What Shall We Do?
Scripture: Acts
2:36-41 (ESV)
36 Let all the house
of Israel therefore know for certain that God has made him both Lord and
Christ, this Jesus whom you crucified.”
37 Now when they
heard this they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and the rest of the
apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?” 38 And
Peter said to them, “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 For
the promise is for you and for your children and for all who are far off,
everyone whom the Lord our God calls to himself.” 40 And with many other words he bore witness and
continued to exhort them, saying, “Save yourselves from this crooked
generation.” 41 So
those who received his word were baptized, and there were added that day about
three thousand souls.
Devotion:
Today’s scripture holds out the hope
of salvation to all who will believe in the name of Jesus Christ as their savior.
Peter, the speaker here, uses simple straightforward speech to bring the
message of salvation home to his hearers.
Today’s preaching and presentation
of the gospel in many churches is an elaborate stage presentation involving
lighting effects, moving music, and the occasional fog machine. All to try and
entice saving faith out of the unbelievers in the audience. It is questionable
whether these additions to the plain spoken gospel produce and lasting fruit.
While it is no doubt true that we live
in a much different time than Peter. Could it be that the simple gospel
presentation still produces results when it is done with power and conviction? Today people do want to be entertained when they go to church. They may think
that they want to see the gospel in lights and sounds. What every human hearts deeply
desires, however, is to be introduced to a savior who can heal their sin sick
souls. While our music and message must be updated to reflect our modern times,
the essential truth of the gospel must be held out before the people.
Peter’s 1st century
hearers were cut to the heart by the simple truth of the gospel. Today peoples
hearts are in many cases hardened to that simple truth. We must employ the
power of the Holy Spirit to reach through the layers of coverings built up
around their hearts to reach them with the power of the simple message of Jesus
life, death, and resurrection.
Just as Peter reached 3,000 souls on
that Pentecost day long ago. It will only be by a fresh wind of the Holy Spirit
that we can see such a mass conversion today. While I suppose guitars, drums, and
all sorts of electronic music, even fog machines may have their place in worship
today we cannot, indeed, we must not change the life changing message that
Jesus died for our sins and wants to save us from them. Sola Deo Gloria!
Prayer:
Lord let our worship bring you glory
every day. Convict our hearts with your simple gospel message that we may share
that message with this lost and hurting world. Lord, use us as you used Peter
so long ago to see fruit for the kingdom. May our hearts be longing to see
others come to Christ. Let us lift up the name of Jesus at every opportunity we
have. To God be the Glory! Amen.
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