Peter's Second Sermon
In Acts three, we find a second sermon preached by Peter. The healing of the lame man at the gate of the Temple caused a stir among the crowd assembled to worship. Peter seized the opportunity to preach the gospel right on the Temple mount. In his invitation at the close of his sermon he made the following statement.
Acts 3
The coming of the Messiah and His Kingdom was foretold by all the prophets. In fact, this a the major theme of most of them. This is when Jesus will restore all things and the curse will be removed from the earth, [Isaiah 2:1-4, Isaiah 35, Zech. 14:1, 8-11, Rom. 8:19-23]. Peter held out this coming of Christ as the future hope for new converts to the Church. He declared that Jesus must remain in heaven until this Kingdom, foretold by the prophets, comes. There is no question this will occur at the post-tribulation coming of Christ.
19 Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord;
20 And he shall send Jesus Christ, which before was preached unto you:
21 Whom the heaven must receive until the times of restitution of all things, which God hath spoken by the mouth of all his holy prophets since the world began.
(KJV)
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Peter did not originate this idea. He borrowed it from Psalm 110:1. There is no doubt Peter was familiar with this Psalm because he quoted it is his previous sermon to prove that Jesus was the Messiah.
Acts 2
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.
(KJV)
It is clear, both from this Psalm and from Peter's commentary on it in Acts 3:19-21, that Jesus will be seated at the Father's side until the time comes to restore the earth, and destroy Christ's enemies. This eliminates the possibility of Jesus coming before the tribulation to rapture the Church to heaven. He would have to leave the Father's right hand before His enemies are made His footstool.
Both of Peter's sermons display continuity with Jesus' teaching in Matthew twenty-four. The fact that he taught Jesus' chronology of the tribulation and second coming to believers after the day of Pentecost strongly suggests that Jesus taught "Church doctrine" in the Olivet Discourse.
