What Shall We Do?

Pops Moskowitz was aging & decided & let his 3 sons run the Moskowitz Nail Co. he founded. His sons thought some strategic billboards could increase their market share. A week later Pops was taking his Sunday drive in the country. There’s the 1st billboard—Christ on the Cross. Its caption? “Nails for Every Purpose. Use Moskowitz Nails.” Pops man went to with his 3 sons immediately. He warned, “The backlash could be horrendous! Our company? Ruined!” His sons agreed to discontinue that ad. A week later, on his Sunday drive, Pops saw the 2nd billboard ad. There it was—a picture of the same cross, empty. Christ was ascending. Its caption? “Next Time, Use Moskowitz Nails.” The truth? Nothing could’ve kept Christ on the cross. Not even if the soldiers had used Moszowitz nails. Jesus was returning to the Father, & all involved in His crucifixion would still have been responsible. That’s what Peter is saying in our verses. How’d it begin? Holy Spirit fireworks (0:19 - 0:23). He got people’s attention. Let’s turn to Acts 2:14a, 36–41. 14aThen Peter stood up with the 11, raised his voice, & addressed the crowd. 14b“Fellow Jews & all you who live in Jerusalem, …listen carefully. Peter went on to prove it. Jesus is the Messiah Israel has been waiting for. But in v.36, he continues. 36“Therefore let all Israel be assured of this. God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord & Christ.” They crucified their Christ! Even worse, He’s the Lord—Yahweh! Their Creator-God! Imagine we thought someone was a fake miracle worker. And imagine we got them arrested, convicted, & jailed as a fraud. And now, someone proves they’re not only not a fraud, they’re God, incognito. And WE got them arrested & jailed! Imagine how we’d feel!? Peter’s hearers had crucified Jesus! And Peter proved he’s not only the Christ they were waiting for, He’s God! How do you think THEY feel?! 37aWhen the people hear this, they’re cut to the heart. They 37bsaid to Peter & the other apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?” They killed Jesus. What if God is really angry!?! They mean it. What can they do? With the Romans, they killed Christ. Jew & Gentile. All humanity. Their position is our position. All have sinned. All fall short of God’s glory. All have offended Him by missing the mark (sin). We share the guilt of Peter’s hearers. We may not have driven the nails in person. But each time we sin it’s as if we pounded that hammer again. We’re as guilty as they are. No more, no less. We all face the same problem. We’re all sinners in the hands of an angry God. He isn’t angry at us, personally. But God has a settled wrath against all sin. He will eradicate it all. We’re sinners in the hands of an angry God? Peter’s hearers’ question is ours. “What shall we do?” What shall we do to satisfy God’s honor? What can we do? It turns out there is something. Peter’s reply is for us, too. 38a“Repent & be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. Want our sin-debt erased? Repent & be baptized. Got it. But wait—does Peter mean we have to stop all sin before we can be forgiven or baptized? It depends on what repent means. As it turns out, he may not mean quite what we think. We’ve been taught that repent means a making a U-turn. It does. But we think he means a U-turn from sin. If that’s true, then we have to stop sinning to be saved. And baptism would then be what saves us. But baptism can’t save us. Jesus can. Then how can we repent? What shall we do? Hang a U-turn. How are we now trying to save ourselves? Going to church every time it’s open? Trying harder & harder not to sin? Trying to be a better person? Giving more & more to the poor or to church? Rescuing the lost? Obeying all the law—even trying to obey the spirit of the law? Whatever we’re doing to try to save ourselves, stop. Just stop. Hang a U-turn toward Jesus. Trust Jesus & Jesus alone to save us. Trust Him alone. That’s saving faith. Believe that He will. The second we believe & trust Jesus alone for salvation, our sins are forgiven. If we repent like that, God erases our sin-debt. We receive the forgiveness for sins. How can we be sure this is what Peter means? That’s why he says to repent… in the name of Jesus Christ. It isn’t just to be baptized. We have to repent in His Name. As soon as we’re forgiven, 38bYou’ll receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. That’s the internal sign Christ has claimed us as His. Working definition of Christian? Has the Holy Spirit. No exceptions. Every Christian is Spirit filled. Not every Christian knows how to partner with the Spirit, but every Christian has the Spirit. And everyone that has the Holy Spirit has spiritual gifts. Everyone who has the Holy Spirit produces the fruit of His Spirit. Want more of that fruit in our lives? Learn to partner with the Spirit. Abide in Christ. Same thing. We’re saved. Our sins? Forgiven. Our internal sign is God’s gift of the Holy Spirit. There’s also an external sign. Baptism. Why baptism? In baptism’s waters (immersion or sprinkling), we identify with Christ in His death & resurrected life. We’re washed clean. Coming out of its waters, we’re raised with Him to new life in the heavenly realms. Delivered. Signed & sealed! Best of all? It isn’t all just for us! 39aThe promise is for you & your children & for all who are far off. It may start with us. But God’s promise of new life in Christ, eternal life, is for our families. Not just us. It’s for everyone we know. Near & far. It’s for Jews, Peter’s hearers. It’s also for far away Gentiles. And everyone in between. In Christ, we’re one. Is the promise of salvation for everyone? It’s 39bfor all whom the Lord our God will call.” Does that mean some are lost because God doesn’t call them? Only God knows. But I don’t think there’s anyone He doesn’t want, or He wouldn’t have created them. But God also knows that some won’t turn to His Son. The problem? The only way God forgives sin is if we turn to Jesus Christ. And not all will turn to Christ. Only those the Lord calls. So if we turn to Jesus, it’s because we’ve heard His call. This is a warning to all who haven’t turned to Christ. 40aWith many other words Peter warned them. Why warn? We don’t understand what’s at risk. Peter could’ve stopped by warning folks. That’s what Jonah did at Nineveh. “40 days & you’re toast.” Peter goes way beyond warning people. 40bHe pleaded with them. And us. 40c“Save yourselves from this corrupt generation.” How? Turn to Christ. Why? Since He came, it’s the end times. The last generation. All who won’t trust Christ will be treated eternally like Rome treated Israel in 70AD. Israel’s people, culture, worship, & society? Destroyed. Peter’s hearers got it. 41aThose who accepted his message were baptized. They turned to Christ. They accepted God’s offer: eternal life to all who turn to His Son. He’s the only way to salvation. How many did Peter baptize? 41bAbout 3,000 were added to their number that day. (All from one sermon. Wish I’d preached it!) Let’s wrap it up. Apart from Christ, we’re sinners in the hands of an angry God. All of us. There’s only one thing we can do. Turn to Christ. (Repent.) Trust Him alone to save us. Nothing & no one else. When we do, He’ll give us His Spirit. That’s the internal sign that we’re His. And Be baptized in His Name, publicly. That’s the external sign that we’re His. But don’t stop there. That’s the beginning of Christian life. Not the end. To start Christian life, turn to Christ. Trust Him alone for salvation. It’s then that all Jesus’ other words to us apply. That’s where turning from sin comes in. Look at Jn 14:23-24. If we love Jesus, we’ll obey Him. If we love. Loving & obeying Jesus seems small in comparison to all He’s done for us. But that’s all He wants. Love Him with the rest of our lives. Just a short while for many of us. But even if we have our whole life ahead of us, how long is that compared with life eternal? It still seems like a good trade. And it all starts when we turn to Christ.