HE WOULD RAISE UP THE CHRIST TO SIT ON HIS THRONE
Text: Acts 2
27 December 2009
(I) A HISTORIC MESSAGE
1. Given by Peter the leading apostle of the newly formed Jerusalem Church
a) A transformed Peter
b) A Spirit-filled Peter
c) A powerful Preacher
2. Addressing thousands of people
a) Some of whom had personally seen Jesus
b) Many had known that Jesus had been crucified and put to death ( Acts 2:23 )
c) These had thought that that was the end of Jesus of Nazareth
3. The Occasion
a) Pentecost- a Jewish Harvest festival ( Acts 2:1 )
b) The Descent of the Holy Spirit upon the Disciples of Jesus ( Acts 2:1-2 )
c) These Disciples were supernaturally empowered to speak in foreign languages hitherto not learned in the usual manner ( Acts 2:11 )
(II) A GLORIOUS MESSAGE: PREACHING FROM THE PROPHETIC SCRIPTURES
1. Presentation of David
a) As king of Israel
b) As a patriarch ( Acts 2:29 )
c) As a prophet ( Acts 2:30 )
2. Prophecy of David concerning Jesus
a) He is the Christ (The Messiah) [ Acts 2:30 ]
b) He foresaw the Resurrection of Jesus ( Acts 2:31 )
c) Jesus is both Lord and Christ ( Acts 2:36 )
(III) A POWERFUL MESSAGE: PROCLAIMED BY BRAVE AND POWERFUL WITNESS FOR JESUS
1. Empowered by the Spirit of God
a) To speak boldly
b) To speak skillfully
c) To speak triumphantly
2. Empowered further
a) Through a deep knowledge of the Scriptures
b) Through personal experience with the Lord Jesus Christ
(IV) A RELEVANT MESSAGE TODAY: THE CALL TO BE WITNESSES FOR CHRIST
1.The Call to bear witness by the Lord Jesus
“But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you;and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” Acts 1:8
2. This call to be witness was taken seriously by the Church in Jerusalem
a) The apostles
b) The Church
c) Consequently the first century was correctly called The Golden Age of the Church
3. This call is still Valid and Important
a) To seek the Filling of the Spirit of God
b) To bear effective Witness for the Lord in the New Year
c) To be fruitful in our endeavours