ESOCS Devotional 17 March 2023
TEXT: ACTS 2:37-47
MEMORY VERSE: “Peter’s words pierced their hearts, and they said to him and to the other apostles, “Brothers, what should we do?” Acts 2:37 NLT
Repentance in essence is admitting you are on a way that leads to death (deservedly); then turning from sin unto God. It is repentance unto life because it is going from the domain of darkness to light. Jesus speaks of the poor in spirit inheriting the kingdom of heaven
A large group of people who are in Jerusalem for Pentecost have just heard Peter give the first Christian sermon. These are particularly God-fearing Jews and proselytes (Acts 2:5, 11) who have been presented with historical and theological proofs that Jesus of Nazareth is the Jewish Messiah. Peter’s last point, still ringing in the air, is that the Jews killed their own Savior.
Peter said to them, “Repent, and each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.”
This verse contains two imperatives. Peter tells them to ‘repent and to be baptized’.
Now as you look at this verse closely, the dominant idea is repentance with the other elements following. Repentance leads to baptism, the forgiveness of sins and the gift of the Holy Spirit.
“Cut,” or “pierced” in other translations, is from the Greek root word katanusso and means to receive a sharp pain in concert with great sorrow. That they were “cut to the heart” means they understand that they crucified David’s heir, the Messiah. Their horror delves past their surface
emotions and thoughts and deep into their being.
Their question is the most important we can ask when faced with our own rebellion against God. It is by the grace of Jesus and the work of His death and resurrection that we can be assured there is an answer. “Repent…” Peter says, “for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit” (Acts 2:38). That is the answer for us, as well.
- Are you ready for genuine repentance?
- Heavenly Father, thank You that Your mercy is new every morning and that Your faithfulness to Jew and Gentile alike is steadfast and sure and thank You that there is nothing so bad in my life that You cannot and will not forgive – by grace through faith in Christ. Amen
FURTHER READING: Job 23:1-12; Isaiah 30:15-21; John 1:43-End
Read Yesterday’s ESOCS Devotional here
Thank you for reading the ESOCS Devotional today. Please share and follow us on all our platforms to contribute to the spread of the Gospel.
ESOCS Devotional 17 March 2023
