Devotion:
Read Acts 2:37-41.
Have you ever had anyone ask you what they should do to become a follower of Jesus? I have, and it can be both scary and exciting. When people are seeking to know Jesus, they need the basic steps. As we see in the book of Acts, the answer the apostles repeatedly gave was: If you believe that Jesus is Lord and Messiah, then turn your heart to Jesus and repent, be baptized asking for the forgiveness of your sins, and the Holy Spirit will be given to you.
Peter’s sermon on the first day of Pentecost is extraordinary, and it tells us what God wants for His church. The Gospel is to be preached so that people hear, respond, be baptized, receive the Holy Spirit, and stay close to the teaching of the apostles. Our reading today is fairly well-known. It describes the response to Peter's first sermon and his appeal to 'repent and be baptized', and his plea to people to 'save yourselves'. It also records the remarkable number of people who were baptized that day (3,000), and offers a simple description of the life of the first Christian community. This passage tells new converts what they were to do to grow in the things of God and how to become the foundation of the church. This reading today offers us a fascinating insight into what God did to start the church, and what He can still do today. Through the Holy Spirit, God still works today to bring repentance, baptism, and the gift of the Spirit, and He longs to see people rooted in the scripture, in fellowship, in the ‘breaking of bread’ and in prayer.
Personal Worship Option:
Dear God, as we try to lead others to know and follow Jesus, help us to share what is in the scriptures. Be with us as we seek to share the Good News of the Gospel that all people can receive His grace. We pray for a great increase in the Kingdom, just like what is recorded in the book of Acts. We asked this in your son’s name. Amen.
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