Jump Start # 1507

Acts 2:14 “But Peter, taking his stand with the eleven, raised his voice and declared to them; ‘Men of Judea, and all you who live in Jerusalem, let this be known to you, and give heed to my words.”

Note: Tomorrow is a holiday.  There will be no Jump Start tomorrow. We will hopefully be back with you on Monday.

  Today is the last day of the year. My, it seems that time flies by so fast anymore. This is a time when folks look back to reflect and look ahead to plan. Was it a good year for you? How would you define “a good year?” There is always hardships along the way. Death happens. Did you get to go to any weddings? Did you get to hold a new born baby? Did you travel? Did you gain a new friend? Did you learn something that helped your character? Many would admit that they probably ate too much, saved too little, worried more than they should have and forgot to do some things that were important. Did you read any good books this year? Did you worship weekly? Did you pray daily? Those are the highlights of strong Christians.

I saw the other day a list that was called the sportsman’s bucket list. The expression, ‘bucket list’ is used to describe what a person wants to see or do before they die. The sportsman’s bucket list included visiting all the major league baseball fields. I’ve known some folks who were trying to do that. Every summer it’s off to a different city to catch a game in a stadium that they have never been in before. What a neat idea. I suppose if there is a sportsman’s bucket list, then there ought to be the movie goer bucket list. A list of all the movies you want to see before you die.  There could be a bucket list for every hobby out there.

So, what if we made a Spiritual bucket list. A list of all the spiritual things you would want to see or do before you die. That list could include going to hear some well known preachers preach. It could include traveling to Jerusalem. It could include going to the British Museum, where one would find many important Biblically related artifacts. It could include memorizing  passages. It could be learning Greek. Before I die, I would like to… What would you put on your spiritual bucket list? Do you think you could come up with a “Top Ten” list? If you know some things, share them with me. I’d be interested in knowing what you came up with.

Since this is the last day of the year, I thought we would take a look at the first gospel sermon ever preached. On the last day, we look at the first. This isn’t the only sermon in the Bible and it probably wouldn’t even rank as the most important sermon in the Bible, but it has tremendous value.

Consider a few simple thoughts:

• Peter was probably not the best choice, at least not one that we would pick, to preach this sermon. Just a month and a half before this, he publicly denied Jesus. Most folks would think that he shouldn’t be preaching. Some would say that he needs some time to prove himself. The Lord didn’t see it that way. There is Peter, preaching his heart out. Courageous, confident and bold.

• This audience wasn’t the best audience to hear this first sermon. They didn’t come to hear a sermon. They gathered as Jews to celebrate a Jewish feast day. The background to Peter’s sermon, the Holy Spirit had empowered the apostles to speak in tongues. This was such an unusual event that many in the audience accused the apostles of being drunk. Peter had to deal with that at the very beginning of his sermon. Not a great way to begin when the audience has already turned against you.

• It was a short sermon. There are a total of 531 words in Peter’s sermon. Most of us are just getting going by that time. Peter got to the point and got done. There was a time when some criticized “sermonettes”. God seemed to be pleased with what Peter was doing. It’s not how much you say, but what you say.

• Peter’s lesson was about Jesus. 42% of this sermon are quotations from the O.T. He shows that Joel’s prophecy was fulfilled. He shows David’s prophesy about the resurrection was fulfilled. The sermon wasn’t about the church, Heaven, Hell or worship. It was about Jesus. Peter didn’t tell the people how miserable their lives were. He didn’t scare them with scenes of torment and punishment. He preached Jesus. Jesus the man (23). Jesus the miracle worker (22). Jesus the prophesied one (31). Jesus the raised one (32). Jesus the Lord (36). It must be Jesus first. Some talk more about the church than they do Jesus.

• Peter brought the audience into the sermon. He said, ‘you know’ (22), ‘you nailed’ (23), ‘you see’ (33), ‘you crucified’ (36). You, you, you. That’s personal. That’s on their front porch. That’s something that would demand a response from them. Some can be so general in their sermons that no one knows who the lesson is for. Not Peter. Not here. They knew. He made it plain. He made it clear. He wasn’t rude. He wasn’t over the top, but neither was he letting them escape without thinking about this Jesus.

• The sermon wasn’t finished when they shouted out a question. They asked, “What shall we do?” Peter didn’t say, ‘hold on, I have three more points to cover.’ He didn’t say, ‘Wait until I am finished.’ He didn’t say, ‘Be quiet and stop interrupting me.’ Right there, right then, Peter answered their question. His answer was plain. It was what they could understand. He didn’t take forty minutes telling them what’s wrong with everything that’s wrong, he answered their question. One sentence. Repent and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. That’s the answer. That’s what they needed to hear. Peter didn’t say, “You don’t have to do a thing.” He didn’t say, “Come back next week and find out the answer.” Right then, right there.

And three thousand people were baptized! They knew. They obeyed. They changed.

The first sermon, on the last day. It gives us a lot to think about. Have you done what Peter told these people? Why not?

Roger