People Cut To The Heart Series

August 12, 2013

By: Tom Lowe

Series: The Early Church

Title: People Cut to the Heart

Acts 2.37-40 (KJV)

37 Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do?

38 Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.

39 For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call.

40 And with many other words did he testify and exhort, saying, Save yourselves from this untoward generation.

Introduction

We have seen the wonderful effect of the pouring out of the Spirit in the influence it had on Peter and the other preachers of the gospel. Peter, in all his life, never spoke at such length as he did now, and with such volume, eloquence, and power. We are now going to see another blessed fruit of the pouring out of the Spirit in the influence it had upon the hearers of the gospel. From the first words of that marvelous message, it appeared that there was a divine energy going along with it, and it was mighty through the power of God, to do great and wonderful things: thousands were immediately converted by saving faith; it was due to the rod of God’s strength sent out of Zion: “The LORD shall send the rod of thy strength out of Zion: rule thou in the midst of thine enemies. Thy people shall be willing in the day of thy power, in the beauties of holiness from the womb of the morning: thou hast the dew of thy youth” (Psalms 110:2-3; KJV). The rod of thy strength is a poetic expression for His ruling power. The ruling power of the Messiah was to go forth from Jerusalem, Zion’s city of our God. The rule and reign of Jesus Christ during this age is not one of power and bloodshed, but rather of conquering love and grace. One day, however, when the curtain of God’s grace comes crashing down and the curtain of His wrath is raised, “… he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God” (Rev 19:15). Because of the power of the gospel and of the mighty hand of the Lord God, the servants of the Saviour will be willingly ruled by the Messiah. Men under the influence of the gospel do not submit themselves to the service of the King out of fear, but in the beauties of holiness, i.e., in holy obedience to the one who is both Priest and King. Just as the dew falls fresh every morning and is perpetually resupplied, so too are those who fall to the message of God’s redeeming grace and join the ranks of the saved.

We have here the first-fruits of that vast harvest of souls which was gathered to Jesus Christ. Come and see, in these verses, the exalted Redeemer riding forth, in these chariots of salvation, conquering and to conquer—“And I saw, and behold a white horse: and he that sat on him had a bow; and a crown was given unto him: and he went forth conquering, and to conquer” (Rev. 6.2; KJV).

Commentary

37 Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do?

Now when they heard this,

From the first words spoken by the apostle it appeared to be a divine message, and that there was Divine power going along with it; a power whereby thousands were brought to have faith in the Savior. But neither Peter’s words, nor the miracle they witnessed, could have produced such effects if the Holy Spirit had not been present and appealed to the heart and minds of those who were observers of this grand event, which would never be repeated.

They were startled by the spectacle they had witnessed, and therefore they patiently listened to Peter’s sermon without interrupting him as they used to do to Christ during his discourses (this was a good sign, that they had become attentive to the word). Before Peter began to speak they did not understand the demonstration they had observed; but by the time he finished it was clear to them that they had rejected and crucified the Lord.

What was the spectacle they witnessed? They heard the disciples, probably the one hundred and twenty, speaking about the wonderful works of God in languages they had never spoken before.