Acts 2:37-47 The Day of Pentecost
NIV Acts 2:37 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. 42 They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. 43 Everyone was filled with awe, and many wonders and miraculous signs were done by the apostles. 44 All the believers were together and had everything in common. 45 Selling their possessions and goods, they gave to anyone as he had need. 46 Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, 47 praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.
Reboot with God’s Promise!
1) Repentant by God’s Word
2) Reborn through God’s Word
3) Regrouped around God’s Word
Introduction: This past week I downloaded a game from a website. My brothers play the game, so they told me to try it out. When I did, the files were not compatible with my computer. The game didn’t work and my computer would crash. My brother who knows computers said you need to try and reboot. Reboot is a fancy name for starting over. The hope is that when you reboot, your computer will forget all the bad things that it had done and magically do the right thing, when it begins again. There’s no guarantee that it will work. Most of the time the computer does remember the bad command s and files and still crashes. 3 times our San Antonio Spurs tried to reboot their team after each loss to the L.A. Lakers, but they couldn’t forget what had happened in the past and they crashed 1-2-3 times. They were caught in a cycle they couldn’t break. Today in our text, we have a group of people caught in a cycle they couldn’t break. They were sinners and couldn’t start over. They couldn’t reboot their lives to be god-pleasing. They couldn’t change. God sends His Word to these people to stop their lives from crashing. God’s promises rebooted their minds and souls to be God-pleasing children of God. For your personal life with God, your families’ relationship to God and each other as well as the future of Living Hope, Reboot with God’s Promise! Repentant by God’s Word; Reborn through God’s Word and Regrouped around God’s Word.
Part 1) Repentant by God’s Word
Pentecost is an awesome account of the Holy Spirit’s power. The account of Pentecost is filled with miracles. The disciples heads were covered with a flames of fire. There was the presence of the sound of a strong wind but no one’s hair was ruffled. After these miracles took place the disciples were able to speak in tongues they had never studied. Jesus told his disciples to wait in Jerusalem until they received the promised Holy Spirit. Now why do you think Jesus had the disciples sitting around waiting for the Holy Spirit, when he had already paid the price for all the sins of the world? Did the disciples need to have the flames of fire on their heads? Did the disciples need to hear the rushing wind with no air movement? Jesus had the disciples wait to spread the news of forgiveness until the Holy Spirit would come on them and remind them of everything he had told them: His Word. The Holy Spirit is promised in connection to God’s Word. What do you think is the most amazing miracle in the account of Pentecost? Is it the tongues of fire on the disciple’s heads? IS it the rushing wind with not even a breeze? Or is the greatest miracle of Pentecost the drastic change in 3,000 murderers?
Our text forms the conclusion to Peter’s Pentecost sermon. Peter the ordinary fisherman from Galilee, had preached boldly and fearlessly. He spoke the truth about Jesus Christ, who he was and what he had done. The Jews in Jerusalem had rejected him, despised him and murdered him. They killed the Son of God, their promised Savior. Peter told them, “God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ!” These powerful words began to change the Jews in Jerusalem. The sword of the Spirit had pierced their hearts. The Hammer blows of God’s law were used by the Holy Spirit to break their hard stony hearts so that they now felt ashamed and guilty of their past decision. They had decided to reject Jesus Christ. They had decided to kill Jesus. They had decided to be Jesus’ enemy. The Holy Spirit had used God’s Word of truth to create a sorrow over their past and a desire to make amends.
“What can we do?” They realized they had murdered the Son of the living God that came to help them. What could they do to make up for their crime? What could they do to change the past? What could they do to change their minds and hearts to accept Jesus love Jesus worship Jesus? Nothing! They were helpless to affect a change in themselves in the past or in God himself. Since they were helpless, they were hopeless.
The other night after our Faith Family Night, the children were playing outside on those big logs next to the baseball diamond. We told the children not to play on them, but they did anyway. In a minute or two, we then heard Nathanael crying out, “I can’t get up! I can’t get up?” He had fallen off the log and hurt his leg. He wanted to get up, but the pain was too much for him. He wanted to keep quiet as well, because he knew he wasn’t supposed to be playing on the log. He wanted to just get up and walk it off. But he couldn’t. The pain was too much. His leg and knee simply wouldn’t allow him to get up. Nathanael’s injury was not paralyzing or life threatening. After a while he was able to walk again. The Jews in Jerusalem that had killed the Son of God, felt the pain of their sins. They wanted to make amends. They wanted to just walk it off. But there was nothing they could do. They were paralyzed with fear and guilt. They were helpless and hopeless. This sin was not going to fade away.
So what did Peter reply to their question, “What will we do?” Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name fo Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of all your sins.” Repent. We use that word a lot in church. Repent means literally a change of mind. Peter tells the people they must change their mind about Jesus. They must go from being the murderers of Jesus to the disciples of Jesus: Enemies to friends. They must trust in Jesus now. They must believe that Jesus is the Son of God they murdered. They must change their mind about Jesus and put their hope in him. They must worship him with all their heart soul and mind. This is the greatest miracle of Pentecost!! The murderers of Christ became his first Church. Men who cursed his name, would now love his name. This is the total change of mind that causes men to grieve over what they were once proud of and to believe what they had once despised.
Peter doesn’t point them to reach down deep inside and change their minds about Jesus. Peter doesn’t say, “Do penance, pray the rosary, go to the priest and hope that somehow you can please God enough to forgive your past sins.” These murderers were helpless. They couldn’t change the past, let alone their own sinful hearts. Peter points them to God’s Word and His Promise. These people were looking to reboot their lives. They wanted to stop from crashing. They wanted to be friends with God. But they were unable to start over fresh by themselves.
This is the miracle of Pentecost. When God says, ”Repent, change your mind about me!” He actually gives you the power to change. God’s Word of law and gospel affects a change in us. The Holy Spirit uses God’s Word to change our mind about God. What God requires, Repentance, God gives, through his Word. The Holy Spirit changed 3000 enemies into God’s children on that first day of the Christian Church. That’s Pentecost! That’s a miracle!!
There is a struggle, I have in my life that might be surprising to many of you. The struggle is to want to quit sinning. Part of me that is my sinful nature does not want to quit sinning. If it wasn’t for my New Man, I would never have the feelings and thought that sin should be stopped. Sinning feels too good to be bad. If sinning doesn’t hurt anyone it can’t be bad. Thank God that being repentant, feeling sorry for our sins is not something I must do alone. The Lord has given to us his powerful Law and gospel to break my sinful hard hear, moving me by His sweet message of love to be sorry for my sins and to feel bad for trespassing his Will. If you struggle with trying to feel soprry for your sins, reach for the powerful law of God to do its work on your heart. Let God change you from a hard hearted enemy to a kind hearted friend by His word.
Not only were the murderers of Christ changed into his friends, but they were Born again through God’s Word. “Repent and be baptized for the forgiveness of all your sins. This promise is for you and all your children for all who are far off.” The Jews that day that were within ear shot of God’s Word, were terrified by the truth of what they had done. They were afraid of God’s just punishment now for killing Jesus. They needed forgiveness. What did they have to do in order to get forgiveness? Repent and be baptized! We already talked about Repentance being a result of God’s Word. Well gues s what baptism is? Baptism is a miracle of the Holy Spirit working through God’s Word.
When the Jews heard the Word of God about Jesus and their rejection and murder of him, they were hopeless and helpless, What shall we do?” Did Peter then to tell them, “Now make your decision for Christ. Goive your life to God. Invite Jesus into your heart, and he will be your Savior.” Peter doesn’t point the scared and guilt stricken enemies of Jesus to reach down deep and commit themselves to the Lord. He points them to the promise of God in Baptism. I learned something just beautiful this past week. I can’t imagine how I could have missed it over these past years of studying God ‘s Word. The word for promise in our text, “This promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off.” That word promise can also mean decision. What decision are we talking about? It is nothing better, than God’s decision to save everyone. “Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved.” That’s God’s promise or decision. He decided it and promised it and accomplished it. Who are we to second-guess God? God in his infinite wisdom and love, decided to save us through the living and enduring Word of God. The Holy Spirit worked through the Word to change people’s minds about their sins and about their Savior. But that’s isn’t all of God’s decision. God also decided to give us the visible Word in Baptism, so that we could see that we are truly washed clean of all sins and reborn as his friends yes even his children. That’s God’s decisions. You want to argue with God? God attached our forgiveness, our new life, our reboot to his Word and baptism. What If God would tell you, “Pick up that feather and you will be saved. This promise is for all people.” Some people would laugh and not pick up the feather. Some people do the same thing to Baptism and God’s Word. They laugh and say, “How can water do such great things, like giving us a new birth into God’s family?” They simply doubt God’s Word. They don’t believe his promise and decision.
God is so wonderful that no one is left out. You see since no one can change the past sins or make up for his crimes, the Lord has devised a plan for all people to enter heaven. God is the one who calls, not man. God calls, chooses, elects, “decides” or promises – not people. Man’s election, conversion and salvation rest entirely on the love of God and not on the effort or worthiness of people.
What a great blessing for you and me today to be able to rest at ease in God’s family knowing that we are and will be forever a child of God. Think for a moment if being a citizen of America meant that you had to memorize the Consittution and the Bill of Rights, reciting them perfectly before the supreme court. How many citizens would there be? Well, how did you become a citizen of this beautiful country, granting you all the privileges and rights of freedom you enjoy? Yes, you and I were born into this country through no act of our will or choice. What a blessing it is to be a member of God family, through the promise of God in baptism.
“We have been born again through the Living and enduring Word of God.”
3)Regrouped around God’s Word.
Astonishing results! What a marvelous harvest of Souls were saved that day: 3000!! On this day the blood-bought souls of 1000’s of people throughout the world were brought into God’s family. These 3000 are the first ones in the New Testament church. But it didn’t stop there. It still is harvest time today.
The results of our ministry may not be 3000 believers in a day. God has not called us to convert anyone, but to teach the word of God. He has given us the same tools that he gave Peter on that first Pentecost – his law and gospel. We have the same Holy Spirit, who works through the Word, baptism and the Lord’s Supper. We also have God’s promise, ‘My word will not return to me empty, but will accomplish the purpose for which I sent it.” Let us be busy sharing the message like Peter did. When we plant the seed, people will repent and be baptized into the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of their sins.
Now that those 3000 enemies were changed into 3000 disciples and now that they had the promise and decision of God that they were forgiven in the waters of Baptism, reborn into his family, what did they do?
This is the result of their being born again!! We can see the fruit of their faith. The church grew not only in number but also in faith and love. The believers were characterized by devotion!
The new believers met every day in the temple courts to worship, treach and share the Word of God. They loved to pour over God’s Word every day. There was a real hunger and thirst for the Word of God. They practiced what Paul encoruaages all churches to do, ‘NIV Colossians 3:16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God.
Along with a love for God’s Word cam a love for God’s people. The new believers had a deep and abiding love for each other. They loved to be together. They were not isolated from each other. Their attitude was nmot, ‘I can go it alone.” Together they were strong as they supported and encouraged each other.
“The breaking of bread” for these new believers was more than just eating meals together at each other’s homes, it also included celebrating the Lord’s death in Communion. The regular reception of the Lord’s Supper and the daily study of God’s Word were distinguishing marks of the early church. As God communicated with them in Word & Sacrament, the Holy Spirit strengthen their faith in God and their love for each other. These new believers were saturated with the Holy Spirit by God’s Word through God’s Word and around God’s Word. They were repentant, reborn and regrouped all by God’s Word.
As our mission efforts are blessed with outward strength of numbers and inward strength of character, what will we attribute the success to? What will we rally around? What will be the propelling and compelling force in our families and in our congregation? Let it be the message that propelled Peter into the pulpit on Pentecost. Let it be the message that compelled those enemies of Christ to repent. Let us reboot our lives with the Promise of God. Repentant, Reborn and Regrouped around His Word.
The peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, keeps your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.
