Study:
LESSONS FROM APOSTOLIC PREACHING
Dr. Justus Samuel
In Acts 2:12, we have the query raised by the Jews of the Dispersion who were amazed and perplexed, “What does this mean?” (ESV). This created the occasion for Peter, along with the Eleven, now filled in Spirit, first to remove their misconception and preach the first Christian message of the new age, with its focus on the risen, exalted Christ. We shall briefly discuss the outline of this first sermon proper in Acts.
Preaching in General
Christian preaching is a holy art through which a consecrated and Spirit-filled human instrument seeks to communicate a divine message, employing all his powers to a group of people to turn them from their natural alienation to total allegiance to Christ.
It is, of course, assumed that the preacher is one who has personally experienced God’s salvation and holds the story of God’s redemptive love with gratitude and ceaseless wonder. He must also have received a call for the holy task from the Lord in glory, been equipped for the special task by the Holy Spirit’s charisma, with a tender compassion for the lost and the erring.
It is not enough that one is gifted to speak with eloquence, but one must also be able to speak in echoes of His tone ‘as though God were pleading through’ him (2 Cor. 5:20). These elements plus a thorough acquaintance with the holy, inspired Scriptures must be vibrantly resident within his soul.
Types of Preaching
Of the many types of preaching of which the modern Homiletical science deals with, the New Testament has fewer models. These are Proclamation, Teaching, and Exhortation.
In Proclamation there is the kerux preacher making known the kerugma, the revealed truth, as a herald of the Roman days would, in making known the royal message. The trumpet has to give a clear unmistakable note, and the voice should penetrate the din and distractions prevalent everywhere, especially in places of human concourse.
That is what the infant church in Thessalonica did. J.B. Philips has rendered Paul’s words with a life touch, when he renders: ‘You have become a sort of sounding board from which the Word of God has rung out…’ (1 Thess. 1:8).
Early Christianity knew nothing of the mumble-jumble preaching common in many places. Therefore, the kerugma (message) must be the Word of God given out with a touch of heaven.
In Teaching (didache), there is the systematic, consecutive opening up of the inspired Word, with proper exegesis and definition. One does not need an Apollonian style for this, but one that was evident in Timothy and Titus (Paul could combine both the methods of preaching and teaching).
Then there is Exhortation (Paraklesis), of admonishing, encouraging, and comforting – a ministry more within the church fellowship, as perhaps excelled by Barnabas and Epaphras.
Human factors
When we use the word human, it does in no way detract from or reduce the Spirit’s activity or the preacher’s dependence upon Him. Yet do not forget, it is in flesh and blood that he speaks to men so constituted.
There is first of all the Physical – the stance, the voice, and the style of addressing. ‘Peter standing up’ – not slouching, but erect with shoulders straight, and looking pleasantly at the audience. We can assume also that he was cleanly dressed as any well-bred Jew but with nothing about to cause distraction. Then ‘he lifted up his voice and spoke forth’.
There was an audience of many thousands gathered, and it was necessary to maintain the correct volume and the pitch, even as the solemn message had to be articulated enough for none to miss anything said. Many preachers start on such a low key and then get warmed up and get louder and louder to knock the heads of the people off!
Peter also knew how to address his audience. He was formal, but courteous when he began, ‘Fellow Jews, and all who live in Jerusalem’ (NEB). A Spirit-filled man does not ignore these apparently trivial factors.
Expounding the Word
Then from the physical, he proceeded to the Mental in which he clarified a persisting suspicion with some that the disciples were drunk. There was a touch of humour when he said it was but 9 AM when no sensible Jew would get under the effect of wine!
And then, to gain their attention, he also replied to the query still in their mind, ‘What does this mean?’ by quoting Joel 2:28–32 and saying ‘This is that’ (vs. 12, 16). Peter quoted from memory and whatever slight variation one may notice was impelled by the Spirit, and so meaningful.
His preaching was of the nature of the exposition of a prophetic passage, a part of which had already been fulfilled then (part being yet for the future), leaving the audience to ‘call on (invoke) the name of the Lord’ to be saved. We have reason to think that by a quick glance, Peter was able to discern that the audience comprised young and old, men-servants, and maid-servants.
From Acts 2:22–40 we have the explanation of the passage, application to the audience, and a quick rounding up before he appealed to repent, to be baptized, and to receive the forgiveness of sins and the gift of the Spirit. In the course of the short sermon, Peter also made effective, illustrative use of Psalm 16 and Psalm 110:1.
Now the Spiritual. Peter preached to secure a verdict as he presented in pungent terms the nation’s guilt in the betrayal and murder of the Messiah and of God’s total reversal of man’s decree and act by raising His Son from the grave, and exalting Him to His right hand, and installing Him as a ‘Prince and Saviour’.
When the multitude heard Peter’s words, ‘it was straight to their hearts’ (v. 37 Mof.) as a sharp arrow would pierce, making them cry out, ‘Men and brethren, what shall we do?’
The majority present there found no way of escape, and those who welcomed the message, (this would certainly mean the compliance of what enjoined – repentance as to their attitude towards the Saviour, themselves and sin) were baptized (immersed in water) in the name of Jesus the Messiah (NEB). 3000 Jews and proselytes thus responded and were added to the nucleus of believers (actually the infant church).
It was essential to baptize these adherents who believed, as a public witness of their allegiance to the Messiah who died for their sins, was raised and exalted. In such instances, as in the case of conversion of any who disown the Deity or true humanity of Christ, baptism must be insisted upon before such could be assured from the Word about forgiveness and the gift of the Spirit which is the mark of regeneration.
(Taken from Re-Enacting Acts)
