June 5
Bible Reading: Acts 2:22-36
Acts 2:22, “Men of Israel, hear these words: Jesus of Nazareth, a man attested to you by God with mighty works and wonders and signs that God did through him in your midst, as you yourselves know—.”
Acts 2:36, “Let all the house of Israel therefore know for certain that God has made him both Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom you crucified.”
Homiletics is the art and study of preaching. I’ve attended homiletic classes and read lots of books on the subject. I’ve preached and listened to a lot of sermons over the years, but Peter had no such education or experience when he preached on Pentecost. In fact, the religious leaders would later perceive that both Peter and John were “uneducated, common men” (Acts 4:13). Despite all that, Peter, who had previously denied even knowing Jesus (Matthew 26:74), boldly and eloquently proclaimed Jesus as Christ before a crowd of thousands. He did so by the Spirit.
Jesus had foretold his disciples of how the Holy Spirit would bear witness of Him, and how they would too (John 15:26-27); of the Christ-glorifying nature of the Spirit’s work (John 16:14); and how the Spirit would embolden them in their witness (Acts 1:8). The promised Holy Spirit led and empowered Peter in his preaching. His message was both Christ-centered and Christ-honoring. Peter spoke of Christ in His life, miracles, death, resurrection, ascension, and Lordship!
Note that the sermon begins and ends with Jesus (Acts 2:22, 36). That is fitting, of course. He is the Alpha and Omega. The first message preached in the church was a message about the One who is the head of the Church. The One who purchased the church with His own blood. The One who even now reigns over His church and indwells its members. The One who is even now preparing His church for the day of His return.
That first sermon set the standard for the church in its ministry from that day forward. The Apostle Paul said, “For I determined to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ, and Him crucified” (1 Corinthians 2:2). I’ve heard of a church that inscribed on its pulpit these words for the pastor to see while he was preaching: “We would see Jesus.” That’s the spirit in which the Holy Spirit led Peter.
“The sermon which does not lead to Christ, or of which Jesus Christ is not the top and the bottom, is a sort of sermon that will make the devils in hell laugh, but make the angels of God weep.” — Charles Spurgeon
JOIN ALL THE GLORIOUS NAMES
Join all the glorious names
of wisdom, love, and pow’r,
that ever mortals knew,
that angels ever bore;
all are too mean to speak His worth,
too mean to set my Savior forth.
Great Prophet of my God,
my tongue would bless Thy Name;
by Thee the joyful news
of our salvation came-
the joyful news of sins forgiv’n,
of hell subdued, and peace with heav’n.
Jesus, my great High Priest,
offered His blood and died;
my guilty conscience seeks
no sacrifice beside:
His pow’rful blood did once atone,
and now it pleads before the throne.
My dear Almighty Lord,
my Conqueror and King,
Thy sceptre and Thy sword,
Thy reigning grace I sing;
Thine is the pow’r; behold I sit,
in willing bonds, beneath Thy feet.
LookingtoJesus 