For the past seven weeks, I have written a series of articles over the question, “What Will You Do with Jesus?” I highly appreciate the positive responses to those articles. Scripture is granting us insight into numerous individuals or groups of people who answered this question incorrectly. However, we find where 3,000+ souls accepted Jesus as their Lord and Savior through repentance and water baptism. Let’s examine the text together.
In a quick summary of Acts the first chapter we find where Jesus shoed himself to witnesses after his resurrection from the dad. Jesus told his disciples to wait in Jerusalem for the baptism of the Holy Spirit. Jesus then ascends to heaven. The disciples obeyed His command by going to Jerusalem to await this miraculous event.
In Acts the second chapter, we learn about a new age that is about to begin. God used the supernatural to designate that this new age is from God. The event described in these verses was called the baptism of the Holy Spirit. It signified the beginning of the Christian Age. After Jesus ascended to heaven and Matthias was chosen as the twelfth apostle, the apostles continued to wait in Jerusalem as Jesus has instructed them. On the day of Pentecost, the Holy Spirit descended upon them (Acts 2:1-4). The visible manifestation was tongues like fire that set upon each of them. They began to speak in a foreign language they had not previously studied (that would be really cool!). Great crowds gathered and listened to these men speak as the Holy Spirit guided them. They were bewildered because they each heard the apostles speaking in their own language. There were Jews from all around the world, yet the crowd of people heard their native language. As a result, some offered the explanation that the apostles were drunk.
With the audience wondering what was happening, Peter arose to tell them they were seeing the fulfillment of the prophet Joel when he prophesied the last days. Peter said it was happening just as Joel had predicted: God poured forth of his Spirit (the baptism of the Holy Spirit). From this point, Peter proceeded to preach to them that Jesus of Nazareth was indeed the Christ; the Son of the Living God. He cited the many miraculous works, wonders, and signs, which Jesus performed. Peter reminded the people of the death of Jesus and affirmed the resurrection of Jesus. Peter proclaimed that Jesus had arisen from the dead and was now sitting at the right hand of God, both being Lord and Christ.
When they heard Peter boldly declare that Jesus of Nazareth whom they had crucified had been made both Lord and Christ, they believed his message and were pricked in the heart by the sword of the Spirit (the word of God as mentioned in Ephesians 6:17). They asked what they must do to be saved. This is the question which is still be asked today. Peter told these who had already believed, “repent and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ unto (for) the remission of your sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit” (Acts 2:38). As a result, three thousand of them believed and were baptized. They were then added into the church by the Lord Himself (Acts 2:41, 47). These were the very first Christians. The church was established on that day – the first Pentecost after the resurrection of Jesus from the dead. These first Christians continued with the apostles learning, growing spiritually, and worshipping God.
After spending much time in study and meditation, I have come to the strong conclusion that Jesus is the Christ the Son of the Living God. It is my goal to examine myself daily to ensure that I am responding to Jesus in the appropriate way. I pray that you also take a good hard look within your own life and consider your lifestyle and response to this question. This question is the most important question you will ever be asked and your response affects you for all eternity.
May God bless each of us richly as we strive to live our lives in a way which glorifies our Father.
