(Mission Statement) I have this dream that 3000 people will show up for church next Sunday. And (I’m still dreaming) all 3000 accepted Christ and joined our church.
Wouldn’t that be fantastic! No, it would be disastrous. The church administrator would be all over my case. “Pastor, I don’t have enough chairs. Our S.S. rooms aren’t large enough. Our bathrooms can’t handle that many. Where are you going to put all these people?”
I can already see it—cranky teachers… “I didn’t plan for that many. We don’t have enough goodies. Where are they going to sit?” Some of you would get huffy cause they would sit in your favorite pew. You late-comers wouldn’t even have a place to sit.
We’d probably spill outside in the grass, the patio, the parking lot. Heaven forbid you might have to park down the street. You might get grass stain on your Sunday-go-to-meeting dress. We’d have to jury-rig a loud speaker system outside.
It might rain. The fire marshal might try to shut us down. Because of the large crowd the riot police would show up in full riot gear. The mayor and governor might even call out the National Guard.
Would you complain? Would you leave? Would you praise God? And guess what? Because of all the activity—the music, the loudspeakers, the preaching—even more people would come just to see what was going on at 5800 Montgomery Ave.
Something like this happened 2000 years ago in Jerusalem on the Day of Pentecost. What happened that day? (Acts 2) One hundred twenty believers were having a prayer meeting, waiting for God’s directions.
On the day of Pentecost God announced His presence with three very apparent signs: A mighty, loud sound like a violent wind heard throughout Jerusalem. Then what looked like tongues of fire came to rest on each of the disciples. Finally the disciples began preaching in foreign languages—the different languages of the people gathered in Jerusalem for the feast (Acts 2:2-3).
Naturally, out of curiosity, a puzzled and bewildered crowd gathered. What did it all mean? They accused the disciples of being drunk (2:13). Then Peter began to explain (2:14-36).
What a sermon! This was no accident. This was exactly what the prophets of old foretold. It was all according to God’s purpose. Mostly he talked about Jesus, and how He fulfilled Old Testament prophecy.
Our Mission Statement drives our strategic plan. This sermon by Peter on the Day of Pentecost reminds us that Jesus is why we are here. Through Jesus we are constantly becoming a new community.
Acts 2:22. “Men of Israel…Jesus of Nazareth was a man accredited by God to you by miracles, wonders and signs, which God did among you through him, as you yourselves know.”
The people knew who Jesus was. They knew He was from Nazareth. He was the carpenter’s son. They knew about His miracles. They should have recognized that He was accredited by God through His miracles, wonders and signs.
Peter didn’t pull any punches. He told the crowd they were complicit in His death. Jesus was handed over to them by God’s purpose and foreknowledge. But that in no way removed their guilt.
Acts 2:23. 23”This man was handed over to you by God’s set purpose and foreknowledge; and you, with the help of wicked men, put him to death by nailing him to the cross. Pointing at the unbelieving mob he said, “You, with the help of wicked men, put the Messiah to death. You are responsible.” And in Acts 2:36, 36…this Jesus whom you crucified.”
It’s very important that you understand v. 23. The death of Jesus is attributed simultaneously both to the purpose of God and the wickedness of men.
Peter is clearly showing that through Jesus’ death God’s saving purpose was being worked out. It was not a surprise to God. When Jesus cried out, “It is finished!” while on the cross, He was proclaiming that He had completed all that was necessary for our salvation.
Christ died because of our sin. We are just as guilty as the mob who cried, “Crucify Him, crucify Him!”
Praise God Peter didn’t leave Jesus in the grave. Because of His love for us Jesus willingly died on the cross. But He didn’t stay dead.
Acts 2:24, “But God raised him from the dead.” Acts 2:32, “God has raised this Jesus to life.” And Acts 2:36, “God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ.”
We must understand that the death of Christ paid the penalty for our sins. But the resurrection of Christ made the forgiveness of our sins possible when we repent and accept His sacrifice.
The sacrifice of Christ would have been absolutely ineffective and totally meaningless if Jesus had remained in the grave. Although men had killed Jesus, and He was dead, really dead, it was impossible for death to keep its hold on Him.
Hebrews 10:10 says that, We have been made holy through the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.” Acts 2:25-28 is Peter’s quotation of Psalm 16:8-11.
King David, who wrote this Psalm, could not have been referring to himself because he died, was buried, and was still in his tomb there in Jerusalem (v. 29). David was writing about the future Messiah.
David as a prophet, spoke of the resurrection of the Christ, the Messiah (v. 31), and that Jesus is that very One, raised from the dead by God and exalted to the right hand of God (vv. 32-33).
Acts 2:33, “Exalted to the right hand of God, he has received from the Father the promised Holy Spirit and has poured out what you now see and hear.”
Peter jumps right from Jesus’ resurrection to His exaltation at God’s right hand. From this position of supreme honor and absolute power, Jesus poured out the Holy Spirit.
Now we know what all the commotion—the loud noise, the tongues like fire, and the speaking in other languages was about. It was the exaltation of Jesus. He had finished His work here on earth. Now, the Holy Spirit empowers His followers to carry the work on.
And Peter wanted all of Israel to know that the Jesus they had repudiated and crucified, God had made both Lord and Christ (v. 36).
This ended Peter’s sermon. The same people who had cried out for Jesus to be crucified were horrified at what they had done.
Acts 2:37. When the people heard this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and the other disciples, “Brothers, what shall we do?”
They were conscience-stricken—convicted of their complicity in Christ’s death and convicted of their sin. Peter’s answer was simple and to the point.
Acts 2:38. “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.”
Repent! You must completely change your minds about Jesus. You didn’t realize He was the Messiah so you crucified Him. Now you know. You must change your attitude toward Him. You must repent of your sins and accept Jesus as your Savior. Then be baptized as a clear token of your repentance and faith in Christ.
Do not misunderstand. Peter is not saying that baptism is necessary for salvation. The word “for” is the Greek eis which is also translated “for the reason of,” or “because of.” You are baptized because you accept Christ.
When you accept Christ you will receive two free gifs of God. First you will receive forgiveness of your sins—even the sin of rejecting God’s Son. And second, you will receive the Holy Spirit to indwell you, and to unite with other believers, and to transform your lives.
God didn’t place any limitations on His gifts. The gift of the Holy Spirit wasn’t just for the 120 disciples in the upper room. The gift is for everyone who believes in Jesus.
Acts 2:41, Those who accepted his message were baptized, and about three thousand were added to their number that day.
This is key. This is what it all was leading up to—God was creating a new community. He was growing His church. What an amazing response to Peter’s message. Three thousand people accepted his message—they repented and believed in Jesus Christ and were baptized.
Three thousand people came to Christ that day (remember my dream?). The church in Jerusalem multiplied twenty-six times, from 120 to 3,120.
This is what God does. He does the saving, and He does the adding. He adds to His church those who are being saved. Peter didn’t save those 3000 people. You and I cannot save anybody. Only God can save a soul for eternity. But God requires us to be faithful—to live for Christ and share the message of Christ.
The question for us today is, “How can we be faithful to this gospel that Peter preached—while at the same time resonating with modern men and women?”
We must focus on Jesus Christ—the historical, theological and contemporary Christ. He is the reason we are here. Del Norte Baptist exists to proclaim the risen Christ. Through our faithfulness, He continually grows a new community in this place.
Listen to me! It is not enough to just say, “We believe in Jesus.” There are many cults, sects, and other false religions today who say the same thing, and they are sending thousands to hell every day.
We do not have the liberty to preach the Jesus of our own fantasy or, for that matter, to focus on our own experiences. Peter and the other apostles were witnesses to the life, death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus.
Our responsibility is to be faithful to the authentic Christ of the Old and New Testament Scriptures, and let God build His community here.