What to do with the Gospel Acts 2:37-41

Introduction

Peter laid out 3 proofs that Jesus was the Messiah. He proved that Jesus was the Messiah because of the signs, miracles and wonders he performed on this earth. He proved that Jesus was Messiah through the resurrection, and lastly he proved Jesus was Messiah through the coming of the Holy Spirit.

When we hear a sermon preached it should bring us to a point of decision. As Peter finishes up this sermon the crowd is brought to a point of decision.

This morning we are going to see the response to the preaching, Peters presentation of the gospel, Peters realization, and the result of the preaching.

The Response to the preaching

God’s amazing timing

All of these people that heard the message were in the right place at the right time. Gods timing is always perfect and it was proven again here

The message they heard

Jesus truly is messiah

it was proven through the miracles, signs and wonders performed by Jesus

It was proven through the resurrection of Jesus

It was proven by the coming of the Holy Spirit (which was the reason they came)

The message pricked their hearts

the word pricked means pierced or stabbed

That is the result of preaching the Word of God

Heb. 4:12 “For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.”

The word of God is alive

The word of God is powerful

The word of God is sharp

The word of God cuts deep

Kenny Baldwin said this “the Bible gets in your business”

They approached Peter and asked him what to do with what they had just heard

Again this is the point of preaching,. The Holy Spirit filled preaching pricked these peoples hearts and brought them to the point of a decision.

The Ethiopian Eunuch in Acts 6 was reading the prophet Isaiah and Phillip asked him if he was understanding what he was reading, then Phillip preached Jesus and it brought the Eunuch to the question as they are travelling beside some water. What is stopping me from being baptized and Phillip gives him the Gospel and he got saved and immediately went and got baptized.

Another example of this would be the Philippian jailer who got saved in Acts 16. Paul and Silas were in Jail and they were praying and praising the Lord and there was an earthquake and the doors of the Jail opened up, but Paul and Silas didn’t leave, but the jailer was getting ready to take his own life because of the punishment he would receive for allowing the prisoners to escape . At the end of that he asked them “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?”

The point of every conversation should be the Gospel, the Gospel changes lives.

Peters Gospel Presentation

The Holy Spirit pricked their hearts and brought them to a point of decision, now Peter is going to tell them what to do to be saved.

Repent

The word repent means to sorrow or be pained for sin, as a violation of God's holy law, a dishonor to his character and government, and the foulest ingratitude to a Being of infinite benevolence.

That is what the Gospel does. It causes us to see ourselves as we truly are, wicked sinners bound for hell.

The Gospel also gives us the promise of a saviour who died on a cross, was buried and rose again the third day, who covered every sin with the blood he shed on calvary.

Without the Gospel we have no hope!

Repentance is changing ones mind in regard to his view of sin, God, and his own righteousness and what he previously thought concerning Jesus and declare his faith in Christ.

Be baptized

Baptism is not a requirement for salvation, but it is an act of obedience.

Christ left two ordinances for the church

Baptism

The Lord’s Supper

When the thief on the cross was saved he wasn’t able to get baptized, but we will still see him in heaven.

Making baptism a part of salvation is legalism.

Baptism is a picture of the Gospel

It pictures his death, burial and resurrection

It also pictures us dying to our old life and being made alive to a new life in Christ.

Baptism would have been a big thing for the Jews because of what it pictured. It pictured them leaving behind a religion for a relationship. It pictured that they had placed their faith in Jesus as Messiah.

It was one thing to say they were saved and another to show they were saved.

I had a professor in Bible college who was a saved Jew. When his parents found out he was saved and baptized they gave him the choice to return to the synagogue or leave home. He ended up leaving home at the age of 16.

The phrase in the name of Jesus, gives us the source of salvation - a singular reliance on Christ as being the fulfillment of such

Belief in the Gospel brings about the remission of sins

the word remission means “cancellation of or release from the debt or penalty”

Jesus cancelled our sin debt

Jesus released us from the penalty of sin

When they got saved they recieved the baptism of the Holy Spirit

Peter’s Realization vs. 39-40

Peter told them that the promise was unto them

The gospel was promised to the Jews

The gospel was promised to their children

The gospel was promised to all that are afar off

This is good news for us. The gospel is for every man, not for a select group of people.

I’m thankful that the gospel is for the poor and for the rich and everyone in between

I’m thankful that the gospel is for the learned and the unlearned.

I’m thankful that the gospel sees us all as one blood

God went from using the Jewish people as his primary mouthpiece and now he would be using the Church as his primary mouthpiece.

Henry Morris said this “ This would seem to indicate that Peter understood the gospel message was for all nations, not just the Jews (in fact, Jesus had been quite explicit about this when He gave the great commission).

Peter went on to testify and exhort (to use words or arguments to incite to good deeds.) them

He told them to save themselves from the untoward(stubborn, stiff-necked) generation

Peter was telling them to not allow their heritage keep them from trusting in Christ as their savior.

We need to keep the same thing in mind, we shouldn’t allow what others think about us to keep us from trusting in Christ.

I wouldn’t want to spend eternity separated from Christ because i was scared of what someone would think if I got saved.

The result of the message vs 41

Three thousand souls got saved because of the Holy Spirit convicting those listening to the message.

They were baptized, what an amazing thought

Those three thousand souls were added unto them, them being the church.

you can’t add to something that doesn't exist.

Conclusion

When the Gospel is preached their should always be a time of reflection to see how you will respond. There are two ways to respond #1 We say yes to the Gospel and trust in Jesus as our saviour or we can say no not right now.

I plead with you this morning their is no more convenient time than now to believe the Gospel.

Maybe today you say brother Cody, I’m saved but i’ve never been baptized. You should follow the Lord in believers baptism.

Maybe you’ve been visiting the church for a while and you’re ready to join, come this morning and we can help you with that.