Crucified

Sermon for Sunday April 23,2023

Acts 2:14 14 But Peter, standing with the eleven, lifted up his voice and addressed them: “Men of Judea and all who dwell in Jerusalem, let this be known to you, and give ear to my words.

Peter starts out with these words to let people know what he has to say is important for all who are listening in. First Peter lets the people know the Apostles are not drunk. What the people hear is not the Apostles voices but the voice of the Holy Spirit. How else would people hear what was being said in each of their nation’s languages? Also remember each is hearing what is told to them at the same time.

Certainly, one can slur their speech, but who can slur different languages at one time for each individual ear. Peter was helping the people to understand what was going on. They were all witnessing the power of the Holy Spirit acting through the Apostles of Jesus Christ.

Acts 36–37 36Let all the house of Israel therefore know for certain that God has made him both Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom you crucified.” 37Now when they heard this they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?”

What? Did all these people place Jesus on a cross and nail His hands and feet to that cross? Did all these people scream crucify Him! Crucify Him! Yet they were cut to the heart when they heard Peter say, “Jesus whom you crucified.” Or was Peter just speaking to the Pharisees, Scribes, and Sadducees who were mingled in the crowd? Maybe Peter is speaking to everyone who has sinned.

These people heard that Jesus was the Christ and in truth Jesus is still the Christ. This man you crucified through your sin and my sin this is the one who came to save us. This was and is the Son of God, this is God who came to suffer the anger of our sin. The anger which works against God and which God defeated. Anger that could not stop what God wants for us.

Satan might have you fooled. We hear the world that speaks for Satan. All is well and all is legal, and don’t be like those crazy Christians who damn people if they don’t abide by God’s rules or the churches made-up rules. Satan makes it easy; you don’t have to believe in him just don’t believe in God.

The evil ones do not want you to believe in a God who came to save us and not condemn us. Look Satan attacks those who try to follow God and he uses our own sinful nature to achieve his goals. Why do churches fall, why do some become self-righteous, why do some take advantage of churches for their own edification? Do we fall for the evil-one’s tricks and lies or do we lift one another up and through love and forgiveness help one another. Satan is counting on us not to help one another but he loves it when we bite at each other.

Acts 38 38And Peter said to them, “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.

Yes, repent and be baptized, not that you need to be rebaptized, but that we repent continually. Our Baptism is complete, we have been cleansed from original sin, we are marked as God’s forgiven children. However, repentance is not examining each other, it is examining ourselves.

We have received the Holy Spirit but are you listening to Him or are you listening to your own heart and agenda for others. Repent, examine yourself, admit your own sin first. I have sinned in thought word and deed. I have sinned grievously, and I am truly sorry for my sin. Just like you, I need to be lifted up, I need help and I need it through love. And I need to be willing to be there for you when you need lifted up.

Acts 39 39For the promise is for you and for your children and for all who are far off, everyone whom the Lord our God calls to himself.”

The promise is the forgiveness of sins, the life eternal, and an eternal relationship with God as His child. This is what Jesus suffered and died for, not for the righteous but for the sinner. If you are self-righteous then know you are not righteous but also a sinner. The good news is Jesus died for you too, repent and be baptized, some are baptized and some still need the cleansing that only God can give us through water, word, and His Holy Spirit.

Acts 40 40And with many other words he bore witness and continued to exhort them, saying, “Save yourselves from this crooked generation.”

We save ourselves through repentance and following Jesus through imitating Jesus Christ our Lord, but it is this life that we save ourselves in. Jesus Christ is the only one who can save us to eternal life though Jesus does help us with this life too. Our Lord and savior has saved us and has shown us the Way. The way to love God and love one another.

Acts 41 41So those who received his word were baptized, and there were added that day about three thousand souls.

Peter also says Baptism now saves us, (1 Peter 3:21). Now we have a savior who loves us, how can we not love our savior and each other? Life here is short, life forever is… Amen.

Written by Pastor Curtis May