The Forgiveness Of Your Sins - Acts 2:37-47
Notes
Transcript
The Birth of the Church and Fellowship of Believers (Acts 2:37-47)
I love beginnings.
My wife often laughs at me because when we watch a show together, as it gets to the end of the season, I always want to go back and watch the very first episode again.
I love it because you are first introduced to the characters and the major plot lines and production methods of the show.
To say it another way, the first episode sets expectations for the rest of the show.
How things begin matters.
Here, in Acts chapter 2, we find the beginning of the Church.
Jesus has ascended, the Holy Spirit has come, and Peter has just finished preaching the first message in this new spiritual reality.
The response of the people is made clear in v. 37.
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?”
Peter had just said that Jesus of Nazareth was Lord and Christ and they crucified Him.
The reality that their Messiah had been there and they rejected him cuts those listening to the heart.
They are convicted!
They ask what they are to do.
This is the goal of sharing the gospel.
We trust the Holy Spirit to convict people and bring them to the point where they ask, “what do I do now?”
Peter’s answer is clear.
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.
Repent means to change ones mind.
The idea is that we change our thinking about our sin, change our thinking about who Jesus is.
That change in our thinking results in a change of direction.
Repent and be baptized in the name of Jesus.
This isn’t just about getting religion.
This about a new relationship with a person!
When we, by faith, step into that new relationship, our sins are forgiven and the Holy Spirit takes up residence in our lives.
This is the problem that Jesus came to solve!
He didn’t come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.
Sin is what separates us from God and it is only forgiven as we place our faith in the finished work of Jesus Christ on the Cross!
Peter calls his audience to believe in Jesus and around three thousand people trust in Jesus.
These new believers devote themselves to four things in v. 42.
* The Apostles teaching (Doctrine)
* Fellowship (Community)
* Breaking bread (probably a reference to communion and the meals they had with it)
* Prayer
These four essential elements of the Christian faith have not changed.
We need to know the truth, we need community, we need to remember the sacrifice of Jesus, and we need to pray!
When we read about the early church dwelling together, selling their possessions, and having “all things in common”, there can be a temptation to think we are supposed to do the same.
The book of Acts is a transitional book and is descriptive of what the early church did. Meaning, it records what happened.
It is not prescriptive, meaning that it is not telling us that we should do exactly the same things today.
It is also clear that some in the early church still had homes because they are meeting in them in v. 46.
This is not telling us what we are supposed to do today.
It is however demonstrating the attitude we are to have.
If a brother or sister is in need, and we are able to meet that need, we meet that need.
The last part of the last verse in Chapter 2 ends with these words.
Acts 2:47 (ESV)
47 And the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved.
This tells us that the apostles and other believers in the early church didn’t stop sharing the gospel.
It wasn’t a one and done kind of event!
Evangelism was practiced as a normal, healthy part of the local church.
Our challenge today is to do what the early church did.
Learn doctrine.
Have community.
Remember Jesus.
Pray.
Share the good news of Jesus death, burial, and resurrection.
Think of someone right now that you can go and share the gospel with.
Write their name down and pray for an opportunity to share.
