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?” Acts 2:37 WEB

In chapter two of the Book of Acts, Luke describes the first day of Pentecost after the ascension of Christ. On that day, the disciples received the Holy Spirit for the first time. After, Peter addressed the crowd explaining the miracle of these Galilean men speaking in foreign tongues. The first sermon of the new Christian church followed. In it, Peter lays the foundation for the spreading of the good news of Jesus Christ. 

As Jews gathered in Jerusalem from far away foreign lands, Peter shared the truth of the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ with the crowd. He begins his presentation of the gospel with these words from Acts 2:22, “Men of Israel, hear these words! Jesus of Nazareth, a man approved by God to you by mighty works and wonders and signs which God did by him among you, even as you yourselves know. WEB”

Repent and Be Baptized

Peter used prophecy and scripture to deliver a first hand account of the reality of Jesus as the Messiah. Cut to the heart by his message, those present asked a fateful question, “Brothers, what shall we do?” Peter answered straightforwardly in Acts 2:38, “Repent, and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. WEB”    

Cut to the heart by the gospel of Christ, the Jews in attendance understood that the house of Israel crucified our Lord, the Jewish Messiah. In the collective guilt of human sin, we all participated in the crucifixion of Jesus as he died for our sins. Cut to the heart, it is the sincere recognition of sin that leads to repentance and forgiveness by the grace of God through the sacrifice made by Jesus Christ. 

Yesterday’s Devotional: Lifted Up