What Shall We Do?: Acts 2:22-41

Fellow Israelites, listen to this: Jesus of Nazareth was a man accredited by God to you by miracles, wonders and signs, which God did among you through him, as you yourselves know.

Peter's sermon turned to Jesus. Accredited—proven, validated. Miracles, wonders, signs—the evidence was public. You yourselves know. The audience had seen. This was not hearsay but eyewitness territory.

This man was handed over to you by God's deliberate plan and foreknowledge; and you, with the help of wicked men, put him to death by nailing him to the cross.

The tension held together. God's deliberate plan—the cross was not accident or defeat. Your hands—human responsibility remained. Wicked men—Roman executioners. Nailing to the cross—the brutal method stated plainly.

But God raised him from the dead, freeing him from the agony of death, because it was impossible for death to keep its hold on him.

The pivot. But God. Raised him from the dead. Death's agony ended. Death's grip broken. Impossible for death to hold him—the resurrection was not surprising but inevitable. Death overmatched.

David said about him: I saw the Lord always before me. Because he is at my right hand, I will not be shaken. Therefore my heart is glad and my tongue rejoices; my body also will rest in hope, because you will not abandon me to the realm of the dead, you will not let your holy one see decay.

Psalm 16 quoted. David spoke—but not about himself. David's tomb was there in Jerusalem, bones decayed, body returned to dust. The psalm pointed forward.

Fellow Israelites, I can tell you confidently that the patriarch David died and was buried, and his tomb is here to this day.

David died. David's tomb was a tourist site. David saw decay. The psalm was not autobiography.

But he was a prophet and knew that God had promised him on oath that he would place one of his descendants on his throne. Seeing what was to come, he spoke of the resurrection of the Messiah, that he was not abandoned to the realm of the dead, nor did his body see decay.

David saw forward. The oath to David—a descendant on the throne forever. David prophesied the resurrection. The Messiah's body would not decay. Jesus fulfilled what David foretold.

God has raised this Jesus to life, and we are all witnesses of it.

The declaration. God raised Jesus. And witnesses—standing right here. All of us saw him. The testimony was multiple, consistent, unyielding.

Exalted to the right hand of God, he has received from the Father the promised Holy Spirit and has poured out what you now see and hear.

The connection drawn. Exalted—Jesus ascended to the Father's right hand. Received the Spirit—the promise was in his hand to give. Poured out—what you see and hear. The fire, the languages, the miraculous speech—all from the exalted Jesus.

For David did not ascend to heaven, and yet he said, The Lord said to my Lord: Sit at my right hand until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet.

Psalm 110 quoted. David called someone his Lord—someone greater than David. That Lord sits at God's right hand. Jesus.

Therefore let all Israel be assured of this: God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Messiah.

The conclusion, the climax, the unavoidable point. All Israel—listen. God has made Jesus Lord and Messiah. This Jesus—the one you crucified. The one you killed is the one God crowned.

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

Cut to the heart. The Greek suggests a stabbing, a piercing. Conviction struck deep. The realization: we killed the Messiah. Brothers—the address of desperation—what shall we do?

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.

The answer: repent—turn around, change direction. Be baptized—public identification with Jesus. In his name—under his authority. Forgiveness of sins—the guilt addressed. The Holy Spirit—the same gift poured out at Pentecost, available to all who responded.

The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off—for all whom the Lord our God will call.

The scope expanded. You—the hearers. Your children—the next generation. All who are far off—Gentiles, distant nations, future believers. Everyone called would be included.

With many other words he warned them; and he pleaded with them, Save yourselves from this corrupt generation.

Many other words—the sermon was longer than recorded. Warning and pleading. Save yourselves—by responding to the message.

Those who accepted his message were baptized, and about three thousand were added to their number that day.

Three thousand. In one day. The church exploded into existence. The same city that had cried "Crucify him" now embraced him as Lord. The Spirit was working. The mission had begun.