Where does our question come from? – It comes from God. His Word is preached. His Spirit is at work. Following on from the preaching of God’s Word in the power of God’s Spirit, we read this, “When the people heard this, they were cut to the heart”. This is where the question comes from. God has put it into our heart. Through His Word and His Spirit, he leads us to ask the question of salvation: “What must I do to be saved?”

Acts 2:37-38

At the heart of the Gospel, there is the love of God. This is the story

told by Peter on the Day of Pentecost – the story of God’s

love for us. In love, God offers to us the forgiveness of sins and the

gift of the Holy Spirit (v. 38). These blessings are undeserved –

we are “far off” (v. 39). As the message of salvation was

proclaimed, the Spirit of love was powerfully at work, creating faith

– “they were cut to the heart and asked, ‘Brothers,

what shall we do?’” (v. 37). The story of salvation calls

for our response. Can we hear this story of salvation without

responding in faith, without earnestly seeking the blessings promised

to us in Christ? – Sadly, there are people who hear the Gospel

many times but are never gripped by the Gospel. We are only gripped by

the Gospel when we allow the Spirit of God to do His work in us,

drawing us to Jesus Christ. This emphasis on the Spirit is important.

Repentance and faith come to us through the work of the Spirit in us.

This is very different from the suggestion that we depend on our own

ability to save ourselves through our own ‘good works’ of

repentance and faith. Peter calls for repentance. When we repent , we

turn from every attempt to save ourselves. It cannot be done. We put

our trust in Christ. He alone can save us. We do not come to God,

demanding that God must accept us because of our repentance.Trusting in

Christ, we receive the Holy Spirit.

We receive the power we need to live a new life, centred upon Christ

rather than self. It is the power that comes from knowing that our sins

have been forgiven. It is the Spirit’s power to change us, making

us more like Jesus. What does it mean to be gripped by the Gospel? What

does it mean to have faith in Christ? There are two elements in faith.

First, there is faith in the events, believing that they really

happened. Second, there is trust in what the events reveal. We trust in

the love of God. What is faith? In one sense, faith is personal. In

another sense, faith involves being in community with other believers

– “they were added to their number” (v. 41). In

Peter’s call for baptism, we see this second element of faith. In

baptism, we are taken beyond the purely personal aspect of faith. Our

attention is focused on the community of faith into which we enter. We

are not simply isolated individuals. We belong to the body of Christ,

in fellowship with other believers.

Our Question And God's Answer (Acts 2:37-38)

The question is our question: “Brothers, what shall we do?”
The answer is God’s answer: “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.”

Where Does Our Question Come From? (Acts 2:37)

Where does our question come from? – It comes from God.

His Word is preached. His Spirit is at work.

Following on from the preaching of God’s Word in the power of God’s Spirit, we read this, “When the people heard this, they were cut to the heart”. This is where the question comes from. God has put it into our heart. Through His Word and His Spirit, he leads us to ask the question of salvation: “What must I do to be saved?” 

God's Answer To Our Question (Acts 2:37-38)

The question is our question. The answer must always be God’s answer. We ask the question. We cannot give the answer. In ourselves, there is no answer. We are “far off” (Acts 2:39).

We know about our sin, but we cannot give to ourselves the forgiveness of sin.

We know about the emptiness in our lives, but we cannot fill our own hearts with the presence of the Holy Spirit.

We can only come to God in our sin and our emptiness.

We come in our sin, praying for God’s forgiveness. We come in our emptiness, praying that God will fill us with His Spirit.

When we come in our sin and emptiness, God speaks His answer.

God’s Answer Comes To Us In The Name Of Jesus Christ.

“What are we to do?” – Before we think of what we are to do, we must think about what Jesus Christ has done for us. This is the Good News. Jesus Christ has taken our sins upon Himself. He has died for us so that we might be forgiven by Him.

We must never begin with the call for repentance and baptism. We must always begin with Jesus Christ – “the Son of God loved us and gave Himself for us” (Galatians 2:20).

“What are we to do?” – The first thing we must do is this: we must look away from ourselves to Jesus Christ, our Saviour.

When we turn our eyes on Jesus and keep our eyes fixed on Him, we will never think of our repentance and baptism as ‘good works’ we have done, ‘good works’ by which we make ourselves acceptable to God.

The Name of Jesus Christ is the Name of our salvation. It is in Him that we are called to repentance and baptism. It is through the power of Jesus Christ, the risen Lord, that we are able to put the old life behind us and begin the new life of the Spirit.

At the heart of God’s answer to our question, there is “the Name of Jesus Christ.”

In His answer to our question, God speaks to us of repentance and baptism. He speaks of the forgiveness of sins and the gift of the Holy Spirit. Above all else, He speaks to us of His Son, our Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ. 

God's Answer Is For Every One Of Us (Acts 2:38).

To every one of us, God says, “Repent and be baptized”. To every one of us, He says, “Leave your old life behind. Step out into the new life with Jesus Christ as your Saviour and Lord.”

God’s answer is for every one of us. He doesn’t say to some of us, “You need to repent” and then turn to others, saying, “You won’t need to repent. You’re good enough already.”

Let God's Answer Change You. (Acts 2:38).

The question is asked, “What are we to do?” God’s answer begins with a call for repentance and baptism – “Repent and be baptized.”

If we were to read no further than the words, “Repent and be baptized”, we would miss a great deal of what God is saying to us here.“Repent and be baptized” is only the beginning of God’s answer. We must go on from there. As we read the remainder of verse 38, we learn that

* God’s answer is addressed to every one of us.

* God’s answer comes to us in the Name of Jesus Christ.

* God’s answer comes to us with the promise of the forgiveness of sins and the gift of the Holy Spirit. 

We ask the question, “What are we to do?” (Acts 2:37), God gives the answer – “Repent and be baptized.” (Acts 2:38).

We lay our old life before the Lord. We invite Him to come and change us.

He comes in forgiving love. He comes in transforming power.

Once we have put our faith in Christ, everything changes.

“If any one is in Christ, he is a new creation.

Old things have passed away. Everything has become new” (2 Corinthians 5:17).

“It is no longer I who live but Christ who lives in me” (Galatians 2:20).

Three Great Gifts - Jesus, Forgiveness, And The Holy Spirit (Acts 2:38)

Through faith in Christ, we put the old life behind us. Our sins are forgiven. We receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.

Through faith in Christ, we receive the strength we need to live as men and women who love God.

 Through faith in Christ, we receive the strength we need to maintain our confession of faith – "Jesus Christ is Lord.”

In Jesus Christ, God’s answer comes to us with the promise of the forgiveness of sins and the gift of the Holy Spirit. 

Christ brings a change of direction into our life.

This change of direction is described for us in Acts 2:42 -“They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.”

Christ is preached. We believe the Gospel. We receive salvation. Life is no longer centred upon ourselves. It is centred upon Christ.