Hello, my ‘Walking with Jesus’ friends?
We like formulas, don’t we? Recipes for cooking; and assembly directions for building model airplanes; and an operator’s manual for making something work properly, right?
So what’s the formula for a fulfilling, abundant life with our sins forgiven? I don’t mean financial success nor fame nor popularity. I mean the type of life Jesus spoke about when He said: “The thief comes to steal, kill and destroy but I have come that you might have life and have it abundantly.” (John 10:10) Have you discovered, and are you living the formula for that type of life?
I left you yesterday in a large crowd of stunned people in Jerusalem who had heard Peter say: “Let all Israel be assured of this: God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Messiah.” (Acts 2:36) Many in this crowd had been in this same place 50 days before, in a similar crowd, when they cried out “Crucify Him! Crucify Him”. (Matt. 27:22,23) Now, with the Holy Spirit having come among them in great power, these same people had cried out “What shall we do”? (Acts 2:37)
The deep conviction of the Spirit of God was moving these people to seek God’s forgiveness for both their rejection of Jesus as their Messiah and their having called for His crucifixion. But also they desperately wanted to find this Holy Spirit empowered life which Peter and others had received from resurrected Jesus!
Peter had enthusiastically responded: “Repent and be baptized, everyone of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off – for all whom the Lord our God will call.” (Acts 2:38,39)
If you had been standing in that crowd do you suppose Peter’s reference to your children would have grabbed your attention? If you are a parent or grandparent anything anyone says to us about our children or grandchildren immediately gets our attention, right?
50 days before, in this very same Jerusalem, many in this very same crowd had responded to Governor Pilate’s life or death question about Jesus with these words: “Crucify Him! His blood is on us and on our children.” (Matt. 27:22-25) I have no doubt those words had haunted them during these 50 days, especially when they heard rumors that crucified Jesus had risen from the dead and been seen by many different people! Now, these people just heard Peter say that God was ready to forgive them and their children! Could there be any better news than that??
So, of course, this crowd leaned in to listen very carefully to hear the formula Peter might give them to achieve God’s forgiveness! Peter had said: “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ, for the forgiveness of your sins.” (Acts 2:38) It seems crystal clear, doesn’t it? Do you hear the specific action steps Peter instructed these people to take, in order to receive God’s forgiveness?
* Step 1… “REPENT”... We discussed that at length yesterday.
* Step 2… “Be baptized”… These people understood what that meant. Baptism was fairly widely practiced in those days, as a means of declaring one’s allegiance to a leader or teacher.
Sometimes young disciples were baptized in water as they left all else to be a follower of a particular teacher. Sometimes soldiers were baptized as they accepted a new military commission which may cost them their lives, and in their baptism they were declaring their allegiance to the Caesar, even if they died in battle.
The Jews in Jerusalem had heard of John the Baptist. But those John baptized were not becoming John’s followers, they were repenting of their sin and declaring their readiness for their Messiah. (Acts 19:4)
Jesus had not baptized anyone, but Jesus had commissioned His disciples to baptize those who would repent of their sin, as they trusted fully in the atonement death of Jesus to be accepted by God for God’s forgiveness of their sin. Their believer’s baptism would be a public declaration of their sin repentance / their full trust in Jesus for salvation / and their declaration of their allegiance to Jesus Messiah as their Lord!! Do you see the formula Peter was declaring on this Pentecost day, in Jerusalem, to this crowd who was under deep conviction of their sin? Do you see Peter promised God would respond?
First.. God would FORGIVE their sins!
As we know, God style forgiveness does not pretend the offense was meaningless nor is God overlooking the sin. Rather God declares sin so serious that its penalty is death. (Rom. 6:23) But God also declares He poured out His justice wrath upon His Son Jesus on the cross, as Jesus bore our sins upon Him. And Jesus died, paying with His life the full sin debt price, so God can now forgive our repented sin by accepting Jesus’ death payment on our behalf, and declaring our sin debt paid! Do you understand that?
Second… Peter promised God would send His Holy Spirit to those people who repented and were forgiven by God of their sin; and those who were baptized, declaring their allegiance to Jesus Christ as their Lord!
That’s why Peter made it clear their repentance and their baptism was to be done “in the name of Jesus Christ”. It means our entire salvation experience is accomplished by God IN the Name and for the honor of Jesus Christ who has made it possible by His atonement death and resurrection!
Third... Peter declared this offer from God was for those standing there that day in Jerusalem, and their families, and EVERYONE, everywhere in the entire world, in all generations! “For all who the Lord our God will call.” (Acts 2:39)
With these words Peter was confirming two very significant things Peter remembered that Jesus had said: “I am the way, the truth and the life, no one comes to the Father except by Me.” (John 14:6) There is no other path to gain God’s forgiveness and eternal life, than through Jesus. And Jesus also said: “No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws them…” (John 6:44) God Himself, in His great love for humanity He creates in His image, is the One who draws people to Jesus, so with the help of the Holy Spirit they can understand and believe in Jesus as their Savior! (1 Corinthians 2:14)
Oh my have you experienced the glorious, life changing reality that Peter proclaimed that day, my friends? Tomorrow we’ll see what happened as Jerusalem was turned upside down as 3000 people responded to Peter! For today, the ‘lessons learned’ notes below will help you more fully understand these important truths, and a worship song will lead you in worship of Jesus.
Today’s Scripture: Psalm 139.
Choose below to read or listen.
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Have a comment or question about today’s chapter? I’m ready to hear from you, contact me here.
Pastor Doug Anderson
“Let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, with our eyes fixed on Jesus…” (Heb. 12:1,2)
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