Mark Wood - Sunday 4th July - Peter

PETER – ACTS 2v1-41

In the days before GPS people relied on maps a lot more in order to work out where they were on a particular journey, and maps are still really important to help us work out where we are!

So where are we today? In the life of Peter, in the story of God’s people and in God’s redemption plan for the whole of creation? In order to help us work out where we are I want to suggest using 3 different layers. The first layer is the Old Testament – like our basic map, the second layer is the words of Jesus (Acts 1v4-9) – this would be like the road signs or directions, and the third is what we see – the landmarks. It is the first 2 layers that really help us identify what we see in the third layer.

Where are we in Peter’s life story?
In Acts 2v1 we are told it is the day of Pentecost - less than 2 months after Peter’s denial of Christ (John 18). He has been humbled and knows his weaknesses but he also knows God’s grace in Christ restoring him and reminding him of his purpose (John 21).

Where are we in the story of God’s people?
The day of Pentecost (from a Greek word meaning 50) is 50 days after the start of the Jewish Passover festival (see Leviticus 23v15-16). It is also called the Feast of the Harvest (Exodus 23v16) and is a time to thank God for his provision. Pentecost was also the time Jewish people associated with God giving Moses the 10 Commandments on Mount Sinai and the traditional date on which King David died (according to Messianic Jewish scholar David Stern). This was a very significant time and these are very significant details on our map – the first layer.

Where are we in God’s plan for the redemption of creation?
In Acts 1 we read about Jesus ascending to heaven, after his crucifixion and resurrection and telling the disciples to wait for the gift of the Holy Spirit and it is this second layer, added to the first layer, which helps Peter to recognise where we are when he sees the third layer of “landmarks” (Acts 2v2-12)! It is interesting to note that Peter was the son of Jonah (meaning dove) and recognised when the Holy Spirit (often symbolised by a dove) was poured out.
When Moses comes down from Mount Sinai and finds people worshipping the Golden Calf about 3000 end up dead (Exodus32v28). Peter stands up and preaches and about 3000 people are saved (Acts2v41) a harvest of people.

We are at a very significant place in God’s plan for the redemption of creation
In Exodus (chs.19 and 32) Moses ascends Mount Sinai and meets with God - there is smoke and fire and eventually he comes down with the Law (10 Commandments) written on tablets of stone. In Acts Jesus ascends to his Father and when the Holy Spirit “comes down” there is a violent wind and tongues of fire, and the Law is written on our hearts (Jeremiah 31v30-33 and Ezekiel 36v26-27)

We are at a very significant place in the story of God’s people.
One of the major outward signs of Holy Spirit being poured out is that all the pilgrims from various countries (in Jerusalem to celebrate the festival) can hear the disciples speaking in their own languages. This is surely a reversal of the tower of Babel (Genesis 11v1-9) where everyone gathered together to try to reach up to God and had their language confused, but now God’s Spirit comes down and people can understand each other’s language.

This “landmark” of communication is continued in Peter’s reference to Joel’s prophecy that the Lord “will pour out [his] Spirit on all people” and there will be visions, dreams and “they will prophesy” – these being the main methods God uses to communicate with people. The Spirit is poured out on Jew and Gentile, men and women, slave and free. Everyone can be part of God’s people now through Jesus Christ – a truly amazing moment.

We are at a very significant place in the life of Peter
It was in recognising “where we are” that led to Peter fulfilling his own purpose as the Rock and marking a significant place on his own journey. It was in recognising “where we are” that Peter was able to explain it to those around and have the opportunity to speak about Christ.

So what about you? What about me? Are we like Peter?
We need to recognise where we are and what God is doing – as individuals, as part of God’s people (as HCC and across the world) and also where we are in God’s big redemption story for the whole of creation – so that we can explain it to those around and have the opportunity to speak about Christ.
Like the prophetic word Pete Gilbert brought to us recently about “putting the explanation to the demonstration”.

We are in the last days between Jesus first coming and his second coming. We are nearer to Jesus’ return than we have ever been and God is pouring out his Spirit in the West in a new way at the moment. We need to know where we are by reading the Bible (our map), paying attention to Jesus words (road signs) and keeping our eyes open to what’s going on in the world around us (landmarks). If we are not like Peter, we could easily miss what’s really going on and end up getting lost!