Pastor and 1st Lady Mims

Mims Chapel Church

Lesson 6 • First Week

THE HOLY SPIRIT HELPED
PETER PREACH A
POWERFUL SERMON

Background Reading                            Devotional Reading
Ecclesiastes 12:9; Luke 8:1-3;                 Acts 3:11-29
9:6; Acts 8:4; 1 Corinthians
15:12-17; 2 Timothy 3:15-17

Central Verse
"For after that in wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe."

1 Corinthians 1:21, KJV

"Since God in his wisdom saw to it that the world never know Him through human wisdom, He has used our foolish preaching to save those who believe." 1 Corinthians 1:21, NLT

Key Terms
Intentional—Done with intention; on purpose; not accidental.

Infallible—Not capable of being wrong.
Times of Refreshing—A period when God will send blessings and renewal to His people, particularly associated with the return of Jesus Christ and the restoration of all things.

Introduction

It seemed that Peter had become the official spokesman for the disciples and the band of Saints that Jesus had left. After the Pentecost experience, when he preached and 3,000 souls were added to the Church, it seemed that he was given the job as the leader of the Church. So, once again he finds himself preaching to a group of interested people. This group of people had watched the crippled man get healed and they were in awe at what had been said by Peter. They realized there was a power greater than any ordinary man that gave Peter the opportunity to preach and to tell them about the man who had led them for three and a half years, Jesus Christ. Peter's preaching that day helped men and women to find purpose, true fulfillment, and a transformed life that could point others to Christ.

Peter and the other disciples were newly filled with the Holy Spirit, and they were in awe of what God was doing. Every believer who has the Holy Spirit should look for and take advantage of every opportunity that comes his way to share the message of Jesus Christ. Knowing how the Holy Spirit experience has changed their lives, they were willing to do as Peter did and share the powerful Word with all who were willing to hear.

Discussion

There are many people who really want to have a closer relationship with God, but don't have a clue where to start. The believer has the power to help them to come into a real relationship with God - a relationship that is not so formal, not too intimidating, or ineffectual. The believer's experience with God can help people to get to know God more intimately and experience the same power that healed the crippled man and gave him a new life. All Scripture is given by God. His Word is intentional, exact, and infallible, and all of His Word is profitable for every season and aspect of a person's life. God's Word can transform anyone who reads it with an open heart and receives it. Peter was preaching, but he did not have a printed Bible as we have today. He had the Old Testament and the words and life of Jesus to share with the people.

It brings great pleasure to God when believers share the message of Jesus Christ. So, Peter told the people that God had chosen to bless them with the outpouring of the Holy Spirit on the condition of their repentance. Some of God's people fail to recognize that "all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God" (Romans 3:23). Many of them are not aware that all unrigh-teousness is sin, and that all sin must be turned away from and repented for. Then they must receive Jesus and embrace His teaching.

The Holy Spirit was so powerful in Peter that as he preached, he was able to tell the people about the fundamental values and standards to which each one of them could aspire. He was able to help them navigate a blueprint of a discipled life, living out faith through the power and presence of the Holy Spirit. He let them know that what they saw were the results of the same Jesus who was crucified on the Cross, died, was buried, and rose from the dead. He had gone back to His Father in Heaven, making it possible for men to be empowered by the Holy Spirit.

The people knew about Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, so Peter was able to show them that Jesus was a part of their lineage and that the God of their fathers had glorified His Son, Jesus Christ, whom they delivered up and denied in the presence of Pilate, who wanted to let Jesus go. Peter told them that they denied the Holy One and desired a murderer instead of Jesus. He told them that they killed the Prince of Life, but God raised Him up from the dead. Now they had to repent, convert, and have their sins blotted out, so that when the time of refreshing came from the presence of the Lord, they could receive salvation.

Conclusion

Peter was able to tell those listening about the Gospel of Jesus Christ during his sermon, and he made them aware of how powerful the Holy Spirit was by giving them the Word from the Old Testament. Because they knew the Old Testament and the Law, they were able to receive the Word that Peter gave them. The Gospel of Jesus Christ is the power of God unto salvation to those who believe. Seeing the crippled man being healed opened their hearts and minds to receive the Word that Peter preached on that day.

When a believer has the gift of the Holy Spirit, he has the power to break down walls of resistance against salvation and to help men and women repent of their sins. Because the preacher was wise, he was able to use the right words that led to repentance and salvation.

Even before the outpouring of the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost, Jesus Christ and His disciples went throughout their area preaching and showing glad tidings of the Kingdom of God. And Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Susanna, and many other women ministered unto Jesus of their substance. These same women, along with Mary, the Mother of Jesus, were part of the Upper Room group, and they, too, received the baptism and the power of the Holy Ghost. For this power was poured out upon men and women alike.

Questions

How did Peter know what to preach to that group of people?
What caused people to be willing to listen to Peter?
How can the believer help the sinners in his life?
How did the Holy Spirit help Peter as he preached?

Essential Thought- "He that wins souls must be wise and led by the Spirit of God; for the Father draws, the Son saves, and the Holy Spirit seals them."