Peter's Sermon at Pentecost (Acts 2:14-39)

This is the first sermon that was recorded in Acts (and the first of many we are reading this month!). Peter stood up to speak to the Jews, “devout men” from around the world, who were gathered in Jerusalem at that time for the festival.

This year, it was an unusual Pentecost for the Holy Spirit had been poured down during the Day of the Pentecost onto the believers and they spoke in tongues. Seeing that such a miraculous signs and wonder had caused confusion among the non-believers (some amazed and marveled, some mocking that they were drunk), Peter stood up (with the eleven) to address them.

But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear (1 Peter 3:15).

We always say that Peter was filled with the Spirit and hence, spoke a sermon that made the non-believers “cut to the heart” and believed. Can we compare ourselves with Peter?

However, the Bible said to always be ready to give a defense for our hope in Christ Jesus. There was a need and Peter responded to it. What about us?

Do we find ourselves diminishing the Holy Spirit’s prompting because we feel that we can never convince the other party, or that we do not have the Bible verses ready to convict the person?

We probably should rethink the way we think about preaching.

Taking a closer look at Peter’s sermon content, we see that he started by addressing the current situation by linking it to scriptures in Joel. Immediately after that, he pointed to Jesus, testifying that He is Messiah and Lord, using the Scriptures by David. Finally, there is an action plan or a life application portion.

If we really think about it, Peter’s sermon was a simple (simple but complete!) sermon about Jesus being Lord and Saviour, using the incident of the Holy Spirit’s downpouring.

While preaching can never be complete without biblical references, we can always use the things that are happening around us as a starter to tell people about Jesus, especially when they are confused or have misunderstood.

We do not have to begin with the aim to convince them in mind, but simply to be a witness for Christ Jesus and what He had done in your life. Even if your friend still does not believe, you yourself have been edified by counting the grace of Jesus.

Finally, faith always has an action component. After we have heard a sermon, do we also ask ourselves, “What shall we do?” like how the Jews in Acts 2 did?

Even if we are “cut to the heart” and convicted of our sins, yet we choose to do nothing about it, we are just as what Elder James said,

he is like a man observing his natural face in a mirror; for he observes himself, goes away, and immediately forgets what kind of man he was. (James 1:23-24)

Therefore, be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves (James 1:22). Remember to ask “What shall we do?” tonight after Tuesday night service J