[Peter's sermon on Pentecost led the people to ask what they should do.] Peter replied, "Each of you must repent of your sins and turn to God, and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. Then you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. This promise is to you, to your children, and to those far away — all who have been called by the Lord our God." Then Peter continued preaching for a long time, strongly urging all his listeners, "Save yourselves from this crooked generation!"
Those who believed what Peter said were baptized and added to the church that day — about 3,000 in all.
The Holy Spirit came on this Pentecost so that all the people gathered in Jerusalem from many countries could hear the message in their own languages. The Spirit's coming was a hint of the promise that Peter then gave in his message. This promise, however, is not Peter's promise, but God's universal promise. God promised the forgiveness of sins and the gift of the Holy Spirit to everyone who answered God's call by believing that Jesus is
Lord and Christ (Messiah) and by being baptized in his name. The Holy Spirit was at work on earth in the apostles' messages, empowering their witness concerning Jesus and opening doors for all people to come to God. On this day, there were about 3,000 who believed and were baptized. The Spirit empowered Jesus' disciples to take his message to those in Jerusalem, nearby places, and remote regions in the farthest places on earth (
Acts 1:8). God's promise reflected his desire for all people to know about Jesus and be saved (
2 Peter 3:9). Do we have this same desire? As Jesus' followers today, is our passion to extend the call of God to all peoples of the earth?
Father, forgive us. Forgive us for our lack of passion to reach all people - every tribe, ethnicity, language, and culture - with the message of Jesus. More than just forgiveness, dear Father, we ask for the Spirit to stir us and move us to do in our day what these early disciples did to reach the world with your grace. I pray for the Spirit to come as our fresh anointing of power, conviction, and passion to stir us to have a heart like yours, dear Father. In Jesus' name, I pray. Amen.
![Illustration of Acts 2:38-41 NLT — [Peter's sermon on Pentecost led the people to ask what they should do.] Peter replied, "Each of you must repent of your sins and turn to God, and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. Then you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. This promise is to you, to your children, and to those far away — all who have been called by the Lord our God." Then Peter continued preaching for a long time, strongly urging all his listeners, "Save yourselves from this crooked generation!"
Those who believed what Peter said were baptized and added to the church that day — about 3,000 in all.](https://img.heartlight.org/overlazy/creations/24618.jpg "Illustration of Acts 2:38-41 NLT — [Peter's sermon on Pentecost led the people to ask what they should do.] Peter replied, \"Each of you must repent of your sins and turn to God, and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. Then you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. This promise is to you, to your children, and to those far away — all who have been called by the Lord our God.\" Then Peter continued preaching for a long time, strongly urging all his listeners, \"Save yourselves from this crooked generation!\"
Those who believed what Peter said were baptized and added to the church that day — about 3,000 in all.")
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