1
Congregational-Presbyterian Church
“The Life and Death of Jesus”
Acts 2:22-23
September 17, 2017
This morning we continue our sermon series in Acts chapter two. The chapter begins with the Holy Spirit being poured out at Pentecost. The followers of Jesus are gathered together in one place when the Holy Spirit descends on them like tongues of fire and fills them. One of the results of this filing is that they receive the ability to speak in languages not their own, so that those who hear them praising God and telling of his mighty works are amazed to hear these things in their native language. Some wonder what this could mean, but others begin to mock the Christians, claiming they are drunk. These two types of response set the stage for Peter’s sermon about the good news of Jesus Christ.
Peter begins by addressing a real question being asked by the people. This pattern can be seen throughout the book of Acts whenever the gospel is shared. The believers do not launch their message out of the blue, but begin with something the listener can relate to. Often, as is the case here in Acts two, the launching pad is a question the person has about something they have seen in the life of a Christian. On other occasions, such as what happened when Paul was in Athens, the launching pad is a particular philosophical or religious question. The Athenians were interested in what they called the “Unknown God,” and Paul told them that the God they did not yet know was, in fact, the God of Jesus Christ.
When we share Christ with others, we need to start with people where they are. As we get to know them better, and as they get to know us, we begin to learn about each other’s families and jobs and general life circumstances. This helps us to know their particular needs and the kinds of questions they may have about God, and can offer open doors for us to connect them to the good news of Jesus Christ.
Returning to Peter’s sermon, he explains to the people that what is happening is not what some of them think. “These people aren’t drunk. It’s only nine o’clock in the morning and that’s much too early for people to get drunk.” Then he addresses those who sincerely want to understand what they are witnessing. Using the Bible as the authority for his message, Peter quotes from the prophet Joel who wrote that one day God would pour out his Spirit. That day is here. God is pouring out his Spirit so that all kinds of people - young and old, male and female, masters and servants, Jews and Gentiles – can proclaim the truth about Jesus Christ. Most importantly, and the ultimate purpose for which the Spirit is poured out by God, is that all who hear the truth proclaimed and call upon the name of the Lord will be saved. That brings us to this morning’s passage and I invite you to turn with me to Acts 2:22-23 where Peter continues his sermon
People of Israel, listen! God publicly endorsed Jesus the Nazareneby doing powerful miracles, wonders, and signs through him, as you well know.But God knew what would happen, and his prearranged plan was carried out when Jesus was betrayed. With the help of lawless Gentiles, you nailed him to a cross and killed him.
The natural question for Peter’s listeners would have been: “Who is this Lord who will save us if we call on his name?” “Let me tell you,” says Peter. His name is Jesus. He is from the town of Nazareth up in Galilee. He was a man who performed amazing miracles, demonstrating that he was approved by God. In fact, you are familiar with him. Some of you saw him and listened to his teaching. Perhaps you even witnessed one of more of his miracles. And, even if you didn’t encounter him personally, you have certainly heard about him. He was right here in Jerusalem less than two months ago and the whole city was talking about him.
Peter begins by talking about Jesus as a person, a real human being who lived his life here on earth and who died a terrible death on a cross. I am quite sure that Peter said much more about Jesus than the words recorded here in these two verses by Luke. The fact was that Luke had already written an entire gospel about Jesus’ life and death, and there was no need for him to repeat the details here. I believe that Peter spoke of Jesus’ love for people, of his gracious treatment of people at the margins of society including the sick and the crippled. And he spoke of Jesus’ miracles, sharing instances that he had witnessed with his own eyes.
Peter also spoke of Jesus’ death. This is where the purposes of God come into focus. For God did not send his Son into the world just to give the world a taste of what a truly good and loving person does, or to provide the world with a teacher of an ethical system that we can emulate. God’s purpose, God’s prearranged plan, was for his Son to die. How shocking is that! This person who God approved of and to whom God gave the power to do miracles in order to reveal his approval, was destined for death on a cross. The only way that this can be anything but a horrible thought, that a father would choose to have his own son killed, is if there were an unquestionably greater good to be obtained. And, there was. When the life of Christ is given as an offering for sin, God’s plan to bring us sinners back to himself is revealed. You and I can do nothing to atone for our sin. Sin’s penalty is death, and in the justice of God that penalty must be paid. But, instead of us paying it and being forever separated from God, Jesus paid it in our place. Through faith in him, we can be reconciled to the God who is with us in Christ, who is for us in Christ, and who is in us through the Holy Spirit given to us by Christ. This is why those who call on the name of the Lord will be saved. Having spoken of the life and death of Jesus, Peter goes on to speak of his resurrection and exaltation to the right hand of God the Father. We will explore that part of Peter’s sermon next Sunday.
Christianity is about Christ, and you and I have been instructed by him to be his witnesses. Our mission as a church is to know Christ – to know the story of his life and death. We are to become like Christ – to live like him even as we die to sin. And, we are to share Christ – to tell others the story of his life and death.
The story of Jesus’ life is of interest to people and many want to know more. In 1979, Campus Crusade for Christ produced the “Jesus” film in order to tell his story. Since then, it has been translated into more than 1,500 languages and viewed by several billion people around the world. About ten years ago a group from our church traveled to Haiti for a short-term mission project. While there we showed the “Jesus” film in the village of Titayen. Since there was no electricity available, we had brought a portable generator with us to run the projector and the sound which was broadcast through speakers. As we were setting up, children began gathering to see what these blancs (whites) were doing in their village. We began to play Christian music over the speaker system and soon more and more people were coming to check us out. By the time it was dark enough to see the movie projected onto the piece of white plywood we were using as our projection screen, we estimated that about 700 people had gathered from this village of about 2,000. They heard and saw the story of Jesus’ life in their own language, through a medium that was quite foreign to most of them. We later heard from the missionaries who followed up with those who had expressed a desire to learn more about Jesus that quite a few “called on the name of the Lord and were saved.”
Like Peter did on that day of Pentecost, you and I are empowered by the Spirit who lives in us to share the Good News of Jesus with others. We begin with people where they are, listening carefully to their questions and concerns, and look for a way to build a bridge between them and Jesus. We help people to know the story of Jesus, and we tell them that Jesus died for their sins so that they don’t have to. We know Christ in order to become like Christ so that we may share Christ.