Podcast Preview
There’s an impressive number at the end of the text we’ll be getting into this Sunday. The number is 3000. The context is this: It’s festival season in Jerusalem. People from miles and miles around are gathered around to celebrate. Peter gets up and has his chance to preach to a huge crowd about his Savior Jesus. And 3000 people believed and were baptized. That’s the impressive number right?
As a preacher, I’ve always had to stop and joke with myself about this, because I don’t think any of my sermons ever have or ever will have the same effect as Peter’s did on that day. Except this time, I wanted to think about it. What was the power that worked on that day? What was the power that made 3000 people jump into the church on that day?
The answer lies right in the text. You can read it for yourself in Acts 2:36-41. Did you catch what it was? I’ll answer it in short here, and more at length on Sunday. The power that worked on that day is the same power that works every day in our hearts and every Sunday in our church. It is the power that comes from the cleansing cut of the law, and the healing word of the gospel.
Can I overemphasize this? I don’t think I can. The SAME power that worked on the day of Pentecost is at work among us today. Let’s celebrate that together.
Acts 2:36:41
36 “Therefore let all Israel be assured of this: God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Messiah.”
37 When the people heard this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and the other apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?”
38 Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. 39 The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off—for all whom the Lord our God will call.”
40 With many other words he warned them; and he pleaded with them, “Save yourselves from this corrupt generation.” 41 Those who accepted his message were baptized, and about three thousand were added to their number that day.
