How would you preach on Peter's sermon in Acts 2, focusing on missions and evangelism?

Anyone have examples?

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Pergamum


"If a commission by an earthly king is considered a honor, how can a commission by a Heavenly King be considered a sacrifice?"
-- David Livingstone

SermonAudio.com - What is a Covenant Child?

What is a Covenant Child?
7/9/2006 (SUN) | Hebrews 2; Acts 2

213 What is a Covenant Child?
Hal Brunson, Ph.D. • 46 min.
First Baptist Church of Parker 200+ Play! |

SUN 07/09/2006
Sunday - A

The material contained in this sermon indicates the all the promises of God are found in the promise of the Father to the Son in both the promise of Psalm 16 to the Son and the the giving of the elect children{ hebrews 2:9-17] to the Son. The material in this sermon if properly understood and adapted to your hearer's would be very helpful to an inquirer

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Anthony D'Arienzo
Sunday School Teacher
Hope Reformed Baptist Church:
Medford, N.Y.

I mean the MAIN points of his sermon, not the baptism issue, which is not even a part of his sermon.

Acts 2:22

22 "Men of Israel, hear these words: Jesus of Nazareth, a Man attested by God to you by miracles, wonders, and signs which God did through Him in your midst, as you yourselves also know
NKJV

Since we have no people in this situation today, I would be careful to use it as an example of what to say to people today.

That would be how to teach it. Note the following passages have reference to those who have an intimate knowledge of these things already
There is no need to explain them.

Acts 2:23 Him, being delivered by the determined purpose and foreknowledge of God, you have taken by lawless hands, have crucified, and put to death; NKJV

Acts 2:29 "Men and brethren, let me speak freely to you of the patriarch David, that he is both dead and buried, and his tomb is with us to this day NKJV

Acts 2:32 This Jesus God has raised up, of which we are all witnesses. NKJV

Acts 2:36 "Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly that God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ." NKJV


As for the covenant promises he is reaffirming that these still hold good to the covenant people, those in his hearing, and to all afar off.

Acts 2:39 For the promise is to you and to your children, and to all who are afar off, as many as the Lord our God will call." NKJV

The call goes out in human form to the physical children but will be applicable only to those who are the spiritual children, ie as many as the Lord calls.

This is distinctively covenant language that Baptists generally can't grasp else they would baptize these upon whom the promises and covenant are promised. It is similar language to 1 Cor 7:14 4 For the unbelieving husband is sanctified by the wife, and the unbelieving wife is sanctified by the husband; otherwise your children would be unclean, but now they are holy. NKJV

This is the practical physical aspect of the covenant. The Lord treats the one as a covenant member based on the true faith of the other.

They are in the visible covenant, though not necessarily in the invisible aspect of the covenant, or converted at this time.
Regardless whether they are elect or not.

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DonP

It is not as if baptists are thick-headed, there simply does not exist a warrant to baptize children in Acts 2.

I don't want to fall into a baptism debate here. This is not the main message of the sermon in Acts 2.

If I were a pastor preaching on Acts 2 and evangelism, I would think of the following points.

1. Acts 2 deals with a sermon. Many people fail to see this. What they see is "speaking in tongues" and then overlook its ultimate purpose. The languages spoken here were intelligible languages, not gibberish (2:1-13).

2. Christ and His work are the fulfillment of the promises held forth in the Old Testament (2:14-28).

3. Evangelism deals with the actual content of the gospel. There is delivery of certain truths about Christ and His work, and repentance and faith. Peter confronted his audience with the sad reality of man's sin and depravity, and explained to them the salvation found in Jesus (2:29-40).

4. This chapter is clear that the early Christians viewed church membership and public worship as essential to the Christian life. There was no professing Christian who was also not a church member. In the life of the early church, we find the important elements of public worship, namely, Word, sacraments, and prayer. Implied also is submission to the rulers of the church - something which many professing Christians today despise. Moreover, there was fellowship among the brethren and they shared what they had to each other (2:41-46).

5. Acts 2 is also a powerful demonstration of God's sovereignty in the salvation of sinners and, therefore, in evangelism. It is the Lord who adds to the numbers of His saints (2:47). Belief in His sovereignty establishes true Biblical evangelism.

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Albert, The Republic of the Philippines
Pasig United Covenant Reformed Church (a Reformed church plant)
United Covenant Reformed Churches in the Philippines (UCRCP)
Three Forms of Unity and Westminster Confession of Faith

Psalm 27:1a (AV) The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear?
“Perseverance is the badge of true saints. The Christian life is not a beginning only in the ways of God, but also a continuance in the same as long as life lasts.” -

your point 4: I see that people were added to the body of Christ, the church universal, but this passage does NOT appear to strengthen anyone's arguments for local church membership since all in attendance almost were traveller's going back home after the feasts.

Perg,
Although Pastor Brunsons sermon does get into the baptism issue/debate,[he was seeking to address the issue for sure]
the part of the sermon that I was speaking about was the link he makes to
The promise to the Son that he would not leave Him in the grave, Psa. 16
Because of Spirit Baptism that promise is true, to all who believe.As many as God calls.
Life from the dead is the heart of any and all evangelistic messages.
1 Cor 15:22. That is why I claimed if this message were properly understood, and adapted it is very useful. A proper understanding of the link made to Hebrews 2:9-16 is also crucial to rightly opening this up.[he took upon himself the seed of Abraham]
This life that only comes by new birth- Romans 6 by the Spirit ,when explained is more than enough of a basis for a multitude of evangelistic sermons.
Leaving the water baptism issue in reference to this sermon, a right understanding of the "promise" in Acts 2:31-39, the promise of Acts 1 , the promise of Psalm 16 is almost always overlooked because it does not fit into many a believer's presupposition.

I see. The case for church membership may be defended from a number of texts. But in any event, Acts 2 is clear on the elements of the public worship of the apostolic church. Thanks!

1. THIS JESUS (the Jesus Peter has just outlined. The biblical Jesus, not the world's perception of him. The promised, sin conquering, victorious Holy One)

2. WHOM YOU CRUCIFIED (You are responsible, his blood is on your hands)

3. IS MADE BOTH LORD (His rightful position before whom every knee will bow)

4. AND CHRIST (God's annointed Saviour, the unique, all powerfull, all sufficient, complete Saviour)

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Stuart
Elder, Lambeg Baptist, Northern Ireland, UK

In Him the fulness of the Godhead dwells in bodily form and in Him you are complete (Col 2.9-10)

The Christian is a person who makes it easy for others to believe in God. (RM M'Cheyne)

It could be that they in fact did stay.

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Brian Eschen
Ruling Elder, PCA
Pleasanton, California

The text gives no other alternative with the narrative cited. This is one of the major reasons people started selling their properties, was because many people were there from other locations and stayed (such as the disciples, whose homes were still in Galilee).

Cheers,

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Adam B., Wine Country, California, PCA

"I fear not to hold with Junius, de Politia Mosis cap. 6, that he who was punishable by death under that Judicial law, is punishable by death still; and he who was not punished by death then, is not to be punished by death now."

Did they, in fact, stay? This is a new idea for me. They sold land due to the drought didn't they (or was that later?).

Is this a minority view and what do others say?

It may be the minority view. We can at least say that this was true for the 12 disciples, since none of them were from Jerusalem. Also, there appears to be the same idea with the strangers from all over the earth, who seem to remain fellowshipping with the apostles from day to day.

Cheers,

Hmmm...I'd like to hear more views, or links to the Common Taters.

A long feast and then fellowship afterwards maybe, but it would seem unlikely that all of those out of towners just stayed there following Pentecost.