used (1) the arguments of the mockers and (2) the potential theological arguments of common Jewish conviction to increase the listeners' interest.
Second, note Peter's use of Jewish prophecy. (1) Joel's prophecy (Joel 2:29-32) predicted the Spirit's coming. They were witnesses of the fulfillment of his prophecy. (2) David prophesied about a person who would not decay (Psalms 16:8-11). David was not talking about himself because he died and decayed. (3) David prophesied about a king he called Lord (Psalms 110:1). David knew someone greater than he would come.
Peter used a common authority respected by the listeners: the Jewish prophets. While Peter and the listeners accepted the prophesies with respect and trust, Peter's understanding of those prophesies radically differed from theirs. Realize that Peter grasped the meaning of those prophecies on that day. The coming of the Spirit enabled him to understand God's meanings and intent. He revealed to his listeners what he just understood.
The three thousand who responded were likely a minority. People do not understand "new" truths quickly. Only open-minded believers respond quickly. They grasp and understand quickly.
Third, note Peter's collective use of evidences. (1) The prophet Joel prophesied the coming of the Spirit. In Jewish expectation, the coming of the Spirit was associated with the Messiah's coming. (2) They personally knew Jesus' deeds. They were witnesses. (3) God knew that Jesus would be killed. (4) King David prophesied the resurrection. (5) The great King David recognized a Lord superior to himself.
Peter did not expect the listeners to "take his word" for what he said. He used evidences. Note the evidences he used were recognized by the listeners as evidence. Evidences valid only to Peter would have no significance to the listeners.
Fourth, note the conclusion: all Israel should know that God made the crucified Jesus Lord and Christ [Messiah] (2:36).
The conclusion reached by the sermon: the resurrected Jesus who is God's Christ is Lord. The question, "What shall we do?" is the response of those who accepted this conclusion as correct. Help students realize the conclusion is not the response. The conclusion and the response were separate realities.
Perhaps some understanding of words is needed. To be the Lord is to be the king or ruler. Typically, death ends one's reign as king or ruler. With Jesus, death inaugurated his Lordship and began his rule. He currently rules as Lord and will rule as Lord until death is destroyed (see 1 Corinthians 15:25-28). Jesus is his earthly name. The words Christ (Greek) and Messiah (Hebrew) indicate the same divine reality. God's resurrection made Jesus Lord and Christ. He came to this earth to become the Christ (Matthew 16:13-20), but he actually occupied the position as the Christ after his death and resurrection.
The reaction: Those who believed Peter's conclusion asked what they should do. These people were terrified! They were guilty of encouraging the execution of God's son. Jewish justice would demand their death. What they did could not be corrected. Peter introduced them to Jesus' forgiveness [often seen in Jesus' ministry]. As often occurs in Acts, repentance was stressed. The combination of faith [evidenced in their question and response], repentance, and baptism would result in being forgiven and receiving the Spirit (see Acts 5:32). The promise of forgiveness and the Spirit was given to them and to many others. The hearers and Peter likely thought those "far off" referred to the Jews throughout their known world. As Peter learned later (Acts 10), those "far off" included all people.
The combination of faith in Jesus as Lord and Christ, repentance of sin [a redirection of life from evil with a resolve to do God's will], and baptism would produce forgiveness. Even though they had encouraged the execution of God's son, they could be forgiven and receive the Spirit. Not only was forgiveness and possession of the Spirit possible for them, but it was possible for others, even those "far off."
Your Thoughts: State the theme of this sermon. On whom was the sermon centered?
The theme of the sermon: God's plan was for Jesus to become the Christ through death and resurrection. Jesus is Lord and Christ. God did exactly what He intended to do.
The sermon is centered on Jesus. The foundation of first century conversion among the Jewish people was this: faith in Jesus as Lord and Christ.
Link to Student Guide
Quarter 2, Lesson 5