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Acts 2 – From Weakness to Power – Sermon
Some of you are sitting in the pews, but just barely. It’s possible you are here because you have a drug problem…your parents drug you to church. It’s possible you are here, but not all of you. I’m not saying you are not “all there,” but rather not all of you is, “all here.” Your mind is elsewhere, either through worry, boredom, or disinterest. It’s possible you are here out of guilt; either someone “guilted” you to come, or else you don’t want to feel guilty. It’s possible you are just barely here intellectually, which is different than mentally. You have questions that plague your mind, but you are struggling against becoming an unbeliever. Maybe you are just barely hanging on. It’s possible that some of you are here, but not for long. Your flesh is warring against your spirit, and you flesh is winning. Your lifestyle is leading you away, but not yet completely. And finally, it’s possible you are here because you want to be, but you want your “want to” to be stronger. You don’t want to just be sitting in the pews. You want to be standing for something, and standing up for Christ.
This lesson is for all of you, and for the rest who are already spiritually strong, because we can always get stronger, get more spiritual, get closer to God, get where we all should be. Someone once said to me, “Be spiritual is easy for you, but it is not for me.” Such is an excuse for oneself, and speaking beyond what they know about myself.
How do we go from weakness to power? First and foremost we have to be honest with ourselves. Let’s ask two questions: Are we as spiritually strong as we could be? Are we as spiritually strong as we want to be?
Those are two very different questions. The first answer is obviously “no,” but the second answer is not so clear. Let me illustrate. I have always considered myself an Arnold Schwarzenegger look alike—that is, the Arnold Schwarzenegger “before” picture . . . before he had any muscles! So, am I as strong physically as I can be? No. Am I as strong physically as I want to be? No . . . and yes. I would love to have muscles. However, I would love to have muscles only if I don’t have to lift any weights, exercise, or do anything strenuous. I want the gain, but not the pain. So in reality, I am as strong as I want to be physically, simply because I am not willing to do what is necessary to become stronger.
Now, apply that same thinking to the question, “Are we as spiritually strong as we want to be?” If each of us is honest the likely answer is a sad and dangerous “yes.” We can change. But, only if we want to, and it might require some pain as our spirits strengthen.
How do we go from weakness to power? We learn from the fallen, who went from weakness to power. We learn the lost secrets of the book of Acts that begin in the gospels. We look at the apostles and the first Christians.
Let’s look at the progression of the apostles from the garden, to the courtyards, to the secret meetings, to standing publically to proclaim they followed Jesus.
The Garden
Mark 14:50 HCSB Then they all deserted Him and ran away.
I wonder if sometimes forget that “Doubting Thomas” and “Petrified Peter” were not alone in their weakness. There is a song we sing that sometimes I have a hard time
The Courtyards
Luke 22:59-62 HCSB About an hour later, another kept insisting, “This man was certainly with Him, since he’s also a Galilean.” (60) But Peter said, “Man, I don’t know what you’re talking about!” Immediately, while he was still speaking, a rooster crowed. (61) Then the Lord turned and looked at Peter. So Peter remembered the word of the Lord, how He had said to him, “Before the rooster crows today, you will deny Me three times.” (62) And he went outside and wept bitterly.
The Secret Meetings
Luke 24:36-43 HCSB And as they were saying these things, He Himself stood among them. He said to them, “Peace to you!” (37) But they were startled and terrified and thought they were seeing a ghost. (38) “Why are you troubled?” He asked them. “And why do doubts arise in your hearts? (39) Look at My hands and My feet, that it is I Myself! Touch Me and see, because a ghost does not have flesh and bones as you can see I have.” (40) Having said this, He showed them His hands and feet. (41) But while they still could not believe because of their joy and were amazed, He asked them, “Do you have anything here to eat?” (42) So they gave Him a piece of a broiled fish, (43) and He took it and ate in their presence.
John 20:19-21 HCSB In the evening of that first day of the week, the disciples were gathered together with the doors locked because of their fear of the Jews. Then Jesus came, stood among them, and said to them, “Peace to you!” (20) Having said this, He showed them His hands and His side. So the disciples rejoiced when they saw the Lord. (21) Jesus said to them again, “Peace to you! As the Father has sent Me, I also send you.”
The Day of Pentecost
Acts 2:14 HCSB But Peter stood up with the Eleven, raised his voice, and proclaimed to them: “Jewish men and all you residents of Jerusalem, let this be known to you and pay attention to my words.
Let’s picture this transformation using the imaginative words of Max Lucado:
“Picture the scene. Peter, John, James. They came back. Banking on some zany possibility that the well of forgiveness still had a few drops, they came back. Daring to dream that the master had left them some word, some plan, some direction, they came back.
“But little did they know, their wildest dream wasn’t wild enough. Just as someone mumbles, “It’s no use,” they hear a noise. They hear a voice. “Peace be with you.”
“Every head lifted. Every eye turned. Every mouth dropped open. Someone looked at the door. It was still locked.
“It was a moment the apostles would never forget, a story they would never cease to tell. The stone of the tomb was not enough to keep him in. The walls of the room were not enough to keep him out.
“The one betrayed sought his betrayers. What did he say to them? Not “What a bunch of flops!” Not “I told you so.” No “Where-were-you-when-I-needed-you?” speeches. But simply one phrase, “Peace be with you.” The very thing they didn’t have was the very thing he offered: peace.
“It was too good to be true! So amazing was the appearance that some were saying, “Pinch me, I’m dreaming” even at the ascension. No wonder they returned to Jerusalem with great joy! No wonder they were always in the temple praising God!
“A transformed group stood beside a transformed Peter as he announced some weeks later: “Therefore let all Israel be assured of this: God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ.”
“No timidity in his words. No reluctance. About three thousand people believed his message. The apostles sparked a movement. The people became followers of the death-conqueror. They couldn’t hear enough or say enough about him….Christ was their model, their message. They preached “Jesus Christ and him crucified,” not for the lack of another topic, but because they couldn’t exhaust this one.
“What unlocked the doors of the apostles hearts?
“Simple. They saw Jesus. They encountered the Christ. Their sins collided with their Savior and their Savior won!…
“A lot of things would happen to them over the next few decades. Many nights would be spent away from home. Hunger would gnaw at their bellies. Rain would soak their skin. Stones would bruise their bodies. Ship wrecks, lashings, martyrdom. But there was a scene in the repertoire of memories that caused them to never look back: the betrayed coming back to find his betrayers; not to scourge them, but to send them. Not to criticize them for forgetting, but to commission them to remember. Remember that he who was dead is alive and they who were guilty have been forgiven. (From Six Hours One Friday by Max Lucado)
The only correction I would make to Mr. Lucado’s scene is that Jesus did criticize the apostles, but immediately encouraged them to fulfill their commission.
Mark 16:14-16 HCSB Later, He appeared to the Eleven themselves as they were reclining at the table. He rebuked their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they did not believe those who saw Him after He had been resurrected. (15) Then He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to the whole creation. (16) Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned.
How did they go from wimps to witnesses? The resurrection and everything that means. This transformation is actually one of the apologetic arguments for the empty tomb and therefore the resurrection. From what we know of the apostles are they the kind of men to make up the resurrection? In other words, from what we know about them, are they the type of men who would fabricate a story that would keep them poor, lose them friends, and cost them their lives?
From “The Gospel Argument for God“,
- “Would the men who wrote the book on moral integrity – the New Testament – have grounded the highest ethical teachings upon a lie they themselves originated?”
- “Could a story the apostles fabricated have transformed them from the cowards of Passover into the heroes of Pentecost?”
- “Does anything speak more eloquently for the apostles’ honesty than their willingness to accept persecution rather than recant their testimony?”
Look at what being an apostle brought:
1 Corinthians 4:9, 10-13 HCSB (9) For I think God has displayed us, the apostles, in last place, like men condemned to die: we have become a spectacle to the world and to angels and to men. (11) Up to the present hour we are both hungry and thirsty; we are poorly clothed, roughly treated, homeless; (12) we labor, working with our own hands. When we are reviled, we bless; when we are persecuted, we endure it; (13) when we are slandered, we entreat. We are, even now, like the world’s garbage, like the filth of all things.
Why is the resurrection so powerful? Because of what it means to Jesus, it means to us. Because Jesus was resurrected, He proved His was the Son of God, which means I can be forgiven, He is sitting on the Throne, and I will be resurrected. Is forgiveness powerful? Is knowing God is in control powerful? Is knowing I can live again powerful? The experience of Jesus is an experience we need to have. It is the same experience the apostles shared, and powerfully shared with those on the Day of Pentecost.
We see these themes in the sermon Peter preached.
Resurrection Power – Acts 2:24-32 HCSB God raised Him up, ending the pains of death, because it was not possible for Him to be held by it. (25) For David says of Him: I saw the Lord ever before me; because He is at my right hand, I will not be shaken. (26) Therefore my heart was glad, and my tongue rejoiced. Moreover my flesh will rest in hope, (27) because You will not leave my soul in Hades, or allow Your Holy One to see decay. (28) You have revealed the paths of life to me; You will fill me with gladness in Your presence. (29) “Brothers, I can confidently speak to you about the patriarch David: he is both dead and buried, and his tomb is with us to this day. (30) Since he was a prophet, he knew that God had sworn an oath to him to seat one of his descendants on his throne. (31) Seeing this in advance, he spoke concerning the resurrection of the Messiah: He was not left in Hades, and His flesh did not experience decay. (32) “God has resurrected this Jesus. We are all witnesses of this.”
Kingdom Power – Acts 2:33-36 HCSB Therefore, since He has been exalted to the right hand of God and has received from the Father the promised Holy Spirit, He has poured out what you both see and hear. (34) For it was not David who ascended into the heavens, but he himself says: The Lord said to my Lord, ‘Sit at My right hand (35) until I make Your enemies Your footstool.’ (36) “Therefore let all the house of Israel know with certainty that God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Messiah!”
Salvation Power – Acts 2:37-41 HCSB When they heard this, they were pierced to the heart and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles: “Brothers, what must we do?” (38) “Repent,” Peter said to them, “and be baptized, each of you, in the name of Jesus the Messiah for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. (39) For the promise is for you and for your children, and for all who are far off, as many as the Lord our God will call.” (40) And with many other words he testified and strongly urged them, saying, “Be saved from this corrupt generation!” (41) So those who accepted his message were baptized, and that day about 3,000 people were added to them.
Conclusion
People are looking for something greater than themselves. Jesus is. People are looking for something real they can believe in. Jesus is. People are looking for something better than themselves to make themselves better. Jesus is. People are looking for something permanent in a world of unreliability. Jesus is.
Why? Why were these first believers so committed to Jesus and each other? Why is it they were able to freely do and give, of themselves and all they own? Why is it their devotion is so foreign to many of us Christians today? How can we more like them?
The answer is simple, supernaturally simple. We just need to experience God because they experienced God. What happened? How can we experience God?
They saw God fulfill prophecy (vv.16,30-33). There are prophecies yet to be fulfilled (vv.21,34-35). Every time someone receives God’s grace, I see prophecy fulfilled.
They believed that God had forever raised Jesus (vv.26-33). Every time someone receives God’s grace, I remember Jesus’ resurrection because of baptism. The physical resurrection of Jesus is powerful, but let me suggest to you that the spiritual resurrection we undergo when we are buried and resurrected with Christ is even more powerful. Which is easier, to resurrect physically or spiritually? Jesus put it this way:
John 14:11-12 HCSB Believe Me that I am in the Father and the Father is in Me. Otherwise, believe because of the works themselves. (12) “I assure you: The one who believes in Me will also do the works that I do. And he will do even greater works than these, because I am going to the Father.
They saw God freely give His Spirit (vv.17-21,33,38). Every time someone receives God’s grace, I see the Holy Spirit freely given. (v.38). The Spirit may not be given in the same way, but it is the same Spirit given.
They realized God had not forgotten His promises (vv.25-32, 39). Every time someone receives God’s grace, I see God keep His promise. How powerful is it to see God keep His promises?
They received God’s forgiveness of their sins (v.38). Every time someone receives God’s grace, I should remember the forgiveness of My sins. How powerful is it to be forgiven and see forgiveness?
I don’t need a miracle to happen to me. I need something even greater than a miracle. I need an experience with God.
What will happen to you? Will you stop sitting in the pews, just barely?
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