FIRST GOSPEL SERMON : A PATTERN TO FOLLOW FOR BIBLICAL PREACHING

FIRST GOSPEL SERMON : A PATTERN TO FOLLOW FOR BIBLICAL PREACHING

The preaching of Apostle Peter in the book of Acts chapter 2 as recorded by Apostle Luke through the guidance of the Holy Spirit must be read, re-read, and read always to study carefully of every one who desire to preach the gospel. When one examine it carefully, he is not deceived by the notions of some that one should:

"Preach the man not the plan"
"Preach the Christ not the church"
"Preach love not hate"

Then there is a trend "Positive Mental Preaching" which is to preach only positive things but not the negative things. The problem here is that who has the authority to say what is positive and what is negative.

Now let us study Acts 2, let us begin in verse 14.
"But Peter, standing up with the eleven, lifted up his voice, and said unto them, Ye men of Judaea, and all ye that dwell at Jerusalem, be this known unto you, and hearken to my words:"
Peter raised, lifted his voice and said "heed my words" or " hearken to my words:" which means there is assurance, certain, truth and pure in what he is going to utter will be oracles of God, the same as he instructed that "If any man speak, let him speaks as oracles of God" 1 Peter 4:11.
Verses 14-16 Explanation of verses 17-21 quoting Joel 2:28-32

V 15 "For these are not drunk as you suppose.." Direct rebuttal to false concepts, false teachings and false applications.
Vs 16-21 This is what was spoken by the prophet Joel. This is going back to the Holy Scriptures to refute the false teaching.
V 22 "Ye men of Israel, hear these words; Jesus of Nazareth, a man approved of God among you by miracles and wonders and signs, which God did by him in the midst of you, as ye yourselves also know:"
Pointing to what the audience have seen

Vs 22-24 "Being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, ye have taken, and by wicked hands have crucified and slain: Whom God hath raised up, having loosed the pains of death: because it was not possible that he should be holden of it."

Explanation of vs 25-28 Quoting Psalm 16:8-11

Vs 29-33 "Men and brethren, let me freely speak unto you of the patriarch David, that he is both dead and buried, and his sepulchre is with us unto this day.Therefore being a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him, that of the fruit of his loins, according to the flesh, he would raise up Christ to sit on his throne; He seeing this before spake of the resurrection of Christ, that his soul was not left in hell, neither his flesh did see corruption.This Jesus hath God raised up, whereof we all are witnesses. Therefore being by the right hand of God exalted, and having received of the Father the promise of the Holy Ghost, he hath shed forth this, which ye now see and hear." Expounding the meaning of vs 25-28 from Psalm 16: 8-11

V 34 "For David did not ascend into heavens..." the meaning of verse 35 quoting Psalm 68:18
verse 36 "There let all the house of Israel know assuredly..." The conclusion of the whole prophecies, the conviction of the whole facts, the objective of the whole truth.

verse 37 "...cut to their heart..." "...ask what shall we do?" The effect of pure gospel preaching, no sugar coating, no comforting for sins and no softening of the gospel.

verse 38 "Repent and be baptized" The compliance of Matthew 28:18-20, the Great Commission

verse 39 The promise of salvation to all nations, Jews and Gentiles.

verse 40 "With many other words did he testify and exhort, saying, Save yourselves from this untoward generation.

There are many more words did the Apostle Peter uttered but not recorded, but all these things which are recorded are enough for the salvation of every one in Christ. Just like in John 21:25 "And there are also many other things which Jesus did, the which, if they should be written every one, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that should be written. Amen."

What can we learn from the Preaching of the First Gospel Sermon? It is that Peter convicts them through the truth as revealed in the Holy Scriptures when he quoted the book of Joel and the Psalms of David, he trust in the facts of the gospel, no pop psychology, no positive mental preaching approach but just plain gospel preaching.

Today the problem is not that the gospel of Christ is ineffective to convict but it is the sugar coating of the gospel because of fear to offend the sinner. It is sad to hear a preacher preach for almost 5 minutes without quoting a single verse of the Holy Scriptures. 

-Men Mark A. Tumandan-