Acts 2:14-40 But Peter, standing up with the eleven, lifted up his voice, and said to them, You men of Judaea, and all you that dwell at Jerusalem… 1. The gospel is not a system of doctrines, a code of laws, still less a fabric of fancies or theories: it is a record of facts. It is this characteristic which makes it — (1) So satisfactory; we can plant the foot firmly upon it, for it is founded upon a rock. (2) So universal: not the religion of a few philosophers, capable of arguing out deep truths or of rising to lofty mysteries, but the religion of a world, as suitable to the simple as to the learned. 2. And as the gospel rests upon fact, so also it prompts to action. No sooner is the persecutor of the Church struck to the earth by the bright light of the Divine presence than we hear him asking, "Lord, what wilt Thou have me to do?" And no sooner does the jailer at Philippi recognise in his prisoners the servants of the Most High God, than he asks the practical question, "Sirs, what must I do to be saved?" And no sooner does the astonished multitude hear from Peter's lips the explanation of the marvellous sign which has gathered them to listen, than they exclaim, "Men. and brethren, what shall we do?" What they heard was a narrative of facts: what they understood by it was a summons to action. God grant to us also a spirit of faith in gospel fact, a spirit of readiness for gospel action! 3. St. Peter sets us the example of repeating a text for his sermon. The Bible then was the Old Testament. Out of it Christian teachers were able to plead for God and to prove the gospel. In our thankfulness for the New Testament we must never learn to despise the Old. St. Peter's text was taken from Joel. That Book was probably composed 850 years before Christ. The prophets of the Old Testament were not instructed to reveal the long interval which should elapse between the two advents. The delay of the second coming was not even a revelation of the gospel. Each age was to expect it. The taunt, "Where is the promise of His coming?" was to have scope to operate, because no generation was to be made aware that the advent might not take place within its duration. And thus it is that Joel here speaks of the outpouring of the Spirit as a sign of the last days. The gospel age, however long it has continued or may continue, is the dispensation of the last times: after it comes none other, and itself is to be viewed as one whole, from the redemption which contained in itself not the promise only but the germ of all, until the coming of the very kingdom of heaven in power and great glory. "In the last days, saith God," etc. 4. After this quotation the discourse addresses itself pointedly to the audience. "Ye men of Israel, hear these words. A Man, as you deemed Him, and as He was, has within these few weeks been put to death by you; the blood of that Man is at this moment upon your hands!" But was, then, that murder effectual? No; "God raised Him up because it was not possible that He should be holden of death." Not possible, by reason of His Divine nature. Not possible, because the voice of inspired prophecy had declared the contrary (Psalm 16.). Could words like these have found their full accomplishment in their human author? The words which David thus spake, he spake as God's prophet. For himself the words could only express that assurance of a life beyond death, the hope of the saints. But in relation to Christ the words have a fuller meaning. His soul was recalled from its brief sojourn in Hades, before it bad taken up its abode there as a recognised inmate. Of this revival from death we His apostles are the witnesses. Now, therefore, the events of this day become intelligible and natural. The risen Saviour hath fulfilled His promise. He promised to send — He hath sent — His Holy Spirit upon His disciples. And hereunto agree those other words of the Psalmist, "The Lord said unto my Lord," etc. That prophecy, like the former, points, not to David, but to David's Son; even to Him who is as truly the Lord of David in right of His Godhead, as He is the Son of David by reason of His manhood. "Therefore let every family of Israel know," etc. 5. Such was the discourse, to which blessing was vouchsafed such as has been granted to no other. God works where and as and by whom He will; choosing oftentimes the weak things of the world to confound the mighty. We may read St. Peter's words unmoved. But not so did they to whom he addressed himself. Compunction was the first fruit of his preaching. Conscience now awoke. The sign before them was a sign of power: how could this be, save by the hand of God? But beyond this, it was a sign foretold by Jesus. All things had come to pass, even as He had said to them. Yes, all is now clear and consistent, though the inference is one of shame and condemnation for themselves. "When they heard, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter," etc. We will not answer the question now, rather let it press upon us as a question of deep moment for ourselves. Hearing of Christ caused — I. COMPUNCTION. What they heard was extremely simple. It was nothing more than what we have all heard ten thousand times. The words of Zechariah were fulfilled, "They shall look upon Me whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn." They had pierced Him, and now the arrow of conviction pierced them. 1. I know not that any words of man could bring to our minds the same conviction of sin without the grace of God by His Holy Spirit. And yet we do read of such a crime as that of "crucifying the Son of God afresh, and putting Him to an open shame." The Epistle to the Hebrews even says of such persons that "it is impossible to renew them again unto repentance." God grant, therefore, that, in its worst form, that of actual apostasy, none of us may yet have committed it! But there are approaches to that crime. There are those who make very light of the purposes for which Christ died, who contradict and go against the very object of that death; that He might put away sin; that He might redeem us from all iniquity. Is there no one here who ever helped to undo Christ's dying work in another person's soul? who ever tempted another person to commit sin; either by ridiculing his scruples, or by making the way to sin known to him, or by suggesting to his mind sinful images, or raising in his mind sinful desires? That man, whoever he is, has done worse things than even the Jews who gave Jesus to be crucified. Nothing, however cruel, done to the body, can be so heinous as the least injury done to the soul. Alas! there are those now amongst us who have more cause to be "pricked in their heart" than ever had those men on the day of Pentecost. 2. And if not in this gravest sense, yet which of you has not cause to be sorrowful when he thinks of his Lord and his God? What is a day to you but one succession of slights done to your Saviour? How did it begin? Was not your morning prayer a poor, cold, reluctant service? And so the day went full of anything and everything rather than the thought and the love of Christ; full of the world, of vanity, of self. Then have not you, have not we all, cause to feel compunction, and to cry, "God be merciful to me a sinner"? II. THIS COMPUNCTION MAY WELL WORK IN US ANXIETY; the conviction of sin the desire for direction. "What shall we do?" It is the want of this desire which make our meetings for worship too often cold and lifeless. What would preaching be, if it were in deed and in truth addressed to a number of human hearts, every one of which was inwardly asking, "What must I do? Preaching is a finger-post marking the traveller's way, and saying to wayfaring men, "This is the way; walk ye in it!" Let us come together, Sunday by Sunday, in this spirit; crying, "What shall I do?" and doubt not but your cry will be heard: if man should fail you, God Himself will be your preacher; your inward ear shall hear the voice of His Spirit, warning, counselling, comforting, according to your need. (Dean Vaughan.) Parallel Verses KJV: But Peter, standing up with the eleven, lifted up his voice, and said unto them, Ye men of Judaea, and all ye that dwell at Jerusalem, be this known unto you, and hearken to my words: |
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