In the sermon 'What is the Promise?' by Peter Allison, the focus is on the biblical concept of a promise, particularly as it relates to salvation and the gift of the Holy Spirit. The sermon explores the deep-rooted theological understanding of promises made by God throughout the Bible, starting with figures such as Noah, Abraham, and David, and culminating in the New Testament's fulfillment through Jesus Christ. The promise is described as a solemn pledge from God, involving intimate and formal commitments, often illustrated by the Hebrew term 'davar'. The speaker explains that these promises are not only historical but are meant for all believers, including their descendants and those who are far off. The promise encompasses salvation, the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, and an eternal inheritance. Baptism is presented as a sign and seal of this promise, symbolizing the work of the Holy Spirit and marking the believer's inclusion in God's covenant. Ultimately, the promise serves to glorify God through the sanctification of His people, the advancement of His Kingdom, and the demonstration of His manifold wisdom.

Bibles to Acts chapter 2. And I would just comment as you turn there that in that psalm when it spoke of the terrors of the grave taking hold, Those are the terrors of Sheol. That word is Sheol. It's not the grave. It's the terrors of Sheol that the Lord has delivered us from.

Acts 2, verse 38. Then Peter said to them, Repent and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit for The promise is to you and to your children and to all who are afar off, as many as the Lord our God will call." May we not delay to keep His commandments. Almighty Heavenly Father, thank you for bringing Your Word to us. We ask that You would give us faith that as we hear it, we may be able to obey it, we may be able to Believe it, we may lay it up in our hearts that we might not sin against You. And I ask that You would sanctify my sinful lips, that they may proclaim the wonders and the marvels of Your grace in Christ.

In Jesus' name, Amen. Last week we ended our message right at this verse where Peter makes this promise or this call to them to repent and to let everyone be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and you will receive the gift of the Spirit." And then he says, "'For this promise is to you.'" What is this promise? He calls it the promise. For the promise is to you and to your children. What is the promise that He is referring to?

What is being promised to these people? Well, we can look at the definition of promise. It's a solemn pledge. It's a vow. To promise something is to make a declaration to another person which binds that person making the promise to do something or to not to do something.

Or you can just ask your children. They seem to intuitively know what a promise is, especially when mom or dad makes the promise. Well, in Hebrew there are a couple of ways to speak of a promise. But by far the most common word, almost exclusively, not quite, but The most common word used in the Bible for promise is one of the two main words for speaking. That may sound unusual to us with our English way of thinking, but it's not at all unusual in the Hebrew way of thinking.

Of these two words for speaking, davar is more formal and intentional. It's used when there are formal commitments being made. One linguist suggested it refers more to more intimate, or heart-to-heart conversations between people that are in a close relationship. Now these aren't exclusive hard and fast divisions, but I think they're helpful. When you want to have a serious conversation about important matters, you might say to somebody something like, hey, I'd like to talk to you.

When could we get together? Well, you're talking to them right then. Why are you asking to talk to them? See, we say the same thing. We talk the same way.

That's not what you mean, just saying words to them. You mean you want to look for a time when you can sit down together, and when you can focus on what is being said and what is being heard. Maybe you have an important message to communicate, and so you're looking for a time to talk. Or maybe you want to hear a message from somebody and you want to be able to focus on hearing that message and for them to give that message. And so You're looking for a time to have a talk.

I think that's something of how the Bible uses these two different words for speaking. An example of This is in Leviticus 23, in the first two verses. We read this. And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, Speak to the children of Israel and say to them. The Lord spoke to Moses, saying.

Why does it use the two words? He spoke to Moses saying... Why does it say he spoke to Moses? Some guy looked and half the modern translations just drop out that second word. And I think they missed something that's rather precious there.

The Lord spoke, davar to Moses, saying the Lord had a conversation with Moses. And in that talk, these are the things He said. What did He say to Moses? He said, Moses, speak to the children of Israel and say to them, Moses, Davar, have a conversation with the children of Israel. And in that talk, this is what you should say.

Ezekiel 2, 1, God reads, and He said to me, Son of man, stand on your feet, and I will speak to you. Well, God is talking to him as He's saying that, right? But He's wanting to have this conversation to say something of importance, something between two people who are closely related. And it's this word, davar, that is the primary, almost exclusive word for promise in the Bible. So what is the promise then that Peter is talking about here?

Well, we're going to have to go look in the Old Testament, because that's what he's referring to, some promise that was made. And We're going to look for this word, davar. And the very first use of davar in the Scriptures is in Genesis 8, verse 15, when God told Noah, remember this man who found grace in the eyes of the Lord. This man with whom the Lord had this special relationship. He told him what was coming, and He commanded him to build this ark, this boat, through which God would preserve him and his sons and their families.

Then God spoke to Noah saying, Go out of the ark, you and your wife and your sons and your sons' wives with you. Bring out everything, bring out with you every living thing of all flesh that is with you, birds and cattle, and creeping thing that creep on the earth so that you may abound on the earth and be fruitful and multiply." It opens up saying God spoke, God d'Avare. God spoke to Moses. We call this the Noahic covenant when God had this conversation with Noah. Peter in 1 Peter 3 says that the ark in which eight souls were saved through water was a type of baptism.

A baptism that saves us. And he's not referring to the washing of water, but he says it's the baptism of the Holy Spirit and the answer of a good conscience, a heart that's been cleansed. The second use of this word, devar, is in Genesis 12. When God appeared to Abraham and told him to leave his homeland and that God would make a great nation of him, And that in Him all the nations of the earth would be blessed and that God would curse those who cursed Him and bless those who blessed Him. And Genesis 412 says, So Abraham departed as the Lord had spoken to him.

Devar. This conversation that God had. This important, substantial, intentional conversation that God had with somebody with whom He had a special relationship. And we call this the Abrahamic covenant. Have you seen a pattern here?

The third time this word is used in Scripture is Genesis 16, when the angel of the Lord found Hagar by a spring in the desert after she fled from her mistress Sarai." Remember, Sarai had treated her harshly and drove her away and she fled. And the angel of the Lord appeared to her. The angel of Yahweh, Yehovah, appeared to her. "...Return to your mistress and submit yourself under her hand. And the angel of Yehovah said to her, I will multiply your descendants exceedingly, so that they shall not be counted for multitude.

And the angel of Yehovah said to her, blessed are you with child, and you shall bear a son, and you shall call his name Ishmael, because the Lord has heard your affliction." God spoke graciously to this woman. And in Genesis 16, 13, then, Hagar called on the name of the Lord who spoke to her, Davar. And she called the name of Jehovah who spoke to her, you are the God who sees. For she said, have I also seen Him who sees me? The fourth time this word is used in The scripture is Genesis 17, 3, when God appeared to Abraham when he was 99 years old.

In Genesis 17, and He said to him, I am Almighty God, walk before me and be blameless, and I will make My covenant between Me and you, and I will multiply you exceedingly." And then Abraham fell on his face and God talked with him. Devar. The fourth time that's used. And He said, and this is what God said when He had this conversation, this divar with Abraham. He said, As for Me, behold, My covenant is with you, and you shall be the father of many nations.

No longer shall your name be called Abram, but your name shall be Abraham, for I have made you a father of many nations. I will make you exceedingly fruitful, and I will make nations of you, and kings shall come from you, and I will establish My covenant between Me and you and your descendants after you and your generations for an everlasting covenant to be God to you and to your descendants." There's a promise right there. To be God to Him and to His descendants. And God spoke with Abraham about how He was to keep this covenant by circumcising Himself and His sons on the eighth day of their life. Jehovah also promised that his wife would bear a son and that he should call that son Isaac.

Those are the words that God spoke when He had this conversation, this divar with Abraham. And then it says after this, there are some more things that God talked about. And then it says in Genesis 17, then He finished talking with him. Then He finished this conversation, this divar. And God went up from Abraham.

So Abraham took Ishmael, his son, and all who were born in his house and all who were bought with money and every male from among Abraham's house and circumcised the flesh of their foreskins on the very same day as God had said to him, as God had divar. The next time this word is used is when God appeared to Abraham right before destroying Sodom and Gomorrah. And Abraham saw these three men, you remember, coming to him, and he ran out to them, and he fell down on his face before them. And he begged them not to pass by him by, and he said, Please let a little water be brought, and wash your feet, and rest yourselves under the tree, and I will bring you a morsel of bread that you may refresh your hearts. And after that, you may pass by inasmuch as you have come to your servant." And this was what they said.

They said to him, Do as you have said. Now, you could have also translated that do as you have promised. It's a promise Abraham made to them. Do as you have promised. And so when the three men left and went towards Sodom after they'd eaten, Abraham went with them.

And the Lord says, He said, shall I hide from Abraham what I am doing? Since Abraham will surely become a great and mighty nation, and all the nations of the earth shall be blessed in him? For I have known Him in order that He may command His children and His household after Him, that they keep the way of the Lord to do righteousness and justice, that the Lord may bring to Abraham what He had spoken to Him." We could say what He had promised Him. That was a promise that was made to Abraham. Devar.

We could translate that, what he had promised him. That he would be a God to him and to his children and make a great nation of Him." In Genesis 21, the Lord visited Sarah as He had said, and the Lord did for Sarah as He had spoken. We could say He did for Sarah as He had promised. It was a promise that He made. For Sarah conceived and bore a son in his old age, at the set time of which God had promised or spoken to him." See, the word promise fits in all these places where it says that God has spoken or devoured.

Or David. When God told David not to build the temple, but that His Son would build the temple, God made a covenant with David. God said to David, I will be His Father and He will be My Son, and if He commits iniquity, I will chasten him with the rod of men and the blows of the sons of men, but My mercy, My chesed, will not depart from him as I took it from Saul when I removed him." And David's response to this wonderful covenant that God made with him, this wonderful promise, is that now, O Lord God, You are God and Your words are true and You have promised. This time, New King James translates that word, promised, davar. You have promised this goodness to your servant.

Or in Psalm 105, which speaks of a psalm of thanksgiving that speaks in great detail of God's deliverance of the children of Israel through the plagues on Egypt, and how He preserved them in the wilderness, bringing them water when they were in the desert, and bringing them quail to eat. Why had He saved Israel? Why did He do this? Psalm 105 tells us, verse 42, For He remembered His holy promise, the Devar, and Abraham His servant. Or Jeremiah 33, prophesying of Christ's coming.

Jeremiah says, Behold, the days are coming, says the Lord, that I will perform that good thing that I have promised, the var that I have spoken. And I will perform this good thing that I have spoken or promised to the house of Israel and to the house of Judah in those days. And at that time, I will cause to grow up to David a branch of righteousness. The Branch is capitalized. It's Christ.

And He, this branch of righteousness that grows up from David, He shall execute judgment and righteousness on the earth and in those days Judah will be saved and Jerusalem will dwell safely. And this is the name by which He will be called the Lord, our righteousness." Or Zacharias. When he announces this promise, We move into the New Testament. The nature of this promise as a promise of salvation, a promise of God's gracious dealings with His people becomes even more direct. When Zacharias' tongue is loosed at his son John's baptism, he's filled with the Holy Spirit and he prophesies saying, Blessed is the Lord God of Israel, for He has visited and redeemed His people, and He has raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of His servant David.

As He spoke by the mouth of His holy prophets who have been since the world began, that we should be saved from our enemies and from the hand of all who hate us to perform the mercy promised." Now it's the New Testament, so it's not Devar. But it's promised to our fathers and to remember His holy covenant. The oath which He swore to our father Abraham. Notice how He connects this promise to Abraham with a covenant. The oath which He swore to our father Abraham to grant us that we being delivered from the hand of our enemies might serve Him without fear in holiness and righteousness before Him all the days of our life.

You see, in the New Testament, this promise is clearly identified with Christ's coming and with all the blessings that come with Christ's advent. His coming, taking human flesh, His death, His burial, His resurrection, and His ascension. And in His sermon in the synagogue, in the synagogue in Antioch, to the men of Israel, Paul declared, from this man's seed that's referring to David, according to the promise..." There's that promise again. "...according to the promise, God has raised up for Israel a Savior Jesus. And we declare to you glad tidings." That's the Gospel.

That promise which was made to our fathers. God has fulfilled the same with us, their children. Speaking to us, their children. Speaking to the Jews who are the children of the fathers to whom God made these promises. In that He has raised up Jesus again.

That's how God has fulfilled this promise. As it is written in the second psalm, you are My Son, today I have begotten you. Paul told Agrippa the end of Acts. And now I stand and am judged for the hope of the promise made by God to our fathers. That's how he sums up all that's represented in the Gospel.

All that's represented in the covenant that God has made. The covenant that God made with Noah, and the covenant that God made with Abraham, and the covenant that God made in the time of Moses with Israel, and the covenant that God made with David, and the new covenant that's spoken of in Jeremiah. These are all the covenant of grace that God has made with us. In Romans 1, Paul opens his letter. Paul, a bondservant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, separated to the Gospel of God, which he promised before through His prophets in the Holy Scriptures concerning His Son Jesus Christ who was born of the seed of David according to the flesh and declared by the Son of God with power according to the Spirit of holiness by the resurrection from the dead." Well, there's a lot in there, isn't there?

But you have to pick up that promise. All these things are part of that promise that Peter referred to. He said, this promise is to you. But a little later in Romans 4, when he's speaking about this circumcision, he says, Abraham received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness of the faith which he had while still uncircumcised, that he might be the father of all those who believe, though they are uncircumcised, that righteousness might be imputed to them also, and the father of circumcision, to those who not only are of the circumcision, but who also walk in the steps of the faith which our father Abraham had while still uncircumcised." Circumcision was given to Abraham as a seal of the righteousness that he had by faith. And then Paul says this, for the promise, there's that promise again, For the promise that He would be the heir of the world was not to Abraham or to his seed through the law.

The promise is to Abraham and his seed. And it's not through the law, but through the righteousness of faith." The promise is of faith. And in Romans 9, Paul said, "...that is, those who are children of the flesh, these are not the children of God, but the children of promise, The children to whom this promise is given, the children of promise are counted as seed, for this is the word of promise. At this time I will come, and Sarah shall have a son." The promise wasn't to Ishmael. It was to Sarah.

That's what Paul says was the promise, that she would come and have a son. Now I say that Jesus Christ has become a servant to the circumcision for the truth of God to confirm the promises that were made to the fathers. Christ has become a servant to the circumcision to the Jews for the truth of God to confirm, to establish, to fulfill those promises that were made to the fathers. Christ's coming fulfilled this promise. But there's more to this promise.

And also, Christ has redeemed us. Paul told the Galatians from the curse of the law, having become a curse, for it is written, cursed is everyone who hangs on the tree, that the blessings of Abraham might come upon the Gentiles in Christ Jesus that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith." So the Holy Spirit is promised as well in this promise. Because we need the Holy Spirit if we are to have faith. Faith is a gift of God. And it's through the working of the Holy Spirit that we are given faith, that we are regenerated and given a new heart.

So this promise then includes the Holy Spirit. The promise is the promise of the baptism of the Holy Spirit which is through faith. But the Scripture has confined all under sin that the promise of faith by faith in Christ Jesus might be given to those who believe." To Ephesians he said, "'In Him you also trusted after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, in whom also having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise." The Holy Spirit is promised. You see, the New Testament ties together this promise that Peter is referring to in our text, to the covenant with Abraham, in which God promised to be God to Abraham and to His children. And this, brothers and sisters, is the promise of salvation.

It's also the promise of an eternal inheritance. Hebrews 9, For the blood of bulls and goats, and the ashes of a heifer sprinkling the unclean, sanctifies for the purifying of the flesh, for if they did that, how much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God. And for this reason, He is the mediator of a new covenant by means of death for the redemption of the transgressions under the first covenant that those who are called may receive the promise. May receive the promise. This work of Christ is so that we might receive the promise of the eternal inheritance.

That's what Peter is talking about. This is all that is encompassed in this promise, this wonderful promise that Peter said is to you and to your children. To the very people who were mocking but a few minutes earlier. To the very Jews who had crucified the Lord of glory in their hate for Him. Peter turns to them and says, this promise, this wonderful promise is to you.

Repent. See, this promise was originally made to the fathers. It was made as we've seen to Noah and to his children. It was made to Abraham and to his children. It was made to the Israelites under Moses and their children.

It was made to David and to his descendants. See, every one of the covenants in the Old Testament included the children of believers. And we could read all those verses. To Noah, he said, Behold, I establish My covenant with you and with your descendants after you." To Abraham, he said, I will establish My covenant between you, between me and you and your descendants after you as an everlasting covenant. In Deuteronomy 29, God said, I make this covenant and this oath not with you alone, but with Him who stands here with us today before the Lord our God, as well as with Him who is not here with us today to those who will come.

Psalm 105, which we looked at earlier, says, He remembers His covenant forever, the word which He commanded to a thousand generations. And this is in Jeremiah, the new covenant. He says, but this covenant, this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the Lord, I will put my law in their minds and I will write it on their hearts, and I will be their God, and they will be My people." But who is it today? Who is it made to today? Well, the Bible says that All those who are in Christ are heirs of the promise made to Abraham.

And if you are Christ in Galatians 3, then you are Abraham's seed and heirs according to the promise. That's the promise that he made in all those places that we looked at. In Genesis 12, in Genesis 17, in Deuteronomy 29, in Genesis 8, Genesis 9. Paul also said, now we brethren, as Isaac was, just as Isaac was, We are children of promise. And that's why Peter says after his sermon, the promise is made to you and to your children and to all who are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God will call." All that receive the remission of sins receive the gift of the Holy Spirit, and all who are justified are sanctified." Now how is this promise connected to baptism?

It's tied here in the text. Peter says, "...repent and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins and you would receive the gift of the Holy Spirit for..." The reason they were to be baptized and receive this is for the promise. "...is to them and to their children and to all who are far off, even as many as our Lord our God shall call." Well, sacraments, baptism, and the Lord's Supper are signs and seals of the covenant. They are signs and seals of this promise. The promise that begins with the giving of the Holy Spirit.

You see, The baptism of the Holy Spirit is symbolized by water baptism in the New Testament, just as it was symbolized by circumcision in the Old Testament. And so when Peter sees the Holy Spirit fall on Cornelius, who is a Gentile, He says they should be baptized. And he's called to account for that. Why are you baptizing Gentiles? And Peter explains, well, they received the Holy Spirit like we did.

How can I refuse them? Baptism. And they are satisfied. Here's the interesting thing. They are satisfied by that answer.

Because you see, baptism symbolizes the work of the Holy Spirit. Those who believe and their children are baptized on the day they believe. Now obviously those who are far off aren't baptized until they are called and brought near. And then when they are called and brought near, they and their children are baptized. Paul told the Ephesians that they once were afar off.

Therefore, remember that you, once gentiles in the flesh, you who are called uncircumcised by those who are called the circumcision." In other words, the Jews call you uncircumcised people. This is the circumcision that's made in the flesh. He's clear about that. At that time that you were without Christ being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers from the covenants of promise." Those are the covenants of promise. We've seen how the covenants are so closely connected.

They are. They are promises. What is a covenant? It is laws and promises from our Savior King. So he says, you were aliens and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God.

But now, but now in Christ Jesus, you who once were afar off have been brought near by the blood of Christ." Now why? Why has God made this promise? Well, as we've seen a little bit, this promise is so much more than just our personal salvation. Ultimately, God has made this promise so that He might be glorified. So that His wonderful works might be extolled.

So first of all, He's made this promise so that He might be glorified in the sanctification of His people. Because everybody who is justified is sanctified, and those who are sanctified are glorified. There is nobody who is justified that is not sanctified. And He is glorified in the saints offering up spiritual sacrifices to Him. Peter says in 1 Peter 2, 4, Coming to Him as to a living stone, rejected indeed by men, but chosen by God and precious.

You also, as living stones are being built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood. Why? In order to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. We can't do this in our own flesh. It is through Christ's power in us that we are able to do any good, that we are able to obey the law.

It's because of Christ's obedience to the law that we are able to obey it as well. And so God is glorified in the sanctification of His people as we offer up these spiritual sacrifices of obedience. But He's also glorified in the advancing of His Kingdom. That's what we're to pray for, that His will would be done on earth as it already is in heaven and that His Kingdom would come. James says, listen, James 2-5, listen, my beloved brethren, has not God chosen the poor of this world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom which He promised to those who love Him.

We're heirs of this kingdom. But also, He is glorified in the demonstration of His manifold wisdom to the principalities and powers in heavenly places. This is ultimately why God created the world, why God ordained the fall, and why God sent His Son to be the propitiation of our sins. Paul told the Ephesians in Ephesians 3 verse 8, This grace was given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ, And to make all see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of ages has been hidden in God, who created all things through Christ Jesus." Paul saying he was given this grace that He might proclaim this mystery which always speaks of that which is revealed in the Scriptures. Something that has been hidden in God to the intent that now the manifold wisdom of God might be made known by the church.

God could make His wisdom known in many ways. His manifold wisdom is His multifaceted wisdom. I always think of a diamond that has all these different faces on it. Multifaceted. And it reflects the light in amazing ways.

That's this word here. To the intent that the manifold, the multifaceted wisdom of God might be made Known by the church. It's through His people that God's wisdom is made known to the principalities and powers in the heavenly places according to the eternal purpose which He accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord. There's His purpose. That is His eternal purpose.

That His wisdom and His glory and His power, His manifold wisdom, would be made known to the hosts of heaven and to the powers and principalities. That's why He created the earth, to declare His glory. That's why He redeems us. That we might reflect His glory. That's His purpose.

That's His eternal purpose. And He accomplished it in Christ Jesus our Lord. This promise. This is a wonderful promise. How rich, how deep, how vast, how all-encompassing is this promise that Peter says is to us and to our children and to all who are far off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call.

He promises to be God to us. That's what it comes down to. He promises to be God to us. We could be here for a long time. But let me just give you a few.

A few of things that it means for God to be God to us. It means that God delivers us from His wrath for our sins. And He redeems our life from destruction. It means that God makes us a part of His family, that He puts His name upon us. And He gives us access to His throne of grace that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

That's what it means for God to be God to us. He makes us part of His family. It means that God dwells with us. God dwells with us. We are His tabernacle.

It means that God provides for all of our needs from the smallest to the greatest. It means that God gives to us every blessing and every spiritual resource in Christ that we need. That's what it means for God, the eternal Father, to be God to us. Every blessing, every spiritual resource in Christ that we ever need. Those who do great works need great resources.

And God is sufficient and He's given promises to us in Christ. It means that God defends us from all our enemies. In His name, even The demons are cast out. It means God will defeat all of His enemies and all our enemies, and will establish His kingdom where perfect peace and righteousness dwell. It means that God will give to us a home in His kingdom.

A home that He's preparing for us now. That's where He's gone. He said, I go to prepare a place for you. And these are all the promises. These promises are to all those who repent and receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.

Let us pray. Heavenly Father, how great are Your promises to us. The promise that You have made to our fathers, the promise that You have continually renewed and that You have made to us and to our children, and even to as many as are far off, who have yet to be brought near by the blood of Christ. Lord, we thank you for these promises. We rejoice in your great and precious promises.

We ask for your faith. We ask that you would give us faith to believe these promises, to live by these promises, and to die by these promises. We ask, Lord, for faith, to believe Your promises in every circumstance in which You call us. To believe Your promises in every trial, in every tribulation, in every victory, Lord, to believe and to remember these promises. We thank You, Lord, that You have sealed them to us through Your Holy Spirit.

We ask these things in Jesus name. Amen.