The New Year of Christ

Text: Acts 2: 14-39

Proposition: Every New Year is but a picture of the New Year we have in Christ from Pentecost on, the Spirit proclaiming salvation in the risen Christ.

Introduction: New Years day is one of the world’s oldest holidays, first celebrated by the Babylonians some 4000 years ago. The new year for them began on March 23 and was a spring time celebration. The Chinese celebrate it on the second new moon following the winter solstice which means it varies between mid January and mid February. The Jews celebrate it in September at the Rosh Hashanah celebration, a harvest celebration. The Muslim calendar is based on the movements of the moon and for them New Year occurs in March and is a spring time celebration. For the western world, it was Julius Caesar who changed the date to January 1st as New Years’ day and by the late 1500’s it became the official date for the beginning of the western calendar year. For all these groups, New Years’ day is a celebration of new beginnings, a time of starting over in a brand new way. There was something very similar to this that happened to the disciples of Jesus Christ, a time when they too began to live in a brand new way. For Christians today every New Year celebration is but a picture of the new beginnings we have in Christ. Turn with me to Acts 2: 14-39, as Peter preaches a Sunday morning message of our new beginnings in Christ.

I.   It Is A New Beginning of No Distinctions.                                  

Peter stands up and speaks to the crowd. Earlier in chapter two it says the sound of a violent rushing wind filled the whole house where the disciples were. Likely it was this sound that first drew the crowd which were amazed to hear the disciples speaking in at least a dozen different languages of the Mediterranean region. It’s Sunday morning, about 9am, the one thought being proclaimed over and over but in different languages is this…the mighty works of God. It was like a jigsaw puzzle, the people could see all the different pieces but how do they fit together and what is the main picture? It was to answer this that the apostle Peter stood up, commanded their attention and then to the Jews of Jerusalem and Judea he specifically spoke. Perhaps he singled them out who had been present at the trials and crucifixion of Jesus. Perhaps he spoke to the Jews as the rest of the disciples continued to speak to those of other tongues translating the very words Peter was speaking, many voices but one message. Peter refers to prophecy from the book of Joel and says that what they are seeing is the fulfillment of what was predicted. Note that the first thought is that when God pours out His Holy Spirit there will no longer be the distinctions we are so prone to make, particularly in these areas:

  1. In sex…men and women shall speak out or prophesy the glory of God
  2. In age … sons and daughters, young and old shall receive to give.
  3. In position…Jew and Gentile, all mankind, even slaves proclaim Him.

The Holy Spirit has made something new to begin, it is the church, the body of Christ and in it there is no distinction as to how people are saved nor to what credentials the Holy Spirit uses. They shall prophesy, speak out the truth of what God has done and what God will yet do. The last days began 2000 years ago, it began with an explosion into the church of thousands believing in and receiving Christ. The effect of the Holy Spirit upon a person is that they will call upon the name of the Lord. What can this term mean other than that they will call or pray to the Lord, pray for forgiveness, pray for grace and pray with thanksgiving, pray for mercy. There is still no distinction in the church, we are all servants of one another, no job is beneath you, no task is past your days, no person is worthy of your distinction in terms of contempt. It is a new beginning, a new year’s eternal day, in Christ.

II. It Is a New Beginning Of No Decay.                                    

Peter has just argued that the pouring out of the Holy Spirit is a testimony to the truth of prophecy and that the great Day of the Lord is coming soon. He says, “And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved.” This said he points to the pouring out of the Holy Spirit that they are seeing that very moment as the proof that Jesus Christ has in fact been raised from the dead. Look at the main points of what he declares:

1. You are without excuse, you did see the credentials of Jesus.

2. You are without innocence, though God ordained it and the Rome did it.

The sights of God’s wrath against sin were aimed directly at Jesus Christ as He bore our sin, but don’t forget this…Jesus is the Son and the Father is doing this with the Son because of your sin. Don’t miss your complicit role here, you are why He was nailed to the cross.

The resurrection of Jesus will only ever be a celestial illusionist act until the crucifixion of Jesus is seen as applying to me. That’s why Peter took them to a place of conviction first and then to the resurrection. Look for a moment at verse 24… “But God raised Him up again, putting an end to the agony of death, since it was impossible for Him to be held in it’s power.” This is the new beginning of No Decay, but first let’s ask why was it impossible for death to hold onto Jesus Christ?

Peter points to king David and the words of Psalm 16 to answer this question and he makes several points:                                                                                                                                                                                                                        1. King David lived and died and was buried not far from where they were at that moment.

2. King David was not only a King but also a prophet that God spoke to and through. Peter particularly refers to the promise of God to David that One would come from his family line in the days future Who would sit on David’s throne and Whose kingdom would be eternal (2 Sam 7).

3. For an eternal King to be in place meant that king must experience death and then life again after death. In short for this promise to be there must be a resurrection of that King.

4. This resurrection, says Peter, has just taken place in the death, burial and now resurrection of Jesus the Christ.

Peter emphasizes the point that it is the alive, completely whole, resurrected Jesus who now sits upon the throne of David. The eternal kingdom of God has taken a step whereby all who will belong to it will be as He is. So Peter then concludes, “Therefore being exalted to the right hand of God, and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, He poured out this which you now see and hear.” This new day is marked by the fact that there is no decay of death in Christ, meaning not only has Christ overcome death He is putting an end to death as He puts an end to sin. From sin comes death, end sin and you end death. That is the new beginning in Christ!                                                                                                                  

III. It Is a New Beginning of No Delay.

It is a new beginning of no delays as seen in the responses of the people who heard Peter’s sermon that day. They were pierced to the heart! Tell me, what happens when your heart is pierced, do you still live, is it just a case of sever indigestion or has something in you died. The gospel of Jesus Christ will put you to death as it pierces your heart with the truth that you need to repent of your sin, that you need to proclaim His forgiveness and take action. It calls you to move without delay, responding both to His general promises for all people and to His specific call upon you to Himself. It is a call to proclaim Him, to by faith alone receive Him and then with the Lord’s Supper (Communion) and with public act of Baptism own Him as your Savior and Lord. It is indeed a new beginning, a New Year’s Day of no distinction in whom He will save, no decay in Him and we are now in Him, no delay, now is the time, now is the day that if you hear His voice and call upon Him you shall be saved. This is our New Year’s Day as we look to the imminent coming of Jesus the Christ a second time.

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