Acts 2:36-41 – “Therefore let all Israel be assured of this: God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Messiah.” 37 When the people heard this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and the other apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?” 38 Peter replied, “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. 39 The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off—for all whom the Lord our God will call.” 40 With many other words he warned them; and he pleaded with them, “Save yourselves from this corrupt generation.”41 Those who accepted his message were baptized, and about three thousand were added to their number that day.”
“Peter replied, “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.” A long time standing common and simple rule of thumb of biblical interpretation is “If the plain sense makes good sense, then seek no other sense.” Family we ought to beware of “new” revelation. Not deep revelation that comes from the Word, but “new” revelation that attempts to add to the Word. It seems to be popular in these times of short attention spans and easy information searches to try to be the first to discover something new. Sometimes, it seems, pressure is on pastors to say something new and of seeming great “new” revelation. Pastors who gloriously, but whom some would think “merely,” preach the same Gospel message that has been preached since Jesus and the Apostles, are not exciting enough. Family, seeking the exciting beyond the truth is a dangerous platform to live upon. It moves, changes and is unstable and people who stand upon it may take a nasty fall. Yes, we must dig into the rich mine of the Word of God, but must make sure that we don’t start digging in a strange mine.
Here we see that Peter states the simple Truth. He states it unadulterated and without restrictions. He told the Jews, who were complicit in the death of their Savior Jesus that they must repent. Oh that word, so simple and so detestable to many. People say “Repent? Why? From what?” Family today we have the blessed duties of repeating the message of John and the Baptist (whom Jesus called the greatest of all men who had been born (Matthew 11:11)) to lead into the sharing of the Gospel. John (John 1:19-37, Matthew 3:1-17, Matthew 11:1-15, Matthew 14:1-12, Luke 1:5-80, Luke 3:1-20, Mark 6:14) prepared the road for the arrival of Jesus. He called out about the coming Messiah. Now we are to call out to the world. Our message is the same, to repent and to be saved by the returning Messiah. We share to all that Jesus is returning and all need to be saved. Everyone is born onto a huge spiritual people mover that dumps everyone off into hell. There is only one escape from that people mover and that is through the only true Savior Jesus Christ (John 3:18). When we say that Jesus saves we are saying exactly what Jesus does. Since all are on this people mover to hell, it is only when we repent and call Jesus our personal Savior and Lord that we are plucked from this people mover to hell and set aside to be free to worship and love God. In Christ is freedom and the uniqueness of everyone is released. On the people mover to hell, there is no one unique. They may dress differently, have different jobs, or play differently, but they all are still moving along to the same place. With Jesus is freedom to be who we were created to be. All our gifts and characteristics are given freedom to bloom as they were designed to bloom, as His children. However, the devil wants to keep our gifts and characteristics from being exactly what they were meant to be as children of God. So the devil lets people think they are free and are being individuals, but in actuality, they are not free. They cannot move freely, they are hemmed in on every side by others who are packed onto the people mover to hell and they cannot move. He lets them sing, or draw, or paint, or create, or work hard at things that will perish. He cares not what they do on the people mover, as long as they stay on that people mover. Family, pray for those who have not yet come to Jesus. Let us be active and fervent in our prayers. What we pray about is the most important of matters, we pray of eternal life against eternal death. Pray like lives depend on it because they do! Let’s actively and always share the love of God to people in a loving way!
How do we share? Tell the simple truth as Peter did. Don’t let the minds of men pollute the beauty and simplicity of the Gospel message. Tell people to come to Jesus to receive forgiveness of sins that we all were born with and build upon. Inform them to reject sin in their lives. Tell them that God so loved the world that He sent His Son Jesus to save everyone that would come. Joyously tell them that Jesus loves them and wants to save them from the worst possible future to bring them to the best possible future. Tell them it is a free and unearned gift from God, that none can earn it. Tell them to be grateful and thankful for the grace of God and to let the world know through baptism that their lives have been changed by faith in Jesus. Tell them that when the grace of God through Jesus has washed us clean then God sends His blessed Holy Spirit to dwell within us as a reminder that we belong to God and are forever sealed by Him. Tell them to come and to finally know peace and to know the meaning of life, and the meaning of their life. Family, the Gospel is Good News. The best news! That is what Peter, under the power of the Holy Spirit, preached that day. Repent. Come to Jesus be saved. Make it known that you love Jesus and received God within. Simple. Pure. Gloriously lovely and eternally peaceful. Let us, as Peter did, share the Gospel. As we do that we know beyond all doubt that we are walking in the will of God (Matthew 28:19-20). Profusely and continuously proclaim the name of Jesus. It is the only name given to us that will save! (Acts 4:12, 1 Timothy 2:5, Ephesians 4:4, John 14:6, John 10:9). The name of Jesus saves. The name of Jesus revives the dead and gives eternal life. Let us never stop of continuously proclaiming the most wondrous name of all…Jesus! Jesus, Jesus, Jesus! Praise God for Jesus! Praise God!
Psalm 150:6 – Let everything that has breath praise the Lord. Praise the Lord!
Micah 7:7 – But as for me, I watch in hope for the Lord, I wait for God my Savior; my God will hear me.
Micah 6:8 – He has shown You, O man, what is good; And what does the Lord require of You but to do justly, to love mercy, And to walk humbly with Your God.