"What shall we do?" Acts 2:37-41

What shall we do?

Acts 2:37-41

Introduction: Have you ever been lost, knew you were lost, and still refused to ask for directions? And if you finally did ask, was it difficult? There was a time in my life when I would prefer to just keep on driving until I saw something that I recognized rather than stop, admit I was lost, and ask someone for directions.  Since I am getting older, I don’t hold that philosophy so tightly, not that I am any wiser, it’s just that I get lost so much now it just won’t work!  Here, Peter has clearly been telling his fellow Jews that they had become so lost, that despite the overwhelming evidence, they had rejected and killed their own Messiah. 

     He has offered hope in this sermon we’ve been looking at in at least three ways: 1) Even though they were guilty of rejecting him, the death of Jesus was, after all, according God’s “predetermined purpose and foreknowledge.” They had done something terrible, but if in the process God’s plan was fulfilled, maybe there was still hope for them.  2) Though Jesus was crucified and buried, He is now alive, having risen the third day, just as the Scriptures predicted. And, 3) Jesus was still working in their midst, since from the Father’s right hand he had poured out the Spirit on His followers. Did that mean there was hope?  

     The miraculous communication of the mighty works of God in the languages of the people present for the feast was a sign that prophecy was being fulfilled and God was at work.  The response to Peter’s very direct message is amazing: the Spirit is descending on the people, opening their understanding, leading to remorse for their sin and a desire to get right with God. We see a powerful work of the Spirit in this scene, in Peter’s preaching and in the response of the people from at least two perspectives: conviction of sin, and empowerment for service.

The Big Idea: The Spirit of God indwells those who trust Jesus, convicting us of sin and empowering us for witness.

I. Our response to God’s Word will expose our heart (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?" 

              What's going on here? When Jesus taught the disciples in the upper room about the coming of the Spirit, the comforter, He said in John 16:7-8, "But I tell you the truth, it is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you; but if I go, I will send Him to you.  ⁸ "And He, when He comes, will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment…”  Jesus was preparing his disciples for life without his physical presence, but he was present, in the Spirit. It would not be human wisdom or clever argumentation, but the supernatural work of the Spirit that would bring conviction through the Word.

            First of all, what does the word “convict” mean?  We know that we feel an inward sense of guilt, a remorse for our sin, as soon as we make the choice to disobey God. That is surely a part of the process of being “under conviction” as we usually use the word. The word itself, elencho, [ evle,gcw  ] however emphasizes the idea of “expose, bring to light,” the true character of someone. Often it has the idea of exposing guilt in a legal sense, proving someone to be guilty. Let’s look at a few of the passages where the term is used:

Matthew 18:15, "If your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault, between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have gained your brother.” The idea is exposing the offending brother’s sin, with a view toward their repentance and restoration.

Luke 3:19 “But Herod the tetrarch, who had been reproved by him for Herodias, his brother's wife, and for all the evil things that Herod had done…” John the Baptist’s preaching “exposed” the sin of Herod. It does not imply that Herod was moved to repentance, merely that his guilt was “revealed.”

John 3:20 “For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed.”

John 8:46 “Which one of you convicts me of sin? If I tell the truth, why do you not believe me?” Jesus is not asking who can make Him sorry for His sins [He didn’t have any!], that’s the point. Rather He is asking “Which of you can show evidence that I have sinned?”

1 Corinthians 14:24-25 “But if all prophesy, and an unbeliever or outsider enters, he is convicted by all, he is called to account by all,  ²⁵ the secrets of his heart are disclosed, and so, falling on his face, he will worship God and declare that God is really among you.” This is a case where conviction leads to repentance. Notice the parallel phrases “convicted,” “called into account,” “secrets exposed.”

Ephesians 5:11,13 “Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead expose them… But when anything is exposed by the light, it becomes visible…”

Revelation 3:19, “Those whom I love, I reprove and discipline, so be zealous and repent.” “Conviction” is a work of the Spirit in His people also. The word translated here as “reprove” is the same word that Jesus used to speak of the convicting work of the Spirit. Here it is clear that the Lord is talking about His work in His children, convicting and disciplining those whom He has loved, with a view toward their repentance.

It seems to me that as Peter’s audience hears him preaching Christ, many believe He is speaking the truth. For that to happen, the Spirit must be working in them, opening their understanding. And the Spirit convicts their hearts, he exposes their sin, and they are called on to “repent.” We could get bogged down in a theological discussion of the so called ordo salutis, order of salvation, that is, which came first, faith or repentance? At what point are they actually regenerated?  That really isn’t Peter’s point here. He is preaching the Gospel of Christ, and calling on his hearers to come to Jesus, to receive Him as their Messiah and Savior.  He is saying that we are responsible to respond to the message. Clearly the Spirit is working in the hearts of those who are hearing the Word, and they are “pierced to the heart.”

We will also see in Acts examples when the preaching of the Word “convicts” in a negative sense, exposing hardened and unrepentant hearts.

First, in Acts 5, the disciples are brought before the leaders in Jerusalem and threatened for their refusal to stop preaching Jesus. In Acts 5:33 and 7:54 a different word is used to describe this kind of “conviction,” some older translations say they are “cut to the quick…” We read,

“The God of our fathers raised Jesus, whom you killed by hanging him on a tree.  ³¹ God exalted him at his right hand as Leader and Savior, to give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins.  ³² And we are witnesses to these things, and so is the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to those who obey him."  ³³ When they heard this, they were enraged [“cut to the quick”] and wanted to kill them”  (Acts 5:30-33).

Again, after Stephen preaches about the work of God and indicts his countrymen for rejecting Jesus, we read in 7:54, “Now when they heard these things they were enraged [cut to the quick], and they ground their teeth at him.“ We know in this case they worked out their anger by stoning Stephen to death.

       How could these Christ followers speak with such boldness, knowing that their lives were in danger? Here the “conviction” of the Spirit exposes that these hearers do not belong to Jesus, their refusal to repent and believe leaves them without excuse. The Spirit of God indwells those who trust Jesus, convicting us of sin and empowering us for witness.

II. Repentance and Faith bring forgiveness and God’s presence (v.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.’”

 This is a passage that is sometimes referred to by those who hold to a doctrine called “baptismal regeneration,” and feel that baptism in water is what saves us. That conclusion is based on a superficial reading of the English translation.

First of all, Peter says, “[You guys (plural)] REPENT… [and let each one be baptized].” The word “repent” means to change your mind, but it is used in the sense of a change in heart that leads to a change in your life. Peter had just made it clear that they had rejected their own Messiah.  He could hardly have said that more clearly than he did in v.36, “This Jesus, who you crucified, God has made Him both Lord and Christ…” It is clear that the Spirit has convicted them, their hearts were broken because of their sin, and open to God’s grace. They heard the Gospel preached, and they believed what they heard. What should they do? REPENT!  Change their minds, their thinking, about who Jesus is, instead of rejecting Him, they should receive him and turn to him.

             “You guys Repent!” (Y’all from the south might say it differently!). The grammar here connects “repentance” with “forgiveness” and also with receiving the gift of the Holy Spirit. “For the forgiveness of your [plural] sins…”

N.B. Baptism is the expected response of the individual person who repents and believes. It was a radical step, since it publically identified you as a Christ follower.   It was expected, it was a way to say to the world that I have decided to follow Jesus.  It is not saying that the baptism is what saves you.  “Y’all repent [and let each one who repents be baptized] for the forgiveness of your [y’all’s] sins…” The connection is between repentance and forgiveness. Baptism is the individual response that outwardly demonstrates our faith, “Let each one be baptized.” 

“And you [you guys!] will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.” Repentance, forgiveness, and receiving the “gift of the Spirit” are tightly connected together.  In the context of Acts it is clear that the gift of the Holy Spirit is the Holy Spirit himself. Very God, present and indwelling His people.  This is what changes at Pentecost, the Spirit permanently and personally indwelling the people of God.  Now we are the Temple of God, and the Spirit of God dwells in us! He is the Holy Spirit, purity, perfection, sinlessness… This also explains the conviction we feel when we sin. Remember the vision of Isaiah when He glimpsed the throne room of God: “Woe unto me, I am undone, for I am a man of unclean lips…!”  (Isaiah 6:5). Remember Peter, when he and his co-workers pull in a miraculous catch of fish, “Depart from me, for I am a sinful man!” (Luke 5:8). It’s immediate, it’s unquestionable. It calls us to confess and to turn from our sin to God. Our sin is exposed in the light of His holiness, and we are broken before Him.  The Spirit of God indwells those who trust Jesus, convicting us of sin and empowering us for witness.

III. God’s plan is to save a remnant from every nation (39-41).

 Jews and Gentiles alike are included in God’s plan (39).  Incredibly, Peter reveals that God’s plan is transitioning, instead of being centered exclusively on Israel as a separate and chosen nation, it will now encompass all of humanity, or at least a remnant from the nations: “For the promise is for you and for your children and for all who are far off, everyone whom the Lord our God calls to himself." God does the calling, Salvation is of the Lord. And God is bringing together a people for himself from every race and nation. It began with the Jews: “You and your children…”  But it doesn’t stop there: “And to those who are far off…” That’s us, the gentiles, the remnant from the nations called and chosen by grace. By the way, God isn’t finished with Israel, if you have any doubt about that pick about Romans 9-11. A hardening in part has happened to Israel “until the fullness of the gentiles come in.”  

Here in Acts Peter urges his hearers, “Be saved…” We cannot save ourselves, faith means that we acknowledge our need to trust in Him alone for our salvation.  We can be delivered from “this perverse generation” (40).   “And with many other words he bore witness and continued to exhort them, saying, ‘Be saved from this ‘crooked’ generation.’” The word “crooked” is from the Greek word skolias (if you have back problems that might sound familiar!). This present evil age, this world system in rebellion against the rule of God, is rushing on a path toward destruction.

 The results of Peter’s preaching, empowered by the Spirit, demonstrate that Jesus is still building His church: 3,000 were added to their number (41)! ^“So those who received his word were baptized, and there were added that day about three thousand souls.”

What is God saying to me in this passage? We see the work of the Spirit in this scene, both in the preaching and in the response of the people: conviction of sin, and empowerment for service.  The Spirit of God indwells those who trust Jesus, convicting us of sin and empowering us for witness.

What would God have me to do in response to this passage? Maybe the only thing worse than being lost and being unwilling to ask for directions, is being lost and not knowing you are lost. Just driving along in blissful ignorance heading toward a dead end. (I’ve been there too but that’s a story for another day!). “There is a way that seems right to a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.” That is where you come in.  God has called us to bring the Good News. One theme we have seen in the book of Acts is that we are all called to be witnesses for the Lord. That does not mean that it falls on us to convince people of the truth. The fact is, we can’t.  But as we speak for Him, and give a reason for the hope that is in us, the Spirit of God will pierce the heart of some, and by His kindness lead them to repentance and faith.

     If you think, “I can’t do that!”, that brings us to the second aspect of the Spirit’s work. He empowers us for witness. He enables us to do through him what we could not possibly do on our own. The disciples gather together in Acts 4 following threats from the religious establishment, and pray for boldness to keep speaking the truth. The same Spirit that shook that house, lives in you, and will empower you to be his spokesman. Are you ready? Are you willing?  Think about that. Pray about that. Amen.