The Book Of Acts | Pt. 9 - Peter's First Sermon | Pastor Jackson Lahmeyer

Acts 2:14-17
In Peter's first sermon he will use three Old Testament Scriptures; preachers do everything in 3's
Joel 2, Psalm 16 & Psalm 110
Get the picture: in the midst of the frenzy of the Holy Spirit baptizing the 120 and they speak and tongues notice what Peter does = He insists on going to the Scriptures
Everybody is speaking in these tongues praising God and Peter says, "Ok everyone, it's time for a Bible study."
Peter knows the importance of being grounded in the Scriptures
In Acts 2 we see a beautiful flow of the Spirit and the Word in operation together in the church
Some churches are all Word and no Spirit; others all Spirit no Word
We need both the Spirit & the Word
Just the word = dry up; just the spirit = blow up; word & spirit = grow up
Th power of the Holy Spirit does not stop when the preaching began
Faith comes by hearing
Your faith is growing right now (Why I read a lot of Bible in sermons)
Here at Sheridan we Believe in signs, miracles and wonders but know that Word comes first and foremost because it keeps us grounded
Jesus went around Preaching and teaching and then healing the sick
The Word comes first because faith comes by hearing the Word of God
Get in the Word
6 month of 2023? Let’s regain focus on daily Bible reading
C.S. Lewis - Devil will put a good book in front of you to distract you from the great Book
There is power in the Word
Hebrews says - Word of God is alive and powerful...
Lamp unto our path & light unto our feet
Sweeter than honey and more desirable than gold
Through the Word sinners become saints
Hurting people become whole people
It has been attacked, vilified and demonized but is still standing
Indestructible and forever settled
Grass may fade and flower may wither...
We want to build our lives on God's Word
Sure foundation
Peter knows this and it why he begins with quoting scripture
Acts 2:17-21
Peter says what you are witnessing today was prophesied 750 years ago by the Prophet Joel
I am amazed that Peter had this passage memorized
The Day of Pentecost in Acts 2 marks the beginning of the Last Days
We are in the Last of the Last Days
Why did Peter use this passage to open up with his first sermon
Need to know some things about Joel
Most Christians have no real understanding about this prophet
Joel = Minor Prophet (Length of Book)
We know nothing about Joel's background except his father's name
Prophesied around 750 BC
His name is significant though
No J in Hebrew
Yo'EL
El = Elohim
Bethel = House of God
Israel = Prince of God
Yo'EL = YHWH is God
What a Great Name to name your kid
Joel is a doom & gloom book to be honest
3 chapters of judgement
But in the middle there's a great promise which we saw Peter quote
Joel 1:1-4
Joel is going to give a warning about a coming judgement but he begins by drawing them to a recent shared experience
There was an invasion of locusts in Israel in the days of Joel or right before the days of Joel
In the Bible an invasion of locusts is God's judgement for the sin of the people
Deuteronomy 28 = Blessing & Cursing
Deuteronomy 28:42
That locust invasion was God trying to get their attention
If you keep reading in Joel 1 it talks about how everyone is upset over what the locusts have done
Drunks are upset in verse 5, 6-9 the priests and farmers are upset
Locusts = Grasshopper
1915 Locust Invasion of Israel
TREE before & After
Swarm of locusts eat 400,000,000lbs of plants per day
Devastates the land, destroys the economy and puts the people in despair
Joel brings up this terrible invasion of locusts as a reminder to the people that their sin brought about this destruction
Joel 1 = Past Judgement
He then shifts to a future judgement; one that is near and far
Joel 2:1-2
Day of the Lord = 17x in the OT (5x in Joel)
Day of the Lord is a day of JUDGEMENT
This judgement is much worse than the Locusts
God cannot overlook sin
Sin brings about judgement in 750 BC or 2023
The Great & Terrible day of the Lord comes at the end of the Last days
Joel describes it as darkness and gloom
When this age comes to a close; Christ returns with His Saints to the battle of Armageddon there will be the ultimate judgement
Where there is disobedience against God there is judgement from God
Every person will be judged by God
God does not grade on the curve either
God evelatues each person according to his or her own thoughts, words and actions
Here is the bad news = there is none righteous no not one
We are all born into sin and condemned from birth (Original Sin)
We are all born with the spiritual disease of sin
Sin impacts us all
Watching local news - Nicholls Hill & North Tulsa
Cost you more, keep you longer and take you further
Sin is a killer; as surely as sin goes death does follow
We don't like to hear or think about sin
Methodist preacher
Sin is a poison we will never be immune to