Exposition of Acts Chapter 2

Divine Sovereignty and Human Accountability (Acts 2:23)

  • Peter delivers a message stating that Jesus of Nazareth was delivered by the "determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God."

  • Dr. Howard emphasizes that while the crucifixion was prearranged by God, the human participants used "wicked hands" (referring to the agency of the Gentiles) and remain fully accountable for the murder.

  • A critique is offered regarding "sovereignty talk" used as a means to escape personal responsibility for actions.

The Scriptural Mandate for Christ's Sacrifice

  • Jesus acted as a voluntary sacrifice, as evidenced in John 10:18: "No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself."

  • Additional biblical cross-references for the sacrifice include John 3:16, John 12:23-33, and Isaiah 53:4-12.

  • Despite the miracles performed by the Holy Spirit, the people of Israel rejected Jesus as the Messiah.

The Predominance of the Resurrection (Acts 2:24-32)

  • The central message of the early church was the resurrection; Peter asserts that God "loosed the pains of death" because it was impossible for death to hold Jesus.

  • Peter uses the Scriptures as the primary evidence for the resurrection rather than empirical proofs such as a tour of the empty grave site.

  • Faith is defined as believing the biblical record without requiring physical or empirical validation.

Prophetic Evidence from the Psalms (Acts 2:25-36)

  • Peter quotes Psalm 16:8-11, arguing that David was not speaking of himself because David is "dead and buried," and his sepulchre remains present.

  • The prophecy refers to the Messiah whose soul would not be left in hell and whose flesh would not see corruption.

  • Peter references Psalm 110:1 to show that Jesus is now exalted at the "right hand of God."

  • The sermon concludes that God has made Jesus both Lord (kyrioskyrios) and Christ (ChristosChristos).

Questions & Discussion

  • Listener Question: Upon hearing the message, the crowd was "pricked in their heart" and asked Peter and the apostles: "Men and brethren, what shall we do?"

  • Peter's Response: "Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost."

The Definition and Fruit of Repentance (Acts 2:38)

  • Repentance is interpreted as more than a silent thought; it involves a wholehearted reformation of life and hatred of past sins.

  • True repentance is demonstrated by changes in behavior and the confession of sins, as seen in the ministry of John the Baptist (Matthew 3:1-11).

  • Baptism is described as a "fruit of repentance" rather than a ritual that can substitute for a genuine change of heart.