As I mentioned earlier in this Acts study, Simon Peter is the leading (human) character in the first half of the Book. Particularly in Acts chapters 1-12 … Peter is the protagonist. (I used the word “human” because the Real Mover in the Book of Acts is God the Holy Spirit, Who is not human, but very, very God!)
In fact, Acts chapters 2 through 5 each carries a major Address/ Sermon by Peter! Four of them! Where Peter boldly witnesses for our Lord Jesus Christ!
This is the Peter who only a few weeks earlier was cowardly denying the Lord! “Now Peter sat without in the palace: and a damsel came unto him, saying, Thou also wast with Jesus of Galilee. But (1) he denied before them all, saying, I know not what thou sayest. And when he was gone out into the porch, another maid saw him, and said unto them that were there, This fellow was also with Jesus of Nazareth. And (2) again he denied with an oath, I do not know the man. And after a while came unto him they that stood by, and said to Peter, Surely thou also art one of them; for thy speech bewrayeth thee. Then began he to curse and to swear, saying, (3) I know not the man. And immediately the cock crew. And Peter remembered the word of Jesus, which said unto him, Before the cock crow, thou shalt deny me THRICE. And he went out, and wept bitterly.” Count them, three times according to Matthew 26:69-75 here.
But all such hesitancy and ashamedness are now gone! He is gloriously filled with the Holy Spirit! (And Proverbs 28:1 says … “The righteous are BOLD as a lion.”)
Starkly, Peter even accuses the (apostate) Jewish leadership of doing exactly what he earlier did, “denying” the Lord! Acts 3:14-15 … “But ye DENIED the Holy One and the Just, and desired a murderer to be granted unto you. And killed the Prince of life, whom God hath raised from the dead; whereof we are witnesses.”
Wow!
But what I really want to emphasize in today’s Lesson is this: in all this Petrine preaching, the Resurrection of Jesus is supreme, the dominating, incontestable fact. This greatest of all Miracles is mentioned 12 times in the first five chapters of Acts! (And most often so in all the remaining Preaching throughout the whole Book!)
Initially, Acts 1:3 … “To whom (he Disciples) also he SHOWED HIMSELF ALIVE after his passion (death) by many infallible PROOFS, being seen of them forty days, and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God.”
Then Acts 1:22 … “Beginning from the baptism of John, unto that same day that he was taken up from us, must one be ordained to be a witness with us of his RESURRECTION.”
Acts 2:24 too … “Jesus of Nazareth Whom God HATH RAISED UP, having loosed the pains of death: because it was not possible that he should be holden of it.”
Then Acts 2:30 … “Therefore David, being a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him, that of the fruit of his loins, according to the flesh, he WOULD RAISE UP Christ to sit on his throne.”
The very next verse too … “He seeing this before spake of the RESURRECTION of Christ, that his soul was not left in hell, neither his flesh did see corruption.” Acts 2:31
Also Acts 2:32, in succession … “This Jesus hath God RAISED UP, whereof we all are witnesses.”
And , if you’re deeply interested … Acts 3:15 and 3:26 and then Acts 4:2 and 4:10 and 4:33 then Acts 5:30.
Wow!
Yes, Acts certainly emphasizes preaching.
But there’s a caveat … a word from Latin, meaning “beware” … not just tepid, powerless preaching … but preaching with its major emphasis on THE RESERRECTION OF JESUS!
Amen!
— Dr. Mike Bagwell
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