When Fear of God Grips Our Hearts
The historical backdrop for the
Apostle Peter’s powerful message on the Day of Pentecost in Acts chapter
two is very dynamic in the transition between the Peter that Christ
confronted at the Sea of Galilee in John chapter twenty-one. In that
text, we find a spiritually defeated and downcast Peter in the company
of six other disciples struggling with the same issues. We are told in
John 21:19 that this whole encounter with Peter was to get Peter to
begin to preach and teach the Gospel as he had been trained to do by
Jesus.
In that verse, Jesus also told Peter
that he would die a martyrs’ death, but not until “when thou shalt be
old.” In every question of Peter’s sacrificial love for Christ, Peter
acknowledge he had a lesser love. In response to Peter, Jesus said,
“feed my lambs,” “feed my sheep” twice, and finally, after telling Peter
what death Peter would die, “follow me.” In other words, Jesus said,
be the disciple you were trained to be!
Jesus’ encounter with Peter and the
other six disciples most probably was the Sunday (seven days) after the
Resurrection. After forty days of numerous appearances of Jesus to His
disciples (Acts 1:3), and just before the ascension of Jesus to Heaven
(Acts 1:9-10), the disciples were commanded not to “depart from
Jerusalem” and to wait there for the promised baptism with the Spirit
(Acts 1:4-6). They were to wait in an “upper room.” This place was
either in one of the disciple’s households or in the Temple. Because of
the size of the group, the Temple is the most likely place (Luke 24:53)
in that this was a common gathering place for the disciples before the
crucifixion.
Arguments that the disciples would
have avoided the Temple because of fear of the Jews is spurious. This is
especially true in light of the events recorded in Acts chapter two in
that the Temple site is where Peter preached to the assembled Jews who
gathered there yearly on their Day of Pentecost. This holy day always
fell on the Sunday after the seven Sabbath Days after Passover.
“14 But Peter, standing up with the
eleven, lifted up his voice, and said unto them, Ye men of Judaea, and
all ye that dwell at Jerusalem, be this known unto you, and hearken to
my words: 15 For these are not drunken, as ye suppose, seeing it is but
the third hour of the day. 16 But this is that which was spoken by the
prophet Joel; 17 And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I
will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and your
daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your
old men shall dream dreams: 18 And on my servants and on my handmaidens
I will pour out in those days of my Spirit; and they shall prophesy: 19
And I will shew wonders in heaven above, and signs in the earth
beneath; blood, and fire, and vapour of smoke: 20 The sun shall be
turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before that great {idea
is a huge, fearful event}and notable {implication is an historically
memorial event} day of the Lord come: 21 And it shall come to pass, that
whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved” (Acts
2:14-21).
Peter’s quote from Joel 2:28 and 32 is
used to prove that the coming of Messiah Jesus and the events that
would follow His coming were all being fulfilled in their present
history. Of course, the prophecy of Joel is what is known in
Dispensationalism as an already, not yet fulfillment. In other
words, a partial and temporary fulfillment took place on the Day of
Pentecost as proof to the Jews that the disciples of Jesus were the
disciples of Messiah Jesus - Jehovah incarnate. The complete and full
fulfillment of Joel’s prophecy will not take place until the second
coming of Jesus at the beginning of the Kingdom Age. We can only
imagine the fear generated in the hearts of these Jews as they began to
realize they had crucified their promised Messiah.
After Peter’s explanation of the
miracles heard by these Jews, God has gotten their attention with the
facts. If you want to see conversions, tell the truth and give the
facts. They are all listening intently. Their hearts are gripped with
fear. Peter begins to preach and God begins to miraculously translate
from Peter’s message given in Greek into seventeen different listed
languages. As we read the words of Peter’s message, it is very
important that we see that he did not avoid telling it like it is in
order to avoid offending anyone.
Peter was no longer the coward of the
eve of the crucifixion. Peter was filled with the Spirit God and spoke
with the power of the Spirit. Peter was preaching without fear or favor
of men because he was hoping and praying for God to bring repentance to
accompany the fear in the hearts of these Jews. Every true Christian
needs to understand that we cannot pull the punch on sin and false
beliefs if we want God to bring about a knockout blow to the human ego
and begin to generate repentance of sin, righteousness, and judgment.
“22 Ye men of Israel, hear these
words; Jesus of Nazareth, a man approved of God among you by miracles
and wonders and signs, which God did by him in the midst of you, as ye
yourselves also know: 23 Him, being delivered by the determinate counsel
and foreknowledge of God, ye have taken, and by wicked hands have
crucified and slain: 24 Whom God hath raised up, having loosed the pains
of death: because it was not possible that he should be holden of it.
25 For David speaketh concerning him, I foresaw the Lord always before
my face, for he is on my right hand, that I should not be moved: 26
Therefore did my heart rejoice, and my tongue was glad; moreover also my
flesh shall rest in hope: 27 Because thou wilt not leave my soul in
hell, neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption. 28 Thou
hast made known to me the ways of life; thou shalt make me full of joy
with thy countenance. 29 Men and brethren, let me freely speak unto you
of the patriarch David, that he is both dead and buried, and his
sepulchre is with us unto this day. 30 Therefore being a prophet, and
knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him, that of the fruit of his
loins, according to the flesh, he would raise up Christ to sit on his
throne; 31 He seeing this before spake of the resurrection of Christ,
that his {Jesus’} soul was not left in hell, neither his flesh did see
corruption. 32 This Jesus hath God raised up, whereof we all are
witnesses. 33 Therefore being by the right hand of God exalted, and
having received of the Father the promise of the Holy Ghost, he hath
shed forth this {the Holy Spirit}, which ye now see and hear. 34 For
David is not ascended into the heavens: but he saith himself, The LORD
said unto my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand, 35 Until I make thy foes
thy footstool. 36 Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly,
that God hath made that same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord
and Christ” (Acts 2:22-36).
How dare these pretending preachers
leave out the message on the condemnation of sin and
self-righteousness? How dare these wolves in sheep’s clothing stand
behind pulpits and tell people their moralities and ritual sacraments
are good enough for their redemption? How dare these hypocrites in
clergy-garb stand before those Christ has died to redeem and tell them
that sin is no big thing with God? They distort the character and
attributes of God by misrepresenting Him as only a God of love who
delights in forgiveness? They do not say “Behold, all souls are mine;
as the soul of the father, so also the soul of the son is mine: the soul
that sinneth, it shall die” (Ezekiel 18:4). These are those through
whom Satan speaks. They do not speak for God.
Notice in Acts 2:37-42 that it is not
until the question of desperation is generated in the hearts gripped
with fear and repentance that Peter responds with the solution to their
disparate situation. These previously self-righteous Jews thought they
had been alright with God as long as they kept the Mosaic Covenant. Now
they realized they were party to killing the Promised One. Acts 2:37
reflects this depth of repentance with the words, “they were pricked in
their heart.” The Greek word translated “pricked” is katanusso
(kat-an-oos’-so). The word means thoroughly pierced. The conviction
of what they had done was a damning like a spear of conviction of their
condemnation through their hearts. They knew they needed to be saved.
“37 Now when they heard this, they
were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the
apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do? 38 Then Peter said unto
them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus
Christ for {because of or on the basis of} the remission of sins, and ye
shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. 39 For the promise is unto
you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as
the Lord our God shall call. 40 And with many other words did he
testify and exhort {there was extended explanation of the Gospel,
redemption, and the New Covenant in the Church}, saying, Save yourselves
from this untoward generation. 41 Then they that gladly received his
word were baptized {were saved and then baptized}: and the same day
there were added unto them {the local church at Jerusalem} about three
thousand souls” (Acts 2:37-42).
“What shall we do?” This is a cry of
total desperation and helplessness. This cry of total desperation and
helplessness is always evident when genuine fear and repentance is
generated by the facts of condemnation. Without this, false professions
will be experienced and genuine conversion (regeneration) will not take
place. What does genuine conversion look like in a local church and in
the lives of individual church members? Truly born again people who
understand the depth of their own depravity, know they cannot make it in
the world in their own power. They know they need the support of a
local church of like-minded believers. They know they need to be held
accountable and are willing to covenant with other believers to that
end. They know they need structured and systematic teaching from the
Word of God.
“42 And they continued stedfastly in
the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in
prayers. 43 And fear came upon every soul: and many wonders and signs
were done by the apostles. 44 And all that believed were together, and
had all things common; 45 And sold their possessions and goods, and
parted them to all men, as every man had need. 46 And they, continuing
daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to
house, did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart, 47
Praising God, and having favour with all the people. And the Lord added
to the church daily such as should be saved” (Acts 2:42-47).
When we live in a world where
few people accept biblical values, live in sin, where pornography and
fornication are accepted forms of recreation, we should expect that most
of what Christians say or do will be offensive to them. That
is what happens when you “let your light so shine before men.” The
darker our world grows, the brighter every Christian must shine.
Anonymous comments will not be allowed. Numerous studies and series are available free of charge for local churches at: http://www.disciplemakerministries.org/ Dr. Lance Ketchum serves the Lord as a Church Planter, Evangelist/Revivalist. He has served the Lord for over 40 years.
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