February 2, 2022

Acts 2: 37 (NIV)

When the people heard this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and the other apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?”

Our preaching is pointless unless we work our way . . . toward the truth that makes all the difference:  Jesus died for all and was raised again.*

Peter had to be pumped at the response to his sermon. Three-thousand converts in one day is nothing less than phenomenal. Can you imagine the high-fives at the staff meeting on Monday morning? 

Well, not to burst Peter and company’s bubbles, but verse 41 adds another dimension to the story: “Those who accepted . . . were baptized, and about three-thousand were added to their number that day.” Thousands accepted - but how many decided not to?

When you hear the gospel, you are at a crossroads. From that moment, you are making a decision to accept or reject Jesus. As someone has said, “Not to accept is to reject.”* What is your response to the gospel? Get your Bible and read Peter’s entire sermon. Be one of those who ask, “What shall we do?” Choose to respond as those 3,000 did to Peter’s instructions, “Repent and be baptized . . . in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins.” (Acts 2: 38)

Remember: not to accept is to reject.

Sinners are viewed as responsible beings who could receive or reject the conversion message.*