Responding to the Gospel (Acts 2:37-41)

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Response to Peter’s Pentecost sermon where “This Jesus” (v.23) was declared Lord. This Jesus was the One whom Peter’s hearers crucified.

  1. Pricked Hearts and Consciences (v.37)
    • Peter’s whole sermon and particularly his final statement cut to the heart
    • Heart of stone transplanted with a heart of flesh. “And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes and be careful to obey my rules.” -Ezekiel 36:26b-27
    • Preaching vs teaching
    • “What shall we DO!?”
  2. Repent and Be Baptised (v. 38)
    1. repent
      • “repentance is the floating plank to which you cling after a shipwreck.” – M. Henry
      • Save yourselves from this crooked generation (v.40) – evergreen cry
    2. and be baptised
      • Peter joins the instruction to repent with the instruction to the people to be baptised.
      • Luke 3:3
      • Inauguration of the new covenant
      • circumcision of old covenant identified with baptism in the new (Colossians 2:11-12)
      • Baptism in the name of Jesus. Trinitarian baptism.
      • Every one of you. John 6:37
  3. The Promise (vv.39-41)
    • Sending the Holy Spirit
    • Differentiate from the fruit of the spirit (Galatians 5:22-23) and the gifts of the Spirit (1 Corinthians 12:8-10)
    • The Promise is also the covenant commitment which God made with the patriarchs of Israel which finds its culmination in the sending of the Messiah who pours out His Holy Spirit on His disciples
    • For you and your children (Genesis 17:7 not repealed)
    • Far off (Jews abroad and also Gentiles)
    • All whom God Calls.

3,000 souls likely includes men, women and children.