Acts 2:14a, 36-41 (NRSV)
Read Acts 2:14a, 36-41 on biblegateway.com
Verse 14But Peter, standing with the eleven, raised his voice and addressed them, "Men of Judea and all who live in Jerusalem, let this be known to you, and listen to what I say. Verse 36Therefore let the entire house of Israel know with certainty that God has made him both Lord and Messiah, this Jesus whom you crucified."
Verse 37Now when they heard this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and to the other apostles, "Brothers, what should we do?" Verse 38Peter said to them, "Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ so that your sins may be forgiven; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. Verse 39For the promise is for you, for your children, and for all who are far away, everyone whom the Lord our God calls to him." Verse 40And he testified with many other arguments and exhorted them, saying, "Save yourselves from this corrupt generation." Verse 41So those who welcomed his message were baptized, and that day about three thousand persons were added.
Devotion
“What should we do?” All we can do is trust the words of the witnesses. I do. Like those present at Peter’s speech, we too need to realize and confess the ways that we reject God. This is a call to open our hearts and minds to the work of God’s Holy Spirit. God is present and hope is inspired in the work of the Spirit today. Many look at the death, resurrection, and ascension as all past events and in a sense they are. But we believe that Jesus is as alive today as he was at creation, during life and death on earth, and through the continued work of God’s Spirit in our lives. Now, we are the presence of God in the world today. Our every word or deed speaks of that presence and our call to love our neighbor. May we find the power at work within us to do just that.
Prayer
Gracious God, your love for us inspires faith and hope. Impassion us to follow you through the inconsistencies of life. Amen.
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