20230820 Repent and Be Baptized
How do people change? Is one of my favorite questions. The answer to this question must drive our discipleship. We are all sinners so we all need to change. For some, our brokenness is such that we cannot thrive in life. Toxic family situations in our early years lead to failure in keeping jobs or relationships. Other consequences are unsocial behaviors like substance abuse, crime, or obsessive behavior. We all have people in our lives that we wish would change. We want them to change because we love them. We want them to thrive and experience joy and healthy relationships. We want them to flourish in something they are passionate about. When it has been years of toxic behavior and no intervention seems to help, it is easy to lose hope.
For Christians, we always have hope. Our text is about radical transformation. The first time I read the gospels, I was confused about the crowd asking Pilate to crucify Jesus. I did not understand why they, altogether, wanted to execute an innocent man. It is mob behavior. People get into a mindset and do crazy things. They are unstoppable. Our text tells us about radical change. Those who wanted Jesus killed were starting to believe that Jesus was Lord!
In Acts 2:14-36, Peter argued that Jesus' death, his resurrection, and the outpouring of the Holy Spirit fulfilled the Scriptures. Because of Peter's sermon, according to Acts 2:37, his hearers were “pierced to the heart.” How does that happen? We are such emotional creatures. We can convince ourselves of nearly anything. The firmer we are in our ways the less likely we will change. Sometimes, change happens!
Peter addressed Jews who believed in God. They believed in the outpouring of the Holy Spirit. They believe the Psalms that a Davidic king was going to come and reign forever. They believed this king would be greater than David. Peter’s sermon hits all the right notes. He makes it very personal. He appeals to what they know, what they have seen, to events that have just happened. 3000 of them are pierced to the heart. They experience a sense of anguish. If Peter was right, they had just killed the God they worship! They want to know what they must do.
We will look at three questions: How do you become a Christian? Who can become a Christian? What do you receive when you become a Christian?
First, they had to repent. The message is consistent throughout the Bible. The prophets of Israel called Israel to turn from idols and sins and turn back to the Lord. John the Baptist and Jesus called people to repent because of the arrival of the Kingdom of God. Because of the nature of the kingdom, God’s reign was reversing the consequence of the fall, to take part, people had to repent and change. Repentance is “turning away from the evil we have perpetrated, having an intense abhorrence for the sins we committed, experiencing a complete turnabout of our lives, and adhere to Jesus’ teaching.”[i]
Repentance is more than having insight. It is believing the truth, and changing our lives in light of that truth. In Acts 2, it refers to the people’s attitude towards Jesus whom they had killed. Repentance required that they submit to him and serve him.
Repentance talk is not some kind of oppressive religious talk. When we are unhealthy and commit to being healthy there is a challenge but also so much joy in living in a way that agrees with how our body works. So it is with repentance and living the life the Creator wants for you it is one in which we experience the fruit of the Spirit, and intimacy with our creator and our church community.
Second, they needed to be baptized. Acts 2:38 connects baptism with the forgiveness of sins. Other verses do this. We know that forgiveness is by grace alone, through faith alone in Christ alone. It is the blood of Christ that washes away sins not the waters of baptism. Because baptism is the picture of the washing of sins, the biblical authors connect baptism with the spiritual reality it represents. In Acts 22:16, we read, “Be baptized and wash away your sins.” A similar connection occurs with the Lord’s Supper. We eat bread and drink wine but we feed on Christ. In both cases of baptism and the Lord Supper, it is only by faith, that one benefits from what the sign represents.
A last note on baptism is that every Christian must be baptized if they have not been. It is through baptism that we join the visible or local church.
There is great hope in Peter’s answer. Peter’s message of repentance is a gracious message. Peter has accused his hearers of the unthinkable. They killed the author of life! They are pierced to the heart and ask in out of anguish, what must we do? Peter’s accusation against them is so severe, that humanly speaking we could expect that they had gone too far.
This is never the case with the Christian message. It is never too late. No one has ever gone too far. This is also the offensive side of the gospel. There is always a way, it is repent and be baptized.
When I have shared this with unbelievers, I have gotten angry reactions. They say, some people should not be offered this opportunity. They claim that some people have done things that are too horrible. They fear that the Christian message may be leaving an open door for people to keep sinning their whole lives with the intention of repenting at the end of their lives to go to heaven. This anger reveals their self-righteousness. They believe they deserve forgiveness because of how good they are, but others do not. I need there to be a possibility for all to repent, or how can I know that I have done too evil. I have hurt people. I am a sinner and I need God’s grace. The message “Repent and be baptized” is a reassuring message that gives hope to all!
For those who are not Christians, this is the Christian message. We believe that the whole world was made by God for his own glory. Human beings are creatures in this world with a special purpose and responsibility. When the world denies its maker, we are living outside of the purpose for which we were created. We worship because God created us for himself. When we worship other things such as sports, music, a career, a person, we are not going to find the satisfaction that our heart longs for. Repenting is turning from the false view about the world, God and Jesus; and it is turning to believing the right thing and living in light of everything Jesus taught. The best news is Jesus makes repentance possible and effective for the enjoyment of abundant life today.
For those who are Christians and have repented, we need to keep repenting. Not to become a Christian again, but to keep following Jesus, and to confirm that we are followers of Jesus. The goal is to be following Jesus in the present. Repenting a long time ago does not mean much if we are not willing to repent now. In many ways we live like unbelievers, not for the glory of God, so we need to repent and make God, the object of our joy and delight.
Repentance is acknowledging what we have done. It involves digging to the root of our sins. Repentance seeks idols that we live for. It looks for areas of pride and sources of false identity, or sensitive areas of insecurity where we justify ourselves. The second half of repentance is turning to God. It is pursuing Him by living for Him, and wanting to see his will done on earth as it is in heaven. It may involve putting a relationship to an end. It may mean apologizing to someone we have hurt. It may mean changing our entertainment habits and how we use our money.
The phrase “this is the promise for you, and your children, and those who are far off” sounds obscure. It is a Biblical allusion to Genesis 17. Gen 17:7-13, the phrase “you and your offspring” appears 5 times. God is making a Covenant with Abraham and his offspring. The promises God makes with Abraham are also promises for Abraham’s offspring. The sign of the Covenant that Abraham receives is also given to male descendents. This is true even though some of them will not benefit from the content of the promise. According to Romans 4:11, circumcision was the sign of Abraham’s salvation by faith. We see that circumcision, the sign of salvation by faith was given to adults who have faith. Circumcision was given to confirm that they were benefactors of the covenant blessings by faith. Circumcision was given to the unbelieving children of believers. Once they had faith, they would receive what the sign corresponded to. This is how circumcision works. Because Peter introduces baptism and refers to Gen 17:7-13. He refers the passage that promotes giving the sign of saving faith to those for whom the promise was given. Peter says the promises represented in baptism are for the children of believers. For this reason, many Christians believe that the same way circumcision was given to the male children of believers, baptism is given to the children of believers. A common objection, is that the text makes it clear one must repent and then be baptized. Because this is the beginning of the New Covenant era, it is normal that adults were becoming Christians and entering the new covenant community and so received baptism after repentance (c.f. Exod 12:48).
The promise is also for those who are “far-off.” This means for the non-Jews. They will also receive the sign of baptism later in Acts.
When we live in a city as diverse as Brussels and are part of a church that has believers from all over the world, we see what it is like for those "far off" to receive the promise. Jesus is for all people. As a church we want to be for all people. We recognize that we are not the best fit for all people but we want to be for all people. We are an international church because Brussels needs healthy international churches. We recognize that our diversity is limited by language. No matter how much we try, from the volume of the music, the amount of movement during songs, the length of services, our expression of Christianity is culturally bound and to some extent Western. We try to be biblical, and contextualized. But we recognize that there will always be shortcomings in how we do things. But as much as possible we want the church’s door to be as wide spread as Jesus’ arms. This affects how we do membership. If you are a child of God you can member a member at Hope.
The second gift Christians receive is the Holy Spirit. Receiving the Holy Spirit in the context of Acts means we have power to be God's witnesses. The Holy Spirit has other ministries. He allows us to understand God’s will in Scripture. He soften our hearts to receive God’s truth and be willing to humbly apply it. The Holy Spirit strengthens our faith so that we are more sure about what Christ has done, we are better at enjoying our salvation, and more eager to share about it with others.
Some who were part of the mob that demanded Jesus' crucifixion later realized that they murdered the Son of God. They ask about what they must do. No matter what anyone has done, no matter how far a loved one is from God, there is hope. They can hear the gospel and respond. God still pierces hearts today.
We need to repent and be baptized.
[i] Simon J. Kistemaker, New Testament Commentary: Acts (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker, 1990), 114.
For Christians, we always have hope. Our text is about radical transformation. The first time I read the gospels, I was confused about the crowd asking Pilate to crucify Jesus. I did not understand why they, altogether, wanted to execute an innocent man. It is mob behavior. People get into a mindset and do crazy things. They are unstoppable. Our text tells us about radical change. Those who wanted Jesus killed were starting to believe that Jesus was Lord!
In Acts 2:14-36, Peter argued that Jesus' death, his resurrection, and the outpouring of the Holy Spirit fulfilled the Scriptures. Because of Peter's sermon, according to Acts 2:37, his hearers were “pierced to the heart.” How does that happen? We are such emotional creatures. We can convince ourselves of nearly anything. The firmer we are in our ways the less likely we will change. Sometimes, change happens!
Peter addressed Jews who believed in God. They believed in the outpouring of the Holy Spirit. They believe the Psalms that a Davidic king was going to come and reign forever. They believed this king would be greater than David. Peter’s sermon hits all the right notes. He makes it very personal. He appeals to what they know, what they have seen, to events that have just happened. 3000 of them are pierced to the heart. They experience a sense of anguish. If Peter was right, they had just killed the God they worship! They want to know what they must do.
We will look at three questions: How do you become a Christian? Who can become a Christian? What do you receive when you become a Christian?
1 How do you become a Christian? Repent and be Baptized (Acts 2:37-38, 40-41)
Peter accused his hearers of being guilty of killing God’s anointed one. In Acts 2:37, they are pierced to the heart and ask what they need do to. In Acts 2:38, Peter answers, "Repent and be baptized." In Acts 2:40-41, we read that those who received his words were baptized. Three thousand were added.First, they had to repent. The message is consistent throughout the Bible. The prophets of Israel called Israel to turn from idols and sins and turn back to the Lord. John the Baptist and Jesus called people to repent because of the arrival of the Kingdom of God. Because of the nature of the kingdom, God’s reign was reversing the consequence of the fall, to take part, people had to repent and change. Repentance is “turning away from the evil we have perpetrated, having an intense abhorrence for the sins we committed, experiencing a complete turnabout of our lives, and adhere to Jesus’ teaching.”[i]
Repentance is more than having insight. It is believing the truth, and changing our lives in light of that truth. In Acts 2, it refers to the people’s attitude towards Jesus whom they had killed. Repentance required that they submit to him and serve him.
Repentance talk is not some kind of oppressive religious talk. When we are unhealthy and commit to being healthy there is a challenge but also so much joy in living in a way that agrees with how our body works. So it is with repentance and living the life the Creator wants for you it is one in which we experience the fruit of the Spirit, and intimacy with our creator and our church community.
Second, they needed to be baptized. Acts 2:38 connects baptism with the forgiveness of sins. Other verses do this. We know that forgiveness is by grace alone, through faith alone in Christ alone. It is the blood of Christ that washes away sins not the waters of baptism. Because baptism is the picture of the washing of sins, the biblical authors connect baptism with the spiritual reality it represents. In Acts 22:16, we read, “Be baptized and wash away your sins.” A similar connection occurs with the Lord’s Supper. We eat bread and drink wine but we feed on Christ. In both cases of baptism and the Lord Supper, it is only by faith, that one benefits from what the sign represents.
A last note on baptism is that every Christian must be baptized if they have not been. It is through baptism that we join the visible or local church.
There is great hope in Peter’s answer. Peter’s message of repentance is a gracious message. Peter has accused his hearers of the unthinkable. They killed the author of life! They are pierced to the heart and ask in out of anguish, what must we do? Peter’s accusation against them is so severe, that humanly speaking we could expect that they had gone too far.
This is never the case with the Christian message. It is never too late. No one has ever gone too far. This is also the offensive side of the gospel. There is always a way, it is repent and be baptized.
When I have shared this with unbelievers, I have gotten angry reactions. They say, some people should not be offered this opportunity. They claim that some people have done things that are too horrible. They fear that the Christian message may be leaving an open door for people to keep sinning their whole lives with the intention of repenting at the end of their lives to go to heaven. This anger reveals their self-righteousness. They believe they deserve forgiveness because of how good they are, but others do not. I need there to be a possibility for all to repent, or how can I know that I have done too evil. I have hurt people. I am a sinner and I need God’s grace. The message “Repent and be baptized” is a reassuring message that gives hope to all!
For those who are not Christians, this is the Christian message. We believe that the whole world was made by God for his own glory. Human beings are creatures in this world with a special purpose and responsibility. When the world denies its maker, we are living outside of the purpose for which we were created. We worship because God created us for himself. When we worship other things such as sports, music, a career, a person, we are not going to find the satisfaction that our heart longs for. Repenting is turning from the false view about the world, God and Jesus; and it is turning to believing the right thing and living in light of everything Jesus taught. The best news is Jesus makes repentance possible and effective for the enjoyment of abundant life today.
For those who are Christians and have repented, we need to keep repenting. Not to become a Christian again, but to keep following Jesus, and to confirm that we are followers of Jesus. The goal is to be following Jesus in the present. Repenting a long time ago does not mean much if we are not willing to repent now. In many ways we live like unbelievers, not for the glory of God, so we need to repent and make God, the object of our joy and delight.
Repentance is acknowledging what we have done. It involves digging to the root of our sins. Repentance seeks idols that we live for. It looks for areas of pride and sources of false identity, or sensitive areas of insecurity where we justify ourselves. The second half of repentance is turning to God. It is pursuing Him by living for Him, and wanting to see his will done on earth as it is in heaven. It may involve putting a relationship to an end. It may mean apologizing to someone we have hurt. It may mean changing our entertainment habits and how we use our money.
2 Who can be a Christian? You, Your Children, Those Far Off (Acts 2:37, 39, 41)
In our text, Peter invites all to come. He tells those who hear that the promise of the Holy Spirit is for them, their children, and those who are far off. The application is broad. No one is off limits to coming to faith.The phrase “this is the promise for you, and your children, and those who are far off” sounds obscure. It is a Biblical allusion to Genesis 17. Gen 17:7-13, the phrase “you and your offspring” appears 5 times. God is making a Covenant with Abraham and his offspring. The promises God makes with Abraham are also promises for Abraham’s offspring. The sign of the Covenant that Abraham receives is also given to male descendents. This is true even though some of them will not benefit from the content of the promise. According to Romans 4:11, circumcision was the sign of Abraham’s salvation by faith. We see that circumcision, the sign of salvation by faith was given to adults who have faith. Circumcision was given to confirm that they were benefactors of the covenant blessings by faith. Circumcision was given to the unbelieving children of believers. Once they had faith, they would receive what the sign corresponded to. This is how circumcision works. Because Peter introduces baptism and refers to Gen 17:7-13. He refers the passage that promotes giving the sign of saving faith to those for whom the promise was given. Peter says the promises represented in baptism are for the children of believers. For this reason, many Christians believe that the same way circumcision was given to the male children of believers, baptism is given to the children of believers. A common objection, is that the text makes it clear one must repent and then be baptized. Because this is the beginning of the New Covenant era, it is normal that adults were becoming Christians and entering the new covenant community and so received baptism after repentance (c.f. Exod 12:48).
The promise is also for those who are “far-off.” This means for the non-Jews. They will also receive the sign of baptism later in Acts.
When we live in a city as diverse as Brussels and are part of a church that has believers from all over the world, we see what it is like for those "far off" to receive the promise. Jesus is for all people. As a church we want to be for all people. We recognize that we are not the best fit for all people but we want to be for all people. We are an international church because Brussels needs healthy international churches. We recognize that our diversity is limited by language. No matter how much we try, from the volume of the music, the amount of movement during songs, the length of services, our expression of Christianity is culturally bound and to some extent Western. We try to be biblical, and contextualized. But we recognize that there will always be shortcomings in how we do things. But as much as possible we want the church’s door to be as wide spread as Jesus’ arms. This affects how we do membership. If you are a child of God you can member a member at Hope.
3 What do you receive as a Christian? Baptism, the forgiveness of sins, the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:38)
Those who repent and are baptized receive the forgiveness of sins and the Holy Spirit. We can say, that baptism is a gift since it is a mark on the believer and a seal of everything the sign symbolizes to confirm and seal God’s promises. Baptism confirms that God washes the sins of those who believe, he also gives the Holy Spirit. For those who have faith, baptism means that your sins are forgiven. If we have faith, our baptism means we must not fear judgment for sin. Our sins are forgiven because Jesus faced God’s judgment for our sin when he died on the cross.The second gift Christians receive is the Holy Spirit. Receiving the Holy Spirit in the context of Acts means we have power to be God's witnesses. The Holy Spirit has other ministries. He allows us to understand God’s will in Scripture. He soften our hearts to receive God’s truth and be willing to humbly apply it. The Holy Spirit strengthens our faith so that we are more sure about what Christ has done, we are better at enjoying our salvation, and more eager to share about it with others.
Conclusion
Acts 2:37-41 is a foundational passage in church history. It is the first time we see what the empowered witness looks like and we see the result. Peter bears witness to the resurrected Christ. People are pierced to the heart. They are told they need to repent and be baptized. 3000 people were added that day. Today, all Christians have benefitted from the witness of the church and we are part of God’s witness now to the ends of the earth.Some who were part of the mob that demanded Jesus' crucifixion later realized that they murdered the Son of God. They ask about what they must do. No matter what anyone has done, no matter how far a loved one is from God, there is hope. They can hear the gospel and respond. God still pierces hearts today.
We need to repent and be baptized.
[i] Simon J. Kistemaker, New Testament Commentary: Acts (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker, 1990), 114.
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