THE BOOK OF ACTS

 

The Confrontation of the Jews with the Gospel

Acts 2:14-40

Victor M. Eskew

 

I.               TITLE OF THE SECTION

 

A.    The Confrontation of the Jews with the Gospel

B.    The Appeal for Men to Hear the Gospel (Acts 2:14,22)

C.    The Chosen Ones Preach the Gospel (Acts 2:14)

D.    Let all the House of Israel Know Assuredly (Acts 2:36)

 

II.            OUTLINE OF THE SECTIION

 

i.               CLARIFICATION OF MISTAKE (Acts 2:14-15)

ii.              CONSUMMATION OF PROPHECY (Acts 2:16-21)

iii.            CONVICTION OF SIN (Acts 2:22-24)

iv.             CONFIRMATION IN SCRIPTURE (Acts 2:25-32)

v.              CORONATION OF THE CHRIST (Acts 2:33-36)

vi.             COUNTEREACTION OF THE JEWS (Acts 2:37-39)

vii.           CONTINUATION OF MESSAGE (Acts 2:40)

 

III.          APPLICATION TO CHURCH GROWTH

 

A.    Hearing is essential to salvation (Acts 2:14, 22)

 

B.    It is essential to correct any mistaken concepts that our hearers have about us or our message (Acts 2:15).

 

C.    God had been planning the entrance of the gospel into the world for many years (Acts 2:16).  Joel lived long before the events that took place on Pentecost (860-850 B.C.).

 

D.    Man did not have the Bible at this time.  It was necessary, therefore, that God pour out His Spirit so the message could be revealed (Acts 2:17-18). (NOTE:  It is not possible to literally pour out a spirit being.  It was His power that was poured out.  This is a figure of speech called “a metonymy of the cause.”  The cause, the Holy Spirit, is put for the element poured out.  Ex.:  Drunkards like to hit the bottle).

 

E.     Salvation is obtained by calling on the name of the Lord (Acts 2:21)

 

F.     The gospel involves the message about Jesus Christ (Acts 2:22-24)

1.     Jesus was approved of God by miracles and wonders and signs (Acts 2:22).

2.     He was crucified (Acts 2:23)

3.     He was raised from the dead (Acts 2:24)

 

G.    Jesus was foretold in the pages of the Old Testament (Acts 2:25-28).

 

H.    The resurrection of Christ was confirmed by witnesses (Acts 2:32).

 

I.      Jesus was raised to sit upon His throne (Acts 2:30) at the right hand of God (Acts 2:34) as both Lord and Christ (Acts 2:36).

 

J.      Sinful man cannot thwart the plans of the Almighty God (Acts 2:36).

 

K.    Strong gospel preaching should provoke a question from those who are lost (Acts 2:37).

1.     What shall we do?

2.     This is the most important question a man or woman can ask.

 

L.     Peter’s response to the Jews’ question is much different from the “faith only” advocates of today (Acts 2:38).

1.     Repent, and be baptized…for the remission of sins.

2.     This answer establishes what it means to “call upon then name of the Lord” (Acts 2:21).

 

M.   A promise of salvation had been given to all those who were called by God (Acts 2:39).

1.     Some believe this was the promise of the Holy Spirit.

2.     This was really the promise made to Abraham that through his seed, Jesus Christ, all families of the earth would be blessed (Gen. 22:18; Gal. 3:29).

 

N.    There were many other words that Peter and the apostles spoke to the multi-tudes on that day (Acts 2:46).

 

O.    Man plays a role in his salvation (Acts 2:40).