FULFILLMENT OF FIRST COMING PROPHECIES

THE TECHNIQUE USED BY EARLY CHURCH TEACHERS TO PROVE JESUS WAS CHRIST

On the day of Pentecost, Peter took the opportunity presented by the very large Jewish crowd to preach an extensive sermon presenting Jesus as the Christ (Messiah). He did this by using the history of Israel and the prophecies of a coming messiah from the Jewish Bible. The crowd was large (possibly well over a million) because the Jewish people had gathered to celebrate the Feast of Pentecost, also called the Feast of Weeks and the Feast of Harvest. This was 50 days after the Passover or Feast of Unleavened bread. Remember that Jesus was crucified on Passover. The Last Supper was Jesus’ celebration of the Passover with his disciples. Peter’s sermon recorded in Acts 2:14-39 would have been 7 days after Jesus’ ascension. Let’s look at Peter’s sermon:

Peter’s first sermon. Peter was the central figure in the events at Pentecost leading to the huge growth in the number of believers. Peter took advantage of the opportunity at Pentecost to preach to the large crowd that had gathered. The Holy Spirit had just been sent to the believers and they were acting in such a manner as to make many in the crowd believe that they were drunk.
Following is an outline of Peter’s sermon:

• It was only 9 AM and nobody had been drinking.
• The prophet Joel had predicted the coming of Christ and the pouring out of the Spirit on all believers.
• David had said that God promised him that one of his descendants would be King of the Jews (Lord and Christ).
• He reviewed the life, crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus and said that he was the promised Christ.

Peter’s words moved the crowd and they asked him what they should do. He replied “Repent and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ and you also will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. This gift is for you, your children, and those far away-for everyone called of God.” Three thousand were baptized that day and many miracles were performed by the apostles.

Paul and at least 10 others preached similar sermons as recorded in Acts. Let’s look at the sermon that Paul preached as recorded in Acts 13:16-41 and observe the similar use of Old Testament prophecies to prove that Jesus was the Christ.

Following is an outline of Paul’s sermon:

• God chose the Israelites and blessed them in spite of their disobedience.
• God gave them the promised land, judges, then prophets, then kings.
• God promised, then delivered the Messiah through David’s descendants.
• John the Baptist prepared the way.
• The Jews and their rulers had not recognized Jesus in spite of his fulfilling the words of their own prophets.
• They had killed him and laid him in a tomb without having grounds for doing so.
• He had arisen from the dead and there were many witnesses of it, again fulfilling their own prophecies.
• Only through belief in Jesus and forgiveness of sins could salvation be achieved.

Again many believed and were converted.
The similarities between the sermons of Peter and Paul are striking. Notice that they both quote Psalms 16:8-11, which stated that the Holy One would not see decay (Peter in Acts 2:25-32 and Paul in Acts 13:14-37). Why do you suppose that this is so? Could it have been because they had the same teacher?

If we compare the sermons of Peter and Paul, we can easily see that they used a common outline (as directed by Jesus, and provided by the Holy Spirit), but filled it out according to their own individual personalities and styles. The common outline would be something like this:

• Review Jewish history using the Old Testament
• Review the Old Testament prophesies of a coming Messiah
• Review the life of Jesus of Nazareth
• Show how Jesus fulfilled all of the Old Testament prophecies concerning the Messiah
• Draw the conclusion that Jesus was the Christ, the Messiah.

If we look back at Peter’s sermon and analyze it, we can see that he used the following logic:

• You (the witnessing Jews) have just seen the coming of the Holy Spirit.
• Joel prophesied that the Spirit would be sent in the last days (the last days for the Jews, at the end of the 69 weeks of years, realizing that the Jews have only 70 weeks of years - Old Testament prophecy is almost exclusively for the Jews).
• Jesus said that he would send the Holy Spirit from God after he left the earth (John 15:26, 16:7; Luke 24:49).
• This Spirit has arrived just as Jesus said it would.
• If Jesus were still dead, he could not have sent the Spirit as he promised he would. Therefore he must still be alive.
• Furthermore, Jesus could not have sent the Holy Spirit unless he had ascended into heaven as Lord. We the disciples, and many others here present, all saw him ascending into heaven with our very own eyes.
• Our patriarch King David prophesied (Psalm 16:8-11) that the Messiah would be killed but would not see decay. David could not have been talking about himself, since we all know that his tomb is right here in Jerusalem. He had to be talking about his heir, again as prophesied. 
• This heir of David is Jesus, whom you crucified and yet who has raised himself up from the dead to live again (John 2:19, 10:17-18).
• David also prophesied that the Messiah would sit at the right hand of God (Psalm 16:8-11).
• David has not ascended to heaven as we have seen this Jesus do.
• Therefore, the conclusion is very clear. This Jesus whom you have crucified and is yet even now alive and living in heaven, is both Lord and Christ.

Peter’s argument was so irrefutable that 3,000 of those listening were cut to the heart and asked what they should do. The answer was obvious (Acts 2:38-39 – Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit), and the new church very quickly got a jump start. Jesus plan for proving that he was the promised Messiah by using Old Testament prophesies which he had fulfilled was a divinely perfect plan.