Peter's Bold Preaching

Now comes the important gospel message.

Acts 2:22 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:

A powerful sermon begins with, listen to my words as he spoke with authority.

Jesus of Nazareth, even the devils knew that name;

Mark 1:23 And there was in their synagogue a man with an unclean spirit; and he cried out,
Mark 1:24 Saying, Let us alone; what have we to do with thee, thou Jesus of Nazareth? art thou come to destroy us? I know thee who thou art, the Holy One of God.
Mark 1:25 And Jesus rebuked him, saying, Hold thy peace, and come out of him.
Mark 1:26 And when the unclean spirit had torn him, and cried with a loud voice, he came out of him.

a man approved of God among you by miracles and wonders and signs;

Yes even his enemies knew he was from God;

Jhn 11:47 Then gathered the chief priests and the Pharisees a council, and said, What do we? for this man doeth many miracles.
Jhn 11:48 If we let him thus alone, all [men] will believe on him: and the Romans shall come and take away both our place and nation.

They were concerned for their own positions, seeking job security, so from envy they killed Jesus. When Jesus becomes king on earth all nations will bow to him. God worked mighty works through him.

Phil 2:10 That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth;
Phil 2:11 And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

which God did by him in the midst of you, as ye yourselves also know:

Jesus speaks

Luk 11:20 But if I with the finger of God cast out devils, no doubt the kingdom of God is come upon you.

The testimony of the healed blind man

John 9:31 Now we know that God heareth not sinners: but if any man be a worshiper of God, and doeth his will, him he heareth.
John 9:32 Since the world began was it not heard that any man opened the eyes of one that was born blind.
John 9:33 If this man were not of God, he could do nothing.

Acts 2:23 Him, being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, ye have taken, and by wicked hands have crucified and slain:

Peter doesn't hold back, he speaks the truth with new Holy Ghost boldness.

Even though God sent him knowing that he was to die for sins, and Jesus also knowing this was his cup given him by his father, yet he obeyed;

Mat 26:39 And he went a little farther, and fell on his face, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt.

Still, those who murdered Jesus must bear the responsibility for their actions.

"ye have taken, and by wicked hands have crucified and slain (Jesus):"

Mat 27:25 Then answered all the people, and said, His blood be on us, and on our children.
Mat 27:26 Then released he Barabbas unto them: and when he had scourged Jesus, he delivered him to be crucified.

Mat 12:36 But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment.
Mat 12:37 For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned.

Peter was not out to tickle the ears of the people, or to make them laugh, he speaks the truth to them

Acts 2:24 Whom God hath raised up, having loosed the pains of death: because it was not possible that he should be holden of it.

Quoting from Psalms 16, In the term "pains of death", the word pains is actually the word for "birth pains"; in this sense, the tomb was a womb for Jesus! The grave can no more hold the Redeemer than a pregnant woman can hold the child in her body.

John 3:5 Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.

Born of water, a natural birth from woman. Born of the Spirit, the resurrected Christ coming out of the cave tomb a new Spiritual creation.

Col 1:18 And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence.

For as he was raised by the Spirit of life, so shall we likewise be made alive.

Rom 8:10 And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of righteousness.
Rom 8:11 But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you.

The resurrection is the proof of our new life in Christ

1 Cor 15:17 And if Christ be not raised, your faith is vain; ye are yet in your sins.
1 Cor 15:18 Then they also which are fallen asleep in Christ are perished.
1 Cor 15:19 If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable.
1 Cor 15:20 But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept.
1 Cor 15:21 For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead.
1 Cor 15:22 For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.

Peter continues to speak of the resurrection. Killing Jesus was not a victory for Satan, but his defeat!

Through believing in Jesus, His blood removes our sins and we shall be with Jesus forever.

In the sky

The sky was alive with clouds and streaks. The sky will show signs. Signs of the devil's activity, signs of man's presence and power and end time signs of the coming of the Lord.

Eph_2:2  Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience: 

We were subject to the prince of the power of the air, the devil and sin. God broke this power over us by coming as Jesus, the Son of God to destroy the work of the devil and to redeem us with his shed blood. He gave us a great commission.

Act 1:8  But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth. 

Signs of two angels , a dead tree (the cross) and a cloud.

Act 1:9  And when he had spoken these things, while they beheld, he was taken up; and a cloud received him out of their sight. 

Act 1:10  And while they looked stedfastly toward heaven as he went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel; 

Act 1:11  Which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven. 

Jesus is coming in the clouds. Do you hear the sound of a trumpet?

1Co 15:51  Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, 
1Co 15:52  In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. 
1Co 15:53  For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. 

Luke 21:25  And there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars; and upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity; the sea and the waves roaring; 
Luke 21:26  Men's hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth: for the powers of heaven shall be shaken. 
Luke 21:27  And then shall they see the Son of man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. 

Luke 21:28  And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh. 

Look up

The park is only a mile from our home, so when the last light of the day comes and I need refreshing I find solitude there. I see the LORD's creation as the sun dies in the west. How beautiful are the western skies through the majestic oaks from the pond boat dock.

The air is crisp and the beauty of God's creation takes my breath away. If it is so beautiful here, how much more beautiful will be our heavenly home?

John 14:1  Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. 

John 14:2  In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. 

John 14:3  And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also. 

The silent ripples in the pool mirror the beauty of the sunset. We too are to mirror the beautiful light that is Jesus.

Joh 14:4  And whither I go ye know, and the way ye know. 

John 14:5  Thomas saith unto him, Lord, we know not whither thou goest; and how can we know the way? 

John 14:6  Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. 

Mark 16:15  And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. 

Mark 16:16  He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned. 

Mark 16:17  And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; 

Mark 16:18  They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover. 

Looking towards the eastern sky through the oak, the  clouds are a cooler pink and blue.

Mat 24:27  For as the lightning cometh out of the east, and shineth even unto the west; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. 

Streaks of pink clouds show the urgency of moving before the last light goes out.

Mat 16:1  The Pharisees also with the Sadducees came, and tempting desired him that he would shew them a sign from heaven. 

Mat 16:2  He answered and said unto them, When it is evening, ye say, It will be fair weather: for the sky is red. 

Mat 16:3  And in the morning, It will be foul weather to day: for the sky is red and lowring. O ye hypocrites, ye can discern the face of the sky; but can ye not discern the signs of the times? 

My heart knows that the world of man's doing is a mess, having removed the foundations of truth, the word of God. The creation shouts that the Lord lives!

Job 19:25  For I know that my redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth: 

Job 19:26  And though after my skin worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God: 

Job 19:27  Whom I shall see for myself, and mine eyes shall behold, and not another; though my reins be consumed within me.

Luke 21:25  And there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars; and upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity; the sea and the waves roaring; 

Luke 21:26  Men's hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth: for the powers of heaven shall be shaken. 

Luke 21:27  And then shall they see the Son of man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. 

My Redeemer Liveth

The Holy Spirit came upon Job and he spoke by faith a remarkable thing. My redeemer liveth. His redeemer Jesus Christ lived even then before he came to earth as the savior. Jesus is the redeemer.

Job 19:23  Oh that my words were now written! oh that they were printed in a book!
Job 19:24  That they were graven with an iron pen and lead in the rock for ever!
Job 19:25  For I know that my redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth:
Job 19:26  And though after my skin worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God:
Job 19:27  Whom I shall see for myself, and mine eyes shall behold, and not another; though my reins be consumed within me.

 

Reins refers to kidneys that were thought to be the place of affection and feelings. The hearts affection.

 

Isa 26:19  Thy dead men shall live, together with my dead body shall they arise. Awake and sing, ye that dwell in dust: for thy dew is as the dew of herbs, and the earth shall cast out the dead.

 

The redeemer is Jesus who spoke these words:

 

Mat 22:31  But as touching the resurrection of the dead, have ye not read that which was spoken unto you by God, saying,
Mat 22:32  I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob? God is not the God of the dead, but of the living.

John 8:56  Your father Abraham rejoiced to see my day: and he saw it, and was glad.
John 8:57  Then said the Jews unto him, Thou art not yet fifty years old, and hast thou seen Abraham?
John 8:58  Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham was, I am.

 

John_11:25  Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live:

 

Was Job raised from the grave when Jesus paid for our sins on the cross? A number of saints were raised at that time.

 

Mat 27:50  Jesus, when he had cried again with a loud voice, yielded up the ghost.
Mat 27:51  And, behold, the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom; and the earth did quake, and the rocks rent;
Mat 27:52  And the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints which slept arose,
Mat 27:53  And came out of the graves after his resurrection, and went into the holy city, and appeared unto many.

 

Perhaps Job's soul was in Paradise and was taken up with Jesus.

If not then, then he will be raised at the rapture when all will receive their new bodies.

 

1Th 4:16  For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:
1Th 4:17  Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.
1Th 4:18  Wherefore comfort one another with these words.

 

The souls of those who have died after Christ paid the price for their sins, by faith in the promised redeemer, they shall be with Jesus.

 

2Co 5:6  Therefore we are always confident, knowing that, whilst we are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord:
2Co 5:7  (For we walk by faith, not by sight:)
2Co 5:8  We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord.

Job 19:25  For I know that my redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth:

 

Jesus is coming back soon and we will be with him with Job, standing on the earth. What a great hope and promise this is.

 

Luk 21:25  And there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars; and upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity; the sea and the waves roaring;
Luk 21:26  Men's hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth: for the powers of heaven shall be shaken.
Luk 21:27  And then shall they see the Son of man coming in a cloud with power and great glory.
Luk 21:28  And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh.

 

Look up!

Healing power

Mar 2:5 When Jesus saw their faith, he said unto the sick of the palsy, Son, thy sins be forgiven thee. 

Mar 2:6 But there were certain of the scribes sitting there, and reasoning in their hearts, 

Mar 2:7 Why doth this man thus speak blasphemies? who can forgive sins but God only?
Mar 2:8 And immediately when Jesus perceived in his spirit that they so reasoned within themselves, he said unto them, Why reason ye these things in your hearts?
Mar 2:9 Whether is it easier to say to the sick of the palsy, Thy sins be forgiven thee; or to say, Arise, and take up thy bed, and walk?
Mar 2:10 But that ye may know that the Son of man hath power on earth to forgive sins, (he saith to the sick of the palsy,)
Mar 2:11 I say unto thee, Arise, and take up thy bed, and go thy way into thine house.
Mar 2:12 And immediately he arose, took up the bed, and went forth before them all; insomuch that they were all amazed, and glorified God, saying, We never saw it on this fashion.

In the presence of Jesus, there is power and there is healing. Most churches believe that Jesus saves. That is the mission of the church, to teach the world that Jesus saves us from our sins. When it comes to whether Jesus heals now, then their is not as much unity in the churches. Jesus saves and he heals. Are all saved? Are all healed? No, the churches have many who say they are Christian, but have never really been converted. Not all have a new heart, a new presence of the Holy Spirit. When Jesus said "Ye must be born again", he was referring to the experience of accepting him with the evidence of the Holy Spirit; A new life in His Spirit.

In the scripture story, the sick man had friends that carried him and opened up the clay roof in the crowded building where Jesus was teaching a big group of people, including certain scribes, and they let him down in the presence of Jesus. When he saw their faith he forgave the sick man's sins. When we are sick have others pray for you, it was the combined faith that moved Jesus to heal the man in this story. The scribes were angry at this, because only God can forgive sins. Jesus is God the Son. Jesus asked them which was the easiest to say, your sins are forgiven or get up and walk? Both of these require evidence. All, yes all who saw the man healed were amazed and glorified God.

In our church several came to the altar seeking healing. They were prayed for, but another came for salvation. All these are given in the presence of Jesus. Have faith, and let others pray for you and with you. Jesus has power to heal and to make whole. Jesus healed all who came to him, but it doesn't say that he forgave the sins of all who came to him. Which is the greater need? Many seek healing of their bodies, but neglect to ask Jesus for salvation. Jesus saw the greater need of forgiveness of sins and then he healed the body.

Mar 16:20 And they went forth, and preached every where, the Lord working with them, and confirming the word with signs following. Amen.