2. Part Six
Acts 2:37-47

4. Acts 2:37-47
Now when they heard this, they were pierced to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “Brethren, what shall we do?”

5. Acts 2:37-47
And Peter said to them, “Repent, and let each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you shall receive

6. Acts 2:37-47
the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promise is for you and your children, and for all who are far off, as many as the Lord our God shall call to Himself.”

7. Acts 2:37-47
And with many other words he solemnly testified and kept on exhorting them, saying, “Be saved from this perverse generation!”

8. Acts 2:37-47
So then, those who had received his word were baptized; and there were added that day about three thousand souls.

9. Acts 2:37-47
And they were continually devoting themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.

10. Acts 2:37-47
And everyone kept feeling a sense of awe; and many wonders and signs were taking place through the apostles. And all those who had believed were

11. Acts 2:37-47
together, and had all things in common; and they began selling their property and possessions, and were sharing them with all, as anyone might

12. Acts 2:37-47
have need. And day by day continuing with one mind in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they were taking their meals together with

13. Acts 2:37-47
gladness and sincerity of heart, praising God, and having favor with all the people. And the Lord was adding to their number day by day those who were

14. Acts 2:37-47
being saved.

15. Probably the greatest question a pastor ever hears is “What must I do to be saved?”

16. Through Peter’s powerful preaching, the Holy Spirit had brought them to this very question.

17. They Realized Messiah had come and they missed it.
Their participation in His death.
He’s alive and they’re currently His enemy.

18. Peter now answers their question as simply and clearly as he possibly can…

19. Repent and be baptized!

20. G3340 μετανοέω met-an-o-eh'-o To think differently or afterwards, that is, reconsider (morally to feel compunction): - repent.

21. Repent
Stop
Turn
Move
Teshuva = Return

22. It speaks of a change of purpose, of turning from sin to God and from rebellion to obedience.

23. I Thess. 1:9
For they themselves report about us what kind of a reception we had with you, and how you turned to God from idols to serve a living and true God,

24. I Thess. 1:10
and to wait for His Son from heaven, whom He raised from the dead, that is Jesus, who rescues us from the wrath to come.

25. Repentance is an essential component of a genuine conversion.

26. Both John the Baptist and Jesus called for repentance.

27. Matthew 3:1-2
Now in those days John the Baptist came, preaching in the wilderness of Judea, saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”

28. Matthew 4:17
From that time Jesus began to preach and say, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”

29. Although fear of God’s judgment can be a real motivator, it’s so important to become motivated by the love of God instead.

30. By calling them to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ, he is also saying, “Live out loud for Christ!”

31. Don’t try to hide in the background and please people.

32. Choose to please God by identifying yourself as a Christ follower!

33. Though some may teach that baptism is necessary for salvation, the full counsel of Scripture reveals otherwise.

34. If that were true, the Scripture as a whole would support it.

35. Here are just a few examples!

36. Acts 16:31
They said, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household.”

37. I Corinthians 1:17
For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel, not in cleverness of speech, so that the cross would not be made void.

38. John 1:12
But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name,

39. John 1:13
who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor the will of man, but of God.

40. Galatians 2:15-16
We are Jews by nature and not sinners from among the Gentiles; nevertheless knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the Law but through faith

41. Galatians 2:15-16
in Christ Jesus, even we have believed in Christ Jesus, so that we may be justified by faith in Christ and not by the works of the Law; since by the

42. Galatians 2:15-16
works of the Law no flesh will be justified.

43. Ephesians 2:8-10
For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, so that no one may boast.

44. Ephesians 2:8-10
For we are His workman-ship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them.

45. Be saved from this wicked, evil and perverse generation.

46. Wicked Generation Matthew 12:39, 45 Matthew 16:4; 17:17
Mark 8:38; 9:19
Luke 9:41; 11:29
2 Timothy 3:1-5

47. 2 Timothy 3:1-5
But realize this, that in the last days difficult times will come. For men will be lovers of self; lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, revilers, disobedient to

48. 2 Timothy 3:1-5
parents, ungrateful, unholy, unloving, irreconcilable, malicious gossips, without self-control, brutal, haters of good, treacherous, reckless, conceited, lovers

49. 2 Timothy 3:1-5
of pleasure rather than lovers of God, holding to a form of godliness, although they have denied its power; avoid such men as these.

50. Let’s go back to Acts 2:41-42.

51. Acts 2:41
So then, those who had received his word were baptized; and there were added that day about three thousand souls.

52. Acts 2:42
And they were continually devoting themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.

53. What does it mean to be devoted?

54. Devoted: to commit by a solemn act; to give over or direct time, money, effort, etc. to a specific person or cause.

55. Devoted = I’m all in!

56. Devoted to The Apostle’s Teaching Fellowship The Breaking of Bread
Prayer

57. What did the apostles teach?

58. They taught and lived out the Hebrew Scripture correctly.

59. The religious leaders were teaching takanot and ma’asim.

60. What is true Biblical Fellowship?

61. Real Biblical Fellowship is about the journey of sanctification and holiness.

62. What does it really mean to break bread together?

63. The breaking of bread is about the Lord’s Table.

64. Being devoted to the breaking of bread means that we will never forget about Jesus Christ.

65. We will never forget about His life, death, burial and resurrection.

66. We will never forget that we deserved death and He took our place.

67. We will never forget the price paid for our forgiveness and the opportunity for abundant life.

68. What does it really mean to be devoted to prayer?

69. What is prayer?

70. G4336 προσεύχομαι pros-yoo'-khom-ahee To pray to God, that is, supplicate, worship: - pray (earnestly, for), make prayer.

71. Webster says to pray is to entreat, implore, request, or plea.

72. To address God with adoration, confession, thanksgiving, or supplication.

73. To pray is to have a conversation with God.

74. Let’s go back to Acts 2:43-47.

75. Acts 2:43-47
And everyone kept feeling a sense of awe; and many wonders and signs were taking place through the apostles.

76. Acts 2:43-47
And all those who had believed were together, and had all things in common; and they began selling their property and possessions,

77. Acts 2:43-47
and were sharing them with all, as anyone might have need.

78. Acts 2:43-47
And day by day continuing with one mind in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house,

79. Acts 2:43-47
they were taking their meals together with gladness and sincerity of heart, praising God, and having favor with all the people.

80. Acts 2:43-47
And the Lord was adding to their number day by day those who were being saved.

81. It was an awe-inspiring church!

82. The people of God kept feeling a sense of awe, because God’s presence and power was at work in them and through them.

83. Holy Fear Acts 5:5-11 (Ananias and Sapphira) Acts 19:11-17
(Sons of Sceva)
Luke 7:12-16
(The Dead Rise)

84. It was a miraculous church!

85. The people of God continued in the supernatural!

86. Signs & Wonders Mark 16:20 & Hebrews 2:4 (Confirming the Word)
Acts 9:32-35
(The Paralyzed Man)
John 14:10-12
(Greater Works)

87. Acts 9:32-35
Now as Peter was traveling through all those regions, he came down also to the saints who lived at Lydda. There he found a man named Aeneas, who had

88. Acts 9:32-35
been bedridden eight years, for he was paralyzed. Peter said to him, “Aeneas, Jesus Christ heals you; get up and make your bed.” Immediately he got up.

89. Acts 9:32-35
And all who lived at Lydda and Sharon saw him, and they turned to the Lord.

90. It was a sharing church!

91. The people of God began to discover life beyond themselves and their own immediate family.

92. They became extremely generous to those in need.

93. Some would have lost everything by choosing Christ and the church provided for their basic needs.

94. We even see a new zeal to give to the poor.

95. 2 Corinthians 8:13
For this is not for the ease of others and for your affliction, but by was of equality – at this present time your abundance being a supply for their need,

96. 2 Corinthians 8:14
so that their abundance also may become a supply for your need, that there may be equality;

97. 2 Corinthians 8:15
as it is written, “He who gathered much did not have too much, and he who gathered little had no lack.”

98. It was a joyful church!

99. It extremely hard to be joyful when your all wrapped up in your own wants, hopes and dreams.

100. The church began to rediscover the source of true joy, by seeing the bigger picture and giving God the glory!

101. Philippians 2:1-4
Therefore if there is any encouragement in Christ, if there is any fellowship of the Spirit, if any affection and compassion, make my joy complete by being of

102. Philippians 2:1-4
the same mind, maintaining the same love, united in spirit, intent on one purpose. Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility

103. Philippians 2:1-4
of mind regard one another as more important than yourselves; do not merely look out for your own interests, but also for the interests of others.

104. It was a favored church!

105. The people of God showed genuine love and concern for everybody.

106. Acts 2:46-47a
And day by day continuing with one mind in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they were taking their meals together with

107. Acts 2:46-47a
gladness and sincerity of heart, praising God, and having favor with all the people.

108. John 13:35
By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love one for another.

109. It was a growing church!

110. Acts 2:47b
And the Lord was adding to their number day by day those who were being saved.

111. When you decide to do life God’s way, He will truly bless it.